4L80e questions

[ziembic]

I have done a fair amount of searching and reading, and have learned a lot. I have 3 questions.
I am using the JS group buy transfer case shaft.
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1) How can you differentiate a 4L80e from other trans?
2) How can you tell 4x4 compared to 2X4?
3) I plan to fully build the one that I buy including billet shafts. I have found one that may be two wheel drive, if it is: is the tail shaft the only difference between 2 and 4 wheel drive trannys?
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Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[TYTILIDIE]

Re: 4L80e questions

From what I have seen tail shaft IS the only difference. I picked up an 80e at the junk yard Saturday for $100. The year truck you would get it out of would only have two automatic transmission options. One would be the 4l60e. The other would be the 4l80e. If you know what the 60e (same as 700r4) pan looks like then you will know when you see the 80e. If you want I can take a picture of the 80e I got this weekend.

 

[Beavis]

Re: 4L80e questions

1 No govener cover, and electronic connectors on drivers side. 2500 3500 truck
2 location of tiss and toss sensors, 4x4 has one in trans and other in t case, 2wd has both on side of trans case.
3 Im not sure on tail shaft but the case is different because of #2

 

[Dr.Gixxer]

Re: 4L80e questions

Tail shaft housing on a 2wd will be about 6-8inches long and kind of come to a point where the driveshaft yoke will go in. 4x4 will have a larger opening on the tail for the t-case to mate up. The output shaft will also be longer on the 2wd vs the 4wd.
The 4wd one will have 1 sensor towards the front and the rear sensor hole will have just a dummy plug in it.

 

[MRKING]

Re: 4L80e questions

The 80e also has 17 pan bolts and the 2wd/4wd each have diff length rods that the gear change arm fastens too .

 

[SY2932]

Re: 4L80e questions

If you can't see the shape of the transmission pan, the cross hatching on the side of the bellhousing is a dead give away. This is a transmission that myclone scored for me several years ago:

And this is one that I scored for a bud of mine a few years ago for twenty dollars (recycling center):

You can see that this one was out of a 4X4 since it has the transfer case adapter like on our trucks whereas the one above doesn't. If I have the time this weekend, I will try to get a pic of the underside of a 4L60 next to a 4L80E so that you can see what the transmission pans look like side by side.

 

[ziembic]

Re: 4L80e questions

I will post some pics this weekend of the trans that I scored. The most obvious way to tell a 4l80e trans is probably the fact that they say 4L80e on the side. Laughed pretty hard when I saw that. I scored a 1999 2 wheel drive trans for $200. I am planning on billet internals, so swapping from 2 wheel to 4 wheel is no biggie. It came with a crazy e-brake contraption on the tail shaft that I am hoping to sell to lower the cost of the trans.

 

[Beavis]

Re: 4L80e questions

Please post some pics. That sounds interesting.

 

[ziembic]

Re: 4L80e questions

I am on the road until the weekend, so I won't get to it until sun. I will try and write it up nice.

 

[JSM]

Re: 4L80e questions

Nobody offers a billet output shaft. Input shaft yes, main shaft yes.

I made my own billet output shaft, but Rossler said when he redid my trans he has never seen a stock output break.

 

[ziembic]

Re: 4L80e questions

Their website kinda sucks, but it appears that these guys have one. It is a little more than halfway down the page (super long page)
http://www.transmissioncenter.net/4l80e.htm
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Attention 4WD owners with Superchargers!

#10A. Swap your 4L60E transmission to the much stronger 4L80E transmission with our new double strength case hardened output shaft and adapter kit. You can use the computer you have now on 1998 up models with the use of our #10X wiring harness. The transfer case you have now can be used as is and will be moved 1 3/4 to 3 1/2 inches to the rear. Cost $484.00
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Also: ckperformance has a picture of one on the Turbobuick forum for guys that were converting the SS to 4L80e but they don't show it on their website. Link here: http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/tr...4l80e-trailblazer-ss-billet-output-shaft.html

 

[JSM]

Re: 4L80e questions

Case hardened. The stock output shaft is done that way. Actually the term BILLET is overused and abused horribly in the auto world. At work we deal with parts and pieces all day and that term never gets used, yet most of the items we have here do start out as billets.

That adaptor that site sells will clock the transfer case incorrectly also, FYI.

 

[ziembic]

Re: 4L80e questions

Thanks for the great info. I am starting what will probably be a significant build. I have not settled on what block I am going to use, but I am going twin turbo V8. I am targeting between 750 to 1000 HP. I am keeping AWD, even if I have to lower the power goal. What do you think is necessary in a trans build to keep it together? Do you reproduce the output shaft that you made for yours? I am sure it is probably obscenely expensive due to the hunk of material you need, but this is going to end up being an obscene build so what can you do? So far I am thinking hardened/"billet" input and intermediate shafts, 34 element sprag and the internal parts (clutches,steels, transgo hd2 kit) that blake used to sell. What am I missing. There is a host of other parts available, but I don't want to buy parts for the sake of buying parts

 

[JSM]

Re: 4L80e questions

Are you building it yourself or having someone do it. Rossler treated me VERY fair I thought.

I would add a billet drum to your list for safety. The larger 2nd gear piston is nice also but I think you have to have rossler build the trans to get that.

 

[ziembic]

Re: 4L80e questions

I am going to collect the parts and have someone do the assembly, lot of money in parts to lose if I forget a snap ring. How important is a transbrake?

 

[JSM]

Re: 4L80e questions

I have one, never used it. 4 wheel line locks are working well for me at this point. At some point you will overpower brakes but I have not done that yet.

 

[TYTILIDIE]

Re: 4L80e questions

In addition to Jeffs post about clocking the case the wrong way, it is meant for a 6 bolt transfer case so it wont even bolt up to ours. I was also told (by PATC) that the shaft will not work for earlier than 96 80e's. I was under the impression that the shaft was the same in those years. If someone verifies that the shafts are all the same I'll be buying PATC's shaft. But on the phone with them, they swear it won't work.

 

[Try Me]

Re: 4L80e questions

The 4l80e in my Sy came from a earlier 90's 2wd truck. It is just freshened up with a transgo stage 2 kit. Nothing fancy in the way of aftermarket shafts etc and Im not worried about it one bit.

"They" say the 4l80's just start to get comfortable at 600+ horsepower, and it takes a lot more than that to start hurting them. After rebuilding the 4l80 in our Silverado I can see why. They are a serious transmission. If your not going to make a thousand horsepower, you'll be fine with a stock one.