"bullet proofing" 4l60E?

[Martinjmpr]

From what I've read the only real "weak spot" on the GMT900 trucks (and that is a relative thing) is the 4l60E transmission. Is there anything I can do to help it last longer?

On my old Toyota (4runner) the factory recommended that if you hadn't had the tranny flushed before 100k miles that you do NOT flush the tranny, just do a drain and fill. The reason was because flushing a transmission with over 100k on it has the tendency to push debris back into the transmission, making the likelihood of a failure even greater. Is that the case with the 4l60E too or can they be safely flushed?

Is there anything else I can do to help it last longer? My 'Burb ('04 LT 4x4) is primarily a tow vehicle, although our trailer is only about 2,000lbs so it's not like it's pulling a super heavy load.

Oh, and assuming, worst case scenario, that the transmission craps the bed, is it possible to replace it with a 4l65 or 4l80? I seem to remember reading something about the 4l80 swap but since that transmission is longer it has to be moved rearward. Would it be significantly more expensive to upgrade to a 4l65 or is that even possible?

Thanks in advance! I'm still pretty much a nOOb around Chevies.

 

[drakon543]

With a small trailer and regular daily driving you could toss on a cheap advanced trans cooler. I wouldn't go for a large or expensive one as running the trans too cold can also be bad. You can also have a local shop or if your trans savy enough you can install a B&m shift kit. Those little things won't make it bulletproof but it will extend the life of the trans. Shifting may not be as smooth as before depending on what kit they use but the quicker the trans can shift the less time the plates spend spinning against each other trying to give you a smooth shift.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

http://www.sonnax.com/parts/2928-performance-pack

that and a nice big trans cooler.

I wouldnt worry about overcooling unless its freezing in your part of the woods and you completely bypass the rad.