gta324

Hi..

I will go for a 4L80E trans now.

Should I get 2wd or 4wd transmission?

Any good place where I can order a transmission and a convertor?

/N.

AlkyIROC

Why do you want such a big heavy transmission in a third gen? The transmission is about 250 pounds.

Why would you need a 4WD transmission? There's no room for a transfercase.

You need more than a transmission and converter. You also need a computer to operate the tranny. Just a transmission is around $3000

gta324

The TH700 wont hold............... and I want 4-gears and lock up for milage, its a street car...

There are 2wd and 4wd 4L80E and there are some diffrence on the axle and strut, but I dont know exactly.....

Will also make my own x-member and maybe modify my Torque arm, and yes I will need a computer but no 1 is to find a trans.

That bring me to next question, rear end. Are there any cheap that will fit 3'gen without alot of mods. I know Strange sell on "bolt on" but its expensive, are there any other alternetives?

/N.

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

For the money, I think you'd be better off to buy a good transmission and have it shipped to you. Something off of ebay, maybe. There are lots of guys who do High performance transmissions. Somebody like Bowtie Overdrives or one of the guys who advertises over at TurboBuick. With the dollar versus the euro, you'll save a little money and will bolt in properly.

Rear end, if you need high performance, it's the same thing. For where you are, mail order is it. You can probably get a Ford 9" housing the cheapest...

AlkyIROC

A 200-4R will be strong enough, will fit better, will give you 4 gears and will be a lot cheaper than a 4L80E.

A 4WD transmission has a different tail section to bolt onto a transfer case. You can't use it without a transfer case.

If you're making enough power to break a transmission or differential then asking for a cheap alternative for a transmission or differential shouldn't be a question. You spend the money to install something that will take the abuse. Building a HP engine means doing a complete package deal. You can start cheap with a diff by buying the bolt in housing/axle package for about $1000 then install your own center section and brakes. Buying a complete package for around $2500 may be a cheaper route depending on how cheap you can buy everything else. There are no other junkyard diffs that will fit into a third gen without modifications because of the torque arm suspension system. If you can find a factory 9 bolt, it will be stronger than the 10 bolt but parts are hard to find. Finding a factory Dana 44 would be the best but those are rare. Upgrading to a fourth gen diff isn't much of a strength upgrade.

http://www.jetchip.com/ used to sell complete transmission kits. I know they still sell a conversion kit which includes the ECM, and harnesses to install the transmission in any car but I don't think they sell the tranny any more. My guess is the conversion kit is between $1000 and $2000. I remember the complete kit with tranny was around $5000 many years ago.

You can buy a 4L80E from Summit Racing. Bottom of the line, factory replacement is as low as $1900 with no high performance parts or torque converter. The better ones start at around $2300.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...=KeywordSearch

gta324

Yeah, I know it isnt cheap thats why I want a good 4L80e that will hold for the power I will make.

Will check at ebay for a rebuild transmission and think again about a strange rear end.

When I find a trans I have a contact in Atlanta that will take care of the shipping to sweden.

/N.

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

The 4L80E is physically larger than the 700R4. It will require either bashing in your floorpan, or cutting out the floorpan and replacing it with some custom sheet metal. Not cheap. Rear ends are expensive because it costs money to make them strong.

90-irocdx3

iTrader: (4)

you can also stretch the metal as well so u dont have to bash in the tunnel.

Shagwell

There is also a company in New York building a (cough) Ford OD trans w/ an SFi bellhousing to bolt-up to chevy's. Pretty tough trans, and better/more performance gearing than a 700r. Again though, you would need to do something about the tq arm. It has a manual valvebody 1-3, and a toggle switch for 4th gear/converter lock-up. - They advertise in Chevy HiPo and it was in the light blue camaro that was featured a month or two back.

Here's the part where I'm lost. If you're building enough power to break a good 700, then you're well past the point of a stock tq arm and any stock rear. Pro Built and PATC offer reputable 700's that will take over 700hp w/o any issues.

On a side note, PATC builds a manual valvebody 4L80, so no electronics required, but you have to upshift/downshift manually. A 4L80 will require floorboard mods, a custom crossmember and a custom driveshaft, but again, if you're even close to breaking a decent 700, you're well past the abilities of the factory ds anyway.

gta324

I have the top of the line Pro-built transmission.
I have a Spohn torque arm.....

I know about the driveshaft and all the other mods I have to do, just need to find a beefier trans, will look inte the Ford thing, thx!

/N.

Engine is a 415cui that will have AFR Elim 210cc heads next year and more boost!

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

Are there any 2nd gen Camaros being parted out in your neck of the woods? If your welding and fabrication skills are good, you can use the 8.5" 10 bolt from a 2nd gen camaro.

The width and bolt pattern are correct, you just need to cut off the stock brackets, and put on new brackets. You might be able to build brackets from scratch, get them from lefthanderchassis.com or cut them off your
7.5" 10 bolt rear end.


7.5 10 bolt = what you have now
8.5" 10 bolt = 2nd gen
8.75" = GM 12 bolt.
As you can see the 8.5" 10 bolt is much closer in size (strength) to the 12 bolt, vs the 7.5" version.

AlkyIROC

12 bolt is 8-7/8 = 8.875 and a car 12 bolt isn't the same as a truck 12 bolt. The truck 12 bolt has a smaller diameter pinion.

Using a second gen Camaro diff is no different than trying to install a junkyard 9" although the brakes and wheel bolt pattern won't need to be changed. Moving all the brackets over from one diff to another isn't hard. It's the fact that there's no easy way to install a torque arm onto a junkyard diff that makes the swap difficult. Finding a donor diff the correct width is usually harder.

buddyholly1959

4l80e is slightly heavier and expensive, but even stock ones hold up better than most well built 700/60's. I have seen a stock (but aftermarket TC) 4l80e with 200,000 miles holding up in a 9 second Chevelle for 2 seasons without a whimper. Compromise is a little weight and cost vs reliability. For myself and my buddies we wanted to never hear the word "refresh" in regards to our transmisison again.

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

An automatic transmission has the same type of clutches in it that a manual trans clutch is made of. Clutches dont last forever, and neither do automatic transmissions.

AlkyIROC

Internally, the 4L80E shares about 80% of the parts as a TH400. The 4L80E in my truck has survived low 13 second passes on NOS right out of the hole while trying to push 4600 pounds of truck down the track.

As we've mentioned above, it's a big and very heavy transmission.

gta324

Have found a used 4L80E -99 2wd here in sweden but its from a diesel car, anyone knows if the converter will fit and how would it stall?

/N.

AlkyIROC

Diesels usually have a B-O-P bellhousing. It won't fit onto a chev engine.

I have no idea if a 700R4 converter will work. TCI has a special listing just for 4L80E converters.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...0002_212326_-1

And here's a listing for a lockup converter
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...0002_460592_-1

KrisW

iTrader: (5)

Not true. The only diesel that used B-O-P bolt pattern was the 5.7 Olds engine that stopped being produced in 1985.

The 6.2/6.5 engine series uses the Chevy bolt pattern. The new Duramax as well.

A 99 model truck should have the 6.5 turbo and use a 4L80E transmission. The torque converter uses the older T350/T400 style but with a lockup function. You may be able to use a T350 lockup converter but I can't be sure about that.

ta84-355

Hi GTA324 (Nicklas),

try and contact JoBy which is a user here at thirdgen (or the TACS-forum in sweden). He's got a 4L80E in his Corvette C4, and I believe he has put one into a Camaro -88 as well.

He told me one could actually build some electronics to shift the transmission, so that you wouldn't need the expensive computer.

I'd like one of these transmissions myself. Long distances and very few dragstrips in the country makes me want 4 gears and lockup.

JoBy has changed the converter to some aftermarket brand, not cheap but holding up on his 1086 Nm torque monster.

/Anders

Shagwell

Well, now that we have some specifics on what you have and what you're doing;

A 4l80e is not a bad idea. If you do a little net searching, there is a compnay that offers a stand-alone ecu to run a 4L80E (user programmable shift points, tc lock-up point, etc) for around $675, that's the cheapest I've seen.
- Yes, if you know the wiring scematics and have a good knowledge of electrical systems, you could shift it via rocker/toggle switches, but for the effort involved and the driveability, I would just go with a manual valvebody.
- Yes, a 4l80E is basically a turbo 400 with overdrive. A basically stock t400/4l80e will take a considerable amount of power and there are parts available to make them withstand well over 1k hp.
- Since you're at that level, you needn't think about running a stock torque converter. You need a converter built to handle the power you're making, and designed to compliment your engine's powerband. There are a couple companies offering performance TC's for 4l80's. PATC has a few options depending on what you want/expect out of the car.

gta324

ta84-355:

I know, I have spoken with Kristian who has the 4l80E in his camaro. He have a 4wd so he made a new strut. I've also gotten some pictures from his install.

Kristian's transmission came from a gasoline car and he still uses the stock convertor on his 355 turbo camaro. But he had some issues with the engine so no good numbers yet, but they should be close to Jobys when he is done.

About the control unit Joby and he did a DIY box that works, I'll se what route I'll go for.

About finding a transmission I've found one 2wd in sweden for 9500 sek (1500USD) Then I need a convertor, found one BM 2400rpm for 3500sek (540USD), so this is 2000USD for a used tranny+used convertor, make me think it would be cheeper to get one from US rebuilt with convertor......

The winter is long so I have not decided yet, must put the engine together first and the exhaust

and we have a baby on the way I guess you know how a car project time schedule changes then......

Shagwell

I wouldn't use any B&M or TCI parts(or converter) for an overdrive transmission. Both companies are still in the stone age when it comes to trans technology/parts.

Blown84Bird

I hate to beat a dead horse but did this swap ever realize?

gta324

yes, this year

Some things came between, fuel supply problems and a child .....

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...l80e-swap.html

Blown84Bird

LOL didn't realize that was you