Tommy42088

What's it take to do this swap? I have a 2000 silverado with an iron 5.3. I currently have a 4l65 in the truck but I want a 6 speed transmission. I'm sure this is a common swap but I'm not to familiar what's involved with the swap. And what's the pros and cons of me doing this. Also what kind of power can these transmissions handle.

strutaeng

Not an easy swap as far as I know...

That is, until yesterday! Look into the recent threads about the new Holley V3 transmission controller.

It's brand new, so you be the one that may let us know how it goes. 😁 There's a member on performancetruck.net that's pretty familiar with the Holley ECUs and is going to be running the 4L and 6L back-to-back on the 1/4 mile. Pretty sure it's going to be on the GMT800 generation trucks (NBS.)

Check it out: https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...4/#post5521464

Tommy42088

ok ill definitely follow his thread but as far installing the actual transmission. Is it a direct bolt up? Will my converter work? Support? Drive shaft? I'm asking from every aspect not just wiring and controlling it

ryeguy2006a

iTrader: (27)

Tommy, the blanket answer is no. None of your stock components will work and will require a full fabrication of basically everything but the motor mounts and headers. You'd be better off just buying a GMT900 Truck.

Tommy42088

definitely not switching trucks, wow i didnt think it would be that extreme of a swap. I know there got to be people doing this. I've seen a c10 with the 10 speed transmission so I know it's possible. I just didn't realize it was that serious.

Tommy42088

So what about kits like this? Why wouldnt this work

Tommy42088

Nobody? WOW

ryeguy2006a

iTrader: (27)

I gave you an answer, it just wasn't the one that you wanted to hear. This is not a common swap at all, your stock ECU will not communicate with the 6L80e, and you'll need a lot of custom fabricated parts to get it all to work together correctly. I think you'll need to be the one to blaze the trail and report back to us.

Tommy42088

I don't mind doing the work, I just seen that they make kits that are supposed to work but they domt mention anything about the ecu not working or anything else. It's supposed to be a plug n play kit with tuning needed of course.

Tommy42088

Read the description of the kit I listed

ryeguy2006a

iTrader: (27)

I'm not sure your motivation for the 6 speed auto, but you are on the right track for a kit like that. But be aware that you will not have full integration into your stock ECU and you'll have a stand alone transmission controller that you'll need to make jive with the stock ECU. You never specified if it was 2wd or 4x4, but you'll need to take some extra steps if it's 4x4 to see what transfer cases will work with the new trans. I think some of the transfer cases also need some sort of input from the TCU, so you may have another complication there too. All of the cases would require a custom driveshaft, trans mount and possibly tunnel modifications. Tuning will also be a hurdle if your stock ECU no longer sees the stock transmission and will throw codes and overall not be happy without specialized tuning.

If it was me trying to do what you are doing, I would personally look more at the 8L90e take outs. They are super tough transmissions out of the box with something like a 700 lb torque rating and you would still need to use a stand alone controller so you would be in the same spot, but with a much stronger transmission and 2 more gears.

shakenfake

You were smoking that donkey when you wrote that.

Tommy the answer is yes the majority of your stock components will work. Obviously you will need a torque converter but the 6L80 is a direct bolt up. Depending on your truck configuration you may or may not need a driveshaft, some do some don't, and it will use your stock trans crossmember with a slightly elongated bolt hole. The trans will require a standalone controller. Zero Gravity Performance has one or you can go to Holley which really would be ideal for this swap. The ZGP controller works but there has been some issues with getting some of the lighting to properly work. I know there are guys that have done this swap perfectly without a hitch but some are still struggling with that portion.
Tuning your current PCM will have no issues.

4wd is a little different beast. I cannot remember how that works so I am of no help there. Manual 4wd would be ideal in this scenario probably but would require an adapter of some kind to bolt it to the trans.


It really is not a bad swap but it will take some work. Physically it is super easy to install but getting that ZGP controller to work right is so-so.

Tommy42088

it's a 2wd drive and i would just like to have more gears in the truck that's why I want to do it. Thanks for the info, I guess I need to do some more researching before I decide to go ahead with it. I'll talk with my tuner as well and see if it's something he can do as far as tuning goes.

shakenfake

You need a REALLY good 6 speed tuner as they are unforgiving.

Tommy42088

thanks for the input, that's what I wanted to hear man. I've got a pretty solid tuner so I think between me and him thats its very possible and the truck is a 2wd auto.

strutaeng

@shakenfake I was hoping you'd chime in.

I was under the impression that this swap was not possible in the GMT 800. I've skimmed through that TM-2650(?) long thread on PT.net, but I guess I missed if guys had made that swap? 🤔

Regardless, the new Holley option seems like a good setup and the physical swap is the easy part. The electronics and ECU/TCU is the challenge.

Ditto on having a good tune for the 6L...

1FastBrick

iTrader: (16)

It is possible on the GMT800 and it has been done on the 03-07 classic version with an E67 swap and a harness modified from current performance . Just not the 99-02 version because the electronics are different as well as the communication to the cluster and other systems.

There were some swaps done prior to this guy as well.

strutaeng

Awesome! Thanks for the clarification @1FastBrick !

Tommy42088

Wow he's talking about the tune shops locally to me. Asylum is actually very close to me. I've spoke with them a few times on different things for my truck but didn't realize he knew so much on the 6 speeds. That's bad ***

Fast355

6L80E swap has been done on a GMT400 with a L31 350 and I am working toward one on a 97 GMT600. I am going to 58X engine management though. My intake plenum setup with a 4 bolt LS opening just arrived today. This is the manifold I am swapping my 383 to. My flat response knock sensor mounting parts just showed up as well. They thread into the lower block drains and a flat response knock sensor bolts to them. I am going with a 2009 TBSS E67 and reworking a new GM 2016 L96 van harness to run the SBC 383.