How much torque can the 4L60E handle from the factory?

 

RPM is mostly what kills a 60E in a racing application. I've got 60E's in cars running 11.0's, and 700's in mid 10 second cars. A 700 uses basically the same internals as a 60E, but they're not computer controlled.
A PROPERLY built 60E can handle quite a bit of HP, torque, and RPM.

Frank
CPT

 

how is it rpm limited?? I am curious.

 

A stock 700/60E is designed to drop pressure at anything above 5000 RPMs. Higher RPMs also means the clutches or band has less time to react.

700/60E's suffer more from burnt clutches than they do from catastrophic parts failure. Unfortunately this even happens after a rebuild...because there is a severe shortage of good 700/60E builders in this country. I too often see people cussing a 700/60E because it only lasted a few 1000 miles after a rebuild. They all want to blame a perfectly good transmission because they put faith in a less than reputable builder.

Frank
CPT

 

With the right parts & clearances in the front pump (Trans-Go steel rings & Hi-rpm priming spring to keep up the volume up past 5,500 rpm.) there are good for well over 7,000 rpm. In the input drum I install the HD release springs from Trans-Go for the forward & 3-4 clutch, (they are good for up to 7,800 rpm) Anything past 6,200 rpm WOT shift points, I block the checkball capsule under the 3-4 apply piston, and add a .035" hole just under the 3-4 apply piston seal area toward the outside. This will prevent the 3-4 clutches from accidently applying at hi-rpm. With these modifications, you should never have any oil volume problems to the clutches or band.

 

What about upping the pressure a little bit?? I had mine turned up a little bit, with PCM4LESS. Good or bad?? how much is acceptable? Too much has to kill the seals right? What would be a good pressure or does the computer increase as rpm does, or is it constant.. Good to have you on the board Frank to educate us.

 

Dana @ Pro-Built did a great job for me. If you want your trans done right. I would get it from him.

 

And he supplied all the right parts to Rick to rebuild mine!!!

 

You can use the edit program to change pressure at part to medium throttle openings, but not at WOT, as this is preset. Changing or modifying accumulation will effect the firmness of the shifts at part throttle & WOT shifts. Another way to modify this, is to change the preset at the force motor, or a better way is to change main boost valve (controls intermediate/reverse also). Trans-Go has this valve seperately .500" & Sonnax has this also .490". This will change the main line pressure across the board. Ths Trans-Go vacuum modulator can even do more. Right now the main line pressure is set at about 170-180 psi. at WOT in the 3rd or 4th selector position. With the vacuum setup you can get about 220-230 psi. at WOT in the in the 3rd or 4th selector position. This is a definate improvement over the factory setup. As you see there are different ways to approaching this.

 

Yea that makes good sense^ So WOT is preset huh....i never knew that i guess that's why it always shifted the same before and after the tune.

 

How much does running 220-230 hurt the seals in the trans? Can they hold that amount of pressure or are thier special ways to deal with it?

 

The pressure I am talking about only occurs at WOT, and for a very short time. This is by no means very high. Level 10 runs as much as 270-290psi at WOT in his 2004R/700R4 units. There is only one thing changed when running this pressure, steel front pump rotor rings, instead of cast iron.

 

i had mine rebuilt at 2 major reputable shops in my area and its went out twice. i say buy a 350/400 and be done with all the computer controlled mess.

 

The reputation of a shop has nothing to do with there knowledge of the 4l60e they work on dozens of models of tranny's. A good 700/4l60e builder can build it right and it WILL handle a good amount of power!

 

I love my 4L60E,I run 12,s at the track and get 23 mpg on the highway !!!!!!!