Technical 700r4... Run Without Lockup?

Art Carr does this because the hollow TC lockup input shaft is not strong enough to withstand extreme torque.

They use a solid input shaft.

Virtually no HAMB-era engine, in a street vehicle, makes that level of torque necessary to break a stock 700-R4 or 200-4R input shaft.

 

I use a Bowler time delay for my lock up on my 700, it is a 10 second delay when going into 4th gear before the converter locks up. They also sell a switch for the brake pedal to cut the lockup out when applying the brakes. On my 2004R, I don't use the lockup converter at all and I have never had any problems in the many years that I have driven the car with the 2004R for over 24K miles. I use those small B&M trans coolers too and not the radiator.

 

I had a 1982 Pontiac J2000 (Chevy Cavalier with a Pontiac nose job) years ago with a lockup converter that wouldn't unlock and stalled the car when I came to a stop. I just unplugged the electrical connector for it, and it went like that for many miles with no ill effect.