H2 Manual Transmission Swap

[obzidian]

taz:

OK, my understanding that there are a few 80e's around, depending on the year you get one. Generally, you want to pick one up that is newer, e.g., a 2002 versus a pre-2000 80e. There are stronger and the tailshaft is different as well. I will try to get a few part numbers as this stuff doesn't stick in my head!

In my camaro, these are the things that i needed to do the swap. Since this will be for an h2, i can only assume that something will be different, but only time will tell on that.

Anyways, here is a quick list:

*4l80e trans, of course!

*New Driveshaft. If you need to shorten it, you can have you stock driveshaft redone and that is it. Lenghtened, then you need a new one. Mine is hd and can take the 1000rwhp+ i want to throw at it!

*Flexplate. Consider the flexplate as a flywheel of sorts, mine is lighter and stronger than the stock one, you might want to consider it since your into getting this brick moving out! Its from TCI.

*Longer dipstick. This may be application specific but i needed one as the stock trans dipstick wasn't long enough.

*TUNE!!! We are in luck as all we need to do is reflash the stock pcm to have it switched for 4l80e parameters. My camaro is a 98 and i got screwed with that since i cannot reflash it like ours. IT will be exactly the same tables as the 65e is, but now for a 80e.

*Crossmember. Again, application specific but this is the mount for the trans.

*New torque converter. You have to get a new one but now, you can really go for something nice and honestly, it better be a Yank converter or nothing at all. Higher efficiency than any other street converter. Combined with a hight STR, you have a converter that will get rid of the deadspots in acceleration (when you smash the pedal and the trans only kicks up a gear and your at 3500rpm, not two gears down and at 4500rpm)... great converter and you can keep you towing as well.

*Longer cooler lines and possible a new trans cooler. I would do it just to be on the safe side.

*Oh, and a wiring harness that will interface the sensors on the 4l80e with our pcm. Speartech has a one i think. That isn't hard to find or do.

However, you can go with a manual vacum'd 80e. It will shift manually, with no electronics needed so you don't have to reflash the pcm or need a wie harness. It works perfectly using shift/line pressure and some say that it shifts harder/more accurate that the electronic version.

Good luck, if i com up with anything, i'll edit this post. There really isn't a whole lot, but what you need to most is patience and dedication in wanting this to work. Also, some 4l80e came with either a longer or shorter tailshaft, so this maybe what we need to know if we want to do a swap like this.

LaterZ!