Wulfdan
Newbie
Thank you for the advice but I don't have the skills, tools, or a clean work area to mess with an auto trans. My options are stay with the 4L80E with a quarter million miles, that I don't know works, because it's only ever rolled around the yard at idle. Or, I have the TH400 that drove itself home before it was parked. I don't want to spend any money that isn't coming back to me which means I don't want to throw a bunch of parts at a high miles trans. This RV will go from my brother's property to my home, and from home to the septic service and back.No, and you don't need me to do so as you already have one...Since you bought the th400 used, do you have proof of the mileage on it and/or it's source vehicle?
250k vs 70k is nearly the equivalent of 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other since the newer 4L80E will last longer all things equal to the older TH400 but either can go south at any time. It would be different if the Th400 was either freshly rebuilt or had less then 5K on it...
I'd price out the cost of refreshing your 4L80E (new filter, paper/rubber, bushings, clutches, harness/solenoids) against the cost/risk/benefit of integrating the TH400 as-is into your powertrain and make a decison on a best-value basis.
If you determine the th400 is your best route the go for it. Likewise for the 4L80E...
Because I'm not spending thousands on a ragged out clapped out RV. The OE big block doesn't run right, so it's a core at best. Are you interested in the TH400?So let's see. High mileage, heavy duty, desirable overdrive transmission, stock to the vehicle: Means tranny x-member is properly located, wiring harness is plug & play, cooler lines are properly sized, routed and designed specifically. Drive shafts are directly usable too.
Or, lower mileage, unknown/untested, non OD tranny, possible non lockup torque converter: Means relocate x-member, rebuild/redesign driveshafts, cooler lines, vacuum shift modulator vacuum line & port on intake, burn a specific chip for an OBD1 ECM.
How about sell the 400 and OE big block, then send the OE 4L80 to a quality tranny rebuilder?
I get that you guys are pros or very experienced hobbyists and want things done the "right" way. I don't have the funding for that. I'm scraping together a place to live and most of the money I do have is targeted toward getting a decent piece of land. If I stay with the 4L80E and it blows up, I'm out good money to fix. It sounds like ya'll like that better than going to the th400 that I know works.