How hard is it to rebuild an automatic transmission? Like a 700R4 or something of the like?

no it is not


but it is expensive



Gary

Quoted: How hard is it to rebuild an automatic transmission? Like a 700R4 or something of the like?

I looked into it for so long, talked to all sorts of people who weren't pros and had rebuilt their own tranny and then I just told myself it's best left to a pro.

If you've installed a shift kit, or did anything deeper than the valve body, you'll realize how hard it'd likely be to go further than that.

Give me anything to fix on a car... but I don't think I could touch an automatic transmission.

Not difficult but if you don't know what you are doing it can become a pile of useless parts.
ETA: Attempt if you know someone that has done it and can help if you run into problems.

If you've done one, you can do them all... they're all the same as long as you're not a pro.  What I'm saying is... they're like an engine in that, every engine has a camshaft, a timing chain, a crankshaft, rods, pistons... etc.

The guy who helped me with my first shift kit installation had never even seen a car transmission!  His only experience was he did some mods on a couple of his Allison semi-truck race trannies (yeah, he races semi-trucks) and he was pulling shit out of my 200-4R and saying "ok, that's the 2nd accumulator..." blah, blah, blah... then we put it all back together without looking at the CSM more than a couple times to reference which length bolts go in which holes so you don't strip shit out.

That shift kit was in my 200-4R, then I did my 4L60E (same thing as a 700-R4).

If you attempt it, remember... the very most important thing is to be clean.  Clean like, "hey sweetie, can I set this tarp up on the dining room table?" clean.  One tiny spec of dirt or paper towel can keep a valve from closing and cause a band to slip and burn up your newly rebuilt tranny.

Get a book if you are going to do a 700R4.  There are a lot of updates for it.

The autotranny is one of the hardest things to work on in an automobile.  I would not suggest you do it yourself without some experienced supervision.  I can pull engines, heads, cranks, camshafts, axles shafts, carriers, wheel bearings and such.  But I woundn't touch anything in an autotranny.  I change the fluid and filter, anything beyond that and it goes to the man.

I had my 700-R4 rebuild years ago in my 86' K-10 pickup.  What finally gave out was the sun gear in the rear of the tranny, and the shaving contaminated everything else.  I ordered a kit from Premier Performance out of CA.  I don't have their address now but I might can find it when I get home.  There was a local tranny shop that was rebuilding all the 700-R4's in the local PD's Caprices.  I removed my tranny and took it and the parts kit to them.  They head mechanic there said it was the highest quality rebuild kit he had ever seen.  They charged me $250 for the labor.  The rebuild kit came with everything including the Torque Converter, it ran me $600.

Stock 1-2 shift clutch pack had 6 clutches, my rebuild kit had 9.  It also had a higher volume & pressure pump, and the local shop installed a corvette servo.  It shifted very well.  I also had a B&M tranny pan that held 4 extra quarts and the biggest cooler that B&M offered.  I filled it will all Mobil 1 brand ATF, 18 quarts total.  I was very happy with the results.