4L60e controller recommendations

[James Lamb]

Guys, I could use some help here. 1989 Suburban 1500 4 x 4, originally 6.2 diesel. Now 383 with mid range cam, Holley Sniper EFI.

The 700r4 has gone out (again). Will not lock up in overdrive. I know some folks really like these transmissions, but I have had nothing but bad luck with them. The current one is either the 4th or 5th rebuild in less than 200k miles. This one has 4000 miles on it, lock up solenoid was bad when I got the transmission back, I replaced, got another few hundred miles now not working again. I cannot face another 700r4. Seriously, I cast aluminum art on the side and I'm considering melting this damn thing down for metal.

SO, I found a reliable (I think) transmission shop that will swap in a 4L60e. Same dimensions, same overdrive ratio, should bolt right up, but I need aftermarket controller. Anyone done this? Holley strongly discourages splitting the TPS signal from the Sniper - US Shift Controller claims to have an adapter that splits and isolates the TPS signal so the one from Sniper can be used. Anyone tried this?

Also, I need either a GPS signal driven speedometer or the ~ $350 convertor box from US Shift to drive the OEM cable-driven speedometer. Any recommendations? The GPS gauges I have seen on-line are $$$$$$$.

Anything else I have not thought of? FYI I am a paleontologist, this is my field truck. My 4-wheeling consists of muddy roads/tracks, no rock crawling. I tow about 4-5000 lbs maybe once a year, so I think a 4L60e should be fine. I don't try to make 20-foot rooster tails of mud when I'm off-road in it, don't race it, typical on-road use is secondary state roads at around 55 mph, almost never interstate use. Yatta Yatta.

Thanks for helpful info.

[Rickysnickers]

But, isn't a 4l60e still basically a 700r4?

[James Lamb]

The early ones, as far as I understand, have the same internals, same gear ratios, same case, so it all bolts up without modification. But the 4l60e is electronically shifted. So you get rid of the ridiculously finicky tv cable and the pressure issues and burnt clutches that frowning at it can cause. I'll be able to program shift points and firmness and based on other vehicles I have owned that had 4l60e's stop worrying about the transmission crapping out on a near constant basis.

[Rickysnickers]

Ah, got it.

[Just call me Sean]

I used a 700r4 in place of a 4l60e for years with no lockup. It did finally die though and I found a 4l60e of the wrong year that I made work.

[James Lamb]

Also, 4l60e will lock up in 3rd and in 4th. Benefits there for lowered rpm, better mpg, cooler transmission temps.

Looks like I'm going with US Shift controller and harness. They make a TPS adapter to split and isolate the TPS signal from the Holley Sniper. Then I've got to buy a Speedhut "speedbox" to provide a signal to my cable-driven speedometer. A lot of $$$. But if I had done this 3 700r4's ago it would have saved me money, and a lot of aggravation.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

With the words 4x4, and Suburban describing your truck. Inwould seriously consider doing a 4L80e.

It has all the extra beef your truck needs to survive into old age.

[James Lamb]

I looked at that. If I towed a lot, or did a lot of rock crawling I would have gone that way. But I do neither of those things, so the 4L80e was a bit of overkill, more $$, was not a straight bolt-up, and I think has a different final drive ratio., so would be a little worse on fuel economy.

The 4L60e is getting some stronger aftermarket internals, should be fine for how I use the truck. One of those "how good is good enough" things.

[LT7A]

Good luck with this. I'd like to hear how it works out for you. You have a nice and interesting lineup of vehicles. If you feel like throwing any pictures of them up, it would be fun to see them. Of course the Suburban would be interesting. I've never seen what a paleontologist drives before.

[James Lamb]

Thanks. By necessity I have learned a lot more about this than I wanted to know. That seems to increasingly be the case with all of my older vehicles. I did find out that I can buy a speed sensor from Dakota Digital to provide the speed signal to the transmission, and it will let me use the existing oem speedometer. No pricey speed hut speedometer adapter needed.

This is all part of getting the Burb back on the road. I have a newer Ram truck, but I'm at close to 200,000 miles, which has been extremely reliable, but I'm starting to see the "nickel and dime" things approaching. Except they are $600-$800 things. By the time I'm done, I will have a completely new engine, electronically controlled fuel injection and timing, electronically controlled transmission, and still be at about the price of a new engine for the Ram, assuming I did all the grunt work. I'm long past thinking that lying on a cold concrete floor, even in my really nice shop, is fun. I just want my cars to work. Without spending an absolute fortune for what new ones cost now. Once I have everything done and I know what the final mpg is, I'll post some info in case anyone else is interested in going that way. $88,000 for a new truck is pretty hard to swallow. I can buy a lifetime of gasoline for the price difference.

"Interesting" is a polite word for my car collection. The jeep was my dad's, and the car I learned to drive on, when I was about 11 or 12. My grandmother had a 35-acre farm, and when we played army, I got to drive the jeep around this giant field, my dad was a collector of military stuff, so we had everything except real firearms. We thought we were hot stuff. We used to pretend to be "Rat Patrol", if anyone else here is old enough to remember that reference.

The Triumph I bought when I was 18 - so, you know, recently I've had both of them running, but right now yet another house restoration (my last) takes up most of my time, so those 2 might not get finished until retirement - assuming I get to retire.

The BMW is actually my daily driver. And I've just realized I have pictures of none of them except the Suburban. Hmm.

[Ryan Hubbard]

Originally Posted by James Lamb

Also, 4l60e will lock up in 3rd and in 4th. Benefits there for lowered rpm, better mpg, cooler transmission temps.

Looks like I'm going with US Shift controller and harness. They make a TPS adapter to split and isolate the TPS signal from the Holley Sniper. Then I've got to buy a Speedhut "speedbox" to provide a signal to my cable-driven speedometer. A lot of $$$. But if I had done this 3 700r4's ago it would have saved me money, and a lot of aggravation.

I have a 1990 V2500 Suburban and I am running the US Shift for my 4L80E. I am using the sensor on the transfer case for my speed input. I have an electronic speedometer in my suburban.

I have over 75,000 miles using this controller and it has been great.

[James Lamb]

That's good to know. I keep telling myself, as I write checks, that I'll be happy once all this is done. But it's nice to hear confirmation that I hopefully made the right choice. By the time this is done the Holley Sniper/Hyperspark and 4L60e will have cost several times what the entire engine rebuild did.

I figured out the Dakota Digital adapter screws into the transfer case, sends speed signal to the transmission and also lets me still use my original cable driven speedometer.

Sort of nuts that no single company sells everything you need for this.

[LT7A]

Great looking 'Burb and looks like it's well worth keeping in service.

And what a cool experience growing up with the Jeep! We sure played army as kids, but nobody was driving around in a Jeep in order to make it more realistic, haha.

[jamyers]

Originally Posted by James Lamb

I figured out the Dakota Digital adapter screws into the transfer case, sends speed signal to the transmission and also lets me still use my original cable driven speedometer.

It's been awhile, but do you have a part number for that adapter? I'm looking at their website and not seeing it...

[James Lamb]

Yeah their website does not make it easy to find. Go to "automotive", scroll down the page and click on "sending units", then click on " speedometer 8K Pulse Generator". The part number is SEN-01-1.

Mine has worked well. the US Shift interface lets me tell it it is using 8 pulses/rev to get the correct signal from shift controller to transmission. I run oversize tires - this is the first time my speedometer has read correctly in about 20 years.

Good luck with your project.

[jamyers]

Thanks, found it!

[chris989]

I had a FAST controller with my 4l80. always in limp mode, FAST had no answers just excuses. Installed two and the same results.

Returned it and installed a MSD atomic controller and have not touched it in over 100k miles