Sweet_SS

Is this possible? I've researched and now my fingers are about to bleed and from what I gathered. Since I have the LS3, it is very possible now Hoping someone will let me know if I need to change out any wiring or PCM and if there is a conversion kit to the 4th Gen. Again, any help is appreciated.


Thanks.

soundengineer

iTrader: (16)

You need a 58x crank and 4x cam sensor with an ls3 pcm or the mast motorsports pcm...

No other options

Sweet_SS

I got the 58x crank but not the 4x cam sensor I believe.

soundengineer

iTrader: (16)

If I recall correctly.....
if you use an ls1/ls6 style cam, then you only have a 1x sensor
if you have an ls3/ls7 style cam, you have a 4x sensor

it has to do with the wheel on the back of the camshaft

SnIpEz

iTrader: (4)

Why do you want to swap to a 6L80E?

Sweet_SS

To answer your questions, I'm using the LS1 style cam shaft so it looks like I have the 1X style cam sensor. Second, I just don't like the 4L60E. Friend and I have been discussing shifter paddles...doubt that is possible. But hell, I've seen some sick one off builds on here. Maybe I should go with my original plan...4L80.

mrvedit

Yes, that is the real question. I have only driven one 6L80E car, a 2008 Pontiac G8 that I considered buying this summer. The trans really turned me off (and the car's overall disappointing performance). IMO the 4.02 1st gear ratio might be fine for heavy SUVs or even the over-weight 5th gen Camaro, but seems useless for any car under 4000 lbs. The G8 lurches in 1st gear and then shifts early into 2nd gear (2.36 ratio) which bogs the car down.
I can't even get traction with the 3.06 1st gear in the 4L60E with drag radials. Heck, I went so far as to spend mega-$$$ to mod my 4L60E with a 2.86 1st gear ratio planetary gear set.
Many people here swap in a 4L80E which has an 2.75 1st gear which is excellent for 1st-4th gen F bodies. TCI makes a close ratio 6-speed version of the 4L80E; don't know if their controller supports paddle shifters.
Hey, just my opinion.

Sweet_SS

Thanks for sharing this. I've never driven a car with either the 4L80 or 6L80, but I have been basing my decision on what people have say about them. I think once my money is right, the 4L80 is the way to go.

poorhousenext

TCI 6X 6 speed transmission controller does support paddle shifting. The paddles unit they use also has a display so you know what gear your in.

Believe me you need gear display as the 6X is a close ratio auto. If you compare it's gearing to M21 close ratio manual, 2nd gear - 5th gear are very close to being the same. 1st gear is lower so you could say like the 6L80/90 it has 2 first gears. It only has 1 overdriven gear, while the 6L80/90's have 2.

What the 6L80/90 have is engine braking and engine rev matching. TCI 6X controller or trans doesn't support that.

The only benefit I see of having automatic with paddle shifting is if you autocross by allowing you to select gear(s) that will allow you to keep engine in it's power band as you run course and shift while keeping both hands on steering wheel. With A4 I'll let you be the judge how much use paddles would be.

Drag racing, you can't paddle shift trans as fast as it will auto shift it's self. No benefit at strip.

6L80E: Gear ratios may have changed since release of trans.
1st gear 4.03
2nd gear 2.36
3rd gear 1.53
4th gear 1.15.
5th gear 0.85
6th gear 0.67 or 0.70 depending on year of mfg

TCI 6X automatic
1st gear 2.93
2nd gear 2.23
3rd gear 1.57
4th gear 1.18
5th gear 1.00
6th gear 0.75

M21 close ratio 4 sp manual
1st gear 2.20
2nd gear 1.64
3rd gear 1.28
4th gear 1.00

RPM Retention and Lost between shifts.

TCI 6X (4L80E based)
2.93
2.23 -- 76.10% (high) RPM Retention -- 23.90% RPM DROP
1.57 -- 70.40% (high) RPM Retention -- 29.60% RPM DROP
1.18 -- 75.16% (high) RPM Retention -- 24.84% RPM DROP
1.00 -- 84.745% (high) RPM Retention -- 15.255% RPM DROP
0.75 -- 75.00% (high) RPM Retention -- 25.00% RPM DROP

6L80/90
4.03
2.36 -- 58.56% (high) RPM Retention 41.44% RPM DROP
1.53 -- 64.83% (high) RPM Retention 35.17% RPM DROP
1.15 -- 75.16% (high) RPM Retention 24.84% RPM DROP
0.852 -- 74.09% (high) RPM Retention 25.91% RPM DROP

4l65/70
3.06
1.62 -- 52.94% (high) RPM Retention 47.06% RPM DROP
1.00 -- 61.73% (high) RPM Retention 38.27% RPM DROP

4l80/85: Stock gearing.
2.48
1.48 -- 59.68% (high) RPM Retention 40.32% RPM DROP
1.00 -- 67.57% (high) RPM Retention 32.43% RPM DROP

Because the TCI 6X has less RPM lost between shift, you can get by with a lower stalled converter than with A4. I only have a 2500-2800 stall converter as car will be autocrossed starting next year, and even with a poor tune with only 360 RWHP, more weight on rearend than frontend of car and 3.55 rear gear, it will spin the tires from a dead stop from 1st - 3rd. It will break the tires loose if it downshifts into 3rd if you are running slow enough for it to auto downshift into that gear when you go WOT. Car will Trap in 4th gear in 1/4 mile, so with 1.18 4th gear and 3.55 rear end, I have a 4.20 effective rear end gear for the strip.

What paddles do best is give you a little "WOW" factor when people look in interior of car, and that's if they even notice the Paddles without you bragging about having them...LOL Same can be said about having car with 6 sp auto. Unless you Brag to people that car has a 6 speed automatic, they will never know...LOL It's like having 750HP engine. If you don't Brag about it, no one knows. Does anyone really like to hear people bragging. I rather brag about having Drive By Wire Cruise Control to them...

Ask me how I know that? I have old cars, one with 6L80E and one with TCI 6X in them. I'd like to think I know a little about both...LOL

I have tap up/tap down shifter with the 6L80E but never use it, could install aftermarket paddles, but at this time they don't have have gear indicator display, and due to 2 overdriven gears and 2 First gears, why bother as 6L really has only 3 performance gears. It's designed for gas mileage more than performance. There are a few built 6L80s that have turned some great times at strip and lived to tell about that more than a few races. Aftermarket is making progress in making them more reliable, but if you have any HP/TQ and plan on abusing a stock one look into cost of having to have it built to hold up. The TCI 6X as shipped without more mods is rated to hold 850HP.

Sweet_SS

Thanks for the info, greatly appreciated.

kyphur

iTrader: (5)

Great info and beautiful cars. Very jealous.