1997 K1500 suburban transmission options

[NickTransmissions]

I did drop the pan and replace the filter and gasket and I changed the shift shaft seal.
I bought the '97 from a friend who bought it new but the winters here a tough on a truck as far a rust goes.It would not pass a Pa inspection. It had a little over 58,000 miles on it when I bought it last year. It sat for while as I bought it for the engine. It is just happy circumstance that it has a compatable trans after mine STB.

Yea, I dont miss those winters back there at all.

Good to replace the filter, gasket and selector seal; if you get P1870 at any time, drop the valve body and install the Fitzall valve that i linked in my post to dasburb above - that's what I was going to suggest (you could also do a boat load of other things but correcting/preventing P1870 would have been top priority...

 

[evilunclegrimace]

Thanks Nick, This is just to get the Suburban back on the road for the time being. I will most likely rebuild the case that I pulled as soon as I get caught up with other projects.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

One other thing that I forgot, the two transmissions take different cooler lines. The one piece bell has the lines coming out of the case at close to a 90 degree angle and the two piece bell fas the lines coming out on an angle facing more foward.

 

[dasburb]

You're welcome, @dasburb....

The Transmission Bench is a good channel but from what I recall, he does purely stock rebuilds, following factory-prescribed procedures and specs whether it's beneficial for the transmission or not. Plus he's great if you're suffering from insomnia as he will put you right to sleep within a few minutes of watching...not that I'm all that entertaining either but don't think I'm quite as effective a sleep agent as he.

I have my own 4L60E rebuild series, which includes full tear down and inspection, reassembly as well as several vids on high performance tips and tricks - feel free to check out my 4L60E Youtube playlist here.

You don't need the Sonnax performance pack unless you're building out a trans for high performance, and even then I'd delete some of the stuff in there (Never install that stupid 3rd accumulator check valve - totally unnecessary and can be counter-productive, for example)...Same with the Sonnax Super Hold Servos, 3-4 backing and apply plate kit (only allows for a stock clutch pack), HD Valve body - yours can be reassembled with a couple choice parts and procedures so pocket the savings... A lot of that stuff is nice but unnecessary in a trans behind a stock or mild performance engine. The stuff I'd def do are as follows:

- Sonnax Smart Shell - best such shell on the market
- Sonnax Pinless accumulator pistons (you can do one, two or all three) - otherwise simply purchase all new stock accumulator pistons as your pre-existing ones are worn out
- Transgo Unbreakable pump ring kit for engines that rev under 5000 RPMs
- Fitzall TCC Regulator valve kit (pt A74741-Q)
- Central Valve Bodies AFL drop in valve (pt 4L60E-AFL)
- Sonnax rear stator and pump body bushing
- Extra Sonnax pump body bushing for the rear bushing in the reverse input drum
- Sonnax wide rear sun gear bushing
- Sonnax LB4L60E boost valve kit
- Sonnax TCC control valve for the pump (optional little upgrade if stock one is worn, but that's rare)
- Corvette 093 2nd gear servo
- Viton D-ring seals for the servo
- New Borg Warner 29-element input sprag
- New wiring harness w/TCC lock up solenoid (Rostra), shift solenoids (AC Delco), PWM and 3-2 Solenoid (Rostra or AC Delco), pressure switch manifold assembly (AC Delco)

I sometimes use this Cal/Deluxe kit on eBay for mild builds - has Alto high energy clutches including their 'Powerpack' for the 3-4 clutch pack as well as a wide 2-4 band, full steel module, all bushings (won't come with the Sonnax bushings mentioned above, you'll need to grab those separately), filter, paper, rubber, seals and gaskets. If your transmission has a factory deep pan, you'll need this kit instead.

The stuff I listed above should give you all the reliability you need without having you spend a ton of money for minimal, if any gains...If you're vehicle was pushing more than 450 HP, I'd have you add the billet super hold servos, Smart Tech drum or Cope Racing HP drum w/HD input shaft, Sonnax billet reaction shaft and five pinion GM OEM front and rear planetaries but none of those things are necessary for a stock engine used in a daily driver application.

Specific Procedures to perform during the overhaul:
1. Have the pump's working surfaces re-machined, pump body pocket cut to depth and resurfaced such that your pump rotor and slide clearance is .001-.0015 (I show this measurement process in my 700R4 Rebuild series)
2. Have the reverse input drum turned as it's likely dished/warped
3. Set 3-4 clutch pack clearance to .030-.050 using the Powerpack's apply and backing plate set and snap ring - delete the load release springs
4. Use 400-600 grit sand paper on the inner diameter of the input sprag's outer race to reintroduce x-hatching - gives the new sprag a better surface to grab onto
5. Set front end play to between .015-.025 max
6. Drill the spacer plate as follows: 1-2 feed (corvette servo) .080-.086; 2-3 feed and 2-3 band release: .093, 3-4 feed .093. Do NOT Drill any other holes
7. Air check the entire case - see my video here for info on test plates (i'd spend some of the savings from not purchasing some of those other parts on a test plate)

I know this is a lot of info, feel free to ask more questions either now or as you go.

OK--so after ~2.5 months of radio silence I've moved to a place with a garage I can use, changed jobs (hell yes) and have spent a few days in the great basin so I could review and take notes on most of the transmission bench videos (and now) somewhat understand your videos more. I'm going to keep watching and note-taking.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) I now have quite a few questions (not necessarily in order). They're mostly about stuff adjacent to the actual rebuild as it otherwise seems pretty straightforward with focus and patience. There seems to be less reputable stuff about cleaning parts and torque converters.

Here goes (and again, thank you for your patience and help!):

1. Nobody seems to talk about torque converters, and the dude on Transmission Bench recommends a putting new one on: do you have a go-to torque converter for 'endurance'/long life/daily driver builds? Doesn't need to be for performance, just skookum. Note: if the old one is ok to keep please let me know!

2. Do you have any advice about case and parts cleaning? Transmission Bench recommends mineral spirits, a friend said reach out to a local transmission shop and ask them to clean the case with a case washer, I have a powerwasher, and also could brakleen on smaller parts. Just curious on your take here as you're v much the pro

3. Re: drilling the spacer plate--this is the video about how to do that, right ? (the one with the 4l60 for the 30’s for coupe if that saves you a click) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQSdi_VhFwY&ab_channel=Nick%27sTransmission

4. Bushing tools seem to be a lifesaver and worth the $80+ as I don’t have a press—do you have a set you would recommend?

5. Do you have any recs for a new pump body if mine is shot/needs to be machined? I can call around asking if the local trans shop can do the machining but if it's easier or only moderately more expensive to buy new I'm inclined to do so
5b. The above but as it applies to the reverse input drum--I just don't know where I'd get it done and I'm trying to keep my timeline somewhat compact so less goes awry

6. Transmission bench leaves the white forward input shaft nylon/teflon o-rings on IIRC as "they're good to go" but I'm pretty sure you didn't (note: apologies if I misremember this stuff)--do you think this is something that makes a difference? As a novice I have a big priority on just trying to minimize screwups

7. I'm sure there are other videos about adding trans fluid, but I find you much more trustworthy as a source: do you have any tips about adding fluid after the final install?

8. Is there anything else you recommend to be really careful about/wary of/on the lookout for on the install/removal that might not be intuitive?

9. do you think I could get away with using utility carts and/or wood-top tables?

10: last: just to make sure I'm understanding correctly re 3rd check valve: I shouldn't install the 'capsule' + I don't have to buy a slide hammer? Are there any conditions this would be applicable?

I'm sure there will be even more--I'll start posting pictures once my friend and I start working on this (ideally) next weekend. Thank you again for the help @NickTransmissions!

 

[NickTransmissions]

OK--so after ~2.5 months of radio silence I've moved to a place with a garage I can use, changed jobs (hell yes) and have spent a few days in the great basin so I could review and take notes on most of the transmission bench videos (and now) somewhat understand your videos more. I'm going to keep watching and note-taking.

1. Always install a new TC, always!
2. Hot tank, parts washer, break cleaner for case/alum parts, gears (non-water based solvents only-no blow dying with shop air) and small parts respectively
3. Drill 1-2 .076-.080 with stock converter, vette servo; 2-3, 2-3 band release, 3-4 shift .093. Leave the other holes alone
4.check ebay for 4L60E specific bushing driver sets
5/5b - always recondition pump working surfaces, drum or replace with new or reman
6. Always replace the turbine shaft sealing rings!!! He's out of his mind if that's what he recommends
7. Add 1-2 quarts to the TC then fill the pan with 5-6. Start and idle engine for about 20 sec then add more. Once you have about 90% capacity in, start and put it in reverse then drive then 3, 2 and low then back to park. Check level and repeat until you can add any more then take for a short test drive.
8. Dont break the pump by letting the converter slip forward when mating the trans to the engine
9. NO
10. Test it - watch this video - I show you how step by step. Most dont require replacement.

Print these responses out so you have them handy.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Nobody seems to talk about torque converters, and the dude on Transmission Bench recommends a putting new one on: do you have a go-to torque converter for 'endurance'/long life/daily driver builds? Doesn't need to be for performance, just skookum. Note: if the old one is ok to keep please let me know!

I used a GM Genuine 24210922 torque converter for a '98-04 S10 with a 4.3 V6 in Way Cool Jr. It has a noticeably higher stall, but some of that is because I'm producing significantly more torque.

More Information for GM GENUINE 24210922

Otherwise, stick with stock.

More Information for GM GENUINE 24208648