99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Would 10 year old, dry stored (no fluid, just the rebuild lube) fresh rebuilt 4L60e still be good?

Back in 2008, I'd planned to do an LS swap and had a 4L60e rebuilt by a highly reputable local transmission shop. I ended up going with a T56 and the 4L60e is still sitting in my garage on the work table. The shop closed when the owner passed away in 2009, so I can't ask the builder.

Brief outline was he build the transmission exactly like the one in his 10 second 1/4 mile 260Z (383 LT1 swap/ 300 shot). His car made 700+ whp.

I have a daily driver 100% stock 02 Z28 that has 244,000 on the stock transmission and thought about swapping this transmission into the car over Thanksgiving. Also have a 3200 Yank STLT stall converter that's sitting around that could be sent off and cut and cleaned.

The 02 Z28's transmission still drives good and doesn't have any issues so there is no rush to do anything right now.

Comments & thoughts?

Opinions?

handyandy496

iTrader: (9)

If it was lubed and covered properly why wouldn't it be good? especialy if it was in an attached garage where temp swings are low preventing any internal condensation. Oils don't evaporate. I would just run it for 5 minutes and change the oil. Or not. The filter would catch anything your worrying about. You could pull the pan and look for rust as well. Or just look at the dip stick.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Thank you, good point about a brief 5 minutes and change fluid, maybe a couple of times.

Have a friend with a local shop, if I help $125 will probably cover the swap.
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If it's bad it will be another $125 to swap the old transmission back in.

Seem like a reasonable gamble?

Its one of those, I've been told by some friends that know more than I do about transmissions, that as the temperature changes from hot (110 degrees) to cold (25) in the stand alone garage the lube melts. He says it flows away from the metal parts and condensation goes to work. Eventually the metal in the valve body and other places rusts or gets oxidized. So after ten years it's gone bad and won't shift correctly or will slip etc.

Normally, I'd ignore them but one of them, 20 years ago, rebuilt 700R4 for a transmission shop.

My knowledge of automatic transmissions is very limited so I have no idea if he knows what he is talking about. I figured someone on the forum would know.

JoeRJr

I think it would have to see an awful lot of humidity to get rust on lubed parts. Sure, lube may melt of parts at higher temps, but the surface tension of it will make a coating hold on any part that it touched. My bet is that it is just as good as the day it was built.
Joe

cam

iTrader: (9)

Try it and see. Autos are fickle. Ive had em on the shelf for years used em and no problems. I've pulled some out of good working cars, let sit for a few months and toast before the first corner.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

How humid is your region? I think any risk of internal corrosion from humidity or condensation forming inside a garage is going to depend, in part, on your location. I have a friend who moved to FL; he now experiences frequent issues with rusting of bare metal surfaces inside his garage in pretty short periods of time, items that didn't rust for many years inside his garage when he lived near me in IL. Here in Chicago, I've had a set of brake rotors on my garage floor since 2006 which still haven't rusted. And, of course, composition of the metal (iron vs. steel vs. mild steel, etc.) will also be a factor in terms of sensitivity to humidity.

But, this isn't just a bunch of bare metal parts sitting on a shelf in a non-climate controlled building for 10 years - it's an assembled unit (presumably lubed), so I think the risks of corrosion related issues are very low unless perhaps you live in a super humid climate. As suggested above, I'd just pull the pan and do some cursory inspection as a first step. If there's nothing alarming in the visible areas, I'd wouldn't be too worried about it.

Jays_SSZ28

iTrader: (2)

Look at the top of the input, stator, and output shafts. Any rust? Or is the front and rear sealed?
Transmission fluid is hygroscopic, some more than others. Assembly lube isn't, but people use many different things for assembly lube. And the frictions should have been soaked in ATF but not all builders do that.
FWIW I have a new GM sunshell in my bedroom where the temp averages 75 degrees and the humidity averages 45% and it started rusting. I didn't wipe it down with ATF either I used WD40 when I noticed the rust.

I've noticed on a lot of 4L60E's I've rebuilt they have rust on the forward apply piston sealing area where the seal doesn't touch. I rebuilt one for someone who bought a used one that must have been in the rain because the forward apply piston rusted and ate the seal up.

If I had it stored I would have sealed the front, rear, and dipstick hole up, and the vent. And if I didn't feel comfortable about that after 10 years I'd pull the pump and input out. If the gasket and o-ring never been ran it could be reused, or spend $20 or less on a pump seal set.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

The 4L60e was stored in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and we have fairly high humidity but not like on the coast or being near a major lake or river. Dip stick was sealed but the vent hose wasn't capped. Input shaft looks prefer good to me. There is an exposed u joint on an old yoke with transmission and has 20% surface light surface rust. It's been with transmission for ten years.

Karlw

iTrader: (5)

Pull the pan and take a peak inside. Shouldn't take long sitting on a bench.

Jays_SSZ28

iTrader: (2)

That green o-ring says a lot. It's close enough but not the right one. 10 years ago is about the time they didn't include the correct 300mm input shaft o-ring in a rebuild kit. Theres a reason the kits now come with a green one and the correct brown one.

Also not sure what taking the pan off tells you. It's easy and makes you feel like you did something? What rusts or corrodes in the pan area, only thing I can think of is looking in to see the band, thats bare sheet metal.

I'd take the pump and input out, can inspect the surface condition of the sunshell (which will rust on the shelf new) and can look at the clutches to see if they were soaked in ATF and if they sucked in moisture the steels will be stained with discoloration.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Thank you, for the information.

Other, than dropping the pan and changing AFT fluid & filter, I have zero experience with automatic transmissions. Is pulling the input shaft something that's reasonable for a novice to try and do? Or is pulling input shaft something I should get an experienced mechanic to do?

Nostang

iTrader: (4)

I'd run it with no worries based upon your description. Most of the trans is aluminum and the clutches and steels are deep inside the trans and less likely to be exposed to condensation unless you left it outside in the weather. Make sure you use a new converter on the fresh rebuild and have some fun.

98CayenneT/A

I agree that pulling the pan will tell you absolutley nothing.

Pulling the pump, input drum and reverse input drum is pretty straight forward imo. You will have to remove the valve body to remove the band anchor.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Assembly lube is mostly Vaseline. You don't see enough heat to melt it off the assembled parts internally. I would run it, although rubbing some lube on the seals you can reach is cheap and easy.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

I appreciate the information. That's a good point about the assembly line being like Vaseline


One of my friends has a 4L60e that's started slipping so this ten year rebuild is probably be going in his B4C next week instead of in my Z28 at Thanksgiving. He knows the full details etc and is up for trying it.

I will update and let everyone know how this ends up and if the ten year 4L60e worked.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

My friend's B4C got a new Midwest Chassis aluminum 9 inch rear end with 3.​​​​73's, Viking coil overs, LCA's, Panhard, Subframes etc over the last two months.

​​​​​​This week the ten year old 4L60e was swapped into the car with a new Yank SS3600 stall. The input shaft seal, pump seal, pan gasket & filter were replaced. The transmission filled up with Dextron 3 and left to soak for a few days. Convert was filled up and a warm up break in with a couple of heat cycles and manual shift through the gears. Car was taken on a easy drive around the block. All was well. Couple more miles of break in driving.

Last night was spent beating the hell out of car, testing the new transmission & Yank SS3600 and new set up. He's definitely happy with the transmission & the Yank 3600.

My friend had these comments:

• Should have gone 4.10 gears instead of 3.73's.
• MWC rocks! Rear end is perfect.
• The Yank SS3600 drives great, very tight, way better than the old 15 year old 3200 Vigilante
• ****!, I need another new pair of rear tires!

Shifts are quick & firm but not stupid hard. Car turns ~200-250 rpm less at the same highway speeds.

Mr. Pawley who built the transmission definitely delivered!