Where To Get Shift Kit And Which Servo?

[2bfast]

Oh, and about how much hp will this hold up? any more than stock? I'm thinking cam, headers, maybe some head work, along with maybe nos, nos for now at least for sure.

 

To ask a question such as "how much will a transmission hold" is a very vague question. There are so many variables for failure inside a trans its not even funny. The only thing you can do for a stock internal trans is to prevent clutch slippage, better flow of fluid which is essentially what a "shift kit" does, and cooling of a the fluid I.E trans cooler.

 

When it comes to 60E failures its basically "it is what it is" unless you modify your internal parts or swap to a stronger trans like he mentioned.

Edited November 8, 2010 by 2BFAST (see edit history)

[yfz450_0569]

Ok I was thinking a 2600 stall, the cam and headers will be a while.. might get myself Nos for Christmas

 

As for when it fails, is there a big chance of it causing major damage, to where I would have been better off building it now, or usually more just clutch packs, etc wearing out and replacing?

 

Sorry transmission aren't my thing, but still learning!

[misterp]

Ok I was thinking a 2600 stall, the cam and headers will be a while.. might get myself Nos for Christmas

 

As for when it fails, is there a big chance of it causing major damage, to where I would have been better off building it now, or usually more just clutch packs, etc wearing out and replacing?

 

Sorry transmission aren't my thing, but still learning!

You will be FAR AHEAD financially to have the transmission built right the first time, before doing any other modifications. Budget $1500-2000. Find an EXPERT, ask here we know a few of them across the country. The real proven 4L60 experts charge no more than the local transmission monkey, and their sh!t WORKS.

 

To dispell a myth - in an automatic transmission under normal operation there IS NO slipping! Meaning, either the clutches hold, or they don't. When a 4L60 is torn down for rebuild, it will either look *primo* or it will be a total disaster, no in-between (speaking in general terms here). Your friction materials will not wear at all until the 1st day they happen to slip, and from that moment on it's a downhill slide as the slippage grows until the grab is completely gone. 4L60's are especially unforgiving on this point (compared to other transmissions).

 

It works like this - when the transmission is new, it is capable of holding 380 ft-lbs; and it will continue to do that until one day it is abused (run hot or low on fluid etc) -or- it is subjected to a 381+ ft-lb load. At that point, because the load exceeds the holding power of the frictions, you will get slippage and consequently a little damage to the frictions; afterwards they will only hold (pretending here) say 375-ft-lbs, until the next time they are abused or overloaded and then they are down another 1-2% holding power and on and on until one day you hit the tipping point where they can only hold (example again) 200 ft-lbs and hell all of us ask that much power from our transmissions each and every day - at that point it's slipping all the time and literally eating itself.

 

You have to build the transmission to be able to positively hold the torque levels it will be subjected it to, and it will happily do that job day-in-and-day-out for decades until the first time those clutches are overloaded or abused, and from that point on the downward spiral begins. That's just the fact of life about clutches (manual trans), clutch packs, and friction bands. I had a Alto Red High-Energy wide band that literally was carried over from rebuild-to-rebuild 5 times, each time the rest of the clutches were just warped beyond recognition and that band did not have as much as a single wear stripe on it, because it could hold the power asked of it on the 1-2 shift, it still was in brand new condition because it had never slipped; the next time I had the transmission apart 4500-miles later and that band was TOAST, it was slipping due to loose pin setup and wearing case anchor hole and it quickly ate itself.

 

When you have a 4L60 with severely worn frictions you will have contamination (abrasives) in the fluid and it will totally destroy anything running in a bearing; in my case, first time I had the trans apart I had to replace the rear planetaries ($260) because the bearing surface had some particulate wear in it, even though the gears were just fine and it drove well. Same with my beast shell as I recall plus every single bearing in the unit. If you happen to catch the transmission at a stage before you start circulating trash through it then all the hard parts are reuseable (this is the ideal); but the problem is that in real life the transmission will continue to move the vehicle along just fine with 50% slippage and a bunch of debris in it, and the average person will continue to drive the trans that last 5000+ miles until it is totally absolutely shot and by that time all the hard parts are gouged from debris in the ATF and that adds another grand in hard parts which must be replaced in addition to the band, clutch packs, seals, and bearings.

 

In these trucks the transmission is THE key; you can't do anything until its shortcomings are addressed first. And since you are going to use a converter and nitrous you will need far more hydraulic modifications than a shift kit, not to mention beast shell & wide band & reinforced drum & a 'professional strength' 3/4 clutch stackup. It's the difference between a 4L60 that can be spun to 7200-RPM or only 5200-RPM, not to mention holding power in each clutch pack and quickness of shifts.

 

Mr. P.

Edited November 8, 2010 by Mr. P. (see edit history)

[2bfast]

Ok I was thinking a 2600 stall, the cam and headers will be a while.. might get myself Nos for Christmas

 

As for when it fails, is there a big chance of it causing major damage, to where I would have been better off building it now, or usually more just clutch packs, etc wearing out and replacing?

 

Sorry transmission aren't my thing, but still learning!

 

Your thinking a 2600 stall because you tow? Im assuming this by your sig pic.

 

As for failure, you are asking another vague question. When something is gonna go its gonna go and take whatever it is around it with it. Shitty thing is youll never know whats gonna go first. Only thing you can do when you build one is upgrade the weak parts to stronger parts, better clutches, ect and hope for the best.

[yfz450_0569]

Actually more just for better launch and so I'm ready for a cam in the future. I don't tow very often, but I do want to be able to sometimes.

 

So basically what's being said is either stay mild, or decide now if I want to keep my truck before I spend a lot of money into it....

[2bfast]

In these trucks the transmission is THE key; you can't do anything until its shortcomings are addressed first. And since you are going to use a converter and nitrous you will need far more hydraulic modifications than a shift kit, not to mention beast shell & wide band & reinforced drum & a 'professional strength' 3/4 clutch stackup. It's the difference between a 4L60 that can be spun to 7200-RPM or only 5200-RPM, not to mention holding power in each clutch pack and quickness of shifts.

 

this

[2bfast]

So basically what's being said is either stay mild, or decide now if I want to keep my truck before I spend a lot of money into it....

 

Yup. Cheap, Reliable, and Fast. You can only choose two

[yfz450_0569]

Yup. Cheap, Reliable, and Fast. You can only choose two

 

Yeah, either expensive now or later... Know all about that from the YFZ450 I used to have!

[2bfast]

Yeah, either expensive now or later

 

word

[JSHagemann]

Have you ever been inside a transmission or seen a valve body?? Its honestly not bad if your comfortable doing it but there are a few minor things that can get screwed up really easy if not careful. Such as getting the retainer ring for the overdrive servo cover fully seated in the case, making sure all your valve body bolts are where they are supposed to go (some are shorter and some are longer) as well as making sure they are torqued correctly. Properly drilling the seperator plate, ect.

 

You can get your parts here ------> http://www.transmiss...r.net/4L60E.htm

I had good luck with these parts in my stock trans which is why I am suggesting using these. I am also using these in my built trans as well. Some use other parts which would work, but these are what I have used and with good results.

 

The numbers highlighted to the left of the descriptions are the part numbers you can use to order from.

 

#2. 4L60E Corvette intermediate servo. This is the servo that comes from the factory in Corvettes and high performance Camaros. This is the best one GM makes.

#3. 4L60E high performance overdrive billet servo. This Super-Hold Servo has 40% more holding power (fluid apply area) than the stock overdrive servo and gives a firm 3-4 shift.

 

#27. 4L60E / 4L65E oversize .490" pressure boost valve. Can be installed without removing the transmission or valve body. (The stock size is .470") The larger diameter valve will yield a 10 to 15% higher line pressure.

 

#37AP2. 4L60E Billet Forward Accumulator. This 4L60E / 4L65E accumulator piston goes in the valve body and cushions the shock when shifting from reverse to drive. In 4L60-E units it is common for the plastic forward accumulator piston to wear or crack. This causes a fluid loss resulting is delayed engagement, slips, burned clutches and / or band. Repeated reciprocation of the accumulator piston causes the piston pin bore to wear. Fluid loss through the piston pin bore or cracks causes forward clutch to slip. Th

#K4L60E-L. Superior Shift Kit Fits 4L60E transmissions 1998 up

 

Few other things I would do while your at it -

- pick up an updated valve body seperator plate and valve body gaskets from your local GM dealer

- pick up a fluid filter/pan gasket set from your dealer or parts store of your choice as well as fluid.

- pick up new transfer case fluid at ur dealer. Ask for Autotrak II fluid and they will know what it is, 3-4 quarts should do it. You dont HAVE to do this but while your under there its easy to do.

 

This is great info. Thanks. Is there any reason you choose the (#2) Corvette intermediate servo over the (#1) superior servo? Just wondered as I will be doing these upgrades soon.

[misterp]

This is great info. Thanks. Is there any reason you choose the (#2) Corvette intermediate servo over the (#1) superior servo? Just wondered as I will be doing these upgrades soon.

The Sonnax and TransGo shift kits are made for use only with the Corvette servo; the Vette servo is capable of hitting so hard that my first 4L60 builder had the transmission literally stalling my engine on the 1-2 shift along barking tires and a massive belt squeal underhood! And while a 1-2 hit is that impressive it destroys the band anchor inside the case, the case interior will be trash in no time. Also, when I upgraded from the Vette to the Superior 2nd servo (in a later 4L60 build) the 1-2 shift behavior did not change at all, it hit just the same as the Vette servo. There is ONE argument that can be made for the installation of the Superior billet 2nd servo, and that is the reduced volume of it will greatly firm the 2-3 shift (because of the way the transmission is engineered, the 2nd servo is also used as the 3rd accumulator) and anything you can do to firm up the 2-3 shift is critical in 4L60s. But I will let out an open 4L60 secret here, you can do the exact same thing with a 20-cent plug in the 3rd accumulator passage, in every 4L60's we have on the bench the accumulator for 3rd is completely blocked and while that sounds drastic the effect is that the 2-3 hit feels like the stock 1-2 hit (really nice). This is another example of things you have to do to the hydraulics of the 4L60 beyond the over-the-counter shift kit. Anyways, long post but point is you don't need the billet 2nd servo, it's a waste of 60-bucks you can put elsewhere in your transmission. OTOH, the Superior 4th Super Servo is an optional component, not essential, but I would install that part on a truck, especially if towing or prone to illegal amateur land speed records WOT in 4th on the freeway.

 

Mr. P.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Mr. P. (see edit history)

[2bfast]

Reason I suggested the #2 vette 2nd over the Sonnax one is cost. The vette servo performes fine especially for $19.00. Also when you get to much holding power/force you start breaking hard parts in the trans I.E anchor pin to the case for the 2/4 band, achor its self on the band, and so on.

Edited November 9, 2010 by 2BFAST (see edit history)

[yfz450_0569]

Slightly off topic, but would you recommend getting the instructional DVD too or is there instructions with the stuff or what? I think I got a hold of a 2600 stall torque converter real cheap now, so I'll buy that and keep saving until I have money for everything and put it in all at once.

[2bfast]

Slightly off topic, but would you recommend getting the instructional DVD too or is there instructions with the stuff or what? I think I got a hold of a 2600 stall torque converter real cheap now, so I'll buy that and keep saving until I have money for everything and put it in all at once.

 

There are instructions with everything. I tell you what, I can look to see if I still have mine from previous builds and if so ill scan it and post it up so you can take a look and see what you think. Stay tuned......

[yfz450_0569]

K awesome! I'm kinda scared to do it myself, but I would like to learn so I could do future work on it myself too, well to some degree anyway...