trans suggestions

[steve40]

i'm currently working on a 84 monte ss. part way thru a ls swap (gen 1 pcm). i pulled the motor from my previous car and kept the trans, its a 4l60e. i've liked the idea of being able to shift the car, but don't feel like going with a manual trans. i'm looking to see what options or suggestions you may have. i do have a 700r4 core as well, where i could go with a manual valve body.

i really liked the idea of my friends g8...the 6l80e with the rev matching for downshifting and such....after doing some reading....seems i'd have to dig into the engine and get to the 58x reluctor wheel and drive by wire to wire the car up with the pcm/tcm combo from one of those cars. its sounding like its out of my budget...so it may be looking like the 4l60e or 700r4. and this is my first dabble into pro-touring. i'd like a car to be all round...from a cruiser to the drag strip to an auto x or lapping day....and i'm no trans expert, thought i'd post up and see what others have done or advice.

thanks,
steve

[Steve Chryssos]

There's quite a few 6L swaps underway and complete. Be sure that you understand the fab requirements to accommodate the 6L's depth while maintaining pinion angle. The swap is by no means impossible, but not bolt in by any means.

As for the 700 vs the 4L, this is a good time to contrast the differences between the two cousins. (I'm not singling you out, Steve--just using your original post as a trigger to share with the community) The most obvious, of course, is cost. The 4L requires a computer to control shift-timing, line pressure (firmness) and lock up. Unfortunately, most hot rodders ignore the tremendous benefits that come with computer control. It's like comparing a typewriter to a PC with word processing software. The typewriter is way cheaper, of course, but every mistake is a do-over (or that white pasty stuff). There's no spelling and grammar checker and you can't print unlimited copies or send the document to thousands by email. The 4L60E's transmission computer adds transmission real longevity and performance.

Regardless, I've visited countless hot rod transmission shops and the 700R4 outsells the 4L60E by like 15:1. So many folks think that the 4L's computer is a necessary evil (and an expensive one) that provides the exact same function as a 700 and nothing more. So why spend more to run an E instead of a 700?

TPS Sensor vs TV Cable: The 700 gets a bad rap for reliability even though most issues and failures are TV cable-related. Good TV cable kits exist, but a TPS sensor is nonetheless way more reliable. It's also more precise allowing for much greater resolution when calibrating pressure and shift points. Anyone who has ever experienced 700 failure after an ill-timed hard shift knows what I mean.

Tuning Capability: The computer lets you tune shift time and pressure to your exact driving preferences and car specs. Want that 3-4 shift to happen a little later around town? it's a quick change. Want the 1-2 shift to come a little sooner? Same deal. 1-2 feels too harsh? Tweak it.

Better Lock Up Control: Just as with pressure and shift timing, that E trans allows for better control over lock up. If your trans locks up too soon, go in and tweak the apply speed.

Decades of Manufacturing Progress: Literally.. That 700 was designed in the early 80's when Bill Gates still had pimples and CAD was in its infancy. Casting, machining and CAD technology have all evolved exponentially in the 4L's era. (almost 25 years!) The exponential technology improvements impact product reliability directly. It's a tough pill to swallow for some, but in 2012, the 700R4 is officially a dinosaur. There are also advancements made through various iterations such as the 65E, 70E, 75E.

Tuning Is Easy: Many people equate trans tuning with EFI tuning. That creates a lot of fear. In fact trans tuning is super simple. In the case of the products we sell, Twist supplies a custom calibration--never off the shelf. It's specific to your vehicle and driving style, and also includes lifetime tech support.

Electronic Manual Control: My favorite feature, but I'm biased since we invented the first bolt on paddle shifter back in 2003. It's hard to believe that we've been paddle shifting hot rods for 10 years now. Like the mouse connected to the computer on your desk or laptop, transmission computers accept manual inputs--usually by way of paddle shifters, such as our Shrifter®. They let you decide when the trans shifts.

I hope that helps!

[steve40]

Thanks Steve,

I can shed a lil more light on my situation. I had a 4th gen f-body. So I have the engine harness, pcm, trans and efi live from that. The reason why I brought up the 700, was I was thinking of something I could manually shift and add more to the car. I didn't know about the electronic manual control, is that thru the stock ls1 pcm? Maybe you can share some more about that.

Right now I don't have a working trans, the 700 was a core I picked up after the 4L lost 3rd gear. Both have been sitting since then. Also, if I ever had questions about the trans tuning, the boards said go to a shop and have them do it....the shop called me up to have me explain the auto to them....pretty much everything in the area was stick of a turbo 400/glide trans. It was almost like a black art of trial and error.

[Steve Chryssos]

EFI Live can pretty much handle all of your tuning needs, except for manual override (i.e. paddle shift). I'll go look to see if EFI Live has added that functionality recently. The LS1 processor is quite slow relative to Compushift, for example. That does affect shift times. Also the tuning is not quite as intuitive as the aftermarket controllers, but again--not difficult at all. The "boards" are wrong. I'll be glad to help you navigate through the basics as well as some of the silliness like dual calibrations and such. Lastly, you lose on-board display capability with EFI Live. A laptop is a must. EFI Live will definitely get you going down the road and quite well. As their name implies, fuel injection is their primary focus.
If you choose to go with an aftermarket trans controller, you can re-flag the "Trans Type" parameter from A4 to M6 so that the LS1 pcm isn't looking for the stock trans harness connections anymore.

[steve40]

What do you mean by on-board display?

I'm still pretty early in the project, but the trans is a big part that I'd have to build the car around, was looking to see what my options are and pick a path. It sounds like the 4L trans is a good way to go, I'd already have a good converter and I know it fits the tunnel of the car, that would give me enough to work around and pick away at the rest of the car and save up to get a trans built....or send this one out, I know it has a few upgrades, but not too much.