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Are you looking to have one built? As mentioned, they are pretty easy to find in a salvage yard. Find one with clean red fluid, install a shift kit, and enjoy.
Jakes Performance is well known for the 4L80, as is CK performance.
The TransGo shift kit is a good shift kit for someone who just wants a decent shift without taking apart the transmission. Jakes Performance and CK offer better kits, but require some transmission disassembly to install (beyond just the valve body). If you go the salvage yard option, install a kit other than the TransGo. The tear down to install the shift kit is a perfect opportunity to inspect the clutches for wear.
That tail housing and an adapter plate will put the OP beyond the cost of a mildly built 200-4R. Even if you source one from Summit or Jegs. To each his own though...
BTW, here's a good website to use to find a 4l80e or other transmission:
That tail housing and an adapter plate will put the OP beyond the cost of a mildly built 200-4R.
Um, just the parts to build a sufficiently robust 200-4R (including all the rollerized internals and the heat treated and billet parts) will set you back $1800 from CK Performance. That assumes you build it yourself. Oh, and that doesn't include the converter.
There are other sources for the tailhousing; I just linked the first one on Google. Of course, a 4L80E requires a controller, which is at least another $600 - $1000, and special fittings for the cooler lines to minimize tunnel mods.
Of course, a 4L80E requires a controller, which is at least another $600 - $1000...
I was wondering about this. I wasn't sure about the 4l80e. I know the Ford E4OD requires an aftermarket controller to put it behind the old mechanically injected diesels. Plus, the 4l80e is a BEAST (as you mentioned in the other thread).
If you're going to mod the transmission tunnel MAW go all the way and get an Allison transmission.
If you're going to mod the transmission tunnel MAW go all the way and get an Allison transmission.
Why, is the car too fast and you need ballast to slow it down? The Allison weighs 330 lbs!
First gear is 3.09:1, so not horrible (as compared to 4.02 on the 6L80), but these things are HUGE. Have you ever seen one?
Redline Instruments can rebuild your existing speedometer with modern electronics for similar cost of buying the extension housing.
It’s not to difficult to adapt the 4L80 to a fully manual shift using some oil resistant butt connectors. You still need a ignition power source for the solenoids, you use the transmission internal pressure switch manifold to control the ground path to the solenoids. Unfortunately, the transmission is running max line pressure so it’s going to have a very firm shift.
If you have enough power to be concerned with breaking a 200R4/700 with the relatively cheap hard part upgrade, your probably better off with the 4L80. You can bolt in every high dollar upgrade into one of the lighter duty overdrive trans, it will still be weaker than good used junkyard 4L80 with a shift kit.
your not going to easily fit a Allison or 6L80 trans into any classic car. Those truck transmissions are designed and geared to get heavily loaded trucks moving, not for performance.
So apparently the 4l80e is outta favor for performance. I’ve seen good reviews and like the 4 speed with OD. The 6l80e is overkill and obviously creates way more work to fit it due to size. The controllers seem to be very easy to use but I have no experience using them.
I do have a turbo 400 that I could rebuild, just felt the 4l80 would have been worth the cost to swap in than do the former.
4l80e are absolutely not out of favor for performance. They are pretty much the standard for performance overdrive transmissions and can be built to handle 4 digit hp without battina an eye. The things you need to keep in mind is that good stall converters aren't cheap, speedometer box is $300 and a good controller is $800 by the time you also get a TPS sensor adapted. At least the adapter plate is cheap.
Why do you say that? It's a TH400 with a 0.75 OD gear. The issue is cost and fitment.
Did the early 4l80e in oil burners have a cable driven speedo gear set up or was it a pulse speed sensor.
I know they have stand alone Transmission controllers, But no idea if you can reprogram them to get away from the very low shift points of a diesel .
Did the early 4l80e in oil burners have a cable driven speedo gear set up or was it a pulse speed sensor.
I know they have stand alone Transmission controllers, But no idea if you can reprogram them to get away from the very low shift points of a diesel .
No version of the 4L80E ever came with a mechanical speedo drive. The diesel controllers are out there, but they are only in the early trucks and most of those were crushed long ago, since the 6.2 was a turd. I've found exactly one in a wrecking yard in the last decade or so.
No version of the 4L80E ever came with a mechanical speedo drive. The diesel controllers are out there, but they are only in the early trucks and most of those were crushed long ago, since the 6.2 was a turd. I've found exactly one in a wrecking yard in the last decade or so.
it’s been years since I last saw one. The last truck I saw one in engine was pulled and the wiring harness was badly mangled (who would have taken the time to pull a 6.2 diesel?!) Probably should have grabbed it anyway, probably would t have been too hard to build a new harness.
The problem with using the old stand alone controllers is getting a PROM burned. That’s a talent about 20 years in the past.
While I haven’t built a 4L80 for a big power engine, from what I understand the reliable limit is 1200-1500 hp. The limiting factor is the overdrive sprag, in every forward gear (except overdrive) the engine torque has to go thru the sprag. Sonnax has come up with a auxiliary valve body that engages the overrun clutch the first 3 gears to help the sprag, but unfortunately it’s just not big enough to handle the REALLY big power.
If your making enough power to break a 4L80, the word “budget” probably isn’t in your vocabulary. Once you’ve exceeded the limits of a 4L80, it’s time to look at a old school 400 and a gear vendor.
The problem with using the old stand alone controllers is getting a PROM burned. That’s a talent about 20 years in the past.
Which is why I have the tools and software to do it.
I actually have a Moates emulator that lets you plug your laptop into the ECU in place of the PROM so you can easily change the program and try it before you burn a PROM.
There are differences in the earlier ones vs the later ones. Pre '97 the cooler lines are close together and in about the same spot as a TH350/400. '98 and later one is about 8" to the rear making it more difficult to connect to in the tunnel. There's also a difference in the electrical connector in the trans housing, but that's an easy update during rebuild. I don't recall where the year break is for this and I believe most of the standalone controller companies use the later one as well.
Plan the entire build (controller, speedo, tunnel modifications, etc) and know what to look for to get your core. I found mine on CL with 100k miles from a 2000 2WD van and it turned out to be in great shape.
You don't need to spend a lot of money for an 4l80e for it to live behind 500-ish hp big block. I bought mine on Craigslist for $1k, it was rebuilt by GM and it came with the receipt. There are plenty of cheaper options.
I bought a CK master re calibration kit for $200 that my friend installed. with CK mods, it's supposed to be good for 750hp in a car (not a heavy truck) according to Chris himself. I also used banjo fittings and AN lines for cooling. My car dynoed 438rwhp, 416rwtq.
Expensive part is a quality converter, I paid almost $1k for Circle D 245mm. 80mph at 2500 rpm, car is a joy to drive now.
A junkyard 4L80 in good condition with CK shift kit will easily handle 800-900 hp. Beyond that I’d prefer to install the good high energy frictions and get rid of the newer aluminum pistons in favor of the old 400 pistons. The stock input shaft gets questionable around 900ish.
I built a 4L80 for a friend of a friend. Mid 90s Chevy caprice wagon with a 6.0 and a big turbo. If I remember correctly, it made almost 800 rwhp. Basically a stock rebuild with high energy clutch and the CK kit.
Lots of solid info here, thanks all. The reason at first I said the 4l80 is outta favor for performance is the first few comments were basically saying to stay t400 or 700r4. But I see now after searching some articles here and elsewhere that the real issue is fitment. I’ll keep looking on CL.
Lots of solid info here, thanks all. The reason at first I said the 4l80 is outta favor for performance is the first few comments were basically saying to stay t400 or 700r4. But I see now after searching some articles here and elsewhere that the real issue is fitment. I’ll keep looking on CL.
I have zero experience with the 700R4, but the articles I've read say that it is more difficult to fit in the tunnel than a 4L80E due to that huge accumulator wart on the passenger side of the case.
My son and I just completed the installation of a 4L80E in my 70 442. No extraordinary complications. you need an adapter plate, A new or fabricated cross member, a shortened driveshaft, a trans controller, and shifter conversion. I did a big write up on the Restomod Oldsmobiles web site on Facebook. I love it. I have 4.10 gears and cruising rpm at 60 mph dropped to 2,200 rpm in lock up from about 3,000 with the TH400! My write up on Restomod tells what I used, gives the costs, I used a CK rebuilt trans. Contact me if you want more details.
