6 speed auto swap

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.

kylers2k

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2019
Posts
106
Reaction score
150
Location
NC
Entertaining the idea of swapping my 4 speed auto to a 6 speed auto. I love my Tahoe but also don't want to pour a fortune into it.
Is this a feasible swap? I've seen threads that seemed to die here and there, with not much solid info.

Really wish the PPV didn't have the 4 speed :(
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,812
Reaction score
26,760
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
Entertaining the idea of swapping my 4 speed auto to a 6 speed auto. I love my Tahoe but also don't want to pour a fortune into it.
Is this a feasible swap? I've seen threads that seemed to die here and there, with not much solid info.

Really wish the PPV didn't have the 4 speed :(

2009 without a 6-speed? It's a lot of work, requires a new cluster and shifter in the least. @iamdub Chris knows more than I as he considered doing it to his.
 

Foggy

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Posts
1,115
Reaction score
1,432
Location
KS
I personally don't think it would be worth it.. There isn't a huge difference
in ratios... you basically get a deeper 1st gear and gain a "little" more final
gear for MPG/MPH....
The 6 speeds have their issues too... And they are more expensive than the 4
speeds to build correctly
I'd just research beefing up your 4L65E. There are plenty of reputable places
that build these to take lots of HP/weight/towing
Then spend the extra $$$ on more power !
 

Meccanoble

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2016
Posts
1,166
Reaction score
355
Location
Georgia
2009 without a 6-speed? It's a lot of work, requires a new cluster and shifter in the least. @iamdub Chris knows more than I as he considered doing it to his.

I thought the 6 speed started in 2009? Same with USB. Wont that require tranny ECU swap as well?
 

swathdiver

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2017
Posts
19,812
Reaction score
26,760
Location
Treasure Coast, Florida
I thought the 6 speed started in 2009? Same with USB. Wont that require tranny ECU swap as well?

Kyle's signature shows a 2009 PPV Tahoe and my foggy memory is beginning to remember him mentioning that his came with a 4-speed; must've been an early one.

The computer for the 6-speed is inside of and part of the 6-speed.
 
OP
OP
kylers2k

kylers2k

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2019
Posts
106
Reaction score
150
Location
NC
Kyle's signature shows a 2009 PPV Tahoe and my foggy memory is beginning to remember him mentioning that his came with a 4-speed; must've been an early one.

The computer for the 6-speed is inside of and part of the 6-speed.

Correct, the early 2009 PPV's came with the 4 speed. I think that its probably going to cost more than its worth. Funnily enough I haven't driven it for a few weeks and today I took it to the post office. The 4 speed really isn't THAT bad.. just the gears feel so long.

I recently had it rebuilt, it should hold the power I have planned with the single turbo.
 

Foggy

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Posts
1,115
Reaction score
1,432
Location
KS
You could re-gear it to a steeper ratio in the DIFFS and that would make
that 1-2 gear split seem a little more acceptable.. That was always the
problem with the 700/4l60 platform.. With as tall of tires our suvs/trucks have,
you wouldn't hurt yourself at hwy speeds - and would feel more "torquey"
around town and on hills/towing
 

iamdub

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Posts
20,821
Reaction score
44,951
Location
Li'l Weezyana
New PCM, some tuning, some wiring, different cross member are the basics to have it functional. If, like me, you want it like 100% factory, you'd need the gauge cluster and gear selector (shifter). A buddy of mine swapped one into his '07 Silverado but didn't do the cluster or shifter, so he didn't have the appropriate readout on the cluster and he couldn't shift it manually with the Tap Shift. My main objective, other than the closer ratios between gears, was to have manual electronic shifting control.

I decided that if I was gonna go through the trouble of swapping a trans, I'd go with what would really make me happy and swap in a 5- or 6-speed manual. For now, I had the trans tables tweaked when I had the engine tuned for the engine mods. It actually made the 4-speed quite tolerable in most instances! I'd highly recommend a good tune.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,803
Posts
1,874,419
Members
97,644
Latest member
Mcneils10

Latest posts

Top