4L80E build

While I appreciate your offer to torque the bolt for me, I don't really have a way to transport it to you (it's the transmission out of my truck, haha).

So I bought 2 more bolts and bought a new torque wrench for 20-250 inch lbs range. Had several positive reviews and a few people checked the accuracy and found it to be pretty good.

So I tried the to torque the new bolt starting at 140 and working my way up slowly. First bolt sheared off at 185 in lbs (same as where my other wrench sheared the bolt). So I grabbed a new bolt and ran it up to 180. Pressed a hair more until you could just start to feel it stretch and I stopped.

Went to install valve body. Started the torque sequence starting at 70 in lbs. One of the case holes got the threads ripped out of them. Quite frustrating to say in the least...


The first time this trans was built was by a "shop". They installed 2 shift detent springs in it. And they HAMMERED the new piston in to the direct drum, which pinched the lip seal and ultimately caused me to lose reverse and why I'm here now. There was so much shoddy work that I'm not surprised that the case bolt threads ripped out with 70 inch lbs.

So I opened a beer and sighed deeply, and tore the transmission down to bare case, again... I have a helicoil set and I drilled and tapped the hole again and installed the helicoil. Cleaned case out, and re assembled. However I don't have any more 4th housing bolts. I bought 5 more and over nighted them. When shipping costs $40, I'm buying plenty... So hopefully Friday I'll get them and I can install in time to tow my Vette 7 hours south west next Wednesday... Really getting down to the wire but everything just keeps going wrong

I've never encountered such difficulty with such stupid things before. I feel I should also mention that it appeared that the previous "builder" used an impact on the pump bolts and 3 of them got their threads ripped out when I was torquing them to 18 ftlba. They gave out around 10. Helicoil saved those. I also had to helicoil 3 of the pan holes. So I've encountered 7 stripped holes so far...

Lesson learned: don't buy a junkyard transmission that was "rebuilt by a shop". /Rant
 
Jon I kinda feel sorry for you. Those kind of problems would have been a super bummer. You can also get those bolts at your local Chevy dealer. At least mine had them and I would think that in a giant metroplex like where you live they should have some stock.
 
Where are you buying these bolts from? I've never had issues with OE Delco bolts.

I wonder if the case is buggered up where the flange/bolt head seats? If it's uneven...That could definitely cause your issue!!!

I try my best to buy virgin cores & will cull one quick if it's been hacked on. This is getting harder by the day with the 4L80E being out of full production for 9 years (Shuttering of Willow Run)

I don't have an issue at 180 in lbs if the bolt stretched a bit, But I am concerned about the case.....Running a Trans Go bolt down in there without the washer could have buggered it up?
 
P10,
Thanks haha. It's incredibly frustrating. I've built 2 engines, 5 manual transmissions and 2 autos, but I've never had as many problems as I'm having with this.
I honestly didn't think to try the dealerships. Supposedly it's an OE part because I'm ordering from a GM parts website. It looks just like the OE bolt I pulled out too. The silver/aluminum/zinc looking thing. I wouldn't be so bummed and stressed about it if I didn't need the truck to tow 1000 miles next week.. so I guess this weekend is do or die haha.

Cline,
I did not install the transgo one with the washer because I saw on a thread that they're apparently junk so I threw it out and used another OE. It looked good to me and when I pulled the housing out and tries to run the bolt down, it bottomed out easily by hand. The case itself looks fine to me. . And for whatever reason the last one I installed I used my 10-100ish ft lbs set to 18 and it worked no problem.

Maybe I'm just being an idiot, there is no washer that goes under the OE bolt, right? There wasn't one when I pulled it apart the first time and I didn't put one in.

I think I'll lightly coat the threads with some locktite to help prevent it from backing out, unless anyone has any concerns.
 
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Also attaching some of the "quality work" from that transmission shop in North Dallas when I tore it down the first time hahaha. Never seen someone hammers so violently in a screw driver to leave big [censored] marks.
 
That is exactly what we are doing.... snapping up every virgin core that comes along. As well as 243/799's
The 80e virgins are slim pickings around here though.
 
Mine were not mailed in the original bag. They put them in a single bag and mailed that. Could've been that I bought more than one?
 
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No washer under the OE bolt! Though I do use a little TransJel under the head.


Wow....I can't believe a experience builder would hammer on a piston, Molded/Vulcanized pistons are so easy to install too!!! Long Lip TH400 pistons seals would have really ate his lunch.
 
I'll try some gel under the head. For some reason I thought you wanted that dry...

Indeed. I was also in shock and became impressed it drove like that for 30k miles. I lost 2nd because one of the valves got so chewed up it wouldn't return to the off position. So I replaced the valve body since I don't own the tools to ream it. But ultimately it was the blown lip seal that made it come out. Popped it trying to back my trailer into my driveway after driving 500 miles lol. Got lucky with that timing!
 
Not too long ago I talked with an engineer at ARP about a special length bolt for a SERP drive and he was very clear that when we come across these quandaries where nothing is on the market to solve a common problem that we should contact them and that if the market is there they will make them. I don't know if there is enough of a market for this bolt but it may be worth the time in contacting them down the road.
 
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Well I got my new order of 5 bolts. First one held 200 inch lbs without issues.... Felt like it could go a bit more but I'm not going to risk it. I did put a little lube under the head and a very small amount of blue loctite on the threads. Time to install VB and installl this thing in the truck! We just got a nice cold front so it's in the 50s today, I bet you're enjoying this weather too, Cline!
 
Well I got the transmission together and was putting it into my truck in the harbor freight floor tranny jack. I was trying to position it into place and it fell off the jack
frown.gif
looks like the shifter bracket took the brunt of it. I was still concerned and pulled the pump off to verify I didn't break the pump gears. All looked fine so I put it back together and threw it in truck. Finished buttoning everything up today and drove it. HP Tuners says I have no slip in any gear and all shifts feel good. Planetary whine is gone too.

I'll get some miles on her this week before towing but it seems good. 80F ambient air temps got tranny fluid up to 130F after some driving (3200 RPM stall).


So far it seems like a successful rebuild lol
 
Sure did. Never dropped a tranny before, but naturally that happens when I'm working on my vehicle alone in the driveway. But it fell off the jack in the lowest position so it was a few inches.Doesn't seem to have affected anything at least
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Jon they are tuff! I hope with all the troubles you had that the test/rod/brake in goes flawless! Every dog has his day! ...... eventually
 
Yeah, hopefully. I've got 3 days to drive it to and from work to make sure it's squared away. Put about 10 miles on it today just to get it to shift through all gears so I could check fluid after. Everything seems good so far. Washed the vette today too! Put backup camera in the truck, and fixed the wiper motor. Things are slowly falling into place
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