LB7: 4L80E With LB7

[WisconsinHick1]

I am wanting to put a 4L80E behind my LB7 for a project I am slowly planning. What would be needed to accomplish this? I would assume I would need to run stand alones for both the motor and transmission and maybe a communication point for a speed sensor for the ECM?

Any suggestions would be awesome thanks!

 

[MAXX IT OUT]

Would Like to know as Well.

 

[dmax711]

Not sure it could handle the h.p and torque. Even built up.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

It's been done before MANY times. For LB7 you need to go stand-alone. Put a manual trans OS into the ECM, and run the trans completely seperate. The ECM will be happiest if you give it a output speed sensor signal which you may be able to find a stand-alone TCM to do.

 

[Yellow Jacket]

I am wanting to put a 4L80E behind my LB7 for a project I am slowly planning. What would be needed to accomplish this? I would assume I would need to run stand alones for both the motor and transmission and maybe a communication point for a speed sensor for the ECM?

Any suggestions would be awesome thanks!

Buy the "black box" and make the 4l80e "manual valvebody" and put a good valve body in it. Rossler can set you up with both and prices are reasonable, maybe better clutches if so desired. I know a guy running 9's in a 4000 lb 2000 camaro with twin turbo ls1. And of course a good converter, that will be most expensive part.

 

[catman3126]

DOn't the dmax powered Vans run a 80E behind them? is it possible to flash the Van file in and add the correct harness to the LB7 ecm?

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

DOn't the dmax powered Vans run a 80E behind them? is it possible to flash the Van file in and add the correct harness to the LB7 ecm?

The vans with a DURAMAX came out in 06, so they were LBZ engines(called LLY's) using the BOSCH ECM. The harness was repinned at teh ECM and a few other changes. Theres no OS I Know of to run a 4L80E combo behind a LB7 utilizing all GM parts that talk to each other. Maybe Ben knows of a way to make a converter box or something, or some form of the T42 that would talk in the J1939 data bus the LB7 used.

 

[catman3126]

No way to do a segment swap in a LB7 file with the harnesss repinned. the reason I ask is I have been thinking about putting one in front of my 86K10 with a 80E in it that has a LQ4 6.0 in there now.

 

[WisconsinHick1]

I will have to contact Ben. It will defiantly need a clutch upgrade as it will be going behind my built motor.

 

[Bersaglieri]

Talk to Rossler or Jake's Performance in Texas. Last I checked Jake was about half what Rossler was on a stout 4L80e build. I run one, but it's a full manual with a T-brake.

 

[Turbo Performance]

As others have said, stand alone ECM and either a stand alone TCM (lots of options out there) or manual valve body (also lots of options). 4l80e in my experience is a pretty stout piece but behind a built Dmax you'll have to put shafts, clutches and converter IMO. Even a light combo it will suffer with lots torque.

Talk to Rossler or Jake's Performance in Texas. Last I checked Jake was about half what Rossler was on a stout 4L80e build. I run one, but it's a full manual with a T-brake.

Only thing I'll say about this is. Do your research, though I don't have any personal experience with Jake's. There are definitely a lot of unhappy reviews out there. I'm pretty sure JoshH on here is one of them. Seems to be a flip of the coin on happiness from my research. Yellowbullet and LS1tech both have lots of info on reputable builders to make it happen.

 

[WisconsinHick1]

For a street toy/drag truck would you guys recommend stand alone ECM or manual VB? I'm thinking manual VB but would like other opinions.

 

[TheBac]

I was just going to say to talk to JoshH on here, but I see Levi beat me to that. IIRC, he's used both those companies, and one of them didnt work out so well.

 

[JoshH]

Jake's is just down the road about 2.5 hours from me. I had them do a full build on the transmission in the dumpster. It was nothing but problems that whole first year. During the winter, I decided to buy a fresh valve body from Rossler with their transbrake installed in it and built the trans myself. I'm going on 2 years without having to replace any clutches. I'm going to open it up and see what it looks like this winter, but it is still shifting just as good today as it was when I first put it together.

 

[duratothemax]

Im building a standalone harness for a customer right now, LB7 with a 4L80. Im using a US Shift standalone 4L80 TCM and harness. There is no factory setup that will work. The T42 in the vans only speaks GMLAN, which only 2006+ Dmax ECM's speak. 01-05 ECM's speak J1939.

You cant "segment swap" like I gasser because Dmax ECM's dont have any transmission controls in them whatsoever.........

 

[catman3126]

Im building a standalone harness for a customer right now, LB7 with a 4L80. Im using a US Shift standalone 4L80 TCM and harness. There is no factory setup that will work. The T42 in the vans only speaks GMLAN, which only 2006+ Dmax ECM's speak. 01-05 ECM's speak J1939.

You cant "segment swap" like I gasser because Dmax ECM's dont have any transmission controls in them whatsoever.........

HEHE DUH completely forgot about the Duramax not have trans controls LOL

 

[Turbo Performance]

For a street toy/drag truck would you guys recommend stand alone ECM or manual VB? I'm thinking manual VB but would like other opinions.

Purely a preference choice. I run mine manually and it doesn't bother me but you'll hear others complain about constantly having to shift. Upside is there is no harness or controller to potentially fail.

 

[WisconsinHick1]

Jake's is just down the road about 2.5 hours from me. I had them do a full build on the transmission in the dumpster. It was nothing but problems that whole first year. During the winter, I decided to buy a fresh valve body from Rossler with their transbrake installed in it and built the trans myself. I'm going on 2 years without having to replace any clutches. I'm going to open it up and see what it looks like this winter, but it is still shifting just as good today as it was when I first put it together.

Who made your converter? Did you go with the bigger shafts in your build? Do you have an idea of what the van weights in at? I am planning on shedding as much weight as possible to help make it "easier" on the transmission.

Im building a standalone harness for a customer right now, LB7 with a 4L80. Im using a US Shift standalone 4L80 TCM and harness. There is no factory setup that will work. The T42 in the vans only speaks GMLAN, which only 2006+ Dmax ECM's speak. 01-05 ECM's speak J1939.

You cant "segment swap" like I gasser because Dmax ECM's dont have any transmission controls in them whatsoever.........

Ben if you wouldn't mind PMing me a ball park on pricing for the harness that would be awesome. This is something I am possibly looking into this winter.

I just want to get an idea on everything before pulling the trigger. It also helps having a buddy interested in my built Allison if it is a feasible option.

 

[JoshH]

Who made your converter? Did you go with the bigger shafts in your build? Do you have an idea of what the van weights in at? I am planning on shedding as much weight as possible to help make it "easier" on the transmission.

My converter was done by Circle D, but it was a one off deal that he may not want to replicate. The shafts are stock size, but there are some billet pieces in there. The race weight right now is 5320 with me in the driver's seat.

I've used one of the US Shift controllers Ben was talking about. They're pretty easy to install and program. The only thing I don't like about them is there is no way to make them keep the converter locked on a shift. I talked to them a few months ago about it, and they said they are planning to change that in a future programming update so that may not be the case anymore.

 

[Bersaglieri]

Jake's is just down the road about 2.5 hours from me. I had them do a full build on the transmission in the dumpster. It was nothing but problems that whole first year. During the winter, I decided to buy a fresh valve body from Rossler with their transbrake installed in it and built the trans myself. I'm going on 2 years without having to replace any clutches. I'm going to open it up and see what it looks like this winter, but it is still shifting just as good today as it was when I first put it together.

Hmm, he treated me alright on my 4L80, but then again it's in a Camaro not a Duramax powered van. Oddly Rossler is only 30 minutes or so from us, and we used him in a few builds, most without issue. I've talked with him at his shop and he's certainly knowledgeable and seems like a good guy. At the time I needed a T-brake VB without a deep pan and if I recall Rossler's VB had to have one. I haven't kept up with Jake since I got the car running but I haven't had any problems yet... Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but I've had better luck with him than many others I've used over the years.