Tranny ??s - 4L60E/4L80E vs 700R4

[Crawdaddy]

Anything 1990 and newer that is a big block will have a 4L80E. Any small block 1990 and later (excluding suburban) will have a 4L60E. Any small block 1990ish and earlier should have a TH700R4. Any big block 1990ish and earlier will have a TH400 I think. Now, the 1990 line I drew is approximate. I think in 88 is when they swapped to electronic controlled transmissions except for the suburban.

[ahm1127]

Thanks for all the info. I have 90' with 5.7 and 4L60E, rebuilt at 120k (as per receipt).

[Bikeman]

ok stupid noob question time...

How do I know which Tranny I have?

2003 K25 6.0L..

-matt-

its the 4l80e

[burbanguy]

So what about the people like me, with 87 and down, does this mean we can get any of these three trannies and as long as we get their stock controller, then we just have to install them together?

[Jimmiee]

So what about the people like me, with 87 and down, does this mean we can get any of these three trannies and as long as we get their stock controller, then we just have to install them together?

A later GM computer would not work in your truck unless you changed the engine and transmission as a unit. There are aftermarket controllers for 4L80 transmissions if you wanted ti change the transmission only.

[HDFF]

let me apologize for the lengthiness of this post but only way to explain myself and my confusion !


another newbie ? i have a 1993 chevy blazer 5.7L 4x4. for the last few months i have been trying to figure out
whats wrong with my trans. but the most confusing thing of all is trying to figure out what kind of trans that i
have in my blazer. from my understanding its undoubtedly a 700r4. but since that my blazer was made after 1990
that the trans is actually a 4L60. witch is still a 700r4 but they renamed it to 4L60. witch means 4 forward speeds it mounts longitudaly in the vehicle and the 60 is the strength rateing. heres were i start to get confused. sometime
in the 90's they stopped useing the 700r4 and started useing the 4L60 witch i thought was the same trans just with a different name. depending on were your at the story differs. then again sometime in the 90's they also used the infamous 4L60e witch is the same trans as the 700r4 and the 4L60 but it was electronically controlled by the ecm.
again depending were your at the story differs. ive been told that if the bell housing can be unbolted from the trans then undoubtedly it is a 4L60e because the 4l60 does not unbolt it is a solid bell housing meaning the bell and trans are one casting. i have yet to see a two peace. i was also told that if your dash says OD D 2 1 then the trans is
a 4L60 and that if your dash says D 3 2 1 then it is a 4L60e. were im at now is basically the only way you can tell the difference between the 4L60 and the 4L60e is that on the passengerside of the trans there will be a "green" type
electrical style plug and if this plug is found then undoubtedly the trans is a 4L60e. because the plug is what goes to the ecm and this is how the ecm controls the shifting on the trans. another way ive just read about is that if your
vehicle is a OBD-1 then rest assured the trans will be a 4L60 because the 4L60e's did not start getting put in vehicles until the OBD-2 came out, and the reason is because the OBD-2 was a more complex ecm that the 4L60e
required. so now im still confused exactly what trans i have in my blazer other then its a 700r4 breed for shur. when
i call around to the tranny shops i explain that i have a 93 chevy blazer 5.7L 4x4 full size and i get told that it is
a 4L60e trans in my vehicle. ive heard any were from $800 to $2,000 for the trans to be rebuilt. ive also heard that
it could simply be an electric silanoid that controls the fluid in the valve body and that both the 4L60 and 4L60e use this silanoid. with that said a person could get lucky and just replace the silenoid if there hasent been to much damage caused by this malfunction of this part. if anyone could help me out in my endeavor in this unknown land in witch ive wondered into i would greatly appreciate any direction or advice given. sincerely HDFF

[MrShorty]

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_4L60-E_transmission http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo-Hydramatic says that the 4L60E was introduced to trucks/SUV's in '93.

[RayVoy]

Check your list of RPO codes. If you use the wilipedia ref that @MrShorty provided, you can see that the 700/4L60 code is MD8,
while the 4L60E is RPO M30.
The 4L65E, RPO = M32
The 4L80E = MT1
The 4L85E = MN8

[Jamm3r]

Look at the RPO codes and that will tell you what it came with from the factory.

Not much difference between 700R4 and 4L60 other than the name.

4L60 to 4L60e change came mid-model year so either look at the RPO codes or look for the electrical connector.

Doesn't matter much though because the prices are about the same.

No transmission is indestructible. Previous owner plowed snow with my 1997 and the 4L80e in it burned up shortly after I got it.

[Kady]

Loved my 4L80e. Blew my 4L60 within 6 months.