1983 Chevy S10 Bandit

[linda s]

Not a Toyota but about the same size. Most of these Bandits were put on Toyota chassis. This is a v6 though and as far as I know there is only one v6 bandit with a Toyota chassis. At least only one we have ever heard of. Pretty neat little truck. Belongs to a member of my other group

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/111146328620

Linda S

[zero]

Not a Toyota but about the same size. Most of these Bandits were put on Toyota chassis. This is a v6 though and as far as I know there is only one v6 bandit with a Toyota chassis. At least only one we have ever heard of. Pretty neat little truck. Belongs to a member of my other group

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/111146328620

Linda S

I saw that yesterday on Ebay. It got me wondering how many times that transmission has been out of it. That 700R4 was an absolutely hideous transmission until 1986 and updating an older one successfully is near impossible. But it might have a newer model trans already put into it?

[linda s]

Hmm that tranny was used on the Corvette and Camaro and full sized trucks. I can see how they could experience a lot of problems.I'm thinking a little S10 especially with an RV attached might have not taken quite that kind of stress.

Linda S

[zero]

Hmm that tranny was used on the Corvette and Camaro and full sized trucks. I can see how they could experience a lot of problems.I'm thinking a little S10 especially with an RV attached might have not taken quite that kind of stress.

Linda S

Don't know. I got wondering when I looked at an 83 Dolphin this summer. 21 foot Dolphin RV on an 82 or 83 Chevy S10 and 700R4 automatic trans. It had 60K miles on it and I found it hard to believe any pre-86 700R4 ever lasted that long. I checked the date code on the transmission and found it was a 1990. So by 60K it had been completely replaced. It had that GM Buick 2.8 V6 and transmissions are not as easy to find for them as for Chevy engines.

I worked for a local Chevy dealer when the 700R4 came out in 1982. Dealers, transmission shops and regular repair shops were in panic mode since there were no known fixes for that trans. GM was sending out service bulletins in huge stacks. And yes - this was mostly full size trucks, full size cars and SUVs. The accepted "fix" was to eliminate the 700R4 and stick a turbo 350 or 400 in it's place. In fact - there are special kits to put mechanical modulators in the TH400 so it will work in a vacuum-less diesel truck. The mechanical modulator hooks to the old TV cable that controls the 700R4 (instead of a vacuum modulator).

We (my wife and I) had an 85 GMC S15 Jimmy with a 2.8 and 700R4. It died at 50K (the trans). And since we bought it used, I don't know if it had been done before we owned it.

In 1986, GM completely redesigned the entire transmission case and control valve - along with many internal parts. Thus the problem with doing a complete upgrade on a pre-86 trans.

This spring a guy near me had a 1983 Bandit for sale (on Ebay). It was on a 1983 S10. Had that 2.8 Buick V6 and 700R4 auto trans. He told me he was selling it for his father. I went up and looked at it. Had 50K original miles and oil was pouring out the front of the transmission. He wanted over $4000 for it and I quickly left. That massive oil leak was one of the first major problems to be found in the 700R4. The upgrade/repair is to put in a different transmission pump and a special input seal that gets staked in place.

So, who the heck knows? If I was looking at any vehicle with a pre-86 700R4, I'd price it like it needed a newer transmission.