So you want to install a 4L80E? Learn from my mistakes (and successes!)

[454GrandPrix]

Stickied this....

Great idea. Thanks!

BTW: since I mentioned monitoring the handheld controller, I edited in a photo of its two live data display screens. Sorry these aren't the best quality; they are screen grabs from the .pdf of the online instructions. Still, they give you a good idea of what data is represented and how it looks.

 

[Wageslave]

Nice write-up. I'm surprised more folks aren't going the 4l80e route behind carbed SBC and BBC engines.

These transmissions are fairly plentiful in salvage yards nowadays. For someone on a tight budget, you could use the standalone gm trans controller from a mid to late 90s diesel truck. Factory crossmember can be modified. For a few hundred $ you can have the strength of a th400 along with the OD and TC lockup of a modern trans.

You wouldn't have anymore information on the GM standalone controller would you? I did a little googling and couldn't come up with much on it.

 

[L.A.X-RATED]

all this 4l80e talk and no mention of PADDLE shift capable?!?!!?!? BLASTPHEMY!!!

 

[454GrandPrix]

all this 4l80e talk and no mention of PADDLE shift capable?!?!!?!?!

I mentioned that in the second half of my original post, under Consideration #7. 🙂

 

[drogg1]

Thansk for the write-up! Definitely considering this now. Not sure if this was mentioned and I missed it but what would be the ideal vehicle(s) to get transmissions out of for sbcs? Also, those transmissions controllers are ludicrously expensive for what they do. Seriously tempted to prototype something to see how cheap I could buiild one. I'm thinking I could build it in quantity 1 for no more thatn $100 and likely far less.

 

[Wageslave]

They have a custom flash to turn a Microsquirt into a standalone transmission controller. It is still a few hundred dollars but not terrible.

 

[MC96]

Has anyone found a way to get paddles to work with an MSD Atomic yet?

What about someone sliding the motor back with it? Does the trans hit the tunnel anywhere? Or will the cap be in the firewall first?

Also these are a great thing to have

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335822911&icep_item=272759589590

 

[454GrandPrix]

what would be the ideal vehicle(s) to get transmissions out of for sbcs?

Any GM V8-powered car will work, since SBC and BBC use the same transmission bell housing pattern. While it could be argued that a transmission bolted to a smaller, less-torquey engine ought to have lived an easier life than one bolted to a big block engine, my 4L80E lived for 191,000 miles attached to my 454 and it is still working just fine for me.

I'm thinking I could build it in quantity 1 for no more thatn $100 and likely far less.

By all means, have at it. I'm eager to see how feature-packed and user-friendly your controller will be. While I feel my $575 EZ-TCU was a great value, it would be nice for others to get identical performance for less money.

 

[87National]

You wouldn't have anymore information on the GM standalone controller would you? I did a little googling and couldn't come up with much on it.

This is this only website I've found with a "how to" style write-up:

http://mattw.dyndns.org/4L80E/

 

[TURNA]

Great write up 454!!!

Will definitely help when I ditch the T56 for the 4L80E