chevy 1500 transmissions

[chico4554]

does anyone know if the gmc or chevy 1500s have the 4l80E transmission in them? I know that they do have the 4l60E, but i read that they can also have the 4l80E, but cant find any concrete information on what years they were used. Im looking at 99 and up GMC 1500 trucks with the vortec 5300. The 4l80E is supposed to be much stonger for towing, and has much firmer shifts cause its clutches instead of bands.

 

[1988broncoll]

Here you go hope this helps you out.. Also I was wondering what your swapping the trans in... http://www.ls1truck.com/forums/front-page-news/14163-how-4l60e-4l80e-trans-swap.html

 

[chico4554]

im not swappin one, just wondering if any 1500 trucks came with the 4l80e or just the 4l60e. I remember reading somewhere that they can have either. Im looking into buying a truck in a few months and am trying to read about as many as possible. I will be towing with it, but not alot. Most likley under 10 times a year. I was thinking the chevy 1500 5.3 with the 4l80e tranny would be a good option cause ill get decent mileage and still be able to tow when I need to. I wont consider the 1500 if only the 4l60e is offered.

 

[1988broncoll]

If you dont mind me asking how much are you going to be looking into spending for a truck? If you can I would say why not go with a 90-93 454ss truck. It will hold its value its still a decent stylish truck to drive around when you dont have a trailer hooked to it and it will still pull anything you want it to pretty much. The 90 came with 230hp and 380tq the 91-93 had 255hp and 385tq they get around 10-12 miles to the gallon. They are selling right now between 2-3gs for a decent one.

 

[chico4554]

do they come with 4x4?

 

[Will]

Only 10x a year I wouldn't bother looking for a 4L80E.

But, look at the rear axle. If it has a 9.5" 14-bolt, it probably will have the 4L80E. Or if it doesn't, then you can assume the 4L60E is strong enough because older Chevy 2500s had TH700R4s and 9.5" axles as standard equipment. I've see the 9.5" on 1500s though.

 

[bobbywalter]

no.



theres a heavy half that has the 4l80.

the 4l80 does consume more fuel.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

All I know is that I'd stay away from the 4L60E if you can... I've got the same transmission in my Camaro and it does nothing but give me trouble... I'd hate to see that transmission behind a full-size pickup especially if you're gonna tow with it...

 

[Bent Bolt]

I'm no Chev expert but I've built plenty of 4L60's in the 1500 series. Never seen a 4L80 in anything less than a 2500.

 

[Will]

All I know is that I'd stay away from the 4L60E if you can... I've got the same transmission in my Camaro and it does nothing but give me trouble... I'd hate to see that transmission behind a full-size pickup especially if you're gonna tow with it...

Yeah--it's been by far the most common tranny in GM trucks--S10-2500s) since 1982. You might hate to see it in them, but it would only be about twenty million or so, so nothing to fear. It's probably the most aftermarket supported tranny in history, even more than the Powerglide. I talked to a place that says the build them for guys that use them to pull wedge car haulers. There was a time that nobody else had an auto with an overdrive and the 700R4 could be built to do anything. Like I said, the rear axle is what I would look for as a weak link. But for 10x a year, I wouldn't look for a weak link. That's not going to wear anything out.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Yeah--it's been by far the most common tranny in GM trucks--S10-2500s) since 1982. You might hate to see it in them, but it would only be about twenty million or so, so nothing to fear. It's probably the most aftermarket supported tranny in history, even more than the Powerglide. I talked to a place that says the build them for guys that use them to pull wedge car haulers. There was a time that nobody else had an auto with an overdrive and the 700R4 could be built to do anything. Like I said, the rear axle is what I would look for as a weak link. But for 10x a year, I wouldn't look for a weak link. That's not going to wear anything out.

Then why do the 4L60's in Camaro's always blow up? Mine isn't blown up, but it slips when you get on it... The way the fluid looked after I bought it I know it's been abused and not maintained (100k and probably not one fluid/filter change). I think though if it was just poor maintenance I wouldn't hear about all the failures I have, though... It's not like the A4LD, but I've seen enough failures it would steer me away from it... Does a 1/2 ton make the ~300 horsepower an LT1 does? Is it built in different way? I'm not saying it's a terrible transmission, I would just like to be informed why it doesn't have as much trouble in a full-size tuck as in a Camaro...

 

[Will]

No, a half-ton doesn't make 300hp. But, that's not the issue. The issue is duty-cycle. A half-ton is going to use more horsepower on average.

I don't know anything about the problems these have in cars. I have only had them in trucks--and it was when they were still called TH700R4s. But it's a control issue, not a physical problem more than likely. In almost every case where someone has had a problem it has been on a trany with a throttle valve and that person has not followed the extremely simple procedure for setting the TV cable. The older trannies have a mechanical throttle position sensor built into them instead of using manifold pressure via a diaphragm to provide the control pressure signal. This saves the additional kick-down rod, or switch as the case may be. But if someone does some maintenance or swaps a throttle body or something, and doesn't reset the cable then the tranny won't know when you are whamming the throttle and wanting a lot of clutch pressure to hold the gear. The clutches slip and make heat and burn. It's a common thing among hotrodders who don't realize the importance of correctly setting the TV. But I thought the 4L46E got rid of the TV, so if you are having a problem, the control failure is from something else. It's a great tranny if controlled properly--well matured in an engineering sense. In a control sense, I don't know.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My dad has hauled everything from tractors to a fairly large chicken coupe with his 1992 GMC with a 4L60 and a 350, 130k miles and it still shifts perfectly.

 

[JamesC]

The 4l60e is a 700r4 but it is electronic. These are petty good transmissions from what I have seen.

 

[snake]

When they get about 150K on them, the plastic tube that runs fluid to the rear of the tranny crumbles and the planitary gearset runs without proper lubrication- it'll start making noise in low and reverse but the noise goes away once it shifts out of low- the needle bearings from the planitary fly all over the tranny and then it is toast. If you catch it early they are rebuildable. Not a bad transmission overall.