4L60E - Newbie questions
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 63
Likes: 13
From: Rochester, NY
4L60E - Newbie questions My 98Z28 (87K on the OD) has a perfectly shifting and smooth running transmission. The fluid is beautifully red, and has no burnt smell to it. I have very little history on the car, like has it had the transmission rebuilt or recently serviced. But I know from my experiences rebuilding transmissions for Chrysler back in the 2000's, fluid even after a service can still have a bit of a burn smell to it. Usually only a fresh rebuild will have a fluid color this nice.
With all of that being said, I understand the 4L60E are not the most robust transmissions that GM has build, and should not really be beaten on repeatedly. But is there anything that would be helpful to bolster the transmission for longevity and additional strength?
I have had many say a new stall converter is a game changer, will that help with any occasional abuse and help strengthen it?
Valve body kits?
Adding an additional cooler?
Still keeping this a street cruiser, but hey maybe I want to take it to the local strip and run a couple passes for some bragging rights.
Thanks Gang!
With all of that being said, I understand the 4L60E are not the most robust transmissions that GM has build, and should not really be beaten on repeatedly. But is there anything that would be helpful to bolster the transmission for longevity and additional strength?
I have had many say a new stall converter is a game changer, will that help with any occasional abuse and help strengthen it?
Valve body kits?
Adding an additional cooler?
Still keeping this a street cruiser, but hey maybe I want to take it to the local strip and run a couple passes for some bragging rights.
Thanks Gang!
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 196
Likes: 72
From: Grand Rapids, MI
As for making it live longer, when you are accelerating hard, you should put the shifter in D3 position, it applies another set of clutches to support a sprag.
Cooler is always better.
A stall converter wont do anything meaningful strength-wise at your level, but will cut your times down at the drag strip.
There is uber amounts of info on this site, use the search function and there is even a section for transmissions here. Days worth of reading on this exact subject.
Cooler is always better.
A stall converter wont do anything meaningful strength-wise at your level, but will cut your times down at the drag strip.
There is uber amounts of info on this site, use the search function and there is even a section for transmissions here. Days worth of reading on this exact subject.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 63
Likes: 13
From: Rochester, NY
As for making it live longer, when you are accelerating hard, you should put the shifter in D3 position, it applies another set of clutches to support a sprag.
Cooler is always better.
A stall converter wont do anything meaningful strength-wise at your level, but will cut your times down at the drag strip.
There is uber amounts of info on this site, use the search function and there is even a section for transmissions here. Days worth of reading on this exact subject.
Cooler is always better.
A stall converter wont do anything meaningful strength-wise at your level, but will cut your times down at the drag strip.
There is uber amounts of info on this site, use the search function and there is even a section for transmissions here. Days worth of reading on this exact subject.
As for the search - I found lots on the transmission - but nothing about preventative ideas. I saw lots about swaps, and blown out shifts, and what not. Nothing I could really find about my questions.
I read these forums a lot! Maybe I'm not diving down deep enough, but yes... a plethora of data to sift through and absorb!
TECH Junkie
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,194
Likes: 1,377
From: Nitro Alley
My 98Z28 (87K on the OD) has a perfectly shifting and smooth running transmission. The fluid is beautifully red, and has no burnt smell to it. I have very little history on the car, like has it had the transmission rebuilt or recently serviced. But I know from my experiences rebuilding transmissions for Chrysler back in the 2000's, fluid even after a service can still have a bit of a burn smell to it. Usually only a fresh rebuild will have a fluid color this nice.
With all of that being said, I understand the 4L60E are not the most robust transmissions that GM has build, and should not really be beaten on repeatedly. But is there anything that would be helpful to bolster the transmission for longevity and additional strength?
I have had many say a new stall converter is a game changer, will that help with any occasional abuse and help strengthen it?
Valve body kits?
Adding an additional cooler?
Still keeping this a street cruiser, but hey maybe I want to take it to the local strip and run a couple passes for some bragging rights.
Thanks Gang!
With all of that being said, I understand the 4L60E are not the most robust transmissions that GM has build, and should not really be beaten on repeatedly. But is there anything that would be helpful to bolster the transmission for longevity and additional strength?
I have had many say a new stall converter is a game changer, will that help with any occasional abuse and help strengthen it?
Valve body kits?
Adding an additional cooler?
Still keeping this a street cruiser, but hey maybe I want to take it to the local strip and run a couple passes for some bragging rights.
Thanks Gang!
I wouldn't say that the 4L60E Family Transmissions are not robust.
They were an appropriate Transmission for some relatively powerful stock vehicles for their time.
...I mean if they were well maintained, did not have a junk Tune downloaded, and not Neutral-Dropped They did well as a passenger car Transmission (I was never crazy about use in SUVs and Trucks).
Other than 3-4 Clutch Burn-Up, There was not really much of an issue.
Now if you are talking about longevity...
That is another story, in terms of Valve-Body wear and tear/ leakage.
But now thinking about that...
More recent Transmissions are even worse in that regard!!!
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,320
Likes: 527
From: Ann Arbor, MI
A 1998 Z28 is a nice car that gets positive attention and is a good street cruiser. You won't get any bragging rights at the drag strip as modern cars are much faster now and many V6 will easily beat your time. So enjoy what you have; realistically, how many seconds (!!) in a year do you normally even go WOT.
Now a quality shift kit for the valve body would give you crisper shifts, which you probably would like, and improve trans life. A partial install of the Transgo HD2 or the Sonnax Performance Pack are good shift kits.
A higher stall converter might be to your liking, but really only those that cost $700+ are worth anything.
A bigger cooler is always a good idea; lots of threads here on various choices. If you want specific advice, tell us where you live, whether you drive in the winter and how much corrosion is on your radiator. There have been several reports where the OP added a cooler to the existing radiator cooler, only to have the radiator spring an internal leak and push radiator fluid into the trans, ruining it. Many people recommend only an external cooler, bypassing the radiator.
Now a quality shift kit for the valve body would give you crisper shifts, which you probably would like, and improve trans life. A partial install of the Transgo HD2 or the Sonnax Performance Pack are good shift kits.
A higher stall converter might be to your liking, but really only those that cost $700+ are worth anything.
A bigger cooler is always a good idea; lots of threads here on various choices. If you want specific advice, tell us where you live, whether you drive in the winter and how much corrosion is on your radiator. There have been several reports where the OP added a cooler to the existing radiator cooler, only to have the radiator spring an internal leak and push radiator fluid into the trans, ruining it. Many people recommend only an external cooler, bypassing the radiator.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,216
Likes: 235
From: Wichita KS / Rancho San Diego
A good hi-stall converter will give you the biggest drop iin ET's of any bolt-on mod. You'll need a cooler to keep the temps down (due to increased slippage), a shift kit to firm up the shifts (the converter will make them softer), a tune to optimize the shift points, times, and other parameters, and sticky tires. The results will turn it into an entirely different car, much more satisfying to drive.
Those and some basic bolt-on engine mods will get you into the 12's, which is plenty fast for everyday driving, but as mrvedit says, won't be competitive with the modern electrics and big dogs on the streets these days.
Those and some basic bolt-on engine mods will get you into the 12's, which is plenty fast for everyday driving, but as mrvedit says, won't be competitive with the modern electrics and big dogs on the streets these days.