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Considering a 4L80E in my 82 crew cab

Will L. said:
@THEFERMANATOR
Not to be rude and step on his thread. But my Hummer has db2 and GM tcm controlling it. Is it just install the 4l85e inplace of the 4l80e? Or is there programming, etc needing to be done for the 06 van trans?
Click to expand...
Functionally, all of them are the same from 94+, only 91-93 had the odd ball pressure control solenoid. It's not like the 4l60e where GM was constantly changing them, even going so far as to have 6+ different models in a single model year. There's differences like 94 to 95 where the shift linkage changed(for pickups, but other variants changed at different times), the cooler lines changed in 97, and some other running changes. But functionally, they remained constant to my knowledge from 94+.
 
So the overrun clutch upgrade from Sonnax, set of blue clutches, triple disk converter, controller, and should be good to go with the trans for my plans then. Plumbing in another cooler and a external spin on filter that the th400 will get to enjoy first mounted under the cab along the outside of the frame rails (will have protection).
 
I would also include the transgo hd2 shift kit and make sure to do the internal mods. The triple disc converter is probably overkill, but at leadt you won't have to worry about it. I know transtar makes a kit with the blue plate clutches. You will also want the 34 element sprag as this was a known issue in the 4l80e(I think the 4l85e got it stock as well as slightly different pitched planetary's with an extra gear) with high torque useage. All I've done recently is allison stuff, so I'm sure I'm forgetting some other stuff.

I know you said you have a line on a 99, but I would strongly reccomend getting one from behind a 6.0l(has the extra mounting bolt at 12 o clock). If you want to do any sort of engine braking, the mid 99 and newer trans was improved just for this. The 99 and older 4l80e's had hollow shafts that are known to shear when going from on the throttle to braking with a locked converter. It's why they hooked it up so the converter unlocks with the brake switch. For the 6.0l they new they were going to have a tow/haul mode, so they changed the rear libe circuit to allow for solid shafts to be used so the converter could stay locked. I know you can buy kits that include the mid year 99 upgrades, but last I looked about 8-10 years ago, it was close to a grand then for all the pieces. It was cheaper to buy a core trans to get the improvements.

And I know many say Jake's is the place for 4l80e's, but I would avoid them for a diesel. Seem too many problems from there stuff that shouldn't have happened.
 
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Forgot about the hollow shaft snapping TCC locked issue... With the Yank and TC override switch I need to upgrade that.
 
Will L. said:
@THEFERMANATOR
Not to be rude and step on his thread. But my Hummer has db2 and GM tcm controlling it. Is it just install the 4l85e inplace of the 4l80e? Or is there programming, etc needing to be done for the 06 van trans?
Click to expand...
Does your Humvee use the GM transfer case? If so, you'll have to disassemble the van 4L85E transmission in order to swap out the output shaft from 2WD to 4WD and the rear case. If it's a divorced T-case then the 4L85E is a bolt-in. I do NOT know about harness end compatibilities, you may have to swap the transmission harness/connector.
 
Hold on, wasn't/isn't there an upfitter in Utah that makes 4x4 Diesel off-road Powerstroke Econoline350's and DMax G30's?
 
To swap over to 4x4 from 2x4 you have to pull all the guts out from the front to remove the output shaft. Swap shafts and tail cases. Reinstall all the guts. Labor-wise, essentially the same as that required to tear down and rebuild a 97+. Now add the cost of upgraded hy-perf frictions and steels, valvebody upgrades and 4L85E-specific hard parts and a good aftermarket torque converter and the benefit of the rebuilder's warranty for getting a beefed-up 4x4 4L85E based off of a 97+ 4L80E.
 
WarWagon said:
Forgot about the hollow shaft snapping TCC locked issue... With the Yank and TC override switch I need to upgrade that.
Click to expand...
What, you haven't busted one of those yet? How could you not claim grenading one of those in all your year of machine abuse? LOL!:smuggrin:
 
Well that buy fell through on the 4L80E (guy didn't make it down to the offroad event in Moab last weekend). Not in a rush with the trans upgrade so still researching. Even looking at Allison 1000's since a few of them have popped up locally for about the same price (clutch slipping issues). Don't know on a stand alone controller for that though.
 
Looked up Destroked's website (seems to be the most common supplier) before and had looked at their 5 speed allison controller but it's showing as out of stock. 6 speed controller is in stock.

Currently there are 2 of the 5 speed Allison's available near me for about $500. One is slipping in 3rd other slips in 5th
 
Cheap (relatively) to upgrade them with better clutch packs to easily handle your power level, they can also be converted to 6 speeds fairly easily, too. Not advertising here, Moderators, but I do want to point out that there are multiple sources and manufacturers of stand-alone controllers, for instance ATS carries them for various transmissions behind different engine combinations. Just do a Google search for Allison five speed stand alone transmission controller.
 
my google fu must be shit right now cause I've been searching "allison transmission stand alone controller" and it's had very limited results haha.

Yea for my planned power levels a stock allison would be plenty, even if I went a bit past that.

Cost wise, it's looking around $1,000-1,500 difference between going with a 4L80E or an Allison. Assuming the roughly $500 for either trans, complete rebuild kit, torque converter, and controller. That's not including any upgrades for the 4L80E.
 
Yeah, I am a 4l80 fan boy. But if there is anyway to ever stuff an ally in ones place...I could easily be tempted.

I often think about when my tran bites it, what would I do, because I can by factory mounts, shifter alterations, etc easy. Just the brain box and lost power are my issues. Well and money- haha.
 
The ALLISON stand alone trans controller is called the factory ALLISON TCM. NOBODY out there has been able to make an aftermarket controller RELIABLY shift an ALLISON AND maintain adaptive shifts which is needed for a clutch to clutch transmission. What everybody is selling as a stand alone is a factory ALLISON TCM with a gateway that converts the signals into GM code and feeds that to the TCM. Or you run a stock GM tune but leave the GM LAN disconnected, in that even the TCM will default back to the hard wired TPS input and shift that way. There is a couple of different gateway's out there, but I won't go into that right now. As to the 5 to 6 speed conversion, there is only 2 out there, Suncoast's and calibrated, all the other's are either rebadged SUNCOAST or a hacked copy.
 
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