600whp and a 6L80e
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2019
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From: Chicagoland
600whp and a 6L80e
My 007 C6 dynoed a max of 605whp/570wtq, it makes 500wtq at 3250rpm and builds from there.
The car has 30000 miles, the 6L80e trans is stock, has been serviced twice and never overheated. I am trying to save the trans by never doing burn outs or hard launches. With that said I will make 2 maybe 3 drag strip passes with mildly heating the DRs. It should run 10.80.
I live for the roll race and will provoke a roll race at every opportunity. These contests are from as slow as 40mph up to the top of 4th gear at the most. I never shift into 5th under full power.
Do you think the trans will survive this use?
RPM Transmissions does not list a built 6L80.
Who sells a strong 6L80?
Thanks
The car has 30000 miles, the 6L80e trans is stock, has been serviced twice and never overheated. I am trying to save the trans by never doing burn outs or hard launches. With that said I will make 2 maybe 3 drag strip passes with mildly heating the DRs. It should run 10.80.
I live for the roll race and will provoke a roll race at every opportunity. These contests are from as slow as 40mph up to the top of 4th gear at the most. I never shift into 5th under full power.
Do you think the trans will survive this use?
RPM Transmissions does not list a built 6L80.
Who sells a strong 6L80?
Thanks
Popular Reply
Apr 19, 2021, 06:29 PM
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Pro
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From: Ogden, Utah
Do you run an external trans cooler? If not...get one. It will help tremendously with heat. As for the tranny holding up, there are stories of built tranny's lasting 100s of passes without issue. I have a little more power than you and my 6l80 failed miserably. As far as I know RPM trans will not touch a 6l80. Actually the options for built 6l80s is not great. Century Trans and Circle D are your best bets for a built 6l80. Be prepared to spend a small fortune. The 6l80 was just not designed to hold the power we put down on these cars. You even hear of built 6l80s failing after just a short while of beating on them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 846
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From: Knoxville TN
I have hundreds of passes on mine (bone stock trans) with well over 600rwhp. The life of a 6L80 is all in the tune and managing heat, if both are those are good, it will live a long time.
I use Justin Covington at Asylum Motorsports in Baton Rouge, La for my tuning and if I ever need one built, he's doing it. I'm pretty sure he has the overall record right now with his G8. But in your area, I've heard good things about Tim King, he's in Ohio.
I use Justin Covington at Asylum Motorsports in Baton Rouge, La for my tuning and if I ever need one built, he's doing it. I'm pretty sure he has the overall record right now with his G8. But in your area, I've heard good things about Tim King, he's in Ohio.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: South Florida
I have hundreds of passes on mine (bone stock trans) with well over 600rwhp. The life of a 6L80 is all in the tune and managing heat, if both are those are good, it will live a long time.
I use Justin Covington at Asylum Motorsports in Baton Rouge, La for my tuning and if I ever need one built, he's doing it. I'm pretty sure he has the overall record right now with his G8. But in your area, I've heard good things about Tim King, he's in Ohio.
I use Justin Covington at Asylum Motorsports in Baton Rouge, La for my tuning and if I ever need one built, he's doing it. I'm pretty sure he has the overall record right now with his G8. But in your area, I've heard good things about Tim King, he's in Ohio.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 458
Likes: 96
I've been racing my car with a 6L80 for about 2.5-3yrs now and here's what I've learned.
1. A good tune is 90% of the fight. Find somebody whose very good with trans tuning and 6L80s. That will be the biggest thing to keep it running.
2. Heat is your enemy. A good trans cooler and keeping your trans temps 185 and under will help a lot.
3. Don't ever just mash the gas in D. 6L80s will sometimes shift really weird or upshift into a bigger gear. 4-5-6 gears are much weaker than the 1-2-3. Burning up 4-5-6 is the most common way the 6l80s die. I have my car set up that when I'm sport mode i use my paddles to pick which gear i want to be in, then it shifts for me automatically from there. That way it does have to kick down when WOT. Also makes burnouts and launching easier.
4. Best way to build the 6L80 trans is to get a Sonnax rebuild kit, weld the clutch baskets and buy a billet intermediate shaft. I have been racing my car with 800ish RWHP on a completely stock 6L80e for more than 2 years. I have an after market transcooler and a Circle D 3400 billet stall as well.
1. A good tune is 90% of the fight. Find somebody whose very good with trans tuning and 6L80s. That will be the biggest thing to keep it running.
2. Heat is your enemy. A good trans cooler and keeping your trans temps 185 and under will help a lot.
3. Don't ever just mash the gas in D. 6L80s will sometimes shift really weird or upshift into a bigger gear. 4-5-6 gears are much weaker than the 1-2-3. Burning up 4-5-6 is the most common way the 6l80s die. I have my car set up that when I'm sport mode i use my paddles to pick which gear i want to be in, then it shifts for me automatically from there. That way it does have to kick down when WOT. Also makes burnouts and launching easier.
4. Best way to build the 6L80 trans is to get a Sonnax rebuild kit, weld the clutch baskets and buy a billet intermediate shaft. I have been racing my car with 800ish RWHP on a completely stock 6L80e for more than 2 years. I have an after market transcooler and a Circle D 3400 billet stall as well.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 537
Likes: 169
From: Ogden, Utah
I've been racing my car with a 6L80 for about 2.5-3yrs now and here's what I've learned.
1. A good tune is 90% of the fight. Find somebody whose very good with trans tuning and 6L80s. That will be the biggest thing to keep it running.
2. Heat is your enemy. A good trans cooler and keeping your trans temps 185 and under will help a lot.
3. Don't ever just mash the gas in D. 6L80s will sometimes shift really weird or upshift into a bigger gear. 4-5-6 gears are much weaker than the 1-2-3. Burning up 4-5-6 is the most common way the 6l80s die. I have my car set up that when I'm sport mode i use my paddles to pick which gear i want to be in, then it shifts for me automatically from there. That way it does have to kick down when WOT. Also makes burnouts and launching easier.
4. Best way to build the 6L80 trans is to get a Sonnax rebuild kit, weld the clutch baskets and buy a billet intermediate shaft. I have been racing my car with 800ish RWHP on a completely stock 6L80e for more than 2 years. I have an after market transcooler and a Circle D 3400 billet stall as well.
1. A good tune is 90% of the fight. Find somebody whose very good with trans tuning and 6L80s. That will be the biggest thing to keep it running.
2. Heat is your enemy. A good trans cooler and keeping your trans temps 185 and under will help a lot.
3. Don't ever just mash the gas in D. 6L80s will sometimes shift really weird or upshift into a bigger gear. 4-5-6 gears are much weaker than the 1-2-3. Burning up 4-5-6 is the most common way the 6l80s die. I have my car set up that when I'm sport mode i use my paddles to pick which gear i want to be in, then it shifts for me automatically from there. That way it does have to kick down when WOT. Also makes burnouts and launching easier.
4. Best way to build the 6L80 trans is to get a Sonnax rebuild kit, weld the clutch baskets and buy a billet intermediate shaft. I have been racing my car with 800ish RWHP on a completely stock 6L80e for more than 2 years. I have an after market transcooler and a Circle D 3400 billet stall as well.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 846
Likes: 105
From: Knoxville TN
Pro
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 537
Likes: 169
From: Ogden, Utah
Last edited by D-Dub2013; Apr 14, 2021 at 07:57 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Knoxville TN
I'm not real sure as I'm not a tuner. But I'm thinking the good 6L80 tuners don't share their know how..
Last edited by da6speed; Apr 15, 2021 at 10:00 AM.
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Safety Car
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From: Houston TX
Also keep in mind that the earlier A6 models may not have all the same tuning abilities as the later A6 models (e.g. the one in the grand sport). I think the electronic modules and programming were updated in 08 and then again when the GS was introduced.
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Last edited by subfloor@centurytrans; Apr 19, 2021 at 06:30 PM.
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Drifting
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The 4L80E is based of the legendary TH-400 which was almost bullet-proof from the factory back in the late 60's and 70's.
Extreme Automatics sells a Stage 3 4L80E which can handle 1,600HP
Even the Stage 1 can handle 700HP and only $2,200 plus converter
http://extremeautomatics.com/index.php?category=20
The 6L80E when rolled out in the C7 had A LOT of problems and failures. I don't trust the 6L80E. It's nice to have the 2 extra gear ratios but not worth the headaches. The 4L80E is tried and true, especially a built one.
Extreme Automatics sells a Stage 3 4L80E which can handle 1,600HP
Even the Stage 1 can handle 700HP and only $2,200 plus converter
http://extremeautomatics.com/index.php?category=20
The 6L80E when rolled out in the C7 had A LOT of problems and failures. I don't trust the 6L80E. It's nice to have the 2 extra gear ratios but not worth the headaches. The 4L80E is tried and true, especially a built one.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,527
Likes: 885
2024 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
2019 C6 of Year Winner (track prepared)
The 4L80E is based of the legendary TH-400 which was almost bullet-proof from the factory back in the late 60's and 70's.
Extreme Automatics sells a Stage 3 4L80E which can handle 1,600HP
Even the Stage 1 can handle 700HP and only $2,200 plus converter
http://extremeautomatics.com/index.php?category=20
The 6L80E when rolled out in the C7 had A LOT of problems and failures. I don't trust the 6L80E. It's nice to have the 2 extra gear ratios but not worth the headaches. The 4L80E is tried and true, especially a built one.
Extreme Automatics sells a Stage 3 4L80E which can handle 1,600HP
Even the Stage 1 can handle 700HP and only $2,200 plus converter
http://extremeautomatics.com/index.php?category=20
The 6L80E when rolled out in the C7 had A LOT of problems and failures. I don't trust the 6L80E. It's nice to have the 2 extra gear ratios but not worth the headaches. The 4L80E is tried and true, especially a built one.
A 6L80E however is an extremely decent transmission, especially if it's rebuilt with Alto clutches and tuned properly. I can say this with absolute confidence as I've kinda become the poster child over the last several years for throwing considerable abuse at the transmission and proving what it's capable of handling.
