Vince @ FLT

Not to a jerk but why will this kit not work with the factory 553 servo? I agree that the 093 vet servo is a better option over 553 servo but it will work either way.

With the weight of these trucks there is no way a built 65 is going to take that kind of power I don't care who builds it. I honestly do not believe that a 9.0 C5 with a 4l60E is still going for three years without being freshened up. What is you buddies name and how many passes are on it? I'm good friends with the folks over at RPM but hardly believe this claim. Sorry but I have seen many guys convert to the 80 because they could not keep the 3-4 clutch in these transmissions. With the weight of these trucks and if you plan on pushing over 450 rwhp I believe it is best to look into a stronger option. I feel that the 80E is the way to go IMO. Vince

Personally I would recommend a 99 and later unit because the bell will be correct for your combination. Look for a 4x4 one so you do not have to buy a new output shaft if at all possible. The earlier units will work just fine except you loose the 12 o'clock bolt hole location. Also with the later cases you can get a structural inspection cover that will bolt directly to your engine oil pan and also to the transmission. This IMO makes the structure stronger. HTH Vince

I would scan your vehicle for codes. It seems to me that you are either having an issue with the band getting ready to fail or you have a DTC that is deleting OD. If you have any other questions let me know. Vince

I would scan your vehicle for codes. It seems to me that you are either having an issue with the band getting ready to fail or you have a DTC that is deleting OD.

Yes you have a 4l65E in your truck. Make sure to mention this when you purchase a unit if you are returning your old trans for a core. This way maybe they will give you a break on the price because your core already has some of the parts that they are selling you! Mainly the 5 pinion planets. I actually have an 06 4l65E on my bench at the shop for a unit I'm building. Good luck with your decision and if you need any other advise just ask. Vince

Couple things. Engine miss fires could be an issue. Also If you have a transgo hd2 kit and you installed the lock up valve in the valve body backwards you could have this issue. Just a couple of ideas. Vince

I read in another thread and also in an ATSG book that there are certain snap rings that should be replaced on every unit when overhauled. If I had to bet these are the issues with the limitations of the rpms that these units can handle. I would think that these issues could be corrected with a bit of machine work and installing a stronger snap ring or tack welding the snap rings in place. I have not really had a chance to play with these units but I do have some ideas for making some of the drums stronger in these units. I will be interested to see some of the failures to see what can be done to make these units stronger. Vince

There are some things that can be done with the 6l80E however it would be something that would take some time. I would be interested in playing with the concept of beefing up some of the parts inside that unit and I have a couple of ideas. The 6l80e will be the next generation of performance units for GM aftermarket builders such as FLT. With that being said right before I was let go I was working on one of my first units and did not get a chance to complete it. Not sure what they did but if I had to guess they just re-clutched it and sent it out the door. If there is something you would like to do please contact me in a pm. I do appreciate the kind words and I'm definitely taking the next step in learning new units and how they work. I'm having a lot of fun these days and that is a good thing! Have a good one. Vince Bielanski

Thanks Brad. I do remember answering the phone that day! I'm sure I was there doing RnD that day if I had to guess. Don't be sorry for me I have landed back on my feet and it only took three working days to do it! I went back to work for an old boss of mine and things are well. They have a great shop and take real good care of us. Its a great deal for me because I am learning to build many transmissions that I have never built. Most of what I build are 5 and 6 speed transmissions and these are the future of transmissions as far as I'm concerned. I work with three other guys that have probably forgot more about transmissions than most will ever know. With that being said I am now the student again and not the teacher! I'm having fun doing what I do and look forward to going into work each and every day again. Honestly I was getting burned out doing what I have been doing in the past and the future now looks better! Thanks for the kind words and if you need anything just ask. Vince Bielanski

Wow you have done real well with that FLT unit that I built back in 06. Good to hear its still going strong. I will miss building those units but with the new job I'm learning how to build many new units. Mostly 5 and 6 speed units which I guess will be the future of the industry. Thanks for sharing your success. Vince

Here's the thing. Forward or reverse really do not require any electronics's so I would highly doubt that would be the case. A plugged filter can be an issue however usually you will get some movement when you first fire up the vehicle until the filter plugs up with what is in the bottom of the pan. None the less if there is enough crap in the pan to plug a filter the unit is on its way out. Vince

4L60E-HD2

My suggestion would be to pull a cooler line to verify that you have a broken pump. Usually I would suggest pulling one at your trans cooler and stick it inside of a clear jug. Follow the transmission lines from the trans to your cooler. The bottom line on the trans is the pressure line so this would be the one to use so you know which line to pull at the cooler. If you fire up your vehicle and it does not pump with a pretty strong stream then you have a broken pump. Chances are if you do have a broken pump you will need to have the converter repaired as well. The other possibility is that you have a broken input shaft. This will cause a no movement condition as well. Either way it sounds like you will need to pull your trans and have it repaired. Vince

Carl the sensor for the temp gauge is located on the manifold switch on the valve body. They should be both the same from my experience. It is located in the lower left side of the manifold switch. Here is a picture for you.

Normally when lockup is felt in all gears this is a mechanical issue or the ground wire for the main solenoid is shorted to ground. I would take a look at the internal wiring to make sure that nothing is pinched. As far as the mechanical side of things a sticky valve in the pump or a plugged solenoid would be cause this issue as well. Go over these things and I be you will find your issue. Vince

The sonnax 4th would be the one I would use if you are either towing or making high spped runs in OD. The TG valve will work fine Just make sure that the holes in the side of it do not have any burns from when it was machined. I think what you are referring to is the 5 pinion planets found in the 4l65E. The 4l60E units come with a 4 pinion planet. Below is a set of 5 pinion planets. Below is a 4 pinion front planet.

The link you have posted has a picture for a 700r4. That is not the boost valve that is in your 4l65E transmission. Also the accumulator pistons are both for a 700R4. In your trans you will have a small pin piston for the 1-2 accumlator, a large hole for the 3-4 and the forward acc has a small hole with a smaller diameter. The servo is correct. Just wanted to point this out so you know what you are looking at. Vince

Good to hear you got it fixed. One thing when looking for a noise especially on a wheel bearing. You can load and unload your suspension by swerving from right to left going down the road. If you turn to the left most of the weight is on the right side. If the noise is not there go the other way. Typically the side with the weight on it will make the noise. This way you know what side the noise is coming from. Vince

As some of you may already known or suspect I am no longer with Finish Line Transmissions. I was let go from FLT the day before Thanksgiving 11-24-2010 and started a new job building for another company effective 12-6-2010. I will not get into the details here on a public forum because this info is PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. Please do not ask because it will not be discussed. Chuck and I had discussed what has happen here with my employment and I believe we walked away as friends. Also we discussed what was needed to be done to reconstruct his company after me not being a part of FLT. This way service of good folks like yourselves will be there for many years to come and to me this is very important. I like to believe I was a big part of the company before even being officially employed there and want to see the company continue to be successful in the future. I wish FLT the best and want to publicly thank you for your support of not only Finish Line transmissions, but also myself and my family. We do appreciate it. Customers are what makes any business survive and without you we would not have made it this far. When I have time I will still be active on the boards helping with tech info just like I have under the Vince @ FLT name. However my new place of employment is in a whole different market than the LS1 performance community. We specialize in late model Foreign, European and Domestic transmissions. These mostly include 08 and later transmissions with very little general builds of older transmissions or performance builds for that matter. I have made many great friends in this community and want to thank you for your time and support. Vince Bielanski aka Vince B

Agreed some codes will inhibit 1st gear. Also I have seen where a broken 1-2 accumulator will effect this as well. Basically line pressure from on side of the accumulator will get into the 2nd gear accumulator circuit. When this happens the band will be applied. With that being said second gear starts can occur. Might be something to check. Vince B

Thanks Eddie! Good to hear all is going well. Come on now let me enjoy my moment of glory for at least a day! I do agree that no body is the best. To be considered one of the best is good enough for me! Back on topic. I have had a handful of conversations with Carl. Nice guy and definitely a sharp guy. Actually we use his brakes and I have given him some feedback to make a couple of changes on them. I like the relationship we have and value it. Always nice to talk to one of the best out there and compare some notes and exchange a tip or two! One thing that makes me think Carl like the early units better is because they are easier to get and the cost is less. Also when you start playing with the later stuff you can easily get burned if you do not have the correct components installed. With all the lube changes a melt down can happen quickly if you are not familiar with them. I'll build them either way and have great success with both. The one thing that makes the later units better is the planets are a little bit more beefy. Basically wider gears and better washers in the rear carriers. Also if you are installing in a LS1 application the bell is a factor. I like to be able to bolt up as much as possible. Also if you get the right inspection cover, it will allow you to tie it in with the engine oil pan as well. This to me means more strength. I understand the cooling part of it with the no cover method. I guess you could always cut a couple holes in the cover for cooling with a hole saw. Kind of like the old power glides with the wiffle bell housings. There's some history for you. Vince B

Sorry about the sig Danny. Fixed it for you. I do not see any transmission sponsors on the side <<<<<<<so not sure what your point is. But point taken sir. Now back on topic. What is so special about the 04 or newer units? The only thing I can think of is the OD roller. Personally I feel that the old style with the large rollers is a better piece. This is what you will see in large trucks and diesel applications. From my experience the early roller is a better piece and does not dimple the OD planet race as easily. There was a change in the case and pump passages for cooler flow. Not really an upgrade IMO. Planets are still the same and the only other changes were some bushings. So if you are going to rebuild a unit in my eyes these are really not important. You are going to replace them if you see any wear in them. So aside from that what is better? Just an FYI the 06 units seem to have some serious center line issues in the units. You will see serious bushing issues and also the rear carrier and sun gear will experience pitting or strange wear. Vince B

04 or newer???????? Any 4l80e 99 and later has the same bolt pattern. Why do you suggest the 04? Vince

With the misfires is it possible that the trans went into a limp mode condition? Limp mode would be a 3rd gear start which definitely feel like the trans is slipping. Vince