Transmission Replacement HELP NEEDED PLEASE! !

**laramik** · 05-21-2009, 10:55 PM

I have a 1999 Chevy Sub 2wd, with the 5.7 engine. Trans stopped shiftin into third and OD about a month ago, so I bought some sea foam and it cleared up right away. Well, that lasted about a month til I started slipping into every gear and by this week was barely driveable. I picked up a used trans from a salvage yard that was told to me to be out of a 2000 silverado 2wd and was labeled to be a 4l60e per the receipt. I dropped it off at a local mechanic just to make the swap and here comes the problem, he tells me that this trans doesn't fit. Says its shorter, and doesn't have all the same spots for things to fit on it, he thinks it looks just like a 700r or something. This is my only car and I have a family of five, I don't have the money at all to buy another one, and the salvage yard is telling me that it is a 4L60e and from what I believe to know, this should fit? Is my mechanic wrong, I definately do trust him, but he is not a trans guy, or is it possible that the salvage yard sold me the wrong trans. I REALLY need help on this guys, what should I do?????? I'm quite handy and have rebuilt small engines before, should I just order a rebuild kit myself for 150 and resell this trans? Or is there a way to make this fit? PLEASE HELP!

**L0sts0ul** · 05-21-2009, 11:05 PM

sounds to me like you need to check the tranny code against your VIN on your truck to see what your truck should have. HOWEVER, I don't hink that a 2000 silverado actually came with a 700r4.

either way, prove one or the other wrong and go back there and either get your money back or tell the mechanic to smarten up give you more information..

thats all I got for right now.

**99'HEARTBEAT** · 05-21-2009, 11:10 PM

X2 on what Lostsoul has said.

**laramik** · 05-21-2009, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by 99'HEARTBEAT

X2 on what Lostsoul has said.

Well, he said that he didn't know what kind it was, but looked more like a 700r and appeared to be quite a bit older than a 2000. Would a 2000 silverado trans fit in my 99 burban assuming it was a 4l60e 2WD?

**L0sts0ul** · 05-21-2009, 11:29 PM

if its the same weight class maybe.

they are the same platform

**scgamer_99** · 05-22-2009, 02:12 AM

there should be something on the tranny telling you what it is some sort of serial or somthing like that, thats what you need to post here that way we can tell you what it is.... and isn't the 4l60e the same as the older 700r4? here a some pics which one does it look like
4l60e late model

700r4/ early 4l60

**MrShorty** · 05-22-2009, 11:06 AM

It seems that not all 4L60E's are built the same, and it would appear you have been the unsuspecting victim of one such scenario. Your '99 suburban (can I assume it is a 1500?) is an OBS (Old Body Style), a '00 pickup (again assuming 1500) would be NBS (New Body Style). I'm not certain of all the specifics, but I know from other discussions that an NBS 4L60E doesn't fit into an OBS truck.

At this point, I'm hoping that the yard will take the transmission back and help you find a 4L60E from a '96 to '99 truck (if it comes from a '99, make sure it's a '99 OBS as '99 was the first year for some models to be NBS). '93-'95 4L60E's aren't exact replacements for your '99 4L60E either.

**Crawdaddy** · 05-22-2009, 11:50 AM

What MrShorty said... the 700R4 and 4L40E are essentially the same transmission, except the 4L60E is electronically controlled by the computer, the the 700R4 is completely independant and controlled by a TV cable. Both transmission were produced in several models. Permutations that exist that I can think of are passenger, light truck, 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, and some others that aren't sitting on the top of my mind. These differences mainly occur in the clutch packs and the tailshaft. If the mechanic says it doesn't fit, it could be either what MrShorty said or I did. For this transmission it's VERY important to check the application before purchasing. I lucked out with my 700R4 when I bought the rebuilt one.

**phoebeisis** · 05-22-2009, 01:34 PM

The salvage yard should make good on this-especially since they won't loose any money, they'll just be selling you a different transmission.

On the bright side-there should be HUGE numbers of correct trans out there, since there were huge numbers of 96-99 Suburbans and pickups with the 5.7.

Like other said-the pickups changed body styles and some went to the 5.3 in 1999-not likely a 5.3 spec trans would fit your 5.7 motor.
If possible get them one that actually came from a 96-99 Suburban-they-1500 2wd- were all 5.7.

I think they will make good on it.The salvage yard should have known that the pickup-maybe a 5.3?- would have the same trans as your Suburban.They have books and online lookups for just that reason.

Charlie