After doing a search on these I see several here considerd using one. Has anyone actually done the swap, or did the 2004R end up winning out for everyone?

My car currently has a th400, I understand the requirement for stand alone electronics and know it is heavy, and the crossmemeber will need to be shifted back about 3 1/2", but were modifications needed to the floorboard?

Also does anyone know the weight of a TH400 as compared to the 4L80E? I've read here the 4L80 weighs @300#, What is the approximate weight of the TH400?

bump

Last 4L80E that we installed at the dealership was marked 297# on the box! That includes a converter and a little bit of fluid. Real strong trans, but gotta have deep pockets to run one in a Chevelle. It requires its own stand alone computer and serious trans tunnel massaging, and aftermarket converters are not readily available in the stall choices that others are. Unless its free, I'd choose a 700R4 (I just did this swap) or a 2004R.

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"SSuper Dave" Palmer
A.C.E.S. #1483
Team Chevelle #32 Gold
1968 Chevelle soon to be a 427!
1988 Trans Am
1970 El Camino, Vortec engine starts and runs, drove it down the block the other day, bodywork is continuing.

I believe the 4L80E weights 225lbs including torque converter. I agree with Dave.. 700R4 is the way to go..Much Cheaper and the added bonus of 3.06 1st gear versus 2.48 with the 4L80E. I also did the 700R4 swap and even
with it I had to slightly massage the floorboard.


I've seen post regarding expected RPM's and
found this ....
http://www.dalesplace.com/htm/information/rpm_calculator.htm
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best regards
Importtech

[This message has been edited by Importtech (edited 05-27-2002).]

Thanks for the replies...

With a big block and 4.10 gears I think the low on the 700R4 is a little too deep.

Dave addressed my biggest concern with the 4L80E in Trans tunnel mods, although my floor is getting soft in front I 'm not sure how much fabbing I want to do. It looks to me like the crossmember would have to move back almost 4" as well. The biggest attraction of the 4L80E is the fact it could probably be run almost as is if I can pick one up in decent shape at the bone yard. Trucks outnumber cars around here about 2:1 and I figure there should be a relative abundance of late model 3/4 tons to be had for a decent price. I have priced the stand alone electronics and convertor I'd need for the swap and it looks like the cost of the parts is probably about a wash, if not slightly cheaper than a built 2004R, which given my gearing is my only other choice.

I guess for now I'm gonna just keep the TH400 until it breaks since I don't do much highway driving anyway (though I'd sure like to get it to CB03 http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif )

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Rod

67 396
SS clone

Daddy's Red Car (http://www.geocities.com/rthlc/index)

Or you can put a Gear Vendors behind that TH-400 and you can not only have a 22% overdrive but 6 total gears http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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www.yannis68chevelle.com (http://www.yannis68chevelle.com)

I put a Bowtie Overdrive 700R4 in my suburban that has a 454 with a 4.10 posi. Trust me 1st gear is just right and is not too low. It is a lot of fun launching that barge off the line at stoplight. The 30% increase in mileage was pretty nice as well. If you set up the TV cable right you will get a nice firm shift and you won't wrap the motor too tight, unless you want to-Lee

Many opinions but here are the facts. I just put a 4L80E in my 67 Chevelle this weekend. The 700R4, although highly modified, low gear clutches couldn’t handle the 1.49 60’ times. Also shifting at 6800 was a real trick. Shift at 6400 and maybe this time it will go into 3rd before 7000. I also didn’t like the gear spacing between 1st and 2nd at the drags. The car was quicker with a TH350, it was much happier at the 2nd gear shift. I loved the lock up converter and installed a switch to turn it on or off at my choice. It had a 2600 stall and on the freeway could lock it up and increase mileage tremendously and keep the fluid cooler. (4:11) gears.
I didn’t want to give any of that up soooo…4L80E. It is basically a TH400 with extra planetaries for the over drive. It is heavier than a TH400 with a Gear Vender? If so not much. Can you run a 2800 stall and lock up the converter with a G V…no.
Yes the tunnel took some modification. Picture an “L” shape starting and the rear most of the tunnel going across and going forward on the passenger side. It had to clear the return line fitting and 2 “bosses” just behind the fitting and the top of the flange where the tail shaft housing bolts on to the trans. I used the stock trans mount, but turned it around and fabbed my own mount tab. I welded the “new” part of the tunnel in place and when the carpet was re-installed you can’t tell at all. I chose Compushift electronics because of the wide range of options it gives you when programming the trans. Was it expensive? Yes…just a hair more than a race prepped TH400 with a Gear Vender. But I can put most any stall converter in and lock it up, and control when and how hard it shifts.
I will give a perf. update when the car gets back on the road. After a 13 hour day at my shop finishing the car, my son and I drove it home at 11:30 PM. It seems someone thought it would be funny to put a 12” dia. boulder in the middle of the lane at a spot with no street lights. Not a good combination for a 4” lowered Chevelle. We saw it too late. It pushed the Griffen radiator up into the hood, pushed the core support back 2”, broke the billet pulley on it’s way to hitting the balancer. The balancer now “runs out” when we turn the engine over. We hope it is the balancer only and not a bent crank. Then the boulder turned and broke the mech. fuel pump off the block. This is a frame up, black epoxy painted, hand ground and filled, engine compartment. Very heart breaking.

boatdoctor, that is some bad luck man, hopefully you can get everything fixed quickly and get the car on the road again soon http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

I am sure that the 4L80e is a cool tranny, but there is no way I would give up my Gear Vendors and 400 for any other tranny http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif The GV unit is 40 lbs, so the combo is lighter than the 4L80e. Also, I am running a 3000 ATI converter and I have no desire to lock the tranny, I am hitting 2400 rpms at 60 mph, and tranny temp has never gone over 170! The 22% overdrive of the GV vs the 28 or 32% of other OD units (200, 700, 4L80e) makes it more than easy to run a non-lock up set up.

And I can not even describe to you what the feeling is of having 6 gears to play with. You just have to experience it. 1st over spins the tires pretty hard, but the 2nd to 2nd over shift is just sweet! It keeps the motor up in the rpm range, and let me tell you shifting the GV at WOT does not face it a bit and it sounds and works great.

It is a matter of preference but every car that I build from now on will have a GV unit on it, will not even think about it.

Good luck with your car again.

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www.yannis68chevelle.com (http://www.yannis68chevelle.com)

Boatdoctor - Man, my stomach turned over just reading about your misfortune... sounds like you've been cursed with my kind of luck. Hope the crank is ok and you can get it back on the road soon. I'd really like to hear more about how well your combination works.

A couple more questions for both Yanniz and Boatdoctor... How much did you have to shorten the driveshavt to install the different combo's?

Boatdoctor - The tunnel mods didn't interfere with seat mounts did they?

Yanniz, What was required for support of the extra length of the add on OD?

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Rod

67 396
SS clone

Daddy's Red Car (http://www.geocities.com/rthlc/index)

I got a new driveshaft, and the total length was little less than 40" It will be really hard to twist that puppy http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

No additional support, the crossmember moved back a couple inches I think.

I did have to modify the tunnel though, 10 minutes worth of work with a hammer and that did it.

Hope this helps.

The tunnel mods did not interfere with the seat at all. They were so slight it didn't even interfere with a custom console that fits tight against the tunnel. The driveshaft length from u-joint centerline to the trans seal is 59".
Yanniz, you are right it is a matter of preference. My friend has a G V and loves playing with all the gears. As with you, I would not consider building a car that didn't have the option of locking the converter.
Thanks for all the well-wishers. I laugh at myself, it feels like one of our family members is in the Hospital.

Boatdoctor...any update on the 4l80?....john