700R4 question

[ryan34]

I was reading around and saw that in 91, cevrolet stop using the designation "700r4" and started using 4L60. But i was the same exact tranny...is this true?

[Benm109]

Yep, pretty much. They modified the 700R4 (or 4L60 ) slightly over the years to account for problems or errors in the initial design, just like any other kind of product, of course.

Some examples of what they changed (and some random trivia info) are a revised input drum that solved a 3-4 clutch pack problem and a revised pump body that included a stepped bushing bore on the '87 and later 700R4s (I got this info from a book called "Camaro Performance").

[Christopherrr]

same tranny...government (I believe) required manufacturers to use destinations that meant something.

700r4...what's that mean???

4L60E...what's that mean??? 4 gears, longitudinal (spck), 60 = strenght, E = electronic.

Pretty much the same tranny though...just different names.

Maybe someone can exlaborate...

[ryan34]

same tranny...government (I believe) required manufacturers to use destinations that meant something.

700r4...what's that mean???

4L60E...what's that mean??? 4 gears, longitudinal (spck), 60 = strenght, E = electronic.

Pretty much the same tranny though...just different names.

Maybe someone can exlaborate...

Well the name i saw didn't have the E on it. So maybe its not electronic?
Now if i want to get something for the tranny, i should use the 4L60 name?

[Red|ine]

They are diffrent trannys.. just the diffrences are minimal, and beyond my knowledge... but saying one is the other would be false

[Dave M]

The E didn't come along until 94. Prior to that it was just 4L60 (700R4).

[Injuneer]

I think the 4L60 is about as close as you can get to being the same tranny as the 700R-4. But keep in mind, the 4L60 was only used in the 1993 F-Bodys. In 1994, they went to the electronically controlled 4L60E.

An interesting quote from an online source:

Turbo-Hydramatic 700R4 and Early 4L60-E Transmissions

©1967-2004 by Novak, Inc.

The 700R4 was introduced in Chevrolet cars and trucks in 1982 as the replacement for the TH350. Its principal feature was a 30% overdrive. It also sported a lower first gear of 3.06:1, making it an even more attractive conversion transmission for Jeeps. Though there were some bugs left to iron out in the early versions, by the late eighties, the OEM transmission had become quite strong and reliable. Earlier models can be improved by the stock upgrades, and can be greatly improved with many aftermarket parts and building techniques.

Identification:
This medium-duty automatic overdrive transmission has a case length of 23.4" long - 1.5" longer than its predecessor, the TH350, and 1" shorter than the TH400. The Turbo 700R4 is also different in that it has a square oil pan, lacking the distinctive cut-off corner of the TH350. It's case is of cast aluminum.

In 1993, the designation of the 700R-4 changed to 4L60. A later version of this transmission, the 4L60E, is an electronically controlled variation, utilizing a reluctor ring (similar to that in an ABS application) and magnetic pickup, together called the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS). The transmission requires this feedback to map the shift points. When converting to the 4L60E, let us know so we can provide you with the necessary extra components for this swap. An even newer version of the 4L60E has been released. It features a removable bellhousing and a shorter case length, along with a different bolt pattern at the rear mounting face than the TH350/700R/Early 4L60-E. Be careful to understand these different versions as you plan your conversion.