K10 1983 700r4 installation help needed

[wrightjt2007]

Hey, just ran across this forum and registered. I recently removed my 700r4 tranny from my 1983 k10 chevy silverado and sent it to a shop to be repaired. It is ready now and I will be putting it back in soon before I go on vacation. When removed i had a friend do most of the work bc he has done it before on his own squarebody. Now he is buy and while Im looking for another friend who might be able to help I will attempt it myself. I've looked on YouTube for an installation vid but I got nothing except a removal vid that I plan to do in reverse. If anyone has a video I could follow step by step of just very detailed instructions would be an early Christmas present.

 

[Chevy 88]

Just buy a Chilton service manual and follow it step by step. Read the entire "transmission removal/replacement" chapter and you will know exactly what to do and how to do it. Start reading at: "disconnect the negative battery cable" then stop reading when it says "Connect the negative battery cable". 15 minute read - and you will lean a lot. No YouTube video can replace what you will find in the manual.

 

[Matt69olds]

The most important tip I can offer: make SURE the converter is fully seated in the pump before tightening the bellhousing bolts!!

Slowly tighten the bellhousing bolts, while occasionally stopping to make sure the converter will spin. If at any time the converter locks solid before the bellhousing is fully tightened, you need to stop and find out why.

 

[NickTransmissions]

Hey, just ran across this forum and registered. I recently removed my 700r4 tranny from my 1983 k10 chevy silverado and sent it to a shop to be repaired. It is ready now and I will be putting it back in soon before I go on vacation. When removed i had a friend do most of the work bc he has done it before on his own squarebody. Now he is buy and while Im looking for another friend who might be able to help I will attempt it myself. I've looked on YouTube for an installation vid but I got nothing except a removal vid that I plan to do in reverse. If anyone has a video I could follow step by step of just very detailed instructions would be an early Christmas present.

Obtain a transmission jack - harbor freight sells them for a couple hundred bucks or so. They make re-marrying the transmission to the engine quick, very easy and dramatically reduces the risk of breaking something. Fill the converter with a quart or two of fluid prior to installing it onto the trans - make sure there is a little black rubber o-ring on the end of the input shaft before you do so. Then make sure it's fully, properly engaged onto the pump (many YT vids on this). After you install the converter onto the trans, spin it until a little bit of fluid dribbles out of the supply line fitting on the pass side of the case. That indicates the pump is working.

Keep spinning it as you marry it to the engine - apply some rearward pressure to keep it fully installed, preventing it from pitching forward and out of engagement. Once it's fully bolted up, spin it one last time before installing the converter bolts so you can confirm it's still correctly installed.

 

[Broken85]

Pull the cross member and make your life simple, it’s just 4 bolts. Also, I WOULD NOT try to install the Transfer Case attached to the tranny at the same time as the transmission unless you have the right jack. It is super back-heavy and hard line up with the bell housing. I only do this when I am installing a transmission and transfer case without a motor in the truck and planning to install the motor later.

Everything said about the torque converter is super important. Put the tranny up with the TC adapter (dow pins are your friends), 6 bolts to bolt it to the block(, then put the crossmember back up and drop it on the transmission mounts (then tighten all the bolts starting with the bell housing). Once the bell-housing is tight (6 bolts) and it is on the cross member (4 for the cross-member, 2 for the mount), 75% of the job is done with just 12 bolts.

Pro-tip; be sure to check the length of the bolts you are going to use for your bell housing BEFORE you start. We all know how bolts get shuffled. Too long and you are just going to waste 10-20 minutes per bolt replacing them with the correct length. I think they should all be 1.5” or maybe 2”. The one on the passenger side that connects the support rod for the transfer case is 1/2” longer.

 

[legend57]

When removed my T350/NP203 and then installed my 700R4/NP203 combo, I used this motorcycle jack from Harbor Freight. By placing the T-Case adapter between the two lift extensions (shown in the pic), it balanced perfectly. The lift extensions supported the trans pan and the T-Case so there wasn't any wobbling. I had it installed in less than 10min. Super easy and controlled.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-aluminum-atvmotorcycle-lift-70835.html

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