How easy would it be to swap a 4L60e for a 4L80e

[Brent W]

There are many differences between the 4L60E and the 4L80E.

The main electrical connector that interconnects the engine wiring harness
to the transmission is not the same and there are different numbers of wires
used (I don't know what they are all used for).

There are two different PCM's that control the 4L80E. One comes on the
diesel engines and the other for the gas engines. I'm not sure whether there
are differences internally within the transmission for these two
applications that might also need to be considered when looking for a
transmission.

The 4L80E uses a different flywheel and torque converter. I'm not sure
whether the crankshaft end would need to be reworked to mate to the 4L80E.

The transmissions are different lengths which would necessitate a change of
your drive shaft.

I have read of people that have done the swap successfully, so with enough
knowledge, time, and money, you can have a 4L80E which is a much stronger
transmission. And I would guess that it would ultimately be cheaper for you
to swap out to a 4L80E transmission rather than to keep paying for a
transmission rebuild every so often.

Good luck,
Brent Wiscombe
bwiscombe at msn.com
Mesa, AZ



_______________________

-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Bazarnic <doug at ddelectronics.com>
Date: Saturday, March 13, 1999 1:36 AM
Subject: How easy would it be to swap a 4L60e for a 4L80e


>I just broke the input hub / shaft assembly for the second time on my '95
>Chevy 1/2 ton truck.  It keeps blowing out the aluminum lugs that retain
>the snap ring for 3rd gear.   I do have extra ponies under the hood, but I
>don't see how the extra power would be causing this problem.  (It's 355
>cubic inches, B&M blower, Air Flow Research Heads, large roller cam, Cola
>Crank, Ross Racing Pistons, Eagle Rods, etc etc)  The truck only runs in
>the low 14's, but this tranny breakage is nuts.
>
>The truck has a total of 42,000 miles on it and I've broken an Art Carr 10"
>Torque Converter, and the aluminum input hub/shaft twice now.  The aluminum
>hub is a cast piece of sh*t, and it's teeth that hold the snap ring in
>place leave.  This last hub (which was brand new from GM and about 6 months
>old) lasted less than 8,000 miles.   Either I'm putting too much thru this
>tranny,  or it's a real piece of crap.
>
>Ohh, and by the way, I drive it like it was a Corvette on a road course!
>It weighs in at 3944 lbs.
>
>So the $100 question is: How easy would it be to swap the 4l60e vs the
>4l80e.  Can the stock computer talk to a 4l80e without any probs?   I've
>got the mastertune software that lets me change what ever I want, so shift
>points / line pressure wouldn't be a problem, if the stock computer can do
>it.   Also, are the wiring harness connectors the same?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Doug Bazarnic
>
>P.s.  If anyone is interested in my calibrations / chip sw, lemme know, as
>I'd be happy to share.
>
>
>
>