Hi,
I have a 79 vette, and am thinking about upgrading the transmission, currently it is a TH350, I was thinking about a full manual 4L80E, I was wondering if anyone has fitten one of these? Were there any tunnel modifications needed?

Also has anyone tried the full manual vac modulated conversion>?
Thanks
Ed
Firebird455@gmail.com

 

I have the 4L85E in my SS Silverado and it is a strong trans but the electronics too control it are almost as expensive as the trans.
The April edition of HOTROD MAG just came out and they high light a th400 swap with a 4L85E in their camaro. It cost them almost $8000 for the trans total!!!

 

AND the trans is way toooooo big and heavy for the car, anything streetable in tires will break loose saving say a 200 4r which is a basic bolt in.....

Pontiac 455 eh?? used to run lots of them....great engine....550 ft lbs at idle.....move some freight......

 

Few guys have with no tunnel modification at all check my tread's there is some response from people that have done this, its tight but it fits.
I had CK Performance build my 4l80E couple months ago with manual valve body and all the upgrades that they offer rated to withstand 1500+ hp. Will be installing it in couple weeks in my 69 vette 568ci with two stages of nitrous and I had Jason at "Coan" build me converter for it.
-Paja

 

Have seen post of a few people that have installed a 4L80e. It seems that some have no problem with the floor and some state that they have to do some minor modifications to the tunnel for it to fit. Haven't heard of anyone using the one that you are talking about. Run a search and you'll pull up some info that might help you. Where's the modulator valve located on it? That would probably be the only real issue you have if it ads much to the width of the tunnel.

 

Can't imagine why anyone would want to...unless they had the complete drivetrain out of some [modern] car with 4L80E and integrated engine.

 

I was very disappointed with the 4L80E. The 1st gear seemed slugish due to the 2:48 gear and the overdrive is about 6% less. The 4L60 is rated for 6,000lb vehicles and is typically used in up to 8,600lb GVW. Even in a pickup, the 4L80E was too "trucklike" 90% of the time (for me).

 

Im building a 75 vette with LQ9 originally had a 4L80. Im using stock 400t. I dont know what the benefit to a 4L80 would be unless you were to pull a trailer on the highway ALOT with your car. I think a 4l80 is a damn good and very strong transmission but it belongs in a truck or a large car. Now if/when I put an LQ9 in a cadillac or impala the 4L80 is going to be the transmission I use but for street rod not worth the price and headache.

 

Not that much heavier than a TH400, same gearing except for OD. In stock form, it's good for 800ft/lbs of torque. It requires a separate controller unless you run an injected engine and PCM.
Biggest benefit of that swap is ability to tow in OD, lack of that use really makes a 2004R a better swap for a 'vette, IMHO.

 

4L80E is mostly used in big power street/strip turbo cars because of it's ability to withstand big Tq/Hp and steal be able to have overdrive. It's being used and becoming more and more popular among high HP Street/Strip cars and even with the overdrive gear being used to trap through the 1/4 they are performing grate. I did a long research and talked to few people that are using this tranis in high Hp applications before I ordered mine and I heard nothing but the best about them
Depends on the power and the rear end gear of the vehicle as well as how big of a tire you can go with in the rear to determine wot transmission to go with. My combo is pump gas 568ci with two stages of nitrous capable of 1300+ Hp, with 411 rear gear and 28" tall tire mostly street driven but would like to be able to make few runs at the track once in the while. No way that a built 700R will live behind it and Th400 wont work for me not having overdrive. Had Richmond 5-Speed and then G-Force custom built high Hp T-56, grate for street use but at the track its a different story tried with Street Tween and Mcleod soft lock adjustable clutch just was not happy with it, hopefully with 4L80E it will work out. Would like to make few runs for once to see what it would really do with nitrous since with clutch I just could not get it to lunch and perform like it should.
Just sharing my personal experience.
-Paja

 

SO I guess the fact that this trans comes out of a truck everyone seems to not like the idea. TH400's came in some vettes right? Are they too much of a truck transmission???? Or is it the lower first gear that yall dont like?

GM Gear Ratios
TH-400 2.48 1.48 1.00
700-R4 3.06 1.63 1.00 0.70
200-R4 2.74 1.57 1.00 0.67
4L60 3.06 1.63 1.00 0.70
4L80 2.48 1.48 1.00 0.75

Seems the 4L80E has the same gearing as a Th400, save for the OD. I know from when I had my Transam, that lot of people with high HP are switching to these trans due to how strong they are, while still having the OD.

 

Th400 did come in some vettes and 4L80E is pracitically Th400 with overdrive as you noticed it has same gear ratios and you can also get them with 1st 2.10 - 2nd 1.40 - 3rd 1.0 and OD .75
Most people avoid them for reason not being familiar with universal aftermarket fully automatic computer shift kits that sell for around $500 or just go with manual valve body kit revers or standard shift pattern.

 

I put a 4l80e in my 72 a few years back, its behind a 468 twin turbo motor. The only thing I had to do with my tunnel was drill a hole on the driver side for the main electrical connection to clear and I used the hole to bring the wiring into the car anyway. I am running a 2000 rpm yank lockup converter and control it with a Powertrain Control Solutions controller. I'm a scrounger and was able to put the trans and converter together for about 2000 bucks and the controller was around 900. Also had to use a Lokar cable dipstick for it as the stock one wouldnt fit. Have 150 bucks in the driveline. My car is a street cruiser and I am running 3.08 rear gears so it goes down the freeway nice. After putting the motor together and blowing two 4 speeds I decided I would try the auto and so far so good, plus the overdrive is sweet!