dan0617 wrote:
If you are talking about an '89, the stall speed is very low, around 1200 to 1400. Earlier years had higher stalls. You would benefit greatly with a 2200 rpm stall converter, or higher if you don't mind living with a high stall slushy feeling for around town low speed driving or going up a driveway, etc. I have a 2800 stall and wouldn't want to go any higher for a car that is driven much. If my car was a daily driver I'd go 2000 to 2200.

I never went to an aftermarket shifter because I set my car up to shift automatically. Some time in recalibrating the governor was time well spent and didn't cost much at all. The stock shifting is kind of weak, and is worse with a high stall converter.

700R4 mileage is totally up in the air. The stock '89 vette trans in my car had just over 100K miles and was holding up to mid 11 sec. 1/4 mile passes on a 2800 stall converter, a B+M shift improver kit, and a tranny cooler. I went with a beefy rebuilt trans when I changed my setup to run mid 10's but it was still going strong when removed. I don't think it would have lasted long at mid 10's but who knows.

If this car is going to be 11's or slower in the 1/4, and not used for autocross or road racing, or is just going to get beat on the street, I'd install a converter and a tranny cooler, and a decent shift kit, (or a TCI constant pressure valvebody), and recalibrate the governor to get it shifting where you want and run it. (or disregard the valvebody and governor if you want to shift manually). That trans might go tomorrow or might last for a long time. The '89 was one of the better stock 700R4's. If it is to be road raced or autocrossed, IMO, it won't survive long with any amount of power put to it. You would likely be best to swap it out now, before failure.