04 4L80E behind SBC in 85MCSS

[somcamaross]

Due to lack of information on this topic I've decided to make a thread detailing my swap from 700R4 to 4l80E behind my SBC.
I first started out with buying an 04 4L80E out of a 2500HD truck with 45K miles on it for $600. I then ordered a Transgo HD2 kit for it and installed it. (it was actually really simple with the directions and the help from this thread:
http://www.performancetrucks.net/for...-4l80e-424904/ )
I plan on using the Jakes manual controller and hopefully re-using my Iceman 700 R4 crossmember. The stock converter should do for now until I get the car tuned. Maybe later on I'll purchase a stall. The driveshaft will have to be modified as well.


Back to the house




700R4 coming out:

700 next to the larger 4L80E

700 stall converter on the right, Stock 4l80E converter on the left. I later found that my flexplate was a 153 tooth and the 4l80E flexplate was too large. Had to order a new 153 tooth flexplate with an 11.5" converter bolt circle for a 2-piece RMS

Looking at the back of the block


Shift linkage installed on the 4l80. The stock rear shift linkage was pulled from the 700 r4 and works on the 4L80 with a bit of massaging of the holes to make them line up with the holes on the 4l80e pan.


A few during the Transgo HD2 install

[somcamaross]

Time for a trial fit









LOOKS GOOD!!! No BFH necessary!!

















Hopefully the next update will include a new flexplate and the trans will be bolted up to the block! I think I can add some 1"x1" square stock to the passenger side frame rail to make the 700R4 crossmember work. It looks like the Electrical plug on the drivers side is going to clear fine also. The only question now is the cooler fittings.

[somcamaross]

Recieved the sweet performance fittings and flex plate yesterday. Didnt get to mess with the car, though. I plan on getting the flexplate & trans all bolted up this coming Saturday. Still debating on buying another Iceman crossmember for the 4l80 as making the 700R4 unit is going to require quite a bit of modification to the frame rails. (drill new hole on drivers side & extend passenger rail)
The driveshaft will be done today also.

[joeelutz]

Interesting swap. Looks like its fairly smooth sailing so far!

[somcamaross]

Whoops! Looks like I forgot to update this thread... Got carried away with the one on MCSS.com

Update from 6-1:

I ended up using a summit flexplate (SUM-G100SFI) and three out of the six bolts. Extended the passenger side frame rail with a 12" piece of 1"x1" square tubing in order to get the Iceman 700R4 crossmember to work. Caught a regular crossmember hole on the drivers side. Mounted the drivers side header back up and realized that the stock trans linkage wasnt going to clear due to the increased width of the 4l80E. Ended up modifying the stock 80E shift bracket a bit and kept the 700R4 pan-mounted cable mount. It still has some adjustment to be done to get completely in to first gear but it was close enough to drive it and put it on the dyno.

In all, It still needs a good converter as the stock 2004 2500hd truck converter is too tight and it doesnt like to idle in gear. Also, Its now time to step up the cam. It has a VERY small cam in it that idles at 750 and makes 18 inHg that lost power after 6000 rpm.

The 4L80 is a great deal better for driving down the highway. I absolutely love it. It made over 500 to the ground off the bottle through the 4L80 and stock heavy converter (18% loss?) at 5900 rpm (limiter @ 6k). It needs a bit larger cam to make more but, with a good converter and a full bottle, I'll be happy with the power under the curve.

The Jakes "black box" is actually a great unit! I'm going to give the long block a couple more months of abuse before switching to the TCI TCU.

Now its just time to get the AC blowing again and drive the dang thing!

If anyone in the Oklahoma area needs tuning or work done on ANYTHING, APS Automotive in OKC is the place to go!!!












6-8 update:


I made it onto the Hot Rod Power Tour pictures in a few different places this year..

http://blogs.hotrod.com/power-tour-2...tor-27517.html


http://www.hotrod.com/powertour/2012...ater_oklahoma/



I am still having issues with the shift linkage. The stock shifter/4l80 linkage combo isnt wanting to go into/stay in first gear. Just a bit more geometry work to be done on the linkage arm.

Also have some sort of tapping coming from the top end so I havent been driving it any lately. It has been 100+ degrees here in Oklahoma for the last few weeks so I really havent had the motivation to go out and work on it. Might be time to invest in a garage A/C unit!

I'm also thinking that I am going to go ahead and convert it over to a solid roller. The cam ran out of steam at 5900 on the dyno and the boost still had a pretty steep climb at that point.











8-10 update:
Car has been sitting ever since the Power Tour. It has been way too hot to do a whole lot of anything in the garage without AC.. I hope to get back on it later on this month. Bought a new (to me) 06 Corvette and have been palying with it a bit but the Monte will be back out as soon as it is cool enough..



CHEERS!

[somcamaross]