should i build up my 4l60e to a built 4l65e or is just better to step up and get a 4l80e

but i heard pros and cons.. how 60e's built handle a lot more.. blah blah

and a stock 80e will take a harder beating

my trucks gonna be lq4 turbo in the next couple weeks. its also gonna get an *** beating in the dessert all the time off roading..

is there a way to make the 4l80 into non electronic .. manual valve body? so i dont have to do all that wiring mess??

what am i looking at cost wise? thanks.. i know ima have to redo my driveshaft.. thats a given

 

i did the 80e swap no regrets...a built 60e was a waste for me blew 3 up now have a stock 80e and it takes the beating no prob...if i was u id get a stock 80e and put a shift kit in it and be done......and yes u can put a maual valve body in it....and my drive shaft cost me 400 to be made the rest differes depending on where u get it from....i did the whole swap for 1200 but i found deals

 

so can u point me on the right direction...


i can get the 4l80e out here in cali for like 700-900 used .. or like 1200 rebuilt

maybe 500 if im lucky.. but what else to do i need?

 

if u dont go manual valve body you can buy adapters to make it work with ur harness from nelson perfromance but i just bought a 6.0 wiring harness that was for and 80e and it worked fine...u need a flex plate and spacer for the 80e(ull need longer flexplate bolts) and a 80e converter.....u need a 80e dip stick tube and u can buy the trans mount made but i just looked at it and made it myself.....i think you can get your drive shaft cut but i just had a new one made......and the front tranny line can be bent to fit in the 80e but the one that goes to the back will have to be extended( i just cut it and used high pressure ruber hose)...and ull have to get a tune to make it work....thats about all(sounds like alot but its not bad)

 

I am still working on my 80E swap. I will list how much I have spent.

02 4L80E running with shift kit. If I find clutch material in the pan its getting rebuilt - $200

98 4L80E & PI three disk converter - $500

Traded 98 80e for a center console - (-$300)

So $400 so far. . .

I have to get a cross member made and I am hoping that cost 50-100. I have a wiring harness out of a 2500 that I plan to steal the 80e connections and make a conversion harness. I will probably have a drive shaft built so that will be a couple of hundred.

 

if you have the 2500 harness just swap the whole harness

 

Thanks to this site I decided to do the 80e swap when my tranny was good. I used to manage a junk yard, and am still good friends with the owner. I traded my good 60e with 60k on it, converter, bolts flexplate, and yoke for a 2000 80e with 82k out of a state correctional van. They don't even tow anything, they are used to haul prisoners down the road, so I figured it was pretty good. If I waited to drive my 60e till it crapped out like I knew it would it would have cost me pretty good. 60e's are in high demand, and a salvage yard would rather have a good one of those over an 80e any day of the week.

 

really good advice.. i know several yards here around me.. will go talk to them

 

You're going to have to hustle to find your best deals. I am always looking at surrounding areas on Craigslist and on several forums.

 

didnt i post above.. out here in LA.. los angeles.. ive been finding them from 6-900

900-1200 rebuilt already