firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

I took my car to a local speed shop to have my Yank SS3600, trans cooler, and shift kit installed. He called me the next morning and said there was a ton of gunk in my transmission pan and he wouldn't install the parts until I get the transmission rebuilt.

So what is my best bet?

1. Rebuild my existing transmission with upgraded parts. ($1600 including labor)
2. Buy a professional performance pre-built Transmission. ($2400 including labor)
3. Change the 4L60E to something else? (please recommend something)

Keep in mine that I use this for daily driving, but soon I will be adding Heads/Cam and will be pushing 450-500 HP...

Thanks in advance,

James

billybadd

iTrader: (21)

Id try a built 4l60 from one of our vendors. But a th400 would be ideal. I personally think the 4l60 is just a crap shoot around 500 hp to the wheels.

firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

I am a noob when it comes to transmissions...What is the difference between a TH400 and a 4L60E??

josh2002-ws6

iTrader: (98)

4L60E is what you have in your car now and a TH400 is a 3 speed pro built racing tranny. It has no overdrive gear so would not be very good for a daily driver. If you want to stay daily driver go with a built 4L80E or 4L60E. The 4L80E is just a bit more stonger then the 4L60E. The 4L80E is a TH400 with overdrive. The 4L60E no matter what you do will keep breaking. Plus go with a smaller stall to keep you driveablilty. I am getting ready to put a built 4L80E with a meduim size stall and will not loose to much driveability.

billybadd

iTrader: (21)

4l80e's cost a lot of $$$ but for a daily driver, its cool.

josh2002-ws6

iTrader: (98)

Yeah but is it worth putting the money into a 4L60E a couple of times or just putting something that will last?

Sunset'01Z

iTrader: (10)

if you plan on 500whp, i'd go with a 60 from the vendor. unless the guy really knows what he's doing with a 4l60, chances are it wont last at all. the guys that you see on this site that build these trannies know what they are doing and can build one to last a couple of years with that kind of power through it.

firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the advice. I am not going to make this car a track only vehicle. the most I would make it would be a weekend warrior. I am not planning astronomical numbers, but I would like a mid 11 second car...that is all I ask. Middle 11's with a reliable transmission, that I can daily drive if need be...

DannoWS6

iTrader: (5)

My recommendation from a guy who has a built 4l60E and has probably spent 5k in just 4l60E stuff in the last 3 yrs. Get a 80E and be done. If you got over 400hp with plans to move up, do it once and do it right. If it's a track car just get the TH400.

fasttagurl

iTrader: (12)

I am right at 500hp and still have my 4L60E. Not a lot of people can build them to uphold severe track duty but I have found a guy and I believe there's one in Houston as well. I know you are not local to the Dallas, Texas area but this guy is worth it. He's not big on internet advertising but has his own shop and over 25+ years of experience rebuilding 4L's. Last season I made 400+ passes in mine and not a wink of trouble! Trent @ Specialty Transmission in Duncanville, Texas; he's eager to help you out too!!

Urban Legend

iTrader: (5)

Get a new tranny from Bob at EPP. I bought mine for about 2200.00 a few months back.

firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

i hate these damn decisions. It is shifting fine for now, but who knows how long it will last. How much are 4L80E's usually? Are there any sponsors that carry them? How many modifications would I need to do for the swap...

Also, I already bought a 4L60E Yank SS3600...do you know if they do exchanges or if I could use it for the 4L80E if I decided to go that way??

Damn I hate these type of decisions...

AK's WS6

I'd tell Sean to just give you a mild re-build. It seems that all out stage 10,000,000,000 don't hold up to street driving driving very well, they will work fine for up-shifts at the track for a long time but it seems that when they are abused on the streets ie:downshifts they don't seem to last very long. Maybe performabuilt, Yank or PBA can chime in on why that is, but that usually seems like thats the case.

Personally, when mine goes i'll probably buy a new 4l65e right off the production line.

DannoWS6

iTrader: (5)

The swap will cost you about 4k

This:
http://speed-eng.com/store/product_i...9b96b25645cc86

Plus a converter.

A 60E converter will not work, but if you just bought the Yank they will probably work with you.

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

Actaully many many do last long time in both situtations but I have noticed that people only pay attention to people who post here and the only people who post here have a poblem. So the impressions is given that alot fail because he mental assumption is that if in a week you see 10 failed 4l60e trans posted then 4L60E trans are weak and fail alot. But bear in mind there are over 3000 registered users on this forum alone and the majority I would say would be automatics and 4L60E transmissions So there are alot more that are doing well trouble is those people dont post, You never see the post I have 80000 miles on my 4l60e and I beat it hard not because they dont exsist but because theres no reason for them to post, So its a bit misleading , Is the 4L60E the strongest trans ever made? NO, Can it be built to take some serious power? Yes. If its beat on daily and every weekend reguarless or who but it will it last 100000 miles not likley but then nor will any other trans, I was a kid in the TH350 and 400 days and I saw many many failures of both. Now true the 4L80E and the 400 are hogs of a trans. Both were built with 3/4 ton trucks in mind its like hammering a thumbtack with a sledge hammer. Both have downsides, The 400 NO OD and No lockup. The 4L80E expensive a pain to swap and very heavy. But the point is any transmission can fail and the main reason you hear about so many 4L60Es fail is simple its the most common GM transmission used there are literally millions of them out there. And I dare say if there were as many 350s out there today as 4l60es you would here about then just as often since they are really much more similar to the 4l60 than most people would imagine.
And I have rebuilt my fair share of 4L80E trans also over the years. Many things can go into why a trans fails ,Sometimes its a hard part or sometimes its a clutch or converter and even tuning can play a major role.
Just my opinion.

DannoWS6

iTrader: (5)

The points mentioned above hold truth. Honestly a well built 4L60E can take a good deal of power. If you are going to simply go with a H/C swap I think you can get away with the 4L60E. It's just that I have met a lot of people making 450-500 that blow though well built units in a matter of months.

It depends on you're goals, more cubes or serious power adder, I would look elsewhere and pay the bigger money up front. I think it would save a lot of future headaches.

I still run a 4L60E and plan to until it's not feasible. We will see what it can take. I don't beat on my car either, just at the track. Nothing lasts forever but I also don't expect to be changing transmission every 1-2 years. For a Weekend warrior it should be expected to last for a few seasons easy.

My only other grip is always having to tune shift points, you change one thing and you gotta reset all of em' and every 4L60E shifts differernt even if it's built by the same company. That's for all non MVB tranny's.

performabuilt

iTrader: (25)

Quite true on the tuning. Each car and trans react differently and each time you change one setting seems theres another one afected. Everything affect everythng and Im not a tuner and Have noted that. Its never as simple as MPH/RPM/PRESURE lol .