ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

I just wanted to start a discussion on all out race use for a 4l60e and life expectancy of the units.

I have a 1996 4L60e in my car, some of the mods include the following:

-GM 5 pinon front and rear planetary gears
-Modified TransGo shift kit
-Wide band
-Upgraded high impact/high energy clutch packs
-Beast sunshell
-Latemodel bearing type reaction shaft
-New sun gear
-Upped line pressure in the PCM
-10 vane pump
-B&M 70274 cooler
-Modified Yank SS3600 converter for nitrous and higher stall


How long can a built trans like this last? What would you guys say is the biggest "killer" of the 4L60e? RPM? heavy nitrous?

I posted this in the LT1 section cause I know some of you have had good luck with the 60e and want to see your opinions on this. I am planning on spraying two stages at the motor next season and would like to go well into the single digits with a 60e.

I would like to leave specific motor specs out of it, but it is AI headed 355"

Thanks guys

01FbTaWs6

iTrader: (12)

do you play craps?

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

It totally depends on who builds it, not necessarily the parts used. There are one or two companies who specialize in performance 4L60Es, one being Performabuilt. CPT also makes a decent 4L60E.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

It comes down to the quality of the build not the parts used.

My tranny will be 7 years old next month, stock sunshell and planetaries. Had it built for a zz4 cammed stock headed stock shortblock and like 5 years ago when I did the heads and cam adding well over 100hp all I did was redrill the 1-2 feed hole. Still has stock servos too, hell I don't even think the input drum is sleeved. Like I said I had it built when the car was much weaker/milder but I had a very good builder build it, one who relies on experience and skill rather than changing lots of parts that were never failure prone in the first place.

Frankly when I see 5-pinion it makes me suspect, the 4-pinion were NOT a weak link, breaking them was pretty rare.

The 4-pinions were FORGED the 5-pinions are powdered metal and CHEAPER to produce but everyone BLINDLY jumped on that bandwagon ASSuming they were stronger. They needed 5 powdered metal pinions so as not to lose strength compared to the 4 forged.

Was the TC modified by Yank? If you had someone else screw around with it I would not call it a Yank anymore.

ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

I have a builder I go through in the Detroit area for my transmissions.

I am confident in his work, but I know an RPM built trans is basically the end-all

Assuming all the specs are in place and it was assembled with care, would anyone think that is could last in the 9 sec area

ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

The 5 pinons were my call to put them in seeing one of the 4 pinons failed and I had someone at GM hook me up with them. The 5 pinon planets are used in many of the aftermarket companies on their high end transmissions. I dont want to start another 4 vs 5 pinon debate.

The converter is still a Yank internally, but it has a differnet stator in it. Not too much different from an SS3600.

This trans is not another thrown together 60e. A lot of time and thought has been put into this car. Its not the average LT1 car.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Stator change means it is no longer a Yank. Stator is a key component changing it changes a LOT.

My car is not the average LT1 car either, not spraying BUT there are a lot of sprayed b-bodies that wont touch mine.

I sincerely hope it holds all you throw at it. Just in my over 10years of playing with this platform have seen a HUGE number of "well built" 4L60Es be garbage and lots of parts changed from stock seems to be a hallmark of shops that can't do the job.

I will say sticking with the 10-vane pump on something this aggressive is a good sign, many shops blindly put in the 13-vane in the 10-vane housing not understanding that it is not an upgrade when used in the 10-vane housing. Kevlar is another bad sign you see a lot in catalog rather than experience built 4L60Es.

For something like this I hope you had the input sleeved and the output cryod?? As I said above I don't have those in the car BUT I do have them on the shelf for my next 4L60E. Seeing as I have gotten this much out of one built for like 360fwhp I am preparing to replace it. Preparing slowly though because it is working fine.

ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

With this trans, I bascially provided some of the parts and had the builder assemble it. I am very happy with the converter I have now with the different stator.

What do you guys think about rpm and the 60e?

flyinZ

iTrader: (15)

FLT is another sponsor/shop that has a lot of experience with them. They've got cars with their built 60e's, running in the 9's with them, whether its on PA or NA.

Just ask Larry

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

My buddy just had one blow up, and I mean BLOW UP. with less than 100 miles on it.

94FBIRD

iTrader: (5)

I had my FLT(used to FLP) Level 4 in for 7 years and on nitrous for six years. Still going strong. Never take it over 6300 rpm, but have always sprayed through the shifts.

ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

I guess its just gonna be a crap shoot with it then. I am mainly worried about how long the 3-4 clutches will last. I know thats the weak point with these and I have had problems burning them in the past

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Just go with Performabuilt. /story.

They offer a 2-year warranty too, whether you drag race it or not. Great guys to deal with.

quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

hey man.......i still got the good ole 4l60e in mine......i rebuilt it when i built this motor two years ago and ive been beating the snot out of it for two years now and its still alive.......rpm will hurt them due to pump cavitation but with the right pump you can attain 7800rpm+ ok.........i've got a 13 vane in mine and it goes 8000 with out issues.......imo heavy nitrous will kill them due to the shock it applies..........a good built 4l60e will handle quite a bit....i think mine is rated at 750rwhp IIRC......

stumprrp

iTrader: (2)

im pretty sure mine is stock behind a pretty potent stroker with a 3000 vigilante, so far on the street its holding up well however im getting some weird **** now that i switched from 4.10s to 3.23s, im blaming it on the tune but it may be slipping.

duh

iTrader: (16)

The only issue I'll comment on is raising the line pressure through the computer. While I know it's common practice, I prefer it physically in the trans. When properly built you don't need to touch the line pressure in the computer to do what the trans is supposed to do in ots own....JMO tho....

jaycenk

iTrader: (1)

X 2 I have had a "built 4l60e" (They say it's built anyway) go 3 times now from the same builder all 3 time (monster STAY AWAY FROM THEM). Depends on who builds the damn thing.

ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

I shift my car at 7400 rpm, so quite a bit lower than you.

BTW, the line pressure is modified in the trans itself as well.

The trans probably has aboout 500 street miles on it and 5 passes and it is going strong.

I guess the only way I will find out if it can live or not is to just leave it in and if it goes it goes

quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

pretty much......im actually thinking of selling my 4l60e and converter if you know anybody interested.....

ThreeHonks

iTrader: (10)

I would have bought it if you wanted to sell it a month or two ago.

What are you gonna be switching too?