Manual trans to auto swap

[Bill Blanford]

I know I’ll get blasted for this but o well. I have a 93 k1500 Blazer with a 350tbi and nv3500 transmission. What would it take to swap in a auto trans and what would be the best trans to use. This is my daily driver and I do haul some with it but not a lot.

I believe 93 was the first year they used the 4l60e and 4l80e. And am thinking a 4l80e may be my best bet but I’m new to these trucks and haven’t really worked on them. But I love my blazer and don’t want to get rid of it to buy one that’s a auto.

 

[JMiller]

I'm curious where this leads. I have recently been thinking of the same thing. My wife cant drive my truck which sounds "cool" but it's not. We live in North Dakota. We drive 75 miles for groceries and more than that for a lumber yard. It would sure be nice if she could drive every once in a while. Plus my throw out bearing (at least that's what I think it is) is making horrendous noises sometimes.

 

[86k10]

I just swapped a 700r4 in my 95 C1500 from a NV3500. I would go that route due to no ECM to mess with. A good 700r4 is plenty fine for a 1/2 ton.

 

[df2x4]

A good 700r4 is plenty fine for a 1/2 ton.

For some people I'm sure this is true. Others (like myself) destroy more than one of them with a V6 in a half ton.

Personally I'd never spend money putting a 4L60E/700R4 into one of these trucks.

 

[90halfton]

My 700r4 behind a 350 has lasted 28 years and 140k miles. Pulls trailers great, and it lasted through my younger "burnout heavy foot" days. Change fluid and filter every 30k or so. To call them a bad trans is ridiculous, not saying there haven't been lemons though. Most of the lemons I'm sure are "rebuilt" tranny's from mystery shop x.

 

[df2x4]

I don't think they're a bad transmission in certain applications. I do however think it was a poor decision on GM's part to put them in the full size trucks. I know my experience is not the norm, but it's been enough for me to stay away from them in a vehicle this size.

 

[90halfton]

I don't think they're a bad transmission in certain applications. I do however think it was a poor decision on GM's part to put them in the full size trucks. I know my experience is not the norm, but it's been enough for me to stay away from them in a vehicle this size.

They fall under the same category as the 10 bolt rear end lol

 

[df2x4]

Agreed.

 

[Shorty01GMC]

Th400 and b&M floor shifter if you can live without overdrive... bulletproof 3 speed auto..

 

[Bill Blanford]

Th400 and b&M floor shifter if you can live without overdrive... bulletproof 3 speed auto..

Kinda need to overdrive. Mileage isn’t a huge deal but if I can keep my 18-20 mpg I get now somewhere close to that it would be great.
What’s wrong with the 4l80