transmission time

[BlueMN12]

I have a 1995 chevrolet 1500 4x4 with a 6.5 and the 4L80E.
My transmission is on its way out, and I am going to have to replace it at some point, probably sooner than later.

From searching, I have figured out that a 1995/1996 transmission is the only "direct replacement".

What do the line adapters look like that are needed for the newer transmission to be installed? And other than the adapters, is it plug and play?

Is a transmission from a gasser compatible?

What identifying marks are on the 1995/1996 transmission?

Thank you.

 

[kojo]

My 4l80E book isnt here right now, but i think trans from 1994 should fit too, older then that have different force motor and valvebody.
As long you change whole trans newr transmissions should work too, but cooler line locations are different. Gasser trans should work too, but use diesel torque converter, or some aftermarket made for diesel. I installed yesterday hughes performance 25LXFM it has lower stall speed and better clutch, feels very good, but must drive more to tell how good it is

 

[bk95td]

Discribe "on it's way out" There are simple things that can make you think it's bad.

 

[Detroit Dan]

Discribe "on it's way out" There are simple things that can make you think it's bad.

X2! My tranny shop told me mine was blown years ago, I replaced shift solenoids, TCC solenoid, eventually found the Surecure by Sonnax, long story short I dropped the valvebody down, reamed a wornout bore and resleeved it, put it back up and it's still plowing and towing today with 173k on it.

Even after changing solenoids that were probably still good, and replacing the fluid about 6 times while I was experimenting with different parts that might have been the culprit, when I was done I had only spent about $400, compared to the $3000 the tranny shop quoted me to replace my blown transmission.

My problem was losing overdrive lockup after a few miles. Caused by a hydraulic leakby in the TCC valve actuator sleeve. They get ovalled out from a million in and out motions, Surecure fixes it. And it wasn't hard at all to do, I'm a moron and I did mine at home all by myself. If you can follow directions you can do it easy.

Anyway, just wanted to throw it out there in case you had another case of the commonly misdiagnosed 4l80E lockup problem.

 

[BlueMN12]

Discribe "on it's way out" There are simple things that can make you think it's bad.

I believe that the input shaft bearing is finished, or something to do with the input shaft.. I first came to believe this because I could not shift out of 4 low into 4 high without shutting the truck off, no matter how long I let it sit in neutral or park, because the components in the t/case were still spinning.
This was a problem that I have been aware of the entire time I have had the truck (about a year), so for the few times I needed to shift in or out of 4H, I would just shut the engine down.

The truck still has all forward and reverse gears, but the transmission is making noises that are progressively worse, but only at very low rpms and speeds. The best way to describe the noises is a kind of rattle, but it sounds like the teeth of a gear are just barely contacting a foreign object. I can also definitely hear the transmission squeaking and making rubbing noises when I am idling along with little or no throttle. It also feels like reverse is binding, but not much, just enough for me to notice that something is different. Driving at highway speeds, the transmission performs fine.

I think that I should prepare myself to swap this transmission out.

 

[BlueMN12]

I will see if I can get a vid of the noise up later(although I am sure it is pooched...), also. how many hours to change the transmission? (Laying in driveway, not in a shop).
Thank you.

 

[96 OILBURNER]

I would check the transfer case.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Heres a pic of the adapter line to put a 97+ in a 96-. A 94 trans will not go into a 95 due to the NSBU switch mount. The 94 trans case doesn't have the boss to atatch the NSBU switch to the shift lever like the 95+ does.

 

[BlueMN12]

Heres a pic of the adapter line to put a 97+ in a 96-. A 94 trans will not go into a 95 due to the NSBU switch mount. The 94 trans case doesn't have the boss to atatch the NSBU switch to the shift lever like the 95+ does.

If I needed that adapter, where would I find it in Canada? and would I need one or two of them?


would check the transfer case.

How would one go about checking the transfer case without removing it from the vehicle?

Thank you.

 

[BlueMN12]

Also...I can make it make the same kind of rattling noise by raising the rpms a little above idle while I am sitting stationary both in Park, and in gear.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Sounds like a bad torque converter of pump failing to me since you say it does it in park. The adapter line can be found on EBAY or from this place http://www.transmissioncenter.net/4l80e.htm , he has alot of stuff on his site but not all of it is good and definately not the cheapest. Also he has been proven to have poor quality parts and bad packing of parts before shipment. I just use his site for reference.

 

[BlueMN12]

I actually HAVE had a kind of bad torque converter shudder for 20-30,000 km's, and occasionally a code for TCC stuck either on or off, I don't remember which, and sometimes a transmission component slipping code. I tried a new brake light switch at one point, made no difference, but the torque converter lockup seemed to me to be functioning correctly. By functioning correctly, I mean that when I was cruising along at steady speed, if I tapped the brake with my left foot, the torque converter would unlock, and the rpm's would rise.

The same thing would happen with the torque converter shudder. When it would occur, I would just keep my foot steady on the accelerator, tap the brake with my left foot, and the shudder would immediately stop. There are certain places that I drive where the shudder would happen at the same time on the road at the same speed every time I went on that particular road/grade/throttle position/speed.

The more I think about it,the noise that I am hearing could very easily be shrapnel inside the torque converter, assuming that light throttle application would free shrapnel up to bounce around, then when rpms went past that point, the shrapnel would be locked by gravity or outward force to the outside edge of the torque converter. On second thought, I am unsure of what the torque converter looks like inside, but if there are vanes or something similar able to strike each other while spinning, that could be the noise. It has also started to make a squeaking noise when I let off the accelerator.

Also, against my better judgement, I added a bottle of Lucas tranny fix, the really thick stuff, about five thousand km's ago to try to cure my TC shudder.
The noises got progressively worse since then.

 

[BlueMN12]

so only a 95 or 96 is plug and play. I assume that only one adapter line is needed on the newer transmission and the other line goes into the same place as on the 95?

Are there any identifying marks or numbers on the 95/96 4L80E for diesel?
Is there an identifying mark or number on the torque converter for the diesel?
If a newer 4L80E is swapped, are the electrical plugs the same as the 95?
Is a 2 wheel drive transmission different than a 4x4?

Anything else I should be aware of?
Thank you.

 

[BlueMN12]

ttt

ttt...do any 6.5ers frequent this section?

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

so only a 95 or 96 is plug and play. I assume that only one adapter line is needed on the newer transmission and the other line goes into the same place as on the 95?

Are there any identifying marks or numbers on the 95/96 4L80E for diesel?
Is there an identifying mark or number on the torque converter for the diesel?
If a newer 4L80E is swapped, are the electrical plugs the same as the 95?
Is a 2 wheel drive transmission different than a 4x4?

Anything else I should be aware of?
Thank you.

One adapter line and then an adapter fitting for the one that is in the same place(the newer trannies use larger cooler lines, but the lines are a standard flared fitting so you can buy a regular fitting to adapt over to it). For a 95 only 95 and 96 are plug and play, some 97's do have the early lines but not many do. There are numbers that identify which year model, but I don't know them off the top of my head. 95-96 will have the 2 cooler lines right next to each other by the bellhousing area and will have the 2 mounting bolt holes by the shift shaft for the NSBU switch whereas 94- won't have the 2 bolt holes. All of the electrical plugs from 94+ are the same, and many of the 91-93's have also been updated to the newer plug. Yes the 2 and 4 wheel drives are different as they have different output shafts and the 4X4 will have the transfer case adapter bolted onto the back.

 

[bison]

Just rebuild the damn thing,it aint that hard.

 

[BlueMN12]

One adapter line and then an adapter fitting for the one that is in the same place(the newer trannies use larger cooler lines, but the lines are a standard flared fitting so you can buy a regular fitting to adapt over to it). For a 95 only 95 and 96 are plug and play, some 97's do have the early lines but not many do. There are numbers that identify which year model, but I don't know them off the top of my head. 95-96 will have the 2 cooler lines right next to each other by the bellhousing area and will have the 2 mounting bolt holes by the shift shaft for the NSBU switch whereas 94- won't have the 2 bolt holes. All of the electrical plugs from 94+ are the same, and many of the 91-93's have also been updated to the newer plug. Yes the 2 and 4 wheel drives are different as they have different output shafts and the 4X4 will have the transfer case adapter bolted onto the back.

THEFERMANATOR is awesome........... Thank you.

"Just rebuild the damn thing,it aint that hard."
I do not have the time or the clean space to rebuild, it still drives now,and I need it for work, so I am going to keep driving it either until I get a replacement transmission/torque converter to install when I am able, or until this one totally gives up the ghost.

Thank you for your replies.