4L60E experts, need help. Lost reverse.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Clearwater, FL
4L60E experts, need help. Lost reverse. I have a 1998 Chevy Tahoe 4x4 1/2 ton with a 4L60E. Don't ask how, but I was playing in the mud and managed to bump it into reverse while going forward too fast. 
Needless to say but several things broke including both the pinion yoke u-joint, and a collar off of the slip yoke.
I also lost reverse gear. When I accelerate in 1st the trans won't shift on it's own. i have to back off the gas completetly and then it will shift. But I think it is shifting from 1st to 3rd. I also am not able to use 4th. The transfer case seems to functioning normally.
My question is what did I break and how long will the tranny live until I can get a chance to find another 4L60E?
Needless to say but several things broke including both the pinion yoke u-joint, and a collar off of the slip yoke.I also lost reverse gear. When I accelerate in 1st the trans won't shift on it's own. i have to back off the gas completetly and then it will shift. But I think it is shifting from 1st to 3rd. I also am not able to use 4th. The transfer case seems to functioning normally.
My question is what did I break and how long will the tranny live until I can get a chance to find another 4L60E?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Clearwater, FL
Originally Posted by Pro Built Automatics
If you 2nd, 4th & reverse, you most likely broke the sunshell. This leaves you with 1st & 3rd gear.
and a word of warning to you if you have it freshened up at a local shop make sure they know what they're doing if you go that route. Quiz them and see how much they know and see how clean they are. Don't make the $1700 mistake I made. Well I would have gone a different route but at the time I was broke and had to borrow money from my father to get trans fixed.
He ended up taking it to a local guy that knew his stuff pretty well, but I should have known he was a bad mechanic when it took him a month to get it rebuilt. First off I destroyed most of the trans and the case could not be reused (the output shaft couldn't be removed). So he said he had a 96 4l60-e in the back as a core that just had burnt clutch paks, and he was going to use the hard parts and case to save me some cash. His rebuild consisted of borg warner clutches, and the other basics that supposedly made the rebuilt better than stock.
Well after 11k and 6 months (I drive alot) mr trans went down the tube. The guy refused to honor his warranty because he claimed I was too hard on it and somehow knew I had been to the track with it, which no where in the warranty does it state anything about not using it to drag race. I just remember the words he told me when he was going to rebuild it "I can build it to last. You can do whatever you want with it because I build them to last"
So he agreed to put a new one in free of charge (whopee). So I got a new trans and a new TC from Edge and he put it in. I sent my core back to the builder, and this is what he found in the trans
If my rebuilder wasn't in Georgia, I was going to try to make a court case out of this one.
Sorry for the long ramblings, just wanted to give you a heads up about local builders.
He ended up taking it to a local guy that knew his stuff pretty well, but I should have known he was a bad mechanic when it took him a month to get it rebuilt. First off I destroyed most of the trans and the case could not be reused (the output shaft couldn't be removed). So he said he had a 96 4l60-e in the back as a core that just had burnt clutch paks, and he was going to use the hard parts and case to save me some cash. His rebuild consisted of borg warner clutches, and the other basics that supposedly made the rebuilt better than stock.
Well after 11k and 6 months (I drive alot) mr trans went down the tube. The guy refused to honor his warranty because he claimed I was too hard on it and somehow knew I had been to the track with it, which no where in the warranty does it state anything about not using it to drag race. I just remember the words he told me when he was going to rebuild it "I can build it to last. You can do whatever you want with it because I build them to last"
So he agreed to put a new one in free of charge (whopee). So I got a new trans and a new TC from Edge and he put it in. I sent my core back to the builder, and this is what he found in the trans
I have not pulled the pump apart, so I don't know about it.
Most of the parts inside came from an old 700R4.
The 3-4 clutches had the old "3 piece" apply plate and had to double stack steels to take up clearance. Very poor workmanship. They were half burnt.
The Reverse Input Housing (aka "the drum") was scorched. Not sure why.
The foward sprag had completely reversed itself. All the elements inside flipped over, which I though was impossible due to design, but you learn something new every day.
The input planet literally exploded. Everything that comes into contact with the planet was trashed.
The output shaft is also from an older 700, and for some reason, had about 3/4" cut off the end. Not sure why.
Most of the parts inside came from an old 700R4.
The 3-4 clutches had the old "3 piece" apply plate and had to double stack steels to take up clearance. Very poor workmanship. They were half burnt.
The Reverse Input Housing (aka "the drum") was scorched. Not sure why.
The foward sprag had completely reversed itself. All the elements inside flipped over, which I though was impossible due to design, but you learn something new every day.
The input planet literally exploded. Everything that comes into contact with the planet was trashed.
The output shaft is also from an older 700, and for some reason, had about 3/4" cut off the end. Not sure why.
Sorry for the long ramblings, just wanted to give you a heads up about local builders.
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Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Clearwater, FL
Buffman, I can definitely appreciate your transmision-man troubles. It happens all to often. Thankfully I have a very good friend who has about 20 years experience and will be doing the freshen-up. He built me a rock solid th-400 for me that has yet to fail.
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