DirtyDaveW

I'm going to step up to a 4L80E (basically an electronic version of the TH400 with a .75 overdrive fourth gear) but there's not a lot of info(okay, none) for the LT1 installations in a Turbo Car.
I know I need:

• 4L80E - coming from Jakes Performance. Stage II w/Transbrake. There also are a few iterations of the 4L80E. Early, middle and late models. The differences are the hardiness of some internals and some coolant line routings. Also there is an extra bolt hole provision for the LSx dedicated family in the latest model.
  
• Shifter - Already have a B&M Prostick. Have to order a $17.00 4 gate shift plate
  
• TH400 yoke for drive shaft - There are a few differences though. The spline configuration on the output shaft determines which one.
  
• Electrical Harness - This is for programming shifting and the Vehicle Speed Sensor.
  
• Programming of the LT1 PCM - This is the part that is the most murky. I have both an OBDI and an OBDII PCM. I've sent an email off to Bryan Herter at PCMFORLESS to see if he's done such a thing.

If you've done the swap to the 4L80E for your LT1, can you tell me what you had done to make the configuration work for you?

Thanks,
Dave

Kevin Blown 95 TA

Dave, I think the guys that did it had to fab up a trans mount, too. Some of them are a couple inches longer than the 4l60E as well depending on which one you get - the trans mount location is back further and the pan is longer. Don't remember what they did about splicing it in or hooking it up electrically. Oh, and it's heavy, so don't drop it on your foot.

DirtyDaveW

Thanks Kevin. I got a response from Bryan Herter.
Hi,
The LT1 PCM did not have the capability to control the 4L80E, but our shop in NC has a special harness that can make the 4L80E work with the 4L60E commands and plugs right into it's harness. I have to shut off a couple codes in the LT1 PCM, but other than that it is pretty straightforward.
Thanks,
Bryan


He had CC'd his sales dept and they sent this...
Hello, yes we do have a harness for that. Here is a link,

Performance Parts

The part number is P-120018. It is plug and play except for Bryan disabling a couple codes for you!

Thank you,

Kelly


Looks like I'm covered on that!

97WS6SCharged

Keep us updated on what you have to do to make it fit. I've been thinking about this swap myself for a while.

DirtyDaveW

Will do. I've been continuing my research and evaluations. One local guy says he can get his buddy at a boneyard to provide high quality late model 4L80E's for around $600, then have another bud at a tranny shop install a rebuild with some additional high end pieces(clutches?) for another $500(parts & labor I believe). That sounds fairly appealing and I've seen somewhat similar stories out there. You'd still have to get a decent TC and on that, the spectrum is wide. EDGE converters appear to be the cost winner on that basis ($5xx or $6xx?) but I see great stories about Circle D, Yank, Precision, Revmax, etc. I want to get more first person evaluations on the TC. I've found out to my sorrow on other items that you can't rely on price to get what you need. Cheap price can be either a good deal or less than optimal performance. High price can be either high quality/performance or an overpriced item that only performs well in a single context.

Right now, I'm leaning towards a Jakes w/Transbrake installed. I've seen one guys install in an Fbody and he must be a fabricator. Where some guys just take a hammer to reshape the floor pan for the generously sized control plug on the drivers side, He cut the floor pan and welded in a shaped rectangular section so that it looks like it came that way. Impressive.

On the programming, Bryan Herter says in can do that on the stock PCM and his company has the plug n' play cable to connect the PCM/Tranny. I still have to find out if the programming is needed on a transbrake VB. I thought a TB VB was a Manual only VB, but I'm assuming that.

Another assumption... If I put my M6 in 5th gear, thats the same final drive as the 4L80E will be, .75, right? With my current 3.55 gears, that's a bit high reving at 75mph. I *think* I see a 800rpm drop when I drive at 65mph and shift from 5th to 6th. I'll probably need to change the differential gear to some 3.08's (Ford 8.8 differential).

97WS6SCharged

I put a 700R4 into my old 77 Z28 years ago and with a 3.50 gear and a 275/60/15 it would turn around 2200 rpm at 70 as opposed to 3200 with the TH350.

ShownomercyZ28

65mph with 3.55 gears on a 26inch tire is ~2300rpm with the 80e in 4th

75mph bumps it to 2600rpm.

ramair96ws6

BMR makes a bracket simple bolt in. I cut the tunnel where the plug goes into the trans. The Trans is huge! I also used a Lokar dipstick. As far as I knew the trans brake made the trans a Vacuum modulated trans. I went with a full manual valve body from Rossler and it works perfect. I even have converter lockup ability. I bought the biggest cooler I could find. I am running a B&M Shifter it works well the stock shifter never worked that great, it was always a mess. I had to have a custom Driveshaft built as well I didn’t luck out as other had with the sock length working. I think the Moser 12 bolt screwed that up though.

I wish I would have known that Bryan could make it shift with the stock PCM I would have went that route for sure!! I am going to have to look into that.

lttransam

I will be putting a jakes 80 in my car this winter with my turbo build. So ill keep this thread alive I am sure

Sent from my SCH-I405

DirtyDaveW

Good deal! Can't wait to hear how it goes.

I also hope to get one of Jakes 80's with the manual valve body, Transbrake, etc. by the next Spring.

lttransam

How far are you on your turbo build? And I am keeping the electronic version and having one of the new style tbrakes put in it(where u can keep it in 3rd and use the brake) still looking into converters but I have been hearing a lot of good things about FTI latley.. got a quote on a triple disk lock up.. its some serious cash, but I feel that can make or break our turbo cars.. so ill just bite the bullet I guess. Lol do you have a build thread by chance?

Sent from my SCH-I405

DirtyDaveW

The turbo's been done for a long time (2008) but I'm changing it. Going to a bigger turbo(Being shipped Tuesday) and tubular manifolds instead my current log manifold. Hope to have 700rwhp when it's done.
My build thread is in my signature link

97WS6SCharged

Make sure the welds are pretty this time.

96SilverRam

Lots of interesting info in this thread.

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