darrensls1formula

Well the car is in sig and as you can see it's got just lid, exhaust and ram air kit. I am about to spend $1500 on the car and this was my plan. Since I live close to speed inc and have no prior transmission experience or proper tools I was gonna buy the stuff from them and pay them to install it.

TCI SSF 3500 torque converter $529.99
B & M tranny cooler $49.99
Transgo shift kit $109.99
TCI cast aluminum deep pan $129.99
TCI flexplate $189.99

That subtotals to $1009.91
Add 7% tax and $400 for installation (both were estimated) and I'm at $1479.91

Seems like a good plan but here is my concern. I have read a lot of posts through the search feature on torque converters and the 4L60E. I keep reading about how crappy the stock 4L60E is and how WoT runs kill it fast even with a good tranny cooler. This is my daily driver and after I spend this $1500 I will not have money to buy a new transmission if mine goes out after only a few months with a few track days on the new verter.

So is my deep concern warrented? would I be better off not buying a torque converter until I bought a stage 3 4L60E or some other stronger tranny? Or does that list sound like it would be ok for 6-12 months with some WoT runs a few times a week?

What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance for any input.

samz28

TCI SSF 3500 torque converter $529.99
B & M tranny cooler $49.99
Transgo shift kit $109.99

thats all you need. Use the rest on more power or drag radials. I can't keep my drag radials (245-50-16) sticky on the street. I'd be crazy to rock that 'verter with street tires.

2.5STR hitting at 3800rpm will blow the **** out of the nitto's. I might get some ET's when the season starts up.

darrensls1formula

Sorry, I forgot to mention the Nitto 555R DR are a done deal and the $1500 is beyond the tire upgrade. I know that verter will blow the **** out of Nittos on the street but for the most part my big WoT runs will be once a month at the track and maybe twice a week at a deserted road near my house (for launching practice). I'm sure I'll get a good feel for how much gas can be givin at rolls and stop lights (where I won't be doing a 8 second burnout Lol) soon enough. I wasn't sure if the flexplate was needed but I figured the pan was a good idea. I just can't afford to kill an otherwise healthy transmission too soon. I have no illusions of stock 4L60E longevity here but I need it to last long enough to get the funds ready for when it does go out. If a few passes down the track with a hard hitting converter is likely to kill a completely stock tranny then I might be better off buying a tranny first and converter later. But of course I'd rather have the verter now Lol.

samz28

hot temps kill verters'. Buy a autotap or something and keep an eye on trans temps mate. Or a gauge. You can still torch your trans with a deep pan on a hot day if you hotlap it. OR maybe the cooler will do its job.

Worst time is gonna be in the city, when its unlocked on a hot days. The cooling effectiveness of the trans cooler will suck and you can throw as much fluid as you want at it will get hot. Gotta keep moving But knowing where your trans fluids temps
are will give you a good idea if you need to upgrade..

thus i took that extra money and got efilive 6.3, it has opened my eyes to many things... If you're gonna do nitto's spend $500 on those AFS 17x9.5/17x11" package wheels on ebay then you'll have some 315 meat in the back to keep the tail end on the ground.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

The deep pan is a good idea. I have the (deeper than stock) truck pan which prolongs the warm up of the trans on hot days.

The flexplate is not a must, unless you plan to race a lot or hit some big power numbers. I know tons of guys with 10s of thousands of miles on stock flexplates and running 11s-12s without issues.

The stock trans should last a good while (depending on how many miles are already on it) at your power level even with the stall and spirited driving so long as you keep the temps under 200 and change the fluid often. Biggest keys to making a 4L60E last, IMO, are cool temps and regular fluid changes. I change mine (drain & refill only) every 3K, and new filter every 6K.

I know of a couple guys with 40K+ miles on 3200-3500 stall 'verters even in their stock trans' and still going strong. Lifespan of the trans is all relative basically to maintenance, power, car's weight, usage type, and temps....

Jpr5690

iTrader: (13)

Ya Know At 1500 Your Not Too Far From The Price Of A New Tranny Form What Ive Read If I Were You Id Just Keep On Saving A Bit More (+$500 Ish)
Then Go Peformance Tranny Shopping Or Look Into A Rebulid Kit

tuff

iTrader: (15)

Forget dealing with a miminal setup on a a4 trans save your money we still have time before the season starts.I can help you install it at our shop in bolingbrook.Call chuck at finish line he's the man on these transmissions.let me know good luck

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I second that. If you want a built 4L60E, Chuck at FLP is the only way to go. I'm very happy with mine.

darrensls1formula

Bolingbrook is about 15 minutes from where I live (West side of Joliet near Louis Joliet Mall). But I'm not clear on what you are suggesting. Helping me install the verter or just upgrading the tranny?

SDB

iTrader: (7)

dont do all that little **** to your car. Your basically stock as far as power. Get the B&M cooler and the truck dep pan. Nothing else. If you need a built tranny later when this one goes, having a trans go shift kit will make it MORE expensive to get built, most tranny builders hate working on cars that have had shift kits. My stock auto lasted for a whole summer of lots of drag racing and running 11.6 on radials. save the $$ toward a good rebuild when you need it.

samz28

yah you probably know this, but the shift extension on that 'verter is gonna place you right up past peak power. Mine when shifting at 5700-6189 hits the next gear at 4800rpm. Thats pretty high for stock car.

Best deal is the exhaust/headers/cam/intake/all that jazz and tune at once. Maybe you gotta save up more $$, but if you want your car to go from a 13.51 to 13.0 (maybe) then great, but that next second (the real fun second) and beyond is where your car goes from cool fast, to holy shiz.

Thats really where my z28 became fun.

I waited to throw all boltons and cam in with verter (and gear), now i have mr angry pants car. Which reminds me i need to get my car back today (poly trans mount and pacesucker header fixes).

darrensls1formula

Actually I'm gonna be looking for 12.8 right off the bat. My car did that 13.5 with only the dynomouth on a hot and sticky 90 degree day with a 2.1 60 foot time. Now with lid, SSRA and Nitto 555R DR I am looking for 13.2 with a good 1.9 60 foot time and better weather.

Then with the TCI SSF3500 I'm hoping to shave .5 seconds off of that estimate which puts me at 12.7 but again I'm just looking for 12.8 or so. Eventually I'll get the headers, moser 12 bolt, racing 4L60E or TH400, 224/224 114 LSA cam and maybe even a small 100 shot of N20. But I won't do most of that until I have retired this car from being my daily driver which won't be for about 1-2 years. Between now and then I only want to run mid 12's on drag radials.

If I do get the verter now and only pull a 13.0 I'd be very disappointed.