Badguy7

iTrader: (6)

OK guys, I'm doing an LS3 crate swap in to my 2002 SS Camaro. I still have the stock 4L60E and will run that till I can save up for a built trans. I'm pretty clueless right now when it comes to the transmission. So my questions are...

What all will I need to make this work?
Or is this just a direct swap?

TH400? Are these any good for a daily driver/weekend warrior? That's mostly what the car will be.

Any kind of help is appreciated guys.

mrvedit

Your existing 4L60E will bolt right up the the LS3 and I think that your crate PCM will control it properly.
(Late model 4L60E do not have the 3-2 downshift solenoid; therefore this might have been removed from late
model PCMs. The 3-2 downshift really isn't necessary and the Transgo shift kit pretty much disables it anyway.)

If your 4L60E is stock and high mileage it may not last that long. One choice would be a well built 4L60E from a sponsor; that should be sufficient unless you add Nitrous, Turbo or Supercharger to your LS3. For those you will want to go 4L80E.

IMHO a TH400 should only be considered from track-mostly cars. The lack of overdrive is very annoying and expensive for DD. Shift points are hard to change - you have to fiddle with springs and weights.

Circle-D_Brian

I would consider the 4l80e. All the benefits of the 400 plus overdrive and lockup for cruising.

-Brian

Badguy7

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the replies guys. That's what I was thinking the TH400 was, more of a track duty trans than a street setup. Just wanted to be sure...

I have actually been thinking about going with a built 4L80E from a sponsor. I just wanted to be sure I could at least bolt up the stock 4L60E to the new motor and have it up and running 1st. I won't be racing it till a new trans & rear end are on it. So stock should be ok for the time being. But I will be going with Tick Performances Polluter cam for the ls3. Don't think the stock trans will like that setup though.

mrvedit

Good plan. Changing everything at once can be overwhelming. Looks like a good choice for a cam; make sure the cam is optimized for square ports (LS3) and not cathedral ports (LS1).

BODUKE

Are you running a stall?

Badguy7

iTrader: (6)

No stall, it's a completely stock trans at the moment. I was thinking a rebuild kit + stall if I really have to for that size of a cam. Or would it just be better to save for a built trans?

murphinator

iTrader: (2)

cammed cars are generally turds without a stall to get it quickly up into the cams powerband so buy your future stall and install it with the ls3

mrvedit

However a 4L60E converter will not fit a 4L80E. So the cam, 4l80E and stall converter should be done at the same time. Good converters are $700+ so keep that in mind.

BODUKE

You will need a stall if you plan on running a cam. I would get a built trans.