Blew the sun shell. 4L60e

Well I was out in the C3 today. Did a fairly quick little take off and on the shift to 2nd BANG!. Now I have no 2nd, no 4th and no reverse. Looks like I blew the sun shell, so I get to do a little rebuilding. Not good timing, if a damaged trans ever is.

Questions:
I have read you can just replace the sun gear with the hardened unit in most cases and be fine. Where are the teeth that sheared off gonna be? Will the rest of the trans be contaminated?
Bearing in mind that this is behind a LQ4, what other parts should I replace while I am in there?

Discuss.

Buy a used 4l80e, might be cheaper. I don't know all that much about transmissions though...

Not doing the 4L80e swap in this one. I would have to convert my transfer case over, get driveshafts shortened and lengthened, convert the harness etc. etc.
This truck doesn't need the 80 yet. Tons of people making a lot more power than I do running 60s.

Reading some more it looks like the sun shell usually separates leaving both pieces intact. Doesn't look like too bad of a job to get to it.
I have a trans I just pulled from a 2wd, I will probably experiment by taking it apart. If it looks too complicated I will let someone else do this job.

Its pretty easy to just replace the sunshell. I have done several where I have just replaced the sunshell and put them back together and had no problems.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WARLOCK

Its pretty easy to just replace the sunshell. I have done several where I have just replaced the sunshell and put them back together and had no problems.

---

Ehhhhhh, you haver gotten lucky then. There should be all kinds of trash floating around in there. If the sun shell goes, I personally would go ahead and do a rebuild. Here is one of my favorite kits. I would also get a Beast Sun Shell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WARLOCK

Its pretty easy to just replace the sunshell. I have done several where I have just replaced the sunshell and put them back together and had no problems.

---

+1

Depends on how the shell died. If the weld is broken then it's really a no-brainer to replace only the shell....even using the GM part. If the splines are stripped it's a judgment call but I would still lean towards shell only.Think about how many hundreds of thousands have broken and how many were replaced by themselves. Sunshells have been a non-issue at the dealer level for almost EIGHT years after so many years of trouble.

I usually go back in with the Beast on the ones I have done.

Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and order a Beast sun shell, tear into and see how it looks and determine from there. If everything looks kosher I'll put the new shell in and reinstall.

Should I go ahead and have a 2-4 band ready? Is it common for them to be worn? They don't cost very much, I don't mind spending a little while I am already in there.

I have a converter and corvette servo I bought but haven't installed yet. Any upgrades I should do in the valve body while I'm at it?

Luckily I have another truck to daily while I take a little time with this. I will probably still have it done quicker than a shop would get to it anyway.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitchBlackC3

Should I go ahead and have a 2-4 band ready? Is it common for them to be worn? They don't cost very much, I don't mind spending a little while I am already in there.

---

If you are tearing into it, you might was well. Hence my reasoning for replacing/upgrading the other components while in there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitchBlackC3

I have a converter and corvette servo I bought but haven't installed yet. Any upgrades I should do in the valve body while I'm at it?

---

Nice. Perfect time for a converter install! Fresh fluid, new components, etc.

Valvebody upgrades consist of installing a shift kit. Trans-Go HD2 is preferred.

I guess the filter in the 2001 trans is the deep one?
As odd as it sounds, I am actually looking forward to doing this job. Something a little different, never done any work inside the trans other than a shift kit.

I am almost certain that all 60es that came in the 1/2 ton trucks had the deep filter. Other vehicles such as the F-body, H3, and Colorado that are equipped with the 4L60e had the slim filter.

If you have never done a tranny before, you might either need to read up on the rebuild of one or have someone around who has successfully torn into one. There are special tools required to set the tolerances of the 3/4 clutch pack and the pump.

I ordered a HD-2 and beast sun shell last night, so they are on the way.
I have the ATSG book and I have the pump remover/installer tool and the output shaft holder. I have been trying to collect 4L60e tools from eBay in anticipation of one day doing one of these.
If I get in and decide to do a complete rebuild I will find the other tools.
What about a Sonnax super hold 4th servo? worth it? Can get one for around $60 looks like.

Oh cool! You have those tools. Good call.

In all honesty, I wouldn't waste the money on one. It just gives you a more firm 3-4 shift. Not really needed...unless you had like 5.88 gears and you ran the truck at the track all of the time and you needed good shift pressures at WOT from 3-4...since you'd be shifting into OD before the end of the 1/4 mile. The Corvette Servo you have will be just fine.

The band probably won't look bad but there's no reason to re-use the old one. Don't get "over-replacement-over-mod" disease in there either if you don't have huge power mods and the trans lasted a long time the way it was built. There are so many things inside that rely on tolerances, etc. that get stacked out of whack when too many aftermarket parts are put in UNLESS the builder is experienced in the specific combinations. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Have you ever heard this about having to clearance the low roller clutch inner race to work with the beast sun shell?
This DVD I am watching says to remove 1/32" to gain clearance for the beast.
This is the only place I have seen this mentioned.

Haven't had time to mess with this yet. Traveling, work and other things getting in the way. That has given time for all my parts to come in luckily.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...r/101_0514.jpg

Just got home, so I am gonna go out and pull the pan and let the trans drain while I get everything ready to pull it and jump into this thing.

Good luck with it all!

Pulled the pan and everything looked clean. No shavings, no chunks, bright red fluid. Looks promising. Unbolted some stuff got it ready to come out. Unfortunately that's as far as I've got. Have a funeral to go to in TX tomorrow.

Good news! Should be able to just go in and replace the broken parts and install the shift kit, band, etc.

WOW--is that your C3 in your new sig pic? If so--NIIIIIIICE! :thumb: :thumb:

Yep, that's it:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/101_0471.jpg
Had this truck for 2.5 years. 18 months of that I was deployed and the other has been getting it to where it is now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitchBlackC3

Yep, that's it:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/101_0471.jpg
Had this truck for 2.5 years. 18 months of that I was deployed and the other has been getting it to where it is now.

---

I love the paint on your truck. def a sweet looking ride man. hope for tranny job goes smoothly. I am glad I got the beast sunshell in my rebuilt 60E now.

Tore it apart this morning. Teeth on the shell are stripped off. The sun gear has a little wear from rubbing past the stripped off teeth.
I have another 2001 4L60e I may pull the sun gear out of, so I won't have so much dead time.
I found another problem, my transfer case has a hole rubbed in the top. I guess the chain has gotten so much slack it is rubbing the case. Couldn't find any info about this happening on a NVG149 with a quick google search. Dependent on pricing of used units Monday I may be doing a rebuild on the transfer case as well.
Oh...and my front diff has a rough spot I can feel when turning the input shaft by hand
Geez

I just did a tranfercase with pump rub just as you describe. We got a new chain for $40 and just jb welded the hole and its been doing great. Easy install.

Hows the job going? My tranny broke last night and best i can tell it is the exact same problem with my Silverado 4X4.

Where did you source the chain?
I was thinking the pump rub was on the transmission side, this is above the front output.

Now that I have pulled my sunshell out, I have a question, this trans has the newer sunshell without the slots for the tang washer. The 03+ bearing type. I guess this is because it is a 4L60eHD/4L65e. Does the beast sunshell interchange with this one?
I pulled the sun gear out of the other one, but no dice. The gear is fine, but the bushing inside it has a pit in it.
So looks like I will have to wait a few days for parts. I am gonna go out and install what I can of the HD2 and have it ready.

I got my chain from a local shop that rebuilds them.

I see according to FLT you can use the Beast with both type of reaction shafts. They also suggest a wide bushing in the sun gear. I wonder if I can get a sun gear with the wide bushing already installed since I am ordering a new one.

Got the valve body assembled with the HD2 parts. Pump is ready to go in and the servo assembly is ready to go.

You have a Pm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitchBlackC3

I see according to FLT you can use the Beast with both type of reaction shafts. They also suggest a wide bushing in the sun gear. I wonder if I can get a sun gear with the wide bushing already installed since I am ordering a new one.

Got the valve body assembled with the HD2 parts. Pump is ready to go in and the servo assembly is ready to go.

---

Coooo...

Did you put the high rev spring kit in it?

Got the trans all back together, waiting to go in.
Pulled the transfer case apart and found the oil pickup tube had come loose and got thrown around the case by the chain. It wedged into the case above the front output so hard it knocked a hole in it right there. The oil pump doesn't feel right to me either. That may be what lead to the tube coming off. Nice. Have to find another case.
Gonna try to investigate the front diff today see what I can find.
This is getting expensive fast. lol

JBweld or Devcon the hole. No use throwing away perfectly good money if its not in a structural edge area.