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4L80E Question


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Anyone running a 4L80E in their Z's? I am looking at the 4L80E because of it's noted thrength and the need for an overdrive transmission. My old build has/had a 700r4 behind it and it handled 568/640 to the rear wheels for several yrs. I am looking at mating the 4L80E to a L76 6 liter with approx. 420-430 RWHP before a added 150 shot of juice. Hoping to keep it in the 9's in the quarter like my old set up. Anyone out there running an auto behind there LS project?

 

Thanks

Mike

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I'm subscribed to see how this works out and how that tranny fits. IF I build another z I plan to use the same setup vs a powerglide or a t350 which seem to fit the tunnel easily. You will love the Ls platform. Biggest reason I can see to use the tranny you are using is to be able to buy motor and trans as a unit just to keep things simple.

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I installed a 4L60E behind an LS1 in my 240z. The 4L60E has weak 3-4 clutch packs which seem to go out anywhere over 80,000 miles or so. They went out on my car so I had Xtreme Performance Transmissions build a unit for me for $1400. If I were to do the install over again, I would have had the transmission built before I did the original installation to save the hassle. I really did not feel like pulling the transmission myself so I had Xtreme do the install as well (another $400).

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I have run a 700r4 in mine for yrs with a first gen sbc on the hose (spray), they are decent if you do not run them in a heavy pig. My friend killed several built 4l60's in his 64 Chevy II with a 402 LS2 and spray (125) shot. I looked at the transmission dimensions on the 4L60, 700r4, 4L80, 200r4 and the 4L80 doesn't seem to much bigger, mainly longer!

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I have a 4L80E in an early 260z but I'm not sure I could give you any info to compare with. My engine/trans location is 3"+ further back & 1" up from the usual kit location/ rearend change / firewall is also sectioned and moved back. Also the independent rearend was changed and that certainly made a difference in the pitch. That being said it took a fare amount of slug hammer work to make room. I believe you will have some work to do. Mainly the width of the tunnel but when your done you won't ever have to worry about trans failure.

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My pickup chewed up two 4L65E transmissions in a very short period of time (Built by Monster Trans!). I will say it weighs 4500 lbs, but why take a chance?" Ls1TECH" has a laundry list of failures with 4L60/65 trans in performance vehicles . If you have plans for nitrous, do it once with a 4L80E.

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I'm interested too, Dans toy and ZFan1. Didn't you say you use a 3600 stall? I've got a T56 and I'm working on my 60' using a 2-step, so I can set my leaving rpm anywhere I want. Seems like a lot of manual guys try to leave at high rpm and snap stuff, so I've been leaving at 2500 and 3500 rpm and doing as well as they are but not breaking. If you are getting such great 60' times with 3600 stall, I wonder if there is really anything to gain by upping the rpm, other than a snapped axle. Your thoughts? I've got nitrous visions dancing around in my head for next summer...

If I'm thread jacking, reply back by PM.

Edited by RebekahsZ
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  • 1 month later...

I ran the 4L60e in my latest 280z and have done many customer cars the same way. I would use one again in a heartbeat in a light car, even with nitrous using a window switch to cut the spray during the shifts.

 

I am also running a built 4L80e in my Blazer with a TVS1900 blown 5.3 making 550HP at the crank. It never misses a beat.

 

My old 454 powered 280z had a TH350 when I sold it, but the current owner has swapped it over to a 4L80e. Maybe he will chime in....

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I was the one that purchased the Cable's old BBC-powered 280Z. I initially replaced the TH350 with a 200-4R but quickly asploded my cheap eBay transmission. After talking with Cable, he convinced me to purchase a 4L80E (and got me a hookup from a friend on the actual transmission) and I went to town fitting it. I did not move the engine mounting location at all when installing the transmission, but the transmission mount had to go back several inches. If you look at my mounting plates, I believe the crossmember was on the middle set of bolts and the transmission mount was going through the offset hole rather than the centered one. The only clearencing I remember doing was where the main computer plug  goes into the transmission - it sticks out kind of far so I had to add a little room with a hammer in order to plug and unplug the tranny. Additionally, I nixed the front transmission coolant line and went with a brass fitting from the parts store. This screws in and doesn't leak, though technically it's the wrong thread. I was using a brass fitting on the back of the transmission also, but ended up burning up the rear of the transmission and doing a $1000 rebuild because the stock fitting has a pipe in it that drops the fluid onto wear items, which the brass fitting does not. I have included pictures of my cut down and bent piece of stock cooler line that I ended up putting in.

 

So, to summarize pictures:

post-1194-0-11573300-1357670330_thumb.jpg1. Torque converter size difference between 4L80E and 200-4R (I never put the trannies next to each other, only in a line which isn't a very telling picture).

post-1194-0-33773400-1357670345_thumb.jpg2. The ear on the transmission that has to be cut in order for it to fit in the tranny tunnel. It is in the bottom left of the pic and has a line cut across it already.

post-1194-0-64433000-1357670364_thumb.jpg3. Part of the original mounts in the tranny tunnel that had to be cut off.

post-1194-0-97884800-1357670379_thumb.jpg4. The top of the transmission crossmember showing the mounting hole dead center.

post-1194-0-78774500-1357670399_thumb.jpg5. The mounts on the car from the bottom of the car.

post-1194-0-53920300-1357670413_thumb.jpg6. The mounts as they are inside the car.

post-1194-0-98352300-1357670426_thumb.jpg7. The hard line I pulled from Pick-a-part.

post-1194-0-46969300-1357670441_thumb.jpg8. The cut down hard line (before being flared)

post-1194-0-35658500-1357670455_thumb.jpg9. The engine as it sits in the engine bay, showing proximity to firewall.

 

The remaining pics show the TCU I used, and how I mounted it and the wiring for it.

post-1194-0-83434600-1357670480_thumb.jpgpost-1194-0-18166900-1357670501_thumb.jpgpost-1194-0-01014900-1357670530_thumb.jpgpost-1194-0-37378300-1357670546_thumb.jpgpost-1194-0-86695900-1357670557_thumb.jpgpost-1194-0-81405900-1357670571_thumb.jpg

 

If you have anymore questions or I glossed over anything let me know.

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  • 2 months later...

Well we got her in this past weekend, cut the ears off like you mentioned. My friend is a wizard with hard lines, used 3/8 brake line and away he went with his  bender. We made a temporary mount for the 4L80E and will fab a mount for it this week/weekend. I'll have to pull it one more time to do a little clearancing on the drivers side for the socket/plug, it is too tight for my liking. Will post more pic's soon.

 

Mike 

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  • 2 months later...

Well we got her in this past weekend, cut the ears off like you mentioned. My friend is a wizard with hard lines, used 3/8 brake line and away he went with his  bender. We made a temporary mount for the 4L80E and will fab a mount for it this week/weekend. I'll have to pull it one more time to do a little clearancing on the drivers side for the socket/plug, it is too tight for my liking. Will post more pic's soon.

 

Mike 

 

Yeah, I forgot to mention that I clearanced a bit for the plug on the drivers side.

 

Just to reiterate, make sure you use the rear cooler fitting that came with the transmission, otherwise you will be doing a tranny rebuild shortly down the road. 

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