07 Escalade 6L80 into 12 Escalade - swapping 2012 valve body/TCM into the 2007 6L80

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

91RS

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Posts
2,588
Reaction score
2,033
Location
GA
Oh, yeah the green plug is the internal mode switch (IMS), those are the same. You need to swap the sensor assembly in the second picture, the two black sensors with the wire running between them and then connected to the TEHCM.
 

NickTransmissions

Sin City
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
1,088
Reaction score
2,613
Location
The transmission bench
View attachment 427789View attachment 427790

Off white thing with green plug housing in the first photo, opposite side of valve body in the 2nd.
The two small black square-shaped objects connected to the small black wiring harness, bolted to the housing via 10mm bolts, are you input and output speed sensors...If the picture above is from a 2012 6L80 and you want to swap that assembly into a 2007 6L80, you won't be able to do so as is (at least not without a boat load of adaptation/programming/modification).

At the very least, you'll need to purchase a harness/speed sensor assembly for a 2006-2011 as they changed in 2012 to coincide with the change to the unigear ring gear design.
ETA: The length of the output shafts also changed in 2012, owing to the ring gear basket/unigear engineering change.

The 2006-2009 valve bodies are mechanically calibrated a little differently than the 2010+ so the valve body castings are different which means you'll need to do some serious reprogramming/changing of the OS version currently installed onto the 2007 vehicle...Programming, etc can be done with either HP Tuners or AC Delcos TDS programming subscription but I've never messed with either so can't give any guidance beyond that.

I consider the 2006-2009 transmissions 'different; than the 2010-2013 and likewise for the 2014+ when it comes to 6L80s/90s.

Next Steps: Remove the 2007 unit from your truck, have the original transmission gone through and ensure the TEHCM, IMS and speed sensor assembly are all replaced along with the requisite parts and procedural updates performed to ensure the unit lasts a long time...Then reinstall the freshly rebuilt 2012 into your truck (along with your upgraded torque converter) then perform a fast adapt relearn after filling it but prior to taking it for a test drive.
 
Last edited:

Joseph Garcia

Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2018
Posts
7,340
Reaction score
9,918
The two small black square-shaped objects connected to the small black wiring harness, bolted to the housing via 10mm bolts, are you input and output speed sensors...If the picture above is from a 2012 6L80 and you want to swap that assembly into a 2007 6L80, you won't be able to do so as is (at least not without a boat load of adaptation/programming/modification).

At the very least, you'll need to purchase a harness/speed sensor assembly for a 2012+ as they changed in 2012 to coincide with the change to the unigear ring gear design.

The 2006-2009 valve bodies are mechanically calibrated a little differently than the 2010+ so the valve body castings are different which means you'll need to do some serious reprogramming/changing of the OS version currently installed onto the 2007 vehicle...Programming, etc can be done with either HP Tuners or AC Delcos TDS programming subscription but I've never messed with either so can't give any guidance beyond that.

I consider the 2006-2009 transmissions 'different; than the 2010-2013 and likewise for the 2014+ when it comes to 6L80s/90s.

Next Steps: Remove the 2007 unit from your truck, have the original transmission gone through and ensure the TEHCM, IMS and speed sensor assembly are all replaced along with the requisite parts and procedural updates performed to ensure the unit lasts a long time...Then reinstall the freshly rebuilt 2012 into your truck (along with your upgraded torque converter) then perform a fast adapt relearn after filling it but prior to taking it for a test drive.
Thank you, Nick. Very much appreciated.
 
OP
OP
J

jrobie79

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Posts
153
Reaction score
47
At the very least, you'll need to purchase a harness/speed sensor assembly for a 2006-2011 as they changed in 2012 to coincide with the change to the unigear ring gear design.
ETA: The length of the output shafts also changed in 2012, owing to the ring gear basket/unigear engineering change.

The 2006-2009 valve bodies are mechanically calibrated a little differently than the 2010+ so the valve body castings are different which means you'll need to do some serious reprogramming/changing of the OS version currently installed onto the 2007 vehicle...Programming, etc can be done with either HP Tuners or AC Delcos TDS programming subscription but I've never messed with either so can't give any guidance beyond that.

The 2007 vehicle no longer exists. I took the transmission (including the valve body/TEHCM and the converter). That valve body/TEHCM is sitting on my bench, with the speed sensor/harness, etc, completely intact aside from the 6 bolts attaching it to the case.

I consider the 2006-2009 transmissions 'different; than the 2010-2013 and likewise for the 2014+ when it comes to 6L80s/90s.

Next Steps: Remove the 2007 unit from your truck, have the original transmission gone through and ensure the TEHCM, IMS and speed sensor assembly are all replaced along with the requisite parts and procedural updates performed to ensure the unit lasts a long time...Then reinstall the freshly rebuilt 2012 into your truck (along with your upgraded torque converter) then perform a fast adapt relearn after filling it but prior to taking it for a test drive.

I don't really have time to wait for a rebuilder to go through my original. It's my daily driver, I need it for work. If I can find a used one just to get my truck running again, even for like a month, then I can wait for the original to be rebuilt. Based on your post, a 6L80 from a 2010-2013 GM vehicle should work with my 2012 valve body/tehcm?

When I do get the 2012 back from wherever I decide to have it rebuilt, do you suggest I replace the TEHCM, IMS, and speed sensor with brand new pieces? What is the reasoning, I'm not questioning your obvious expertise, I'm genuinely curious. As far as upgraded torque converters, what should I be looking for? I ultimately want to swap the cam, but only when my other car is running, I can't keep uber'ing/renting/borrowing vehicles to get to work.
 

NickTransmissions

Sin City
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
1,088
Reaction score
2,613
Location
The transmission bench
The 2007 vehicle no longer exists. I took the transmission (including the valve body/TEHCM and the converter). That valve body/TEHCM is sitting on my bench, with the speed sensor/harness, etc, completely intact aside from the 6 bolts attaching it to the case.
I thought you were trying to swap a 2012 6L80's TEHCM/VB assy into your 2007 6L80, as per the second half of your thread title:

swapping 2012 valve body/TCM into the 2007 6L80​

If you have the TEHCM/VB/IMS and SS harness assembly from the 2007 vehicle, then bolt it to the 2007 unit that has been installed then simply reprogram the TEHCM to work with the 2012 vehicle's ECM/electronic command and control framework. Then run the fast adapt relearn to reset all adapts to factory settings before driving it.

Here's some info on reprogramming.

I don't really have time to wait for a rebuilder to go through my original. It's my daily driver, I need it for work.
Then I'd purchase a reman unit from General Motors (3 yr/100k mile warranty)....

Based on your post, a 6L80 from a 2010-2013 GM vehicle should work with my 2012 valve body/tehcm?
Not without reprogramming/adaptation unless the TEHCM part numbers match between your original transmission and the replacement unit. If the numbers do match (which would indicate the replacement came from a vehicle configured just like yours in all respects relevant to the transmission), and if everything actually works on that replacement, you would just need to run a fast adapt prior to driving it.

When I do get the 2012 back from wherever I decide to have it rebuilt, do you suggest I replace the TEHCM, IMS, and speed sensor with brand new pieces? What is the reasoning, I'm not questioning your obvious expertise, I'm genuinely curious.
When you get out of the shower, do you put on all clean clothes or do you also put some of the dirty clothes back on, that you just took off prior to showering?

Think about it and you'll understand the reasoning. Electronics are consumables just like gaskets, seals, friction plates, bushings, etc and must be replaced. Hard parts are things like gears, shafts, drums, hubs, the pump, valve body castings, etc that don't get replaced unless they are no good and cannot be reconditioned. think of those hard parts collectively as your body and the consumables as your clothing.

And you won't be installing anything into the transmission when you get it back...The shop that rebuilds your transmission will install a new TEHCM, Internal Mode Switch and Speed Sensor/Harness Assembly so all you have to do is install it, fill with fluid and run your fast adapt relearn prior to the test drive.
 
OP
OP
J

jrobie79

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Posts
153
Reaction score
47
The title is accurate. But the actual vehicle the 2007 transmission comes from has in all likelihood been crushed already. I do have the 2007 valve body, TEHCM, IMS, & speed sensor.
 

NickTransmissions

Sin City
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
1,088
Reaction score
2,613
Location
The transmission bench
The title is accurate. But the actual vehicle the 2007 transmission comes from has in all likelihood been crushed already. I do have the 2007 valve body, TEHCM, IMS, & speed sensor.
That's good; bolt those back onto the 2007 6L80, run the reprogramming and adapts and if the 2007 transmission works, then you should be fine for a while. I'm not sure I'd reuse the converter...If you can swing it, I'd grab a new one...Doesn't have to be anything fancy, but the pre-existing converter could be in any sort of shape and fail at any time...
 
OP
OP
J

jrobie79

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Posts
153
Reaction score
47
That's good; bolt those back onto the 2007 6L80, run the reprogramming and adapts and if the 2007 transmission works, then you should be fine for a while. I'm not sure I'd reuse the converter...If you can swing it, I'd grab a new one...Doesn't have to be anything fancy, but the pre-existing converter could be in any sort of shape and fail at any time...

Ok I'm not familiar with tis2web. I have a tech 2 so the adapts should be alright. I'll have to figure it out.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,295
Posts
1,865,510
Members
96,879
Latest member
teemassa8314

Latest posts

Top