Hey guys, i have a few questions about the 4l80 E, i read a lot of other posts but a few things are still a bit unclear to me so let me explain my situation.

Currenly I have a 99 LS1 Car with TEA 5.3 S1.5 heads, comp 224/228 .581/.588 112LSA Cam, a wide assortment of random bolt ons, and a TNT F2 Nitrous Kit. Currenly i have a 4L60E with a Vigi 3600 that i have spent a lot of money on to make it supposedly handle 700hp. LT1Dave.com first built it, but after 3 months i poped it only to find out he had used a lot of stock parts in the $1800 rebuild. I then had a local tranny guy who is big in TH350/400 and Powerglides, but i recently smoked it again. I am by no means making a crazy amount of power, around 500 at the wheels on spray.

I am in the process of building a 408 Forged Iron Stroker LS1 that will see 200-300hp of nitrous and hopefully make ~750 at the wheels.

My current tranny has puked twice on 500rwhp, so i know 750 is asking too much.

The 4l80 seems to be a very appealing alternative. I drive my car a lot, and is actually my currenly daily driver, althought that will change when the 408 comes together. A TH400 has crossed my mind but not only would i loose overdrive but i would loose lockup. I then considered a TH350 but found that they share a lot of weakness with the 4l60/700r4. A 200R4 was what i then looked at, but the price seems rather high and im not sure it will hold 750rwhp (eventually over 800). A 4l80 seems very cost efficient and would make me loose hardly any driveability. I have been told that a 4l80 can be made just as strong as a TH400 (or at least close). What kind of price would i be looking at for a full 4l80 swap, could i use my currenly converter, and how much power could i expect it to hold.

Im very open minded on this, if anyone thinks i would be better off to go with something else please let me know. Im basically trying to determind if i have room in my budget to do the 4l80, or if i should just go with a TH400 and then buy a GV OD unit once i get additional funds.

 

Between $2000 and $3000 on a built 4L80E,between $450 and $950 on a converter,about $150 to fabricate changes to the crossmenber,about $100 on a nuetral switch with it's bracket,about $90 for a driveshaft yoke with u-joint and about $250 for a adapter harness and programming from Speartech.$3000 minimum with new stuff,less if you find a good used transmission.I almost forgot you need a crank spacer and Flexplate add another $160.

 

Have you checked out a tranny from FLP? They have good results with thiers.

4l60e's are **** without a good builder. They aren't anything like a th350/400 or powerglide for that matter. I've noticed this too ... a good tranny builder may not be good with a 4l60. Talk to someone and ask them about building a performance tranny, and if they laugh or ask why you want to, turn around and find another shop.

 

I know that you said the price is too high but by the time you buy a GV OD unit for a 400 and the 400 too you will have invested way more than you could for a solid 2004R.

I am currently about to put a 200 in my car and I dyno'd 610/651 with the M6 on a 150 shot. I spoke with Mike Kurtz at Century and he said that his Extreme Duty 200 will handle 900hp. He has 9 sec GN's running this tranny with no problem. In my opinion this is the only way to go other than maybe the 4L80 but keep in mind it is longer and bigger. I have been told that the GV OD unit requires a little bit of clearancing to the tunnel to make it fit which I do not want to do.

Look at it this way if you have had the 4L60 built twice you could have already bought the 200.

Just my opinion but you were asking.

 

The 4L80E is only a fraction of an inch longer,I was able to reuse my stock driveshaft by changing the yoke the width is the same as a TH400.Although I opted to run mine with the PCM a 4L80E can be converted to full manual operation.FLP told Parish8 they could build a 4L80E that can handle 1200hp.

 

If they can handle that kind of numbers then that is probably the route i would like to go.
So here is my new list of thoughts/concerns/questions
1) I work in a fabrication shop, i could probably make a crossmember.
2) What will a stock 4L80E hold. I found them for 900 and i may go ahead and get it instead of paying another $$$ to get my 4L60E gone through again.
3) The guy who built my tranny is awesome with TH400, i have seen his 400's stand up to mid-high 5 second 1/8 mile passes all day long, since the TH400 is supposes to share some parts with the 4l80e do you think he would be able to build a good one.
4) Will LS1Edit work for the new programing that is required.
5) Will the shifter linkage be the same...can i use my current shifter...i want it to look factory inside and out.
6) I have heard thing about the 4l80 only being able to use 5 bolts in the bell housing due to the LS1 block...since im going to be using a 6.0 Iron block would it bolt right up...that is what tranny the 6.0 vehicles came with correct ?
7) Is a full manual valve body the way to go if i want to make big power, or is it just kind of nice to have. I would hate to forget and try to take off in Drive and tear up something.
8) If it is possible to get these tranny's to take this much power, how long will they hold up doing so. A TH400 will last for years before it needs freshed up, how about these tranny's
9) Are these as weaker, as strong, or stronger than a 200r4
10) If i can get a reputable shop around here to build one, and i can prove that it hold up to my nearly 800rwhp, who would be interested in one.

 

They make a full manual valve body and manual operation would be the simplest way to go.They also do make a optional low gear gear planetary and most TH400 performance parts fit as the 4L80E is a modern version of the TH400 with an overdrive and electronics.They also claim the stock 4L80E is good for over 700hp.

 

I was talking to Mike @ Yank about this a few weeks ago and realistically you are looking at $4000 for a built 4L80E and a custom converter for it. You'll have to either get a TCI computer or run it as a manual valvebody.

If a GV OD is cheap I'd probably look at that in conjunction with using a T400.

I don't believe a 200R4 with your setup will go more than one season without an annual rebuild. I have asked GN guys this and they said they all go to T400's when they get fast.

 

I have a TCI computer for sale cheap,I went the Speartech route with mine.I bought a built 4L80E for under $2000,but I didn't opt for a manual valvebody.Hughes also does a computer to.

 

where did you get your 4L80E forr under 2k? i still have not decided which route to go nines with: TH-400, TH-350, 200-r4, Rossler 4L60E, or 4L80E. what is GV OD?

 

BTE racing just outside of Memphis.That included a rebuild with TCI shift kit and high performance clutch packs.

 

try to find an entire vehicle with a 4l80e- I bought a 93 1 ton van for 300 dollars from a company because the motor was bad- then sold the van to a junk yard for 400 after I removed the trans- the manual valve body was 190.00 and custom convertor for 690 before tcs went out of business. a pro ratchet was 170.00 and I extended my x-member myself- so all in all cheap for me.I'm going thru the trans right now before the season with blue 's and diod sprag- about 800 in parts but will take anything any of us can throw at it . it worked stock all last year without any problems. so if you shop around you can build it for cheap.

 

ia, (Les?),

I recall you posting pics on www.camaro28.com, do you have some? We can host them for you since you are pioneer on this mod.

 

I called up both TCI and Rossler about building a 4l80E. The guy at rossler was extremely knowledgeable and said he could build me one that would hold the power no problem...3k for the tranny with no core, 3.2k for the tranny w/manual valve body. He said they could take it one step further for another 1200 or so and i should never have to worry about breaking it. I would love to have one because i seen his 4l60 stand up to 600rwhp for a whole season with no problems, but i just dont know if i can come up with 4k+ right now.
A buddy of mine is pretty good with transmissions, he could do a good performance rebuild on the 4l80 with blue plates, etc, but would he be able to make it hold 800rwhp with production parts...
Rossler uses their own custom parts, thats why they hold up so well.
Just trying to decide if i need the custom stuff or if off the shelf parts would work for my application.

 

Forgot to mention this...

TCI Said that their 4l80 wouldn't handle my power...
My other alternative is a TH400 from rossler...$1295.
I may do that now and buy a GV unit down the road.
In the end it should be the ultimate in strength and driveability...

One of my friends is trying to talk me into putting a T-56 in it, he swears it would be faster. I just cant see a stick being able to keep up with a well built auto though...

 

how much power are you making z28mccory? my stock 4l80e made it thru a season of running 11's/ 10's on spray - doing this about every weekend - sometimes twice a weekend- plus lots of street messing around.

 

Currently i make around 525 at the wheels, and that has tore up my 4l60 a couple times. I Plan on making a lot more hp this summer. I have some TEA 6.0 Hand Finished Heads w/2.08/1.60 vales on the way. I have a 6.0 stock shortblock and depending on funds i may just stick forged pistons in it and run it for a year that way, or i will go ahead and get an eagle crank and rods as well and go that route. Either way i plan on making 700+ at the wheels on a 200-300 shot of nitrous. I may do it in 2 stages to be easier on things, not sure yet. I plan on running high 10's on motor and mid-high 9's on nitrous. I go to the track once a month at most, most of what i do happens on the street. Thats impressive that a stock one lasted a whole season of that kind of abuse. My car will probably only see nitrous on rare occasions, there isn't much around here that is fast, only reason i would need nitrous is to really make a point or race someone from another town. I may just get a stock 4l80 for under 1k and see how long she lasts...

 

i dont know about a TH400 and drivability, isnt that a non lockup transmission? with a big stall youll probably be at 3500-4000rpm on the hwy even with the GV unit.

 

Yah...that is what is making me think the 4l80 might be the best option if i can do it affordable.

 

You can get a Hughes transmission thru Summit.