RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

An auto trans can go out at any time when you don't know the history of the car and how the previous owner treated it. But here's some guidelines:

Heat and high rpms are probably the most harmful things on a 4L60E (or really any) auto trans. Obviously, just plain old useage over 10s of thousands of miles will also wear it out, no matter how well it's been maintained. But if the previous owner had bumped the shift points way up for some reason, or lived in a hot climate and done most of their driving in stop and go city traffic without an aftermarket trans cooler (when trans fluid temps will get the highest), then it's not going to last as long either. Even under the best of conditions, when it comes to a 4L60E auto behind the power of even a stock LS1, pretty much anything past 130k miles is borrowed time.

An aftermarket trans cooler is a great way to extend trans life regardless of mod/power level, but if you get a stall I definitely recommend getting a cooler at the same time.

Replacement costs for a 4L60E can vary. Last time I replaced one was about 6 years ago, I went with the best possibile unit built at the time and it was about $2k.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

I have DD 4k converters for over the past 2 years... The last one was a VIG 4k (more like a 4400) and the current is a PTC 4000.. The VIG I had to give around 2300 RPMs for pickup and the PTC I have now I give around 2000 RPMs for pickup.. You could go with a 3500 but the pickup is still going to be around 1900-2000.. Not that much difference, but the difference at WOT will be great.

I would do 3.42s and a 4000.. Might not be as ideal as 373s, But you will save some gas on the highway and they are cheaper.

I put my VIG 4k in my last trans am @ 100k miles.. It was a 98, also has MS4 PRCls6 heads ported FAST 9090 410s full bolt ons full exhaust etc etc etc.. Took everything out @ 116k miles after beating the **** out of it that whole time .. It never missed a beat.

You could put a 3200 in a 2002 w/ 35k miles and it could go the next week.

You just never know.

BobDoLe

iTrader: (11)

the above posts pretty much sum up what to expect.
mine went out with not too many miles on it, but i had removed all torque management and was doing a few WOT runs to 150~mph allowing the stock transmission to shift from 3-4 at WOT the day it started to crap out on me. i fried my 3-4 clutch pack pretty good. i had a shop build it up for around $2k. i should have just purchased a built unit from a sponsor though. re-built tranny has been going through 30k miles of abuse now.

if you're going to drive the car hard and/or get a stall, its best to keep some money saved or at least a credit card open for emergency catastrophic failure.

pat-ls101

I dont even think you'd need a stall and gears to get into the 12's ive got the below mods and I run a best of 13.064 @ 107.7 with a 2.0 60ft those runs were done with bald 245 tires with a babied launch and 2.73s. All the passes ive made are also within .2 and 2 mph of each other.

As for the life of the tranny, I bought the car with 54,000 and it has 62,000 now and I have no torque management( I know I know) and I have a big RV tranny cooler. Ive made probly 50+/- passes with no probs ive also done 130+ mph runs with no issues?

spoonraker

iTrader: (5)

My car has a 3800 stall, cutout, mid length headers, and a hotcam (but it only makes 337 hp due to a horrible tune), and even on 235 street tires it ran an 8.2 1/8th mile, which should be an easy 12.xx 1/4. I think a good running stock motor with gears, a cutout, stall, and halfway decent tires should net you a 12 second timeslip easily.

desertLS1

iTrader: (8)

Wow sounds like you have a horrible set up...

spoonraker

iTrader: (5)

haha, yeah basically. I think even though the headers and cam aren't the greatest things in the world that they've got a lot more in them than 337 hp.

I bought the car exactly how it is now because it was so cheap, I didn't have the money to buy a car that's already done so I bought a pretty rough car and am building it up in stages.

First thing I'm doing is building up the drive train and suspension. 12-bolt spool and a full midwest chassis rear suspension kit are coming next week. Then I need adjustable drag shocks and springs, slicks/skinnies on some drag wheels, then I'm gonna tune it and see how it likes a 150 shot. And of course all the free mods/weight savings I can. Hoping for 10s by next racing season. (damn nebraska wintes)