5 speed to 6 speed conversion.

DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,727
296
83
Boise, ID, USA
If the TCM is unlocked, I'll buy in in a second for my GMC, and possibly chuck the Suncoast 6-speed conversion TCM in the Suburban for this as well. The Suburban is a stock (hard parts wise) LB7, so the Suncoast 6 speed kit is great, but I can't run a locked TCM on my built motor. I'm changing things too often that require remapping the shifts to keep street manners.

But I am guessing it is locked, like the rest. I understand why they do it, but I don't have to like it.
 

Hambone

Always learning
Jan 24, 2016
572
0
16
Florida
No matter who does it or how it's it's done at the end of the day it's a 6 speed conversion.....its not that amazing in the 06 and up trucks it came in and the big fuel economy and other benefits aren't going to be there with 5-6 conversion either. For some it may be just what they want but it's nothing I've ever or ever will push when you weigh the cost vs actual results for the majority of people.

And that’s the conclusion I always come to :thumb: thanks for the honest reply Evan
If someone is really worried about mpg they should sell their truck and get a Prius
 

Chavez91

People Go Outside?
May 30, 2012
139
2
18
Heh. Wouldn't you like to know
No matter who does it or how it's it's done at the end of the day it's a 6 speed conversion.....its not that amazing in the 06 and up trucks it came in and the big fuel economy and other benefits aren't going to be there with 5-6 conversion either. For some it may be just what they want but it's nothing I've ever or ever will push when you weigh the cost vs actual results for the majority of people.

Well, the same thing can be said about trying to run 9s and faster in an Allison. At the end of the day, it's still an Allison; a transmission that was never designed for any kind of racing and provides no benefits at all trying to use it in the field either. It's ancient tech. If someone was trying to build a full tilt race vehicle, an Allison is on the bottom list of recommendations as well. It's not for everyone, but there are still people out there trying to use it. No difference here. Because when you weigh the overall cost of trying to use an Allison to run 8s and faster vs better options out there, the cost effectiveness is just not there either.

But we do it anyways. ;)
 

Mike L.

Got Sheep?
Staff member
Vendor/Sponsor
Aug 12, 2006
15,681
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63
Fullerton CA
If the TCM is unlocked, I'll buy in in a second for my GMC, and possibly chuck the Suncoast 6-speed conversion TCM in the Suburban for this as well. The Suburban is a stock (hard parts wise) LB7, so the Suncoast 6 speed kit is great, but I can't run a locked TCM on my built motor. I'm changing things too often that require remapping the shifts to keep street manners.

But I am guessing it is locked, like the rest. I understand why they do it, but I don't have to like it.

If everyone was honest and trust worthy it wouldn't have to be locked. But unfortunately this is not the case.
 

joshd472

New member
Oct 10, 2016
254
0
0
For the avg guy this would be great if the price is right. The 5 speed was my biggest complaint with the LLY. On a back road at 55 I was right around 1700-1800 rpm and all was nice and quite. Get on the interstate running 75 and rpm would be around 2200-2300 and a little loud. It was not the end of the world, just a little annoying.

I would pay in the $300-500 range to have gotten a six speed but that's about it.
 

Evan@InglewoodTrans

yerp
Vendor/Sponsor
Aug 5, 2010
3,118
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Western MA
Well, the same thing can be said about trying to run 9s and faster in an Allison. At the end of the day, it's still an Allison; a transmission that was never designed for any kind of racing and provides no benefits at all trying to use it in the field either. It's ancient tech. If someone was trying to build a full tilt race vehicle, an Allison is on the bottom list of recommendations as well. It's not for everyone, but there are still people out there trying to use it. No difference here. Because when you weigh the overall cost of trying to use an Allison to run 8s and faster vs better options out there, the cost effectiveness is just not there either.

But we do it anyways. ;)

I figured you'd have an ornery post and I understand you taking offense because of your time invested and it being your project and I agree on the Allison not being a race transmission because well...it's not. Unfortunately what I said is true and no way of going about is going to increase its effectiveness. But some people will still want just to have it as with many other modifications. I build competition transmissions on the regular and I get not even a handful of 6 speed conversion request a year so that says all I need to know. Unfortunately not to many people want a $20,000+ TH400 swap and 47/48 are far from the best option. This just my opinion from what I've seen and I apologize if you're taking it personal that's not my intention. It's great to have incredibly smart people like yourself in the industry who are able to come up with ideas and actually apply them.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,661
5,808
113
Phoenix Az
For the avg guy this would be great if the price is right. The 5 speed was my biggest complaint with the LLY. On a back road at 55 I was right around 1700-1800 rpm and all was nice and quite. Get on the interstate running 75 and rpm would be around 2200-2300 and a little loud. It was not the end of the world, just a little annoying.

I would pay in the $300-500 range to have gotten a six speed but that's about it.

well thats about half the cost a new 6 speed or 5 speed valve body lol.

i dont think you are getting one :D
 

05LLYDMAX

Midget Nate
Jun 29, 2013
124
35
28
for the avg guy this would be great if the price is right. The 5 speed was my biggest complaint with the lly. On a back road at 55 i was right around 1700-1800 rpm and all was nice and quite. Get on the interstate running 75 and rpm would be around 2200-2300 and a little loud. It was not the end of the world, just a little annoying.

I would pay in the $300-500 range to have gotten a six speed but that's about it.

you cant hardly get parts for that price. Imo its more worth the swap if you do a lot of traveling with small or no trailers. Which is what the guy that came up with it does.
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
2,275
4
0
I think it’s also probably a market that is heavily influenced by the state. In Iowa a 6 speed is completely unnecessary in my opinion. However when I travel to Texas and the speed limit is 75 and if your going 80 your getting passed then I could see the appeal.

However, what most people don’t understand, or don’t want to admit is that the Duramax is happy to cruise along at 2500 rpm. It’s not happy or really designed to cruise along at low low rpms making big torque.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Chavez91

People Go Outside?
May 30, 2012
139
2
18
Heh. Wouldn't you like to know
I figured you'd have an ornery post and I understand you taking offense because of your time invested and it being your project and I agree on the Allison not being a race transmission because well...it's not. Unfortunately what I said is true and no way of going about is going to increase its effectiveness. But some people will still want just to have it as with many other modifications. I build competition transmissions on the regular and I get not even a handful of 6 speed conversion request a year so that says all I need to know. Unfortunately not to many people want a $20,000+ TH400 swap and 47/48 are far from the best option. This just my opinion from what I've seen and I apologize if you're taking it personal that's not my intention. It's great to have incredibly smart people like yourself in the industry who are able to come up with ideas and actually apply them.

There's nothing about it to take personal. This isn't a thread about personal feelings towards things.

This whole thing isn't much of a time consuming project as much as it's just a by-product of other development that is on the table. I figured some would find it useful and most would still retain the same views. Having heard the reviews of all the other conversions and knowing where all their IP had come from, I figured at minimum to provide something that was done from scratch, not stolen and in the end actually works.

The bigger picture to this is the ability to learn and understand the fundamental controls of the Allison calibrations and learn how to further control the software to do what we want and need to accomplish greater things with it down the road. IE... get that 7 second pass on an Allison, retain and control defuel properly and support further development and adaptation of the platform to other areas.

This is just to be a better thing for the people that are interested in this area of the Allison.

And because I was bored. :roflmao:
 

joshd472

New member
Oct 10, 2016
254
0
0
I figured it would be more and understand it's ok for these trucks cruise at 2300+ rpm but was annoying and loud in my truck. It just wasn't bad enough for me to justify spending over $500 to change it.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,661
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113
Phoenix Az
I figured it would be more and understand it's ok for these trucks cruise at 2300+ rpm but was annoying and loud in my truck. It just wasn't bad enough for me to justify spending over $500 to change it.



Oh I hear ya. When I swapped to 4.56 gears from 3.73 on my 37’s, anything over 70mph drops mpg significantly even with tuning changes. Even at 70 I’m still 2mpg lower than I was on stock gears. It’s basically like my truck is on 245/75r16 tires (what it came factory with). I look forward to the lower engine speed (quieter), bring mpg up some, and cruise faster than 70mph loaded or unloaded without spinning the heck out of the engine the whole way.

That’s the other thing, my pilot injection shuts off above 2500rpm which means when I’m going over 80, my wife knows (which leads to “slow down!”) and things get a little louder inside lol. 85-90mph sounds like I’m ready to race anyone next to me lmao
 

THEFERMANATOR

LEGALLY INSANE
Feb 16, 2009
3,890
43
48
44
ZEPHYRHILLS, FL
Oh I hear ya. When I swapped to 4.56 gears from 3.73 on my 37’s, anything over 70mph drops mpg significantly even with tuning changes. Even at 70 I’m still 2mpg lower than I was on stock gears. It’s basically like my truck is on 245/75r16 tires (what it came factory with). I look forward to the lower engine speed (quieter), bring mpg up some, and cruise faster than 70mph loaded or unloaded without spinning the heck out of the engine the whole way.

That’s the other thing, my pilot injection shuts off above 2500rpm which means when I’m going over 80, my wife knows (which leads to “slow down!”) and things get a little louder inside lol. 85-90mph sounds like I’m ready to race anyone next to me lmao
The pilots easy to take care of. Contour your cutoff table instead of a flat rpm cutoff. I cut pilot at 2300 in the upper fueling because I've found the turbo lights quicker without it, but in the cruise fuel areas I keep it till 2800 because sometimes pilot would kick out under half throttleor so, and I just didn't like the noise. Took a little time, but you never notice my pilot going out. And since you now have an lly, you can stagger when pilot goes out to furthur refine it.

As to a 6 speed swap, it would be nice, but I don't drive enough hwy to justify it anymore with my failing health. When I did my swap, the conversion's were still very new, since I was regearing anyways, I just opted for 3.42 gears. It gives me the same final drive on 5th as 6th does with 3,73's. And it helps me to drive the limit because at 70 I have zero drone, on stock injectors I was good till 75, but the 45 sacs start to drone at exactly 70.5, so I know when I'm doing 70 dead on now.
 

Hambone

Always learning
Jan 24, 2016
572
0
16
Florida
Like Iwoa said I think a lot of it will be state influenced
Here in Florida if your not going 10 over your just a danger to everyone else trying to pass you:confused:
South Florida is even worse down there people do 85-90 on the highways and that’s the norm... well when it’s not gridlocked :roflmao:
 

Dozerboy

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2009
4,892
470
83
TX of course
Guys in west TX will like it, but the speedo still stops at 120... lol

I’m interested to see what other projects are in the works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,661
5,808
113
Phoenix Az
The pilots easy to take care of. Contour your cutoff table instead of a flat rpm cutoff. I cut pilot at 2300 in the upper fueling because I've found the turbo lights quicker without it, but in the cruise fuel areas I keep it till 2800 because sometimes pilot would kick out under half throttleor so, and I just didn't like the noise. Took a little time, but you never notice my pilot going out. And since you now have an lly, you can stagger when pilot goes out to furthur refine it.

As to a 6 speed swap, it would be nice, but I don't drive enough hwy to justify it anymore with my failing health. When I did my swap, the conversion's were still very new, since I was regearing anyways, I just opted for 3.42 gears. It gives me the same final drive on 5th as 6th does with 3,73's. And it helps me to drive the limit because at 70 I have zero drone, on stock injectors I was good till 75, but the 45 sacs start to drone at exactly 70.5, so I know when I'm doing 70 dead on now.

yeah steve has gone over it with me. i may dick with it when i do the swap. all this truck sees is highway and mainly loaded. im also going to start looking into doing a full exhaust now. current exhaust dumps under the back of the cab and i want to take the drone out from there. Granted there isnt much with the second turbo and a muffler but after being in my dads 15.5 lml, i was spoiled....
 

THEFERMANATOR

LEGALLY INSANE
Feb 16, 2009
3,890
43
48
44
ZEPHYRHILLS, FL
Guys in west TX will like it, but the speedo still stops at 120... lol

I’m interested to see what other projects are in the works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd be happy if I could get consistent lockup at wot again. My swap will not shift right exvept with the infamous 01 TCM OS, and that's the ONLY OS that doesn't have the lockup table in it. I had it locking up good with stock injectors, but the 45 over sacs changed things a bit. Now it's a roll of the dice, like dealing with my wife.