Transmission upgrade

[df2x4]

just curious what was upgraded in your 4l60e? did you go all out, upgrading sun shell, better clutches and shift kit, 5 pinion planetary? you feel strongly about 4l60e's not being able to take the power and have me considering the swap too. i recently replaced my transmission and was thinking upgrade and rebuild the original. you have me second guessing this decision.

Billet servos (both of them), beast sunshell, upgraded band, upgraded frictions, and a TransGo HD2 kit. That's just what I bought. I'm sure my builder took some other liberties that I'm not completely aware of. Not positive about the five pinion planetary but I would assume. Total cost on the build and install was $2700 not including the parts I brought in, from a very reputable local builder.

That rebuild lasted about 10K miles. The first 3-4K were run with torque management zero'd out in the tune, which I'm sure is part of the reason it died so prematurely, but needless to say I expected a little more life than that.

 

[williscr3]

That's a lot of money for such a short life. What part failed? This is exactly what I was planning on doing so I greatly appreciate your input and saving me the hassle and my money.

 

[df2x4]

That's a lot of money for such a short life. What part failed? This is exactly what I was planning on doing so I greatly appreciate your input and saving me the hassle and my money.

No problem! I haven't torn it apart since it came out for the 80E swap (and probably won't, going to give it to a buddy who can use the good bits) but the way it behaved leads me to believe the 3-4 frictions burnt up, just like the stock ones before them. It drove fine to my mechanics shop 30 miles away for the swap, just didn't have anything above 2nd gear.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

just curious what was upgraded in your 4l60e? did you go all out, upgrading sun shell, better clutches and shift kit, 5 pinion planetary? you feel strongly about 4l60e's not being able to take the power and have me considering the swap too. i recently replaced my transmission and was thinking upgrade and rebuild the original. you have me second guessing this decision.

When my stock 4L60E failed at 38K miles(broken input shaft/drum), I built a 4L65E core. It had the 5 pinon planets. I upgraded the input drum, the sun shell, and used a wide corvette band. Went with the Sonnax billet servos for 2nd and 4th gear. Used a modified Transgo HD2 shift kit and a Transgo separator plate. It failed in 40K miles behind a L31 with a small 206/210 @ .050 cam. Failure was the transmission case on mine. Stripped the lugs right off the case that hold the Low/Reverse clutch on a WOT 3-1 downshift. Lots of torque + heavy vehicle + tall axle ratio = broken case. Swapped a junkyard 4L85E in its place and have not been happier.

 

[williscr3]

When my stock 4L60E failed at 38K miles(broken input shaft/drum), I built a 4L65E core. It had the 5 pinon planets. I upgraded the input drum, the sun shell, and used a wide corvette band. Went with the Sonnax billet servos for 2nd and 4th gear. Used a modified Transgo HD2 shift kit and a Transgo separator plate. It failed in 40K miles behind a L31 with a small 206/210 @ .050 cam. Failure was the transmission case on mine. Stripped the lugs right off the case that hold the Low/Reverse clutch on a WOT 3-1 downshift. Lots of torque + heavy vehicle + tall axle ratio = broken case. Swapped a junkyard 4L85E in its place and have not been happier.

How hard was it to swap that transmission in?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

How hard was it to swap that transmission in?

I have a 2wd so that automatically makes it much easier but since it was an Express van I was in uncharted territory of being the only one I know of that has done this swap to this day. Unlike most trucks/suv's that have been swapped numerous times with matching pictures and writeups, I had to pave ahead and discover what needed to be done as I got to that point.

On mine I had to cut up the stock trans crossmember and use plate steel to relocate the mounting point 5" to the rear. I had to completely replumb the cooler setup. I added a massive cooler with built-in thermostatic fan and plumbed the whole setup with AN lines. I had to change the shift cable. I had to extend and rewire the transmission connector. I replaced the flexplate. I had the driveshaft cut down but discovered I could have used the OEM driveshaft by simply replacing the yoke. I had a 9" yoke on the 4L60E, I thought they only made a 6" 4L80E yoke, but later found out they had a 4" yoke available. It was my first swap and know I have better knowledge and know how to do things a little differently. Having HPTuners I segment swapped the PCM without having to pay license fees for a different file. It took me a week of working 1-2 hours a night after work to get the swap done and get it running. However it was a second vehicle to me and I took my time to get it right. I was $1500 into the whole swap when it was said and done buying a used 4L85E that had a 6 month parts warranty on it. The place I bought it from even took my 4L60E off my hands as a core so that I did not have to pay the extra $100 core.

 

[df2x4]

@williscr3 Check the link I posted on the first page of this thread, it should take you to my 4L80E swap thread.

 

[Vodka0tter]

I am running a 383 into a 4l60e that was sent to a local shop. Primarily sonnax internals. Spent ~ 2500 on the rebuild. I dyno'd 375 RWH and she takes it well so far. No shift kit but increased line PSI, adaptive learning and most of the torque management are removed. Have around 8k on it now. Not my DD but I drive it harder that I should. No wicked down shifts but a gets its share of red light action...

 

[JavaMan]

but the way it behaved leads me to believe the 3-4 frictions burnt up, just like the stock ones before them. It drove fine to my mechanics shop 30 miles away for the swap, just didn't have anything above 2nd gear.

The 3-4 frictions are what burnt up on my old truck too. Nothing above 2nd worked, just felt like neutral. I did figure out that if I used tow/haul mode, then I could get 3rd and 4th to work. Only did that a couple trips, including the trip to the dealership to trade in.