oldred95

I'm about to tear down my 4L80E for a rebuild. Its a 1996 if it makes any difference. I know the transgo HD2 shift kit uses a different separator plate in order to redirect fluid to dual feed the direct clutch to increase its holding power. I also know there is another method involving some modifications to the center support that will the same thing and you can use a stock separator plate? Which method is better and why?


BlackGMC's pics of how to dual feed the direct clutch.
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...6/#post4862881


I also remember seeing pics that Vince had posted on how to dual feed the direct and he had ground down the seal ring grove on the center support but I can't seem to find it now. Any info on this?

BlackGMC

iTrader: (31)

I used a carbine bit to grind down that seal location. Then i followed up with a flat file. If you have access to a lathe that would be ideal.

Before



After

oldred95

That does look nice. Did you use a stock separator plate? What is the advantage of doing the internal feed? Seems to me like the volume of fluid would be a lot higher doing the internal feed vs the transgo separator plate.

BlackGMC

iTrader: (31)

The transgo plate is actually 3 plates sandwiched together with no gasket.... That could leak...

Yes i used the stock plate..

oldred95

I noticed it was a multilayer plate.

Thinking back to when I originally put my 80E in I had installed a transgo HD2 in it prior to installing it. I had the pump out and did the mods to it but didn't pull it down to replace the remaining internal pieces. At that time I seem to remember having trouble getting a straight answer on whether or not the HD2 came with a new separator plate or not so when I ordered it I also ordered Transgo's hardened separator plate which is just a single layer hardened version of a stock plate. The multilayer plate kind of turned me off so I used the single layer plate I had bought not knowing that the multilayer plate was how transgo did the dual feed direct clutch mod. So that explains why my 2-3 shift never did feel quite as strong as the 1-2 or 3-4. Otherwise it worked great though. Lesson learned. I think I'll do the internal dual feed and call it a day.

Koots

If you got the thing pulled apart or can pull it apart, I would internally dual-feed every single time.

I've been contemplating machining off that seal groove, like in the pics, but didn't end up doing it with my TH350. Now I'm probably gonna pull it back apart before I finally get around to installing it, just so I don't have any regrets later

oldred95

Sounds good to me. Internal dual feed it is.

LS1FREEK

iTrader: (1)

I used the HD-2 kit, drilled the 1>2 and 2>3 shift holes to .125 (1/8"), used a Jakes Performance accumulator block of plate and installed only the four check ***** he recommend with his shift kit. Trans shifts freakin AWESOME! VERY fast shifts in both 1>2 and 2>3! I cant complain anyways, my last tranny only had the TransGo and I didnt like the way it shifted, this one is a whole different story!

oldred95

I really hope when its all said and don't that it doesn't shift as hard as it did. My 80E came out of a 6.5 diesel truck and I used the diesel converter up until I pulled the 80E back out a few months ago awaiting a rebuild. That converter was so tight it was practically like shifting with a locked converter and the 1-2 shift was just brutal. I tried dialing back the pressure and playing with the shift timing in the tune but it still hit hard. I have no idea how I never exploded a u joint.

Koots

I don't know if they would work for you, but the HD trucks got higher stall converters (2500 or 2600 stall) that would make for a cheaper replacement of that 6.5 version. I'm sure your old engine made enough low-RPM power to deal with such a low stall, but it was probably holding you back pretty hard.

I don't know for sure which vehicles/drivetrain combinations got the higher stall converter, other than the 2500HD w/6.0L but I have heard of it being in a few others.