Transmission question - 4t60e

[The Unknown 7]

Well, I have a 97 gp with 160k miles, with a new engine only three years old, and a recently overhauled tranny. I'm probably going to do some mods soon, CAI, exhaust, etc. My question is how much can I beef it up and expect the tranny to hold out? I plan on getting a HD upgrade kit when I need to, but when should I. How much HP can this transmission take

[richtazz]

The 4T60-E isn't designed to handle much more than about 250 ft/lbs of torque. That's why it wasn't used in the FWD Caddy's with the 4.6L Deathstar, oops I mean Northstar V-8's.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by The Unknown 7

I'm probably going to do some mods soon, CAI, exhaust, etc. My question is how much can I beef it up and expect the tranny to hold out? I plan on getting a HD upgrade kit when I need to, but when should I.

Those mods will not exceed the maximum hp and torque specs for the 4T60E autotransaxle so a HD upgrade kit would be a waste of money.

Just keep it properly serviced.

[tblake]

Originally Posted by richtazz

The 4T60-E isn't designed to handle much more than about 250 ft/lbs of torque. That's why it wasn't used in the FWD Caddy's with the 4.6L Deathstar, oops I mean Northstar V-8's.

Deathstar Rich? Thats good. If only GM would have put a better motor in their caddy's besides the northstars. I drove a 2002 seville sls in the shop one day. It was really nice, silver, leather, key one key two... I sort of wanted it.

[richtazz]

Tim,

The Deathstar (darn it, slipped again) Northstar is like every other GM OHC engine. They run strong when new, and are POS's to work on and repair once they get up in mileage. It took Fel-Pro over 10 years from the Northstar's inception to offer gaskets for it because it takes special equipment and proceedures to do even head gaskets on them so they didn't see the point in offering them.

[tblake]

Special tools? for head gaskets? Really?....... Oh man!

Thought that was the motor you had to remove the Intake Manifolds to replace the starter. Am I mistaken?

[wafrederick]

Plus the head bolt threads strip out of the block when the head gaskets blow on a Northstar,which requires a special tool to put in helicoils which is not cheap.I know a yard owner that does sell the 4.6 Northstar very easily.Yes you do have to remove the intake manifold to get to the starter on a Northstar.I replaced one transmission in a Cadillac,will not do another one,horrible to do and the transmission is heavy.

[The Unknown 7]

well what I meant to do by putting on the HD upgrade kit is increase how much the tranny could take, if I did that how much tourqe could it take?

[BNaylor]

Which specific HD upgrade kit are you referring to? All the upgrade kits do is beef up the differential and add a heavy duty passenger side axle shaft. No internal tranny improvements.

[The Unknown 7]

the one on zz performance. But still isn't that the main part that takes the beating?