Automatic Transmission - Clutch Turbo 400, Rosslers Little Black Box, and a 4l80E




GtoProject
10-10-2011, 07:37 PM
Already posted the same thing on performance years, but most Pontiac guys don't run 4l80e's so it thought that I would come here.

Little background, I'm 15 and building up a 68 lemans gto clone,the lemans on insurance is alot less. This is going to be a daily driver so OD is the only reason for not dropping in a th400 or keeping the powerglide and calling it a day.

Using an adapter you can easily put a 4l80e behind a Pontiac that's not the problem. A clutch flight from an old turbo 400 conversion had recently become available and it might just be able to fit in the 4l80e, I have no idea that's why I'm here. The clutchflight is just to have a clutch, apparently riding around with a manual valve body isn't very fun. From what I know a th400 shares around 80% of the internal parts with a 4l80e, again to me this is just here say, but im not sure about the bellhousings. They would either have to be the same or very similar for the clutch flight kit to fit in there and work properly. To control the trans I would use a Rossler "little black box" or the same thing made by Jake's Performance, most likely the jakes, these boxes allow the trans to run like it has a manual valve body, without even opening it up, and allows the lock up torque converted to still function. That doesnt really matter though because it would be coming out anyway. No electronics or $700+ controller needed. What I need to know is if the clutch turbo 400 set up would fit and work properly in there. Let's hear your thoughts.


slow67
10-10-2011, 08:07 PM
No, it won't work. But it is possible to make a clutched 80E (though not exactly cheap). I'd do a normal 4L80E with a little black box first, then later you have the option to upgrade to a transmission controller.

GtoProject
10-10-2011, 08:17 PM
Could you tell me exactly what won't work in it, for reference. I just want to exhaust all my resources before just putting in a box and calling it a day.


Nick V.
10-10-2011, 08:21 PM
damn this kid is 15 and he has more internal car knowledge than i ever will. T.T

Jake's Performance
10-10-2011, 11:29 PM
The "Clutch-Turbo" is based on a TH400 with an adapter ring that allows the TH400 case to be cut down and attached to a manual trans scattershield.
It uses a normal clutch, flywheel, scattershield, etc from a 4 speed but a planetary style trans. The pump is driven by a "spider" off the pressure plate fingers. The input shaft is splined differently to fit a clutch disc instead of a converter.
The spider and input shaft/forward drum were the weak points with these old units.
I can build them with a better spider and input shaft.

A "Clutch-flite" is a Mopar 727 trans with similar mods. Nothing shared with the Clutch-turbo.

A 4L80E could be built as a clutch style trans but it would be a $10K unit.

GtoProject
10-11-2011, 05:04 AM
Thanks for the info. I guess a clutch 4l80e isnt going to come true any time soon.

forcd ind
10-11-2011, 06:12 PM
ya, that clutch flight was throwing me off, lol
i guess an option is a clutch turbo with a gear vendors OD unit
i ran one of those old "stick turbos" back in the 60's(Fairbanks), pretty brutal shifts