4L60E Build

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Dec 19, 2013
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Location
Fort Worth, Texas
Thought I'd share a 4L60E build with you guys.

This will be going in my 2001 Camaro to experiment with some parts & calibration & will likely be sold in a few years just like the 4L80E that's in it now. The Torque Arm relocation required for the 80E uses a Poly bushing & transmites to much noise & vibration into the chassis of the car.....So I'm looking forward to getting rid of that. The 80E itself has been awesome & has taken a severe beating without missing a lick......It will get freshened with new frictions & a Billet Input Shaft then off to it's new home.

The core I'm starting with is actually a 4L65E from a 2004 AWD Cadillac Escalade that I've had for @ 10 years, Got it for next to nothing on a trade. Has about 60,000 miles & is in really good shape. I like to cherry pick cores for part/calibration testbeds as to not fight any preexisting conditions in the unit & to save some time/money as this comes directly out of my pocket......I'll probably have $3,500 in parts alone including a billet cover converter.


What will get reused.....
*Rear/Reaction 5-Pinion Carrier & Ring Gear, It's in perfect shape!
*Center Support, Will be installing a new BorgWarner Lo/Reverse Roller Clutch.
*Output Carrier/3-4 Clutch Hub.
*Input Sprag assembly W/ a new BorgWarner 29 Element Sprag.
*Input Drum & Turbine Shaft (4L65E's have a induction hardened Turbine Shaft)
*Front Pump assembly with some mods.
*All the steels except for the 3-4 Clutch steels.
*Case & Bellhousing.

New Parts.....
*Sonnax 6-pinion Output Carrier, Changes the 1st & 2nd ratios from 3.06/1.63 to 2.84/1.55.
*Sonnax hardened Reaction Shaft.
*Sonnax Smart Shell (Reaction Sun Shell)
*Sonnax 300M Steel Output Shaft.
*Sonnax Input Drum reinforcement kit.
*Sonnax 3-4 Clutch apply & backing plates.
*Sonnax 3-4 Clutch booster springs.
*Sonnax .490" Boost Valve & PR Spring.
*Sonnax pinless 4th Accumulator Piston.
*Sonnax pinless Forward Accumulator Piston.
*Sonnax Super Hold 2nd Piston.
*Sonnax Super Hold 4th Piston.
*Alto Nitrated/Kolene 3-4 Clutch steels.
*BorgWarner Frictions.
*Raybestos Pro-Series wide carbon/kevlar 2-4 Band.
*GM OE 2nd Accumulator Housing (24227711)
*GM OE Reverse Input Drum.
*GM OE (New takeout) 2003 Corvette Valve Body.....Had less than 50 miles.
*GM OE plastic 6L80E Checkballs.
*GM OE Camaro Tail Housing.
*GM OE Pump Vanes.
*TransGo hardened pump rings & high rev Primer Spring.
*TransGo Separator Plate.
*Durabond seamless coated Bushings.
*Seal Aftermarket Hi-Perf Blue 3-4 & Forward apply pistons.
*Seal Aftermarket/Toledo paper & rubber kit.


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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*Reverse Input Drum......Have to use a new one for the wide 2-4 Band!!
*GM 2nd accumulator housing, Yes.....I use OE plastic pistons here, They seal better than aftermarket aluminum ones & maintain factory Range/Stroke unlike pinless accumulator pistons.
*The used/takeout 5-pinion reaction carrier.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
Will be using a 2005 & up Internal Reaction Support, It fits better/tighter on the Output Shaft splines, Less chance of rattle. You can see the 2 punch marks that tightens it up.
The 2004 support is on the right for comparison.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
I like to build all the sub-assemblies/drums first, Doesn't really matter....It's just the way I do it.
Let's start with the Input Drum.......

First thing is to clean the drum real well & install the reinforcement collar, I use a arbor press & some Loctite bearing retaining compound. Arrow pointing to the collar. This keeps the Turbine Shaft from blowing up the Input Drum.

Will be using these Seal Aftermarket (High Performance) 3-4 & Forward molded pistons for the first time......They do fit a little tighter than OE pistons, If they stay like than trough the heat & cycling I'll use them on every 4L60E build.
The piston on the right is for the Overrun clutch, Can't use this piston because the Reinforcement collar requires use of a custom billet Overrun piston. (Larger I.D.)

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
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Then goes in the 3-4 Apply Piston....After I install the O-ring & Lube Seal in the Drum, The Green O-ring & Brown Seal in the above pictures.

Then the 3-4 Apply Housing (The 5 Fingered piece), 3-4 Return Spring assembly (Can't see), Forward Apply Housing (Can't see), And the Forward Apply Piston.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
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Stack up the 2 Overrun Frictions & Steels, Install the Output Sun Gear Bearing, Assemble the Forward Sprag Assembly, Lace it into the Overrun Frictions.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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Stack up the Forward clutch & install the Forward/Overrun Clutch Snap Ring, No picture of the Forward Backing Plate & Snap Ring installed.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
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The Infamous 3-4 Clutch......This unit will be getting 7 .080" thick BorgWarner Hi-Energy frictions along with the Sonnax Apply & Backing Plates.
Used 4 .077" steels, 1 .106" steel, & 1 .095" steel to get the desired .020" clutch clearance. Put the 2 thickest steels in the middle of the stack.

I didn't take pics of me Leveling the 3-4 Clutch Apply Housing Fingers to +/- .001"......It's one of the most tedious things to do in my opinion!

Use 10 Sonnax 3-4 Clutch Booster Springs for quicker 3-4 release & prevent centrifugal apply at high RPM.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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What really struck me is now nice the machine work is, and the parts quality. The last pic reminds me of a clutch pack in a motorcycle, and some of it reminds me of a gear set / cone clutch in a Mercruiser stern drive. Nice pics
 
Final thing to do on the Input Drum is to install the 4 teflon sealing rings on the Turbine Shaft, They must be expanded & resized using special tools. Then the selectable endplay washer & then bearing that rides against the Stator Support. I install this bearing upside down from how GM does as I don't like how the race rubs on the Turbine shaft when installed the "correct way", Done it this way for over 20 years & hundreds of units!

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
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Pump Assembly.....

This unit was in such good shape that I reused the Pump Rotor & Slide, New vanes, TransGo hardened rings, TransGo Hi Rev Primer Spring, And a Sonnax .490" Boost Valve & Regulator Spring is that was needed.

Replaced the Stator Support Bushings, Pump Bushing, And Stator Support sealing rings.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
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