4L60E Transmission And Other Awesome Drag Racing Transmissions | JEGS (2024)

FAQs

What's the best transmission for drag racing? ›

Even though it isn't set in stone, as a general rule of thumb, an automatic transmission is the best transmission for drag racing. For starters, you avoid the downtime associated with pressing the clutch yourself and changing gears.

Their Stage 2 Pro Race transmission can handle gobs of power while their Invincible Black Edition 4L60E trans can support over 1,000 ponies.

One major problem is the separator plate. It's quite thin and offers little protection against crossleakage. The 4L60-E transmission case featured many oil circuits and acts as the upper part of the valve body, similar to transmissions like the Ford E40D.

The main thing that will kill the 4L60-E is heat. If it runs over 200* for extended periods time the clutches will get cooked or gazed and cause the trans to slip. If you like to drive in a spirited manner in which I like to; the best thing you can do to extend its life is an external trans cooler.

Assuming a 3-inch diameter, a 54-inch long driveshaft will hit its critical speed at 136 mph using a 3.55:1 gear, a 26-inch-tall tire, and a 0.76:1 overdrive-ratio.

The 10L90E is by far the biggest and heaviest modern automatic transmission in GM history, but it's also the strongest and offers amazing performance and economy when matched with a Gen V LT engine. This is part of the newest technology in the performance world.

Another major failure point on the 4L60E is the drive shell, which contains the planetary gear system and several clutches. The drive shell is subject to extreme heat, pressure, and wear over time and can eventually crack or break down if not maintained properly.

Switching to a wider band (Sonnax [red band 77700-01] or [Kevlar^® band 777000-01K]) is an ideal capacity/durability upgrade, but NEVER install a wider band on a used drum. The old band will have compressed the drum and created a subtle dish on its surface.

It goes without saying that the 4L80E is more powerful than the 4L60E. To that effect, cars that have powerful engines are often paired with this transmission. These are vehicles used in demanding applications such as towing or racing.

Chevy Silverado Year Models With the Least Reliable Transmissions. Overall, the 2015, 2016, and 2017 versions are the worst for transmission troubles. They are known to have transmissions that surge throughout their lifespan or even just fail outright and without warning.

Can you run a 4L60E without electronics? ›

TCI's rendition (PN 376600) universally works on all 700-R4/4L60 (non-E) transmissions by rewiring the solenoid inside the trans. Externally, all it needs is a 12-volt source and an engine-vacuum reference. However, if your trans is, in fact, a 4L60E, running it off a computer is mandatory.

Features and benefits:

It includes components as well as modifications that recalibrates the entire accumulation system, clutch and band feed orifices. These changes work in concert with an aggressive line pressure curve to greatly improve the overall durability and shift feel of the transmission. .

Heat and excessive clutch material in the fluid shortens transmission life.

the bigger issue is gears..you will see a better benefit from changing your read gear to a higher ratio.... A stock 4L60E has a limiting engine speed of 6100 due to the mass of the internal components.

Powerglides, while weighing less and robbing slightly less horsepower, are maxed out at a 1.62 low gear, making them less forgiving than a two-speed Turbo 400. Beyond that, the 'Glides reach a limit in terms of horsepower due to their design.

What's Best For Drag Racing? If your car is built for drag racing, you already know that an automatic is generally better. First, the power most drag cars are making is at or well over 500 horsepower so it's easier to put down all your power and get the best time possible with an automatic.

A TH400 built by Wilson Racing Transmissions is bolted to the engine, and it shoots about 800 hp back to the 9-inch rear axle.

Although the five-speed unit (usually air-shifted) is still used in ADRL and Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association and in air-shifted three-speed units in pro modified, NHRA pro stocks utilize Liberty or G-Force five-speed clutchless manual transmissions.