4L80E CK Performance transbrake problems*SOLVED*
The solenoid is getting 12volts and clicking, 1-2 shift solenoid is powered, controller is commanding 1st gear but i it´s not engaging the brake. This is with the shifter both in D3 and manual 1st. Due to the brake not engaging I also have no reverse.
I have measured the line pressure and i´m getting 190psi to 220psi in every gear.
When I received the brake, there we´re some conflicting info in the purchase order. It said that the order was for the late model version, but it was corrected with handwritten text, stating it was actually the early version. Is there any way for me to check which version I actually have?
Yesterday I put the stock valvebody and 1-2 accumulator piston back on and now it´s working perfectly again. I have no idea what to do next. Is there something I could check?
I have tried to contact Chris several times with no success.
English is my second language so hopefully i´m making any sense to you.

Last edited by __MikeyZ28__; Jan 29, 2020 at 07:11 AM.
The solenoid is getting 12volts and clicking, 1-2 shift solenoid is powered, controller is commanding 1st gear but i it´s not engaging the brake. This is with the shifter both in D3 and manual 1st. Due to the brake not engaging I also have no reverse.
I have measured the line pressure and i´m getting 190psi to 220psi in every gear.
When I received the brake, there we´re some conflicting info in the purchase order. It said that the order was for the late model version, but it was corrected with handwritten text, stating it was actually the early version. Is there any way for me to check which version I actually have?
Yesterday I put the stock valvebody and 1-2 accumulator piston back on and now it´s working perfectly again. I have no idea what to do next. Is there something I could check?
I have tried to contact Chris several times with no success.
English is my second language so hopefully i´m making any sense to you.

Not sure why but that's what Lonnie at extreme automatic told me
Exact same issues you are seeing
Last summer I finally got it to kinda work ok. I´t still wouldn´t engage the reverse or brake when cold. But after a bit of warming up the transmission, it worked pretty decent. So I got through the season with it.
Now it´s time to either figure this out or try another TB. Kinda irritating to have to run your car in the garage for 10minutes just to get it to reverse. Sometimes it would go to reverse at first, then it would suddenly just release while backing up and go back to neutral.
Pressures are still ok. Servo travel is ok. Didn´t find any sticking valves or anything like that.
Any ideas guys?
My recommendation would be to get with chris at CK and have them fix it/send a new vb/help you trouble shoot...if they can be contacted to sell new products...then they should be able to be contacted to support their product
We're at approx 2000 pcs sold in that time.
We've sold dozens of pieces to replace the CK copy.
When you get ready to buy the real thing. You can call the shop. 877-433-5099.
Damn, maybe one day he will get his **** together...
O well, More profit for Jake :-)
O yeah... and what about Chris' thm400 trans-brake valve-body design?
Haven't you used it yourself. ;-)
Wanna be cute? I'll go find the emails where CK's 400 VB was junk and what originally caused us to part ways.
I had two customers at the same time with a locking up on 2-3 shift using those VBs. Replaced with Griners and problem went away.
You may like the guy, you just haven't done enough to get burned.
I spent 6 months playing musical transmissions with a customer using the CK 4L80E brake way back. It IS the reason I designed the D1.
We all make mistakes. When manufacturing, we all send out a bad product once in a awhile.
Most of the smaller guys have some honor and don't copy anothers product. If you have a significant improvement, cool.
about 6 months ago I spent a month back and forth with a guy about CK's D3 trying to diagnose a problem we've never seen. After 8 years I've seen about everything that we can build into it or the customer can do wrong.
He sends me a picture and it's not even mine.
Keep sending out shitty copies and you keep getting customers on here talking about them. I don't even have to say anything other than I designed the original and it works.
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I actually much prefer your products, service and over all business vs Chris.
I find you and your business to be professional, reliable and provide great products and service.
I can NOT say the same for Chris.
Once upon a time I could... those days are long gone.
I have moved all of my customers from Chris, over to make purchases from you.
Chris has basically burned and ruined every bridge he had.
I am actually very happy to see you doing well, while he keeps ******* himself worse and worse.
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My recommendation would be to get with chris at CK and have them fix it/send a new vb/help you trouble shoot...if they can be contacted to sell new products...then they should be able to be contacted to support their product
What is his damn problem?????
Awesome and thanks for sharing your experience with using a nitrous purge solenoid as a replacement.
How much amperage does that draw?
Also how are the brake release times with this solenoid?
You can definately see from the pictures in he´s website, that the solenoid has been changed to a different type.
Now when I think about it, the trans usually went to reverse better if I gave it a little blip of throttle and as the revs came down and dipped a little then it would go to reverse. Could this also indicate that the solenoid isn´t dumping enough fluid?
Maybe there is still some hope with this thing after all.
Think im going to try it with the purge solenoid next and see what happens.
I found both of these on his site.
Looks like one is a nitrous purge solenoid (which is just a generic parker solenoid) and the other is a th400 detent solenoid.
I know a can solenoid can exhaust a hell of alot of fluid...what about the detent solenoid? How much can it really exhaust?
Draws 5 amps
I really like the whole setup. Shifts great and TB works perfect (after I ditched the TH400 kickdown solenoid).
The kickdown solenoid has a .060 orifice and the solenoid I use is .078.
The best way to get Chris on the phone is to call first thing in the morning. 7-8. If you have no luck, I'll sell you an accumulator block off with new solenoid.
Thank you for your help badass68.
Last edited by __MikeyZ28__; Jan 29, 2020 at 07:12 AM.
Thanks.











