O.K. Here's my 2 cents worth on the tranmission issue..
My wife drives a '90 GMC, 350 TBI with 700R-4 transmission. The truck is a
beauty
and only has one problem. The 700R-4 is a piece of junk. She is on her 4th
rebuild in the last 5 years. The truck never tows anything and according to the
tranny guy is susceptible to extended highway driving. It has been upgraded with
the hardened planetary and all of the stuff that is supposed to make them great,
but it still will not even stand up to highway driving. The shop that rebuilds
it
told me the first time that this is one of GM's problem children. He warns about
any truck use of the 700R-4. We've only got about 214,000 miles on this truck
but
if I can't get a transmission in it that will last I'm going to get rid of it.
I checked into the 4L80-E since it is supposed to be the next best thing to the
TH-400. Best price I've gotten on it yet is $3500.00 complete, (computer,
harness, everything needed to swap it over). This price goes up to $3700.00 for
a
carburated engine due to necessary sensors that must be added to control it. It
is rated for 700+ft/lbs torque and over 24,000 GVW tow capacity. The 700R-4 and
the 4L60-E are rated at 450 ft/lbs torque (at best, depending on the
bulletproofing) and less that 12,000 GVW tow capacity.
Passnb4U@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 4/18/99 11:08:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time, lakek@oit.edu
> writes:
>
> <<
> Sorry guys, Mr. Cummins and Mr. Adrian have gently corrected me. The 4L80E
> is the tranny that is based on the old TH-400. The 4L60E is the 700R-4,
> and is a newer design that is not as heavy duty as the 4L80E. It sounds
> like the 4L80E is the 3/4 and 1-ton tranny. Now I get to go back and tell
> my friend at the local "auto recyclers" that he was wrong. So how much
> stronger is the 4L80E than the equivalent 4L60E/700R-4? What are these two
> transmissions rated at for torque/hp? My 88 1/2-ton has the 700R-4, and I
> have done a lot of towing with it. My 86 Blazer (full-size) also has this
> same tranny. I have had really great luck with both of them. Is this a
> fluke or is the 86 and up 700R-4 that much better? Thanks again for
> correcting me, it only hurts a little =^).
>
> Kevin Lake
> 56 GMC Suburban/napco >>
>
> Just one more minor thing, the 4L60 is the same as the 700R4, the 4L60E was
> the electronically controlled version.
> There were some significant changes to the 86/87 up version of the 700R4,
> of which I don't recall, but just a note, a pre-86/87 700 can be rebuilt with
> the newer stlye parts.
> I think '90 through '92 the 4L60 was used, after that the 4L60E.
>
> Mike
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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