Tearing down a 2000 4L80E and the forward clutch housing is very discolored. I have never torn one down before so I am not sure if that is normal or not. Is it heat damage, or ??? Any guru's out there that can comment. Does it need changing?

 

That discoloration of the metal is a result of heat treating the internal ring gear teeth to 62 rockwell to a depth of .025 and then the result of maximum material core yeild.

 

Thanks........... it had an unusal pattern towards the center of the heat affected zone and it looked like it may be from overheating the internals.

 

The pattern actually makes sense from a mechanical stanpoint.The less material there is at the saturation point the more the color changes.Look at it objectively now and you will understand the pattern.