
One of the biggest clues to identifying the 4L80E are the electronics that clips onto the driver’s side of the transmission. Mind you, this transmission can also be converted to be a full manual gearbox as well. The transmission is also slightly larger than a TH400 as the overall length is 32 inches; 1.25 inches longer than a TH400.
Full Answer
How do I know if I have a 4L60E or 4L80E transmission?
This is a good way to identify if you have a 4L60e or a 4L80e transmission in your car. The 4L60e has a rectangular pan & gasket of 16 bolts and the 4L80e has a more oval-shaped transmission pan with 17 bolts. You can see the pictures of the gasket in the specification above.
How reliable is the 4L80E?
The 4L80E is the descendant of the “Ole Reliable” TH400 transmission. It shares many components and design features. At Jake’s Performance the 4L80E is our most popular transmission. We have built them for applications ranging from heavy towing vehicles to 1800+ HP street/strip cars. The 4L80E has proven reliable like it’s predecessor.
Why Jake’s performance 4L80E?
At Jake’s Performance the 4L80E is our most popular transmission. We have built them for applications ranging from heavy towing vehicles to 1800+ HP street/strip cars.
How many quarts of fluid in a 4L60E?
4L60E vs 4L80E Specifications Name 4l60E 4l80E Fluid Capacity 11 Quarts 13.5 Quarts Fluid Type DEXRON VI DEXRON VI Max Torque 350nm +/- 450nm +/- Image 9 more rows ...

How do I identify a 4L80E transmission?
0:333:354L80E Differences between Early and Late models - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we first start with the early model this is made from again 1990 all the way up to 94. And you'llMoreSo we first start with the early model this is made from again 1990 all the way up to 94. And you'll notice here on the side of the transmission on the passenger's side or the two core line fittings.
How do I know if I have 4L80E or 4l85e?
The primary difference between the two is the 4L80-E planetary gear sets have four pinion gears as opposed to the 4L85-E gear sets that have five pinion gears.
What's the difference between a 4L80 and 4L80E?
Like the 4L60 and 4L80 transmission models, the 4L80E is a 4-speed longitudinally-mounted automatic-shift transmission. The E in 4L80E denotes that the transmission comes with a powertrain control system instead of the mechanically-controlled TH400.
What GM vehicles came with a 4L80E?
4L80-Es were optioned only in Chevrolet/GMC pickups, vans, and commercial vehicles, and the Hummer H1. It was also adopted by Rolls Royce in 1991 and modified after extensive testing, and used initially in the Bentley Continental R, and subsequently other Rolls Royce and Bentley vehicles.
Do I have a 4L60E or 4L80E?
The 4L80E can be told apart from the 4L60E by looking at their transmission fluid pan. This is because the 4L80E has a pan that is oval in shape whereas a rectangular pan is featured by the 4L60E. Another disparity between both devices is the number of bolts used to secure the transmission to the engine.
What year truck did a 4L80E come in?
1991The 4L80E was first released in 1991 in General Motors C/K trucks, and was still produced for use in new vehicles all the way up until 2013.
How do I know what Chevy transmission I have?
The simplest way to find your transmission type is to look in your owner's manual. Your manual should have the name and type of transmission, along with service information. If you've misplaced your owner's manual, most trucks have a white label printed on the inside of the driver's door.
What does the E mean in 4L80E?
The 4L80E transmission was mostly used in 34- and 1-ton trucks and larger SUV applications beginning in 1991. The "E" means that it must use an electronic ECU for control, as it will not function without it.
What year 4L80E are the same?
4L80E production started in 1991 and continues today. 1991-1996 cores are essentially the same and interchangeable with some minor updates and differences.
What is the strongest GM transmission?
The 10L90E is by far the biggest and heaviest modern automatic transmission in GM history, but it's also the strongest and offers amazing performance and economy when matched with a Gen V LT engine.
How much HP does a 4L80E have?
The GM 4L80E Performance Transmission Level 4 is powered with whopping 800 Horse Power. This automatic transmission gear can also generate up to 700 ft. lbs. of torque at a stall level of 2800 to 3400 rpm.
How much HP can a 4L80E take?
In short, Performance Automatic yields a 4L80E engineered to handle 700+ horsepower and comparable torque.
How can you tell if a transmission is 4L85E?
Here's what it looks like: The 4L85E is 26.25 inches longer than the TH400. The 4L85E is also bigger than the TH400, which is evident in the length and size of the pan. Despite its large size, the 4L85E is also easy to fit into a car, and even easier than the 4L60E series of transmissions.
Can I put a 4L85E in place of a 4L80E?
I wouldn't put in the effort to try and find a 4L85 -- the 4L80 is already very strong and probably easier to find. They are essentially the same trans, there is no reason you couldn't use an 85.
What is the difference between a 4L80E and a 6L80E?
"Stock versus stock, the 4L80E and 6L80E are very similar in terms of strength," explains Kyle House of Circle D. "The main difference is that the 6L80E has much more versatile gear ratios. With a ridiculously low 4.03:1 First gear, it's a stump puller.
How much horsepower can a 4L85E transmission handle?
ATI Performance Racing® Transmissions are well known in the drag racing world for both their reliability and horsepower holding capability.
Do you need a computer to operate a 4L80E trans?
Are you sure you want a 4l80e trans. You will have to use a computer to operate the trans. Also must either use a electronic speedo or have a housing made to use speedo gears.
Where is the trans ID plate on a car?
The trans ID plate is on the pass side toward the rear. At the bottom of the tag on the left 1st 2 digits is the year. Next digit is the calendar year. Next 3 digits is the Julian date.
What cars use 4L80E transmissions?
The 4L80E transmissions were also used in the Hummer H1 and various Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Jaguar models. The Turbo 400 and 4L80E use the same driveshaft yoke. A 4L85 version of the transmission (with five-pinion gearsets) was used behind GM's 8.1L in the '01'06 Suburban and Avalanche trucks, as well as the 6.6L Duramax engine in GM vans.
What is a TH400?
GM retroactively called the TH400 the "3L80" when the 4L80E debuted. The 4L80E (and its 4L85E derivative) are candidates for heavy, powerful vehicles in need of an overdrive transmission.
Where was the 4L80E made?
The 4L80E transmissions were assembled in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at the Willow Run assembly plant, a facility originally built by Ford to produce B-24 bombers during WWII and Kaiser Frazers after the war. The 4L80E transmissions were also used in the Hummer H1 and various Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Jaguar models.
Does the 4L80E have a speedometer?
Additionally, if you're planning on installing one in an older vehicle, the 4L80E transmission uses an electronic vehicle speed sensor (VSS) rather than a speedometer cable, although mechanical speedometer tailshaft conversions are available from the aftermarket.
Is the 4L80E a turbo 400?
There are drawbacks to the 4L80E. Its electronic transmission controller presents additional complexity and cost over automatics like a 700-R4 or Turbo 400. The 4L80E's case is 112 inches longer than a Turbo 400, and it has an integral bellhousing that's offered with a Chevrolet V8 bolt pattern. The aftermarket has taken care ...
What is the 4L60E Transmission?
The 4L60E automatic transmission contains a high gear ratio. It also provides a lot of torque in the first gear. Everything inside the transmission is made from aluminum alloy for a durable design.
How to tell if you have a 4L60e or 4L80e?
Pan & pan gasket. If you are looking under the transmission for the transmission fluid pan, you will realise that there is a big difference between the transmissions. This is a good way to identify if you have a 4L60e or a 4L80e transmission in your car. The 4L60e has a rectangular pan & gasket of 16 bolts and the 4L80e has a more oval-shaped ...
How much torque can a 4l80e handle?
This is mainly because of larger internals inside the transmissions. The 4l60e transmission can handle a max torque of around 350nm, while the 4l80e can handle 450nm~ or even more. These numbers can differ a lot and you will get a lot of different answers about how much these can handle.
Which is bigger, 4l80e or 4l60e?
In summary, the 4l80e is larger and can take more power than the 4l60e. If you are going to swap your transmission, try to get as many parts as possible from the 4l80e transmission that you are purchasing, like the torque converter, flex plate, dipstick etc.
What are the similarities between transmissions?
One of the similarities between these transmissions is that both of them are electronically controlled.
Can you reprogramme a 4L80E transmission?
The engine control unit often has to get reflashed and reprogrammed for the 4l80e transmission to work properly. You can search the web or find a local dealer to do this job for you. There are also premade control units for this but it’s often pretty expensive. If you are making any modifications to the engine as well, it’s recommended to let a tuner do the transmission reprogramming at the same time as they are tuning the engine on the dyno.
Is the 4L80E transmission longer than the 4L60E?
The 4L80e transmission case is longer than the 4l60e transmission, so the cross member has to be modified. You can either purchase an already premade cross member or you can make one yourself with a welder and some skills. Remember that it’s important to get the transmission perfectly lined up straight.
What is included in the muscle car kit?
The Muscle Car Kit will include a Stage 2 4L80E built with a mechanical speedo tailhousing for simple hookup to the existing cable speedo, a US Shift 80 Transmission Controller, Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) kit for Holley carbs, and a billet cover lockup converter . Typically this is all you need to put the 4L80E into your muscle car aside from driveline shortening and crossmember mods or fabrication. We will also offer tech support to help with the install. We have installed them in most of the early GM cars.
What is a 4L80E transmission?
The 4L80E is the descendant of the “Ole Reliable” TH400 transmission. It shares many components and design features. At Jake’s Performance the 4L80E is our most popular transmission. We have built them for applications ranging from heavy towing vehicles to 1800+ HP street/strip cars. The 4L80E has proven reliable like it’s predecessor.
What is Stage 3 4L80E?
The Stage 3 4L80E build adds the billet input shaft and rollerized billet forward hub for applications above 750 HP. This build will handle well over 1000 HP assuming moderate RPM range (less than 7000 rpm), average or lighter weight vehicle, and no large N2O usage.
How reliable is the Stage 4 4L80E?
The Stage 4 4L80E adds the billet intermediate shaft. This makes it reliable to approximately 1000 HP/TQ. It will work at higher power levels if the RPM is less than 7000 RPM. Stage 4 builds are mainly for heavy vehicles, diesel, or large uses of N2O.
What is a D1 transbrake?
It is a very quick acting transbrake. It works very well in full manual configuration. It has some special tuning considerations for use with a controller in an automatic shift situation.
Can 4L80E be retrofitted?
We specialize in building the 4L80E for retrofit applications. If you have a 500+ HP musclecar, late model LSx powered car, or other combo that demands THE bulletproof trans, we can build it for you. We have more experience than any other aftermarket shop building 4L80E’s.
How much does a 4L80 core cost?
All 4L80 builds now have a core charge due to core shortages. $250 for early style (91-98) and 99-up (late) style cores with a 7 bolt bellhousing will be $300. Providing a REBUILDABLE core will reduce the posted price by $250.