Transmission Options

[Texas82GP]

Bone stock with a tick of tuning:

60E baby!

 

[olds307 and 403]

I'm glad you guys found good ones. My 94 Z71 had a GM reman in at just under 200,000 km, just before my Inlaws bought it. It had a very weak reverse and the fluid was filled with clutch material at 425,000 km, when I got it . It towed a small Cattle trailer when they owned it. My BIL stock 95 Z28, the 4L60E died at 180,000 km, I believe. I saw a lot of GM reman stickers on farm trucks that towed especially. I killed the 4L65E towing a light trailer in our 03 GMC 5.3 work truck at 230,000 km. GM had a long standing TSB and reman trans with a 3 year warranty for under 2 grand, 99 to 06, I believe. I need to see recent overhaul bills before I will consider owning another one of these wonderful automatics. If they have a 2wd 4L80E at the yard, go that way, same amount of work.

 

[Wraith]

Chiming in with my .02.

"Most" people will be fine with the 4L60 as they are not Hoonigans, if you have a heavy foot especially at WOT, the 4L60 won't hang. Build it and don't put a lot of miles on it, you'd be good. If you want to drive the balls off it like John Force whenever you want, TH350/TH400/4L80 WITH a rebuild or work done to it to support HP levels. You ain't throwing in a Craigslist trans and having a long-term relationship.

Have had many friends that have had great experiences with the 4L60, those that haven't drive like Cletus McFarland.

 

[ck80]

If you need to ask if the 4l60 will hold up for you, that means you should go 4l80e.

The fact you're worried about it lasting with your mod plans and knowledge of how you're going to use the car, added to the 4l60 known weaknesses means just buy a 4l80e. Sell the 4l60 to offset the costs of a forever trans.

 

[SupremeSpeed]

Would you consider a manual transmission? They are built to handle more abuse from the factory. Especially from a performance vehicle.

 

[08Malibu]

If you are going to baby it, the 4L60E should hold up for 100,000 miles. That's all my brother got out of his in his 02 Sierra that he bought new. This is and was a completely stock truck with a 5.3 and a 3.73. No antics. He doesn't drive it like that.

I built the 4L60E behind my mild cammed 5.3 in my truck twice. I put a lot of expensive parts in it (billet input shaft and drum assembly, sun shell, blah, blah, blah). It wouldn't hold up. It's good money after bad in my opinion. I do drive with my foot in the gas and I do sometimes pass at full throttle. The 4L60E was the only part of the truck that couldn't take it. I don't tow.

If you are going to baby it, it should hold until it's worn out. Still, they are marginal at best for 300 HP, in my experience.

I’ve got 160k on the 4L60E in my 4wd 05 Sierra. I’ve been pretty hard on it. It’s towed some pretty heavy loads too. I know it’s on borrowed time at this point though.

 

[Texas82GP]

I’ve got 160k on the 4L60E in my 4wd 05 Sierra. I’ve been pretty hard on it. It’s towed some pretty heavy loads too. I know it’s on borrowed time at this point though.

You got a good one. Congratulations (sincerely). My brother should have gotten that kind of service. His truck is super clean, super well cared for and has only towed a few cars. 99.99% of his miles are just back and forth to work. It didn't suffer any abuse.

I can only speak from my experience. Even for a stock, 285 HP application, it's marginal.

When you compare the output shafts of the 4L60E and 4L80E, you are left to wonder why a 4L60E was ever put in a truck. It's the decendant of a malaise era car transmission.

 

[scoti]

We lost the 4l60e in a '02 CE T/A @ 36,400 miles in Nov. 2004. This was the 'family' car my X used to take the kiddo to school in. Zero abuse.
Had it rebuilt by a reputable Texas builder (Vette servo, shift-kit, converter). The rebuilt version lasted beyond our relationship which ended in 2012 with @ least an additional 60k+ miles. If they're built by someone reputable, I can see them lasting behind a mild set-up.

If I were to put something under my Malibu? It would be the 200 4r (because I already have one) or a 4l80e because I don't like the 4l60e/700r4 1-2 gear split & I know the 4l80e will survive w/o issue.

 

[Rgpmalibu]

Would you consider a manual transmission? They are built to handle more abuse from the factory. Especially from a performance vehicle.

I don't think I would consider going manual. I totally would if the car came with a manual from the factory. It doesn't need to handle too much abuse, but I don't want to leave a trail of parts on the road either.

 

[Rgpmalibu]

If you need to ask if the 4l60 will hold up for you, that means you should go 4l80e.

The fact you're worried about it lasting with your mod plans and knowledge of how you're going to use the car, added to the 4l60 known weaknesses means just buy a 4l80e. Sell the 4l60 to offset the costs of a forever trans.

This is kind of the way I'm thinking too.