4l60e had uh-oh in a 96... recommendations?

[AuroraGirl]

So my dad has been using the 96 c1500 i won at auction for a long time now, and frankly he kinda abuses the piss out of it, but it has survived somehow the 2000+ pounds always in the bed and stuff.. the factory trans cooler probably helps lol. Anyway. its a 350, nothing fancy there just a small block with some modern doo-dads, and the 4l60e. The truck is rusty, not pretty, and he recently hacked a hole in the floor to shift the trans by detent through the floor rather than replace the shifter cable.........I dont know why... anyway

Trans is uh-oh, I dont know how to rebuild a transmission nor do i want to really dive into it, we dont really want to spend that much money.. its rusty, dinged. hard use, but served a lot of good. The engine is still fine, upward 200k I think. I personally own a couple th350s... but that isnt likely practical in a truck would it? Plus unknown condition, would it mate to the engine without issues? Is there any crossmember change or driveshaft changes that would need to happen? Should I look for another 4l60e? When I say not put a lot, its prob 500 or less wanting to stick into it. Regardless of what happens, its mine, so I would reclaim it for its engine , trans cooler, tail lights that are new, make a trailer out of the box maybe... etc.. I am not worried there.

What kind of rear end would be in a 96 half ton 2wd? A 10 bolt? I also have a powerglide but I wouldnt even contemplate putting it in. I also own BOP TH350 and TH400 but they are hard to acesss at the moment. To my understanding, a sunshell or whatever called is likely broke. He went to go reverse and pop, and no reverse. he said it strained to baby down the road to get to his bosses shop in 1st and 2nd, but from how heavy of loads he has had i would assume if not the hardest repair, there is somethign else down the road kinda thing needing fix.

Maybe yall recommend not putting more work to it? Its not a bad truck just hard lived.

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[yevgenievich]

Th350 with 9" tail is roughly same length as a 700r4/4l60e. Likely no drive shaft change. Move cross member and will need to make a bracket for kick down cable. $500 also can get a 4l60e rebuilt if you pull it out and bring it in to a person building them in a garage.(problem finding a reputable rebuilder)

 

[AuroraGirl]

Th350 with 9" tail is roughly same length as a 700r4/4l60e. Likely no drive shaft change. Move cross member and will need to make a bracket for kick down cable. $500 also can get a 4l60e rebuilt if you pull it out and bring it in to a person building them in a garage.(problem finding a reputable rebuilder)

The kick down bracket thing, i dont know what the tbi unit looks like off hand, but i have a few 4 barrel and 2 barrel SBC throttle cable brackets that bolt on the rear threaded holes on the intake for the kickdown, and have a seemingly intact kickdown still in one of them, with adjuster and everything. also presume i would need to manifold vacuum to the vac reg...? Idk if those brackets work on a vortect if that makes any difference

is a 9 inch tail th350 common for 2wd units? I know i have a BOP 6 inch tail shaft housing but there is a longer looking one on one of them i think.

 

[yevgenievich]

The kick down bracket thing, i dont know what the tbi unit looks like off hand, but i have a few 4 barrel and 2 barrel SBC throttle cable brackets that bolt on the rear threaded holes on the intake for the kickdown, and have a seemingly intact kickdown still in one of them, with adjuster and everything. also presume i would need to manifold vacuum to the vac reg...? Idk if those brackets work on a vortect if that makes any difference

is a 9 inch tail th350 common for 2wd units? I know i have a BOP 6 inch tail shaft housing but there is a longer looking one on one of them i think.

9" is tail was common and used in the trucks before 700r4 took over. There will be no place on the throttle cable mount to attach the kick down cable. Something would need to be modified or exchanged from earlier tbi units. Or something might be there already. Vacuum line is just straight vacuum and should be simple.

 

[AuroraGirl]

9" is tail was common and used in the trucks before 700r4 took over. There will be no place on the throttle cable mount to attach the kick down cable. Something would need to be modified or exchanged from earlier tbi units. Or something might be there already. Vacuum line is just straight vacuum and should be simple.

im saying i have older carburetor brackets that hold the kickdown and the throttle cable, they bolt to the threaded holes behind the carb

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like that brown bracket in the back of my carb, it bolts into those holes and then has a standoff for the kickdown

 

[yevgenievich]

im saying i have older carburetor brackets that hold the kickdown and the throttle cable, they bolt to the threaded holes behind the carb

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like that brown bracket in the back of my carb, it bolts into those holes and then has a standoff for the kickdown

The bolting to intake part is fine. It is the point on the throttle shaft that will have no attachment for the cable it self. It could be made to work, just will need work. I had 700r4 TV cable working before on 96 Lt1 with some modifications

 

[stutaeng]

So you have a carb on that truck? Was 96 that one-off weird year, or was that the '95?

I'd say if all you have is $500, then get yourself a functioning, late 4L60e from a GMT 800 that had the 300 mm input shaft. They have a larger torque converter, better clutch packs and are supposed to be stronger. I think those also got the hardnened sunshell by then as well. The are physically a bit longer, but you may have enough slack on your driveshaft slip yoke. I'm pretty sure there's a way to run those on the SBC, but not certain how much parts run for to adapt.

I doubt anyone is going to rebuild your unit for $500, even as a carryout. Just a set of seals is around $350+. Around here it would cost at least $1500 for a basic rebuild by the "economy" guys. More like $2500-$3500 at the local shops.

Good luck.

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

The 1996 and newer 4L60 is fully OBD2 computer controlled. As is the Vortec 5.7. The plastic upper intake manifold is radically different to a carb manifold. There's nowhere to mount a bracket for the throttle valve cable.
Besides, the truck OE throttle cables loop around the Throttle body, and attach to the pass side. Your tranny's TV cable would need to be at least 2 ft longer, and the bracket would get attached to the back of the alternator!

Rebuild the 4L60 or find a junkyard used tranny. Dont reinvent the wheel by parts cannoning a non-stock tranny and Jerry-rigging a TV cable.

 

[yevgenievich]

Just fixing 4l60e is better, but things can be rigged up to work if really needed

 

[AuroraGirl]

So you have a carb on that truck? Was 96 that one-off weird year, or was that the '95?

I'd say if all you have is $500, then get yourself a functioning, late 4L60e from a GMT 800 that had the 300 mm input shaft. They have a larger torque converter, better clutch packs and are supposed to be stronger. I think those also got the hardnened sunshell by then as well. The are physically a bit longer, but you may have enough slack on your driveshaft slip yoke. I'm pretty sure there's a way to run those on the SBC, but not certain how much parts run for to adapt.

I doubt anyone is going to rebuild your unit for $500, even as a carryout. Just a set of seals is around $350+. Around here it would cost at least $1500 for a basic rebuild by the "economy" guys. More like $2500-$3500 at the local shops.

Good luck.

no. this pic is my 1980 gmc 350. the 96 has a vortect with tbi. I presume tbi at least, not likely port i dont think

But the info by nad is helpful, thanks. Well, the th350 wouldnt need a tv cable but the kickdown which would be easier to fab I would think than a TV cable. I dont have any lines on a 700r4 nor do I want to mess with a TV cable lol.I might consider using an engne and trans for trade or to cut price if we can find something decent or someone who needs something themselves. But based on the special intake and such, I dont feel like dropping a 305/350 with unknown wear, v belts, and then a 3 speed in and take the obd2 engine out, at that point I would be just better getting a engine less chassis because this trck aint perfect and i would be making more work trying to avoid work haha!

On the subject of transmissions then, what are years of 4l60 that could be replacement transmissions? 91+ would be electronic but im sure sensors or internal changes happened that make cutoffs like the 4t65e in my buicks case.(1997-2002 being its range without massive work)