I have a '92 with a 700R4...when looking for a replacment, is the 4L60E a viable candidate?

 

Yes it is. It is the same housing as the 700R4. Should bolt right on in there.

 

Thanks--any pitfalls or other changes that I would need to make fr it to work?

 

You could upgrade the transmission crossmember to a beefier one from BMR and your torque bar.

But no, it shouldn't require anything special or fabrication to install.

 

No, they are not interchangeable. The 4l60e is computer controlled, unlike the 700r4.

 

True, but from what I can recall, it fits right in without any modification. I haven't personally put one in, so I am not an expert on this.

 

from what i know i dont think they are not interchangeable... The 4l60e is computer controlled (hence the E at the end) and the shift points are determined by the on board ecm. While the 700r4 runs off the tv cable for shift points... This is what i know...

 

Oct 2017 Chevy High Performance magazine just did a nice article on this.
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/tra...ore-toughness/

 

Depends on your definition of "interchangeable".

They are very nearly the same externally; they bolt directly up for the most part, with little or no modification, in place of each other. Even internally, they are very similar, and share some parts such as clutches.

The 700 was renamed 4L60 at some point around 1990 (not sure exactly what year...) 4 speeds, Longitudinal, torque rating 60 (arbitrary number). A corresponding transmission for FWD cars was called the 4T60; T being Transverse. The 700 therefore has 2 names: 700-R4, and 4L60.

The E version is computer-controlled. It doesn't have a governor, and otherwise lacks the hydraulic controls to shift on its own. It requires electronic input to tell it when to shift. It will not function without this.

A computer designed to work an E transmission will be very unhappy without a transmission to control. Expect lots of error codes, confused operation, etc.

So even though they'll bolt up in place of each other, they won't WORK in place of each other without considerable other changes.

 

Got it, so if I could find a 4L60 (not "e") at the end, would that work as well?
Is one any better than the other?

 

Generally so, yes. You still have to make sure it has the right tailshaft for the car, with the torque arm provisions. Or swap it over.

Generally, newer is better. But there are other differences as well: different shift programming i.e. Vette vs Impala, different # of clutches according to 6-cyl vs V8, different bolt patterns to bolt to 6-cyl vs V8, etc. Details matter.

 

http://www.powerperformancenews.com/...-transmission/