how hard would it be for me to rebuild my 4l80e myself?

 

I have wondered that myself. I have been wanting to do some tech school classes on trans rebuilding. I would think it can't be too tough. Get a trans service/shop manual and have at it. Keep us posted...Look at the money you would save you can get a bad *** rebuild kit for what $250? The trans shop gets what $1000 to do it? I think they can only charge that much because transmissions are like chinese algebra to most people.

Dave

 

don't do it. spend the money. if you search different forums you will find a builder that will save you money and will be competent at the same time. a lot of tranny builders that work for other peoples shop will build them on the side at their house for a lot less money just to help make ends meet. granted, you might not have a warranty because of such arrangement but if you are looking to save cash it can help. also, pm litreddevil about building a tranny. he does it for a living now and can tell you the in's and out's.

 

my badass rebuild kit cost me 650! for a 4l60E. there is more to it than reading a manual. i wish it wasn't so but it is.

 

any other thoughts?

 

I did it. It doesn't need any specialized tools. The Overdrive piston is difficult to get back together while trying to protect the piston seals. For that I used overhead tansparencies cut into strips. I used sockets to pound out the old bushings and to install the new ones. The piston springs can be compressed in a vise to get the snaprings back in. It really is easy.
If you get stuck I can help. I took pictures of every part when I disassembled mine and named them after the number in the ATSG manual for the 4L80-E.
My 80 is still going strong.
If you would prefer, drop it off here with a pair of 3" metallic catalytic converters and I'll rebuild it for you

 

lol

how long did the rebuild take you?

 

I spent a total of about 40 hours on it. That includes meticulously cleaning, identifying and photographing every single part. I could really do it much faster now, but not having ever opened an automatic transmission prior to that I wanted to make sure I knew what goes where and could not make mistakes in re-assembly. All sub-assemblies were laid out in the order they came apart. When I put it back together I checked all tollerances against the information given in the book. The unit I bought was pulled from a 2000 truck with 100k and change on it. The bushing in the forward drum was spun. The whole drum had to be replaced. I also upgraded the sprag and the overdrive roller clutch assembly to newer spec parts. Other than that it's got a rebuild kit from Level Ten Performance. All the clutches are Raybestos except the Overdrive. Raybestos wasn't making the OD clutches yet at the time. It's got a TransGo shift kit and a B&M pan. No exotic laundry list of hard parts at all! These things just WORK.

 

I agree with James B. take the classes. I took the complete automotive mechanic classes at a junior college, total cost for classes was under $1500 and they were at night Monday-Friday 6-10 pm.

I went the extra step and bought a lot of the special tools, like the teflon seal installers/ resizers, four clutch piston seal installer, bushing drivers and other that I can not think of right now. I have also made a few tools, using TH400 parts, just add 1/4" rod to make a handle and you got a $100+ tool.

I have collected a few TH 400 and 4L80E trannies over the years from salvage trucks. I think the most I have spent on a tranny from the salvage yard is $200. I like going to salvage yards where they allow you to take whatever for so much money, bring a cutting torch, tools and a friend. I remember removing a 4L80E from a truck in under 15 min, the guys at the front desk where very impressed but they never asked how I did it.

If you do any type of tranny rebuild, non sponsor link even before the rebuild kit.

 

How long ago did you rebuild your 80E? I built the 80E in my camaro 5 yrs. ago, and it has the Blue Plate Special in the Fourth clutch and Overrun Clutch, the rest of the clutches are for TH400 (Alto Red Eagle).