Mail order 4L80E?

[melloelky]

extreme automatics makes them too,they've got a good rep check them out.Lonnie's a stand up guy.

 

[Ribbedroof]

I keep seeing references to "low mileage used trans"....where do these come from? Almost everything on the locater has 160-300K miles.

 

[DRIVEN]

I'd take a stock 4L80 over a built 60/65 any day.

 

[Texas82GP]

Wow! I thought prices for transmission are high up here.

When thinking 4L80E think Th400 with extra gear.

I got a built BBC with 2-250 shots nitrous and the 4L80E and its still holding. Is it built, a little but nothing crazy and l got it for $1800.

You can buy a rebuilt 4L60E/65E for $900 plus exchange and a 4L80E for $1100 here in Ontario. Maybe try taking your 4L65E to a rebuild shop and exchange with an upgrade to 80E?

I have 3 4L60E, Cutlass 400 hp plus, Denali 320 hp and Escalade 320hp and never had an issue but l have hear horror stories about them.

Edit, forgot the Suburban has a 4L60E 325,000kms and mostly pulls trailers and no issue.

Thanks for the reply and your real world experience with the 4L80E. I'm not surprised you aren't having any trouble with the stock Escalade, Denali and Suburban. I'm a little surprised and glad to see you haven't had trouble in the Cutlass. I'm guessing my truck is at best 400 ft. lbs. It's heavier though and has 275 mm wide tires. My buddy spoke to a few builders and the thought the big spread between the first and second gear ratios together with the weight of the truck and wide tires all contributed to the output shaft failure in my 65E. It is definitely broken, by the way. I rolled the truck around in the storage yesterday, cleaning everything up around it, and it didn't like it.

If it were my truck......
Good used 4l80e $500
Transgo hd2 kit $100
Circle d torque converter $600
big transmission cooler $100
shorten driveshaft $150

From all the posts of yours that I've read (which I really enjoy), I'm not surprised by your perspective. You're a pretty frugal guy and build a lot of things folks would buy, which I admire. I'm not finding any good used 4L80E's around here for $500. Maybe if I'm really patient but this is my daily driver so I need to get it back on the road. I'm going to try to take inspiration from you though and try to build more and buy less on this. Thanks for the reply.

The 4L60-70E sucks, especially the 3-4 clutch pack. Your launch will suffer with a 2.48 first gear vs a 3.06 first gear. Supposedly a 4L80E is good for 600+ hp with just a boost in line pressure.

GM wishes the the 4L60E could take 670 ft/lbs, cut it in half maybe. Also remember you go from a .70 to a .75 overdrive. I assume your truck has tall tires. The 4L80E is a strong trans but the ratios are not ideal at all in my opinion.

Thanks for the replies. I agree with you. The 60E/65E is fine for stock stuff but when you start increasing power, even in a 5.3 you really need a stronger transmission. I'm seeing the same figures quoted online for what the 4L80E is capable of holding. There is no way my 5.3 put out 670 ft. lbs. so I don't know where that rating came from. Hopefully a little higher stall speed on the torque converter will take care of the taller first gear. I don't think the small difference in the overdrive ratio will hurt much. It does have tall tires. Nearly 32".

Even this is overbuilt but I 100% agree. Stock junkyard runner with an HD2 shift kit will live in a 600whp 3800lb street car. My car build is a used stock gm rebuild with a shift kit and a converter. You need to swap 2 wires in the trans harness and it will pretty much bolt in with a sector swap on your tune and a junkyard driveshaft.

Thanks for the reply and the perspective. I totally agree with the shift kit and the torque converter. I'm not intimidated by the swap. I just want to make sure I put enough transmission in this time so that I can beat on this thing and not worry about it. If I have to grandma it, I'm going to move on.

The GM rating is 885 ft. lbs input torque on the 4l80E as to the GM rating of 670 ft. lbs. for the 4l60E. I found a 2009 low mileage 4L80E on Car-Part.com and bought one from a Detroit salvage yard for $500. It came in an Express van which seem to be good candidates for 2wd applications. Most of the prices you see published on Car-Part.com are negotiable. I took it apart with a friend in the transmission business and we installed the Transgo HD2 kit. I didn't know what to expect when taking it apart but it showed little to no signs of wear. I could have left it alone and been OK. In stock form many say they re good for 6-700 HP and with the HD kit they say I have read claims of 1000 or more and Trans go claims they will hold "BIG POWER" he he. I have a good used, low mileage 2004 4L60E for sale if your interested (4x4). Personally I would go for the 80E. Your quoted prices sound really high....You don't have to buy local. I found that 2x4 4L80's are usually cheaper. Hopefully that works in your favor. Good luck brother!

http://www.car-part.com/

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335822911&icep_item=113471709609

View attachment 106124

Thanks for the reply and the perspective. My prices were just based on Car-Part.com, eBay, Craigslist and a few yards I called. I'm going to see if I can find a core from one of the builders on the other side of town that do business with my buddy, or possibly from his parts house. All I need is a good rebuildable core. I want a fresh start so I'm probably going to have whatever I buy overhauled and beefed up a little. After all the feedback on here I don't plan to buy a $1400-$1900 core but don't hold a lot of hope out for finding one for $500.

Jared, I'd go with the 80E also. Obviously I got mine as a good unit from an Express and just put the HD2 kit in it. The converter was the dinger, but for the intended use this trans should do just fine.

I had a really good local shop that does alot of racing stuff quote me a build on mine, they said $2500 with my core and it would be good for 1,400HP+.

Thanks Scott. I appreciate your perspective. I don't need 1400+HP capability but I don't want the transmission to be the weak point anymore. I'd rather break an axle, a U-Joint or the Gov-Bomb if something is going to break. I guess I just need to take it easier on it, but that is not an appealing solution.

Just put a good low mileage used 80E in there with a shift kit and call it a day. The stock flexplate with work with either an LS-style converter or an adapter bushing. Get at least a 3600 stall converter - FTI or Circle D seem like the way to go. Driveshaft is the same length, you just need a new slip yoke - Sonnax has a nice one. Last part is an adapter harness from the 60E to 80E.

Thanks Mike. I wasn't aware of the swap harness and didn't know the driveshaft length wouldn't change. That helps. I wasn't really intimidated by re-pinning the wiring at the transmission connector and may still go that way to save on the spend. Circle D will definitely get my business. They are here in Houston, about 10 minutes from my office. When I exchanged my last converter (their 'freshen up' service), they gave me a tour of the facility. Classy people with an impressive operation. I will go with their recommendation. I'm glad to hear that their converter will work with my 5.3 flexplate. That helps with the spend. I like Sonnax stuff. I have their billet input shaft/drum in the 65E. They make nice stuff. Thanks for the reply and the knowledge.

extreme automatics makes them too,they've got a good rep check them out.Lonnie's a stand up guy.

Thanks for the reply. I enjoy the thread on your car. I hope everything is going back together smoothly. Your underhood is very impressive. You could eat off that engine. I'll check Extreme Automatics out.

I keep seeing references to "low mileage used trans"....where do these come from? Almost everything on the locater has 160-300K miles.

I have seen a few transmissions on Car-Part.com that were less than 100k miles but they were at the high end of the price spread. I'm not finding good used low mileage transmissions for less than $1900. I guess that is asking price. Granted, I haven't exhaustively searched yet but I've done some looking around and made some calls.

I'd take a stock 4L80 over a built 60/65 any day.

Totally agree. I'm pretty sure I'm going with the swap and am going to mildly upgrade the 80E for a little better durability. Thanks for the reply.


Thanks everyone for the opinions and information. It is very helpful. I don't have much desire to spend more money on the 65E so I'm working towards charting the best course I can to acquire a good 80E core.

 

[motorheadmike]

Wait - you have the Sonnax modular 3/4 drum (https://www.sonnax.com/parts/2451-smart-tech-input-housing-kit) in your 65E? If so, that shouldn't have let go. I have that in my TBSS' 70E and it is making way more power.

Regardless, the 80E is the way to go.

 

[Texas82GP]

Wait - you have the Sonnax modular 3/4 drum (https://www.sonnax.com/parts/2451-smart-tech-input-housing-kit) in your 65E? If so, that shouldn't have let go. I have that in my TBSS' 70E and it is making way more power.

Regardless, the 80E is the way to go.

Yes I do have it, and it held. The output shaft shattered. Wish I had put a Sonnax hardened output shaft in it at the same time the input/drum went in.

 

[motorheadmike]

Yes I do have it, and it held. The output shaft shattered. Wish I had but a Sonnax hardened output shaft in it at the same time the input/drum went in.

Oh sh*t! 😱

I put billet 300M shafts on both ends of our 70E because of the weight/power. Made for a really for an expensive transmission - ironically the 4L80E AWD conversion was just as pricey with a used transmission. You are lucky 2WD to 2WD is so easy.

Oh well, the wagon got that 80E. 😉

 

[bob64]

Both of the Denali(120,000miles) an Escalade(150,000miles)are all wheel drive, can't really play with them.

The Suburban 4x4 has pulled car trailers loaded across Canada to many times but its only a 230hp with the 4L60E.

As for the Cutlass, it's never really hooked up, well once it pulled the frontend up alittle, 2.14 single tire to 4.11 posi to 4.10 posi. So l would say it's never really been tested. It does have a built transmission.

I do alot of oil/fluid changes even though l use synthetic oil an fluids, so l think that might help.

 

[Streetbu]

This shouldn't even be a thought. 80E and don't look back. And don't build it either. Stuff a shift kit and a maybe a converter and you're good to go. It might be cheaper buying an entire can and yanking the trans and engine. You can sell the engine afterwards for $750-$1250 if it's a 6.0L You can buy whole vans for $1k...