700R4 Shift Kit 1981, new and ready to install. Fits the 700R4. Ships fast from the USA.
Early 700R4s are the ones most likely to be sitting in a project truck or an older Camaro or Corvette with an unknown history, and they are the ones that struggle most with a weak throttle valve system. This listing is a new TransGo SK700 SHIFT KIT, the full-size kit TransGo designed around the first-design (type-1, non-auxiliary) 700R4 valve body. The listing is filed under 1981 because the kit is marketed as fitting 700R4 and 4L60 units from 1981 on; the 700R4 itself went into production for the 1982 model year, so in practice this is the kit for 1982-1987 Chevrolet and GMC C/K pickups, Blazers, Suburbans, Camaros, Corvettes and Caprices with the original valve body, and it also fits the later bodies through 1993.
Nothing electronic decides pressure in a 700R4. The TV cable strokes the throttle valve, TV oil tells the pressure regulator how much line pressure to build, and the governor plus TV oil sets the shift points. On a 1982-1987 unit with a type-1 body the factory TV valve is prone to sticking, and when it hangs or the cable reads short, line pressure sags exactly when the 2-4 band and 3-4 clutch need it most. TransGo's answer is its Bootstrap TV system with a No Stick TV valve, backed by recalibrated springs for the pressure regulator, governor, 1-2 and 3-4 accumulators, accumulator valve, line bias valve, 3-2 control valve and the TV-related shift valves. TransGo states the calibration is meant to work with the factory servo sizes and accumulator pistons, so you are not forced into a bigger servo to make it work.
Two details matter for older trucks. The kit includes shift timing parts for transplants, useful when a 700R4 goes behind a different engine or rear gear than it left the factory with. It also supports an optional hydraulic torque converter lockup on 1983-1987 valve bodies, so a truck with missing or cut lockup wiring can still lock the converter without an electrical circuit.
A shift kit cannot rebuild burned friction material. Pull the dipstick and smell the fluid; if it is black and burnt, or the pan has a layer of friction dust, plan on a rebuild with the kit installed during it. Then check the TV cable: it should pull smoothly to full travel at wide-open throttle and snap back on release. A cable that binds or a carburetor linkage with the wrong geometry will undo any kit. Our 700R4 valve body testing guide walks through separating a valve body problem from a clutch problem, and 700R4 common problems and fixes covers the 3-4 clutch and band failures this kit is aimed at.
TransGo lists the SK700 for 1982-1993 700R4 and 4L60 units and built it specifically for the 1982-1987 type-1 valve body, though it also fits the type-2 body introduced for 1988. It does not fit the electronically controlled 4L60E. If your truck has a 1988-1993 type-2 body, the smaller SK 700-JR kit covers it at lower cost; if you are unsure which body you have, send us your year and VIN, or the transmission ID tag, before ordering. The rest of our early and late parts are on the 700R4 parts page.
| Fits | 700R4 1981 |
| Part type | Shift Kit |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | TransGo |
| Reference | SK700 |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
The 700R4 entered production for the 1982 model year. The 1981 label comes from how the kit is marketed (fits 1981-on). For a real vehicle, this kit fits 1982-1993 700R4 and 4L60 units and is designed around the 1982-1987 valve body.
The full SK700 is the kit for 1982-1987 non-auxiliary (type-1) valve bodies and also fits later units. If you have a 1988-1993 type-2 valve body, TransGo says the less expensive SK 700-JR gives the same results.
On 1983-1987 valve bodies the kit includes an optional hydraulic lockup setup that does not need any wiring or electrical connection. Follow the instruction sheet for that option.
The kit is calibrated to firm up and shorten shifts while working with the factory servo and accumulator pistons. Shift feel also depends on TV cable adjustment, so set the cable carefully and road test before judging it.
GM specifies DEXRON VI or ACDelco ATF Type III (H) for older units originally filled with DEXRON, DEXRON II or DEXRON III. Check the level hot after a road test.
