[slowbird]

Hoping someone might have some info on this. 4l80 trans get talked about a lot, so was wondering if anyone knows if there is a performance difference between the 4l80 and 400 Trans. Admittedly I know very little about the 4l80, does it have a good converter selection? Is it heavier? Eat up more hp to spin it?
I'm looking at trans options for my 800hp+ street/strip car. Performance is number 1 concern.

[Dragncar]

This should be a interesting thread. I would like to know the differences myself.

[Half-Inch Stud]

I don't know the 60foot &ET diff for sure but; I saw no diff with a good Converter, a 4000 stall Switch-Pitch, and a 6-lug Gasoline 4L80 Converter. TH400 more fun on Street. Highway driving is superior by far with a manual 4L80.

9.0:1 Compression might be why, stuck at 1.7s 60foots, and 12.2-12.0 ET with 11.6 MPH.

I need manual control of the Front and Read Bands for 2nd and 1st Engine Braking. Might have 2nd with the Column-shift, but want it electrical.

[chuckies76ta]

I like you don't know a whole lot about the 4L80E tranny, but I know a bit about the TH400. I built my last 3 Th400 tyrannies and it was very satisfying ordeal. It's my understanding that that 4L80E is a copy of the TH400 that includes the electronic package. There a bit longer and heavier. I have considered using a 4L80E tranny in my wife's car for years now. I ended up sticking with the TH400 as there very easy to build. No electronics to mess with, are heavier, everything initially cost so much more. At the time a controller was needed. Today I believe there is a manual valve body to eliminate the controller. Alot I think depends on what your gonna do with the vehicle in terms of driving. If mostly strip I'd stick with the TH400. Street the 4l80 is nice with the overdrive. Also alot depends on rear gear ratio and tire size. I realize I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. Just my thoughts. For these guys the Th400 and 4L80E is their bread and butter. Lots of good reading.
http://www.jakesperformance.com/4l80-faq/
One other thing to considered with higher H/P and 1/4 mile times, is now you gotta get into shields or tranny blankets. I bought myself a TH400 Reid case for safety SFI ratings.

[slowbird]

I guess my main concern (at least with the performance aspect) is the converter selection and the added rotating mass of the lockup converter.

[chuckies76ta]

I have a friend who runs a 700r4 in a 67 Camaro. He has replaced just about everything in the tranny and still continues to break it. The point is he runs a lockup converter on it and has put his 3200 lb car into the 9's I have no experience with 4L80 converters. I wouldn't think rotating mass would not be a issue with a performance converter. Need to talk to a converter company see what they would recommend.

[Sirrotica]

Since the 4l80E/400 internal parts are virtually the same, the 4L80E is as Chuckies said, is an electrically controlled T 400 with an OD unit added on. The 4L80 is heavy, roughly 170 lbs compared to the 400 at around 125 lbs. The parasitic HP loss won't show up until you are solidly in the 10s, it's virtually the same between the 2 transmissions.

You can build a lighter duty transmission that has less parasitic loss, but as above alludes to, they break. It's the, you can't have your cake, and eat it too, conundrum. There is more mass in either of those transmission to keep them from breaking, but then the heavier parts need more power to make them rotate, just physics.

The convertor aftermarket should be able to supply you with most anything you need, a 4L80E might be a bit more costly because of the lockup feature, but they will build them without the lockup clutch assembly.

Jakes website has a lot of FAQs on it, that I may have not answered:

http://www.jakesperformance.com/

He makes a living building performance transmissions, and specializes in the 4L80E, He also builds custom convertors for the 4L80E, link to his site: http://www.jakesperformance.com/

The lockup is good for a 150-200 RPM drop at highway speeds. One of my trucks with a 4L80E lost the electric apply due to a harness getting destroyed. After repairing the harness it no longer had the lockup feature, I just drove it like that for years, and really didn't miss that feature.

[slowbird]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

The 4L80 is heavy, roughly 170 lbs compared to the 400 at around 125 lbs. The parasitic HP loss won't show up until you are solidly in the 10s, it's virtually the same between the 2 transmissions.

You can build a lighter duty transmission that has less parasitic loss, but as above alludes to, they break. It's the, you can't have your cake, and eat it too, conundrum. There is more mass in either of those transmission to keep them from breaking, but then the heavier parts need more power to make them rotate, just physics.

Car will run low 9s possibly high 8s.

[73 TRANSAM]

4L80E needs a lot of billet shaft upgades and also a billet overdrive planetary housing. They tend to strip the splines. I have a built 4L80E with an EA billet Tbrake VB. But if I would do it all over again. I would've just built a 400. JMO

[R 70 Judge]

If you already have a stout race transmission I’d suggest a gear vendors overdrive set up. They will handle just about anything you throw at them.

https://www.gearvendors.com/index.html

https://www.gearvendors.com/product/...ailhousing-29/

My friends Vortech Supercharged Buick GS. This was a street car that got driven everywhere.
https://www.gearvendors.com/carcraft-jul06.html

[ErikW]

Originally Posted by 73 TRANSAM

4L80E needs a lot of billet shaft upgades and also a billet overdrive planetary housing. They tend to strip the splines. I have a built 4L80E with an EA billet Tbrake VB. But if I would do it all over again. I would've just built a 400. JMO

It does get expensive to build one to take a lot of power. We've got over 5K in the 4L80e in the Boosted Bandit and that's with me doing all the work. It has been 8.50 @ 159 with a 1.26 60' @ 3500lbs. It is nice to have OD and lock-up when street driving. TH400 with Gear Vendors is going to set you back virtually the same.

[ErikW]

We also have 4L80's in both my 66 Lemans street car and my wife's 71 TA that are built with stock shafts and OD housings but theses cars are only running in the 11's. At 800HP you would at least want to upgrade the input shaft and possibly the OD carrier and a triple disc lock-up converter would be a must. We use FTI for all of our 4L80 converters.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Since the 4l80E...... The lockup is good for a 150-200 RPM drop at highway speeds. One of my trucks with a 4L80E lost the electric apply due to a harness getting destroyed. After repairing the harness it no longer had the lockup feature, I just drove it like that for years, and really didn't miss that feature.

Only 25 rpm, ( and maybe 50 being generous) at 2500 rpm & 75 mph. Rendering the gasoline 4L80 6-bolt Converter Lockup feature only a stall-out feature at a traffic light.

New info: Just yesterday, discovered my STOCK 4L80 converter flashes to 4000 rpm when charging up a steep hill at highway speed, and nailing WOT. That was a nice surprise.

[Slick Poncho]

My car weighs 3950 with me in it, runs 10.70’s-10.80’s. It’s controlled through my Holley terminator X max ecu. My converter is a custom triple disc billet unit that was built by top line converter in Pittsburgh. It flashes to about 5200 off the line with me footbraking it to 2500. The converter works really well and I really can drive it without the lockup feature but I do use it especially while on the highway. I recently started messing around with WOT TCC engagements and I picked up 2.5-3 MPH and a tenth in the 1/4. This is with it engaging after the 2-3 shift. My next test trip I’m going to work on engaging it after the 1-2 and staying engaged through the rest of the pass. I’m thinking I’ll see a even nicer jump in et/mph. The biggest downfall to me about the 80e is that it is a heavy unit for sure. But I’d rather have the OD and durability so it is what it is.

[slowbird]

Originally Posted by Slick Poncho

My car weighs 3950 with me in it, runs 10.70’s-10.80’s. It’s controlled through my Holley terminator X max ecu. My converter is a custom triple disc billet unit that was built by top line converter in Pittsburgh. It flashes to about 5200 off the line with me footbraking it to 2500. The converter works really well and I really can drive it without the lockup feature but I do use it especially while on the highway. I recently started messing around with WOT TCC engagements and I picked up 2.5-3 MPH and a tenth in the 1/4. This is with it engaging after the 2-3 shift. My next test trip I’m going to work on engaging it after the 1-2 and staying engaged through the rest of the pass. I’m thinking I’ll see a even nicer jump in et/mph. The biggest downfall to me about the 80e is that it is a heavy unit for sure. But I’d rather have the OD and durability so it is what it is.

What is your mph? Also can you share some details on the engine combo?

[Slick Poncho]

It is now 125mph. Mr1 block 4.25 stroke-505ci. 262-267@.50 on 110 solid roller, 310cfm Kre d ports, currently running a t2 intake manifold with an adapter up to a 4500 flange for my Wilson throttle body. I have a new top end sitting on my shelf and I ordered all the efi stuff to work with it so i kinda made what I currently have work with plans of upgrading. The problem is I don’t have much time and to be honest I like my combo so much currently I’m having a hard time talking myself into changing it lol. I keep finding ways to gain ET and MPH so I’m enjoying messing with it the little time I do get.

[er455]

Originally Posted by slowbird

I guess my main concern (at least with the performance aspect) is the converter selection and the added rotating mass of the lockup converter.

You don’t need a lock up convertor with the 4l80e , I just sent my FTI. Convertor in to have the triple disc lock up taken out and just make it a non lock up convertor . Because I never locked it up and triple disc convertor s are noisy ..