steve40

iTrader: (18)

i was looking at stand alone transmissions controllers for my build, i have a ls swapped monte carlo with a 4l80e. my plan is to run the ls1 pcm for the motor, wasn't sure if i wanted to use it for the trans or not.

do the stand alone controllers have any advantages over the ls1 pcm for control/tuning?

any experience with the stand alone controllers, they all look pretty much the same to me, but i'm not expert and probably missing something that makes them stand out.

mrvedit

IMHO the standalone controllers have disadvantages as they don't have as much information about the load on the engine as the integrated PCM. While newer cars have separate ECM and TCM, they communicate all that information over the CAN bus. LS1 PCMs do not have a CAN bus or any way to share load (TPS/MAP/MAF) info with a standalone trans controller.

Lots of people have successfully run the 4L80E with the LS1 PCM with just a few wiring changes. Consider that the proven solution.

The only advantage a standalone controller might have is the ability to change shift points without needing a computer or expensive tuning software.

I'm not an expert on this, but that is my opinion.

zgp

PCS Controls can read and use all the CAN messaging that Production GM controls use. Plus have more functionality then any of the other aftermarket controllers.

mrvedit

Yes, but just want to reiterate that LS1 PCMs (e.g. the 411) do not have CAN functionality and therefor the PCS controller would not be able to read it.