Rebuilding 4l80e

[68bird]

I have wanted to put a 4l80e trans in my firebird for a while. i recently was given a 1995 4l80e and was told that 2nd and rev. were out. Fluid is black and smells burnt so it really does need rebuild. My question is this. If i have the local shop rebuild my tranny, what special parts do i ask for? ie kevlar bands, sprags, etc.... it is going behind a 427 bbc with about 500 horsepower. what controller works well and is there a 2500 to 3000 stall available? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to get ripped off buying what i don't need, and don't want to break it either. overkill is always a little better. thank you -wade-

[ccracin]

I have wanted to put a 4l80e trans in my firebird for a while. i recently was given a 1995 4l80e and was told that 2nd and rev. were out. Fluid is black and smells burnt so it really does need rebuild. My question is this. If i have the local shop rebuild my tranny, what special parts do i ask for? ie kevlar bands, sprags, etc.... it is going behind a 427 bbc with about 500 horsepower. what controller works well and is there a 2500 to 3000 stall available? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to get ripped off buying what i don't need, and don't want to break it either. overkill is always a little better. thank you -wade-

We are in the same boat. I have a tranny that I was told was fine when it was dropped. Never the less, we want to have it rebuilt. I second all the questions above. Thanks to anyone that can help.:lateral:

[ElkyZO6]

A stock rebuild with some Red Eagle(?) clutches would be fine, but I would look at and call www.transmissioncenter.net they would know what you need.

[street3285]

I am putting a 4L80E in our project Nova and I was told that the transmission in stock form will hold up to a lot of horsepower. Up around 500, but it is always nice to be on the safe side. This was the same answer from a few different transmission shops.

They are basically a 400 with an overdrive and electronics.

[68bird]

The local trans shop said that good clutches and a shift kit could handle the 427. However, later on i want to put in a 6.0 and a belt driven supercharger around 650-700 horsepower. I wanted input from the guys who have them and thrash on them and knows what works and what doesn't. I have the money to build it right the first time, but not for trial and error. The local shop and i trade parts regurlarly so the cost is down somewhat. I would like a quick laundry list of parts that work in the real world and get abused daily. I have also heard different opinions on alto clutches versus raybestos clutches????? Thank you for your help. -WADE-

[ZMAN1969]

I am putting a 4L80E in our project Nova and I was told that the transmission in stock form will hold up to a lot of horsepower. Up around 500, but it is always nice to be on the safe side. This was the same answer from a few different transmission shops.

They are basically a 400 with an overdrive and electronics.

on paper they sound stout, I work in a fleet dept and we have like 5000 veh with these trannys in them 6.0liter and they are 1 ton box trucks we have alot of issues with trans/and especially breaking flexplates . I have to say im not sold on them. My job isnt directly with mechanical repairs- its body repairs but one vehicle a 06 comes to mind - its trans has been in and out of the truck like 4-5 times and was replaced with a reman unit once already and 2 flexplates all before 50k!! you really do need to speak to a builder of them.

[ProTouring442]

on paper they sound stout, I work in a fleet dept and we have like 5000 veh with these trannys in them 6.0liter and they are 1 ton box trucks we have alot of issues with trans/and especially breaking flexplates . I have to say im not sold on them. My job isnt directly with mechanical repairs- its body repairs but one vehicle a 06 comes to mind - its trans has been in and out of the truck like 4-5 times and was replaced with a reman unit once already and 2 flexplates all before 50k!! you really do need to speak to a builder of them.

A broken flex plate sounds like a driver problem to me!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[68bird]

i found an older thread i missed on my first search (oops). it referred to 300m shafts, specific clutches and billet torque conv. Is that about it? who makes the best shift kit and converter? thanks, -wade-

[ccracin]

I guess I was foolish to think that builders were actually going to say "Just Rebuild It". That doesn't sell enough parts. LOL. We are going to take our chances with a rebuild I think. 600hp and 600 ftlb sounds like alot until you combine a pickup truck and 295 street tire. I'd say the tires are going to be the consumable!

[ZMAN1969]

A broken flex plate sounds like a driver problem to me!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

not to say the drivers are wonderfull but GM knows they have issues with the flexplates - they have been redesigned IIRC

[ProTouring442]

not to say the drivers are wonderfull but GM knows they have issues with the flexplates - they have been redesigned IIRC

Got ya... I guessing then that the plates are too thin or something like that. Of course, a broken flexplate is really not an indication of transmission durability.

Thanks for the info!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill