4L65E Trans Is A Grenade Change My Mind

[SpThomass]

Update On My Denali;

My infamous Denali that I love and worked so hard for ****** me over Lmao.
After about a month of driving it, I noticed I had to go into higher RPMs to switch into the next gear. I had our family mechanic check it out and well the transmission is hanging on by a thread. He thinks it’s a 3-4 clutch pack failure and I agree since that’s the gears I have to go into a higher gear for. Anyways though, I know these transmission go hard but when they fail they fail. It’s literally a grenade. And although I have great insurance they deemed it unfixable and I had to sell it.
But uh here’s to a good fun month, with my baby.
Anybody have any experiences like this? Or any stories? Ig it would help me with the loss process

 

[89Suburban]

Have a junkyard install a used.

 

[SpThomass]

Have a junkyard install a used.

That’s what I was thinking, but that was super expensive, and I called a few places but there aren’t many around here. But it don’t matter now, it’s already sold and I’m just biding my time to save up for another one.

 

[89Suburban]

That’s what I was thinking, but that was super expensive, and I called a few places but there aren’t many around here. But it don’t matter now, it’s already sold and I’m just biding my time to save up for another one.

Yeah I guess for the same amount you could find another "new to you" one. Sorry to hear man. I'm dreading the day mine takes a shit, I know I am damn well on borrowed time with my mileage.

 

[SnowDrifter]

From what I understand about the 4l6x trans, they will just grenade without warning. Hard part failure, not like the clutches wear out leaving you with some sort of lead up.

Almost 142k on mine. Fingers crossed. Toes crossed. Arms crossed. Eyes crossed.

 

[SpThomass]

Yeah I guess for the same amount you could find another "new to you" one. Sorry to hear man. I'm dreading the day mine takes a shit, I know I am damn well on borrowed time with my mileage.

Well that’s the thing, it only had 209k miles, and while thass a lot my previous Yukon had 311k before I sold that. But thanks, nice to feel I’m not exactly over reacting lol

 

[Erickk120]

yup! Sunshell let go at 160-180ish out of the blue. It would still be a hell of a lot cheaper for me to just get a rebuilt unit and install it my self. They run about 1.4k with a converter. Sure beats AAMCO charges 3.5k+ base for a complete 4l6xx build. I would say these transmissions seem to be like the russian roulette, some last over 250k easy some break way before 200k. It also depends on how they are handled and taken care of.

 

[SpThomass]

yup! Sunshell let go at 160-180ish out of the blue. It would still be a hell of a lot cheaper for me to just get a rebuilt unit and install it my self. They run about 1.4k with a converter. Sure beats AAMCO charges 3.5k+ base for a complete 4l6xx build. I would say these transmissions seem to be like the russian roulette, some last over 250k easy some break way before 200k. It also depends on how they are handled and taken care of.

Exactly but the next one I get I’ll be putting a heavy duty tranny in it.

 

[Sean James]

Same happened to my wife's Tahoe, '98 with 199K. The sunshell grenaded, I didn't have a clue what a sunshell was. Did a bunch of research and minimum $2,500-3K for shop to rebuild / replace with rebuilt. Screw it, truck had a pretty trashed interior from 10 years of kids, dogs, living on a ranch. But the motor always ran perfect. Sold it to a young guy for $500. Added another $2500 and found another '99 in cherry condition with 160K on it for 3K and an old Ruger I had laying around. This time I took months changing trans fluid, filter, synthetic oil, flush Radiator twice, change both diff fluids to syn, and new blue transfer case fluid changed twice, new brakes, etc. I'm not going to neglect it like the last one...especially the trans.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Same happened to my wife's Tahoe, '98 with 199K. The sunshell grenaded, I didn't have a clue what a sunshell was. Did a bunch of research and minimum $2,500-3K for shop to rebuild / replace with rebuilt. Screw it, truck had a pretty trashed interior from 10 years of kids, dogs, living on a ranch. But the motor always ran perfect. Sold it to a young guy for $500. Added another $2500 and found another '99 in cherry condition with 160K on it for 3K and an old Ruger I had laying around. This time I took months changing trans fluid, filter, synthetic oil, flush Radiator twice, change both diff fluids to syn, and new blue transfer case fluid changed twice, new brakes, etc. I'm not going to neglect it like the last one...especially the trans.

Got a pic of it?

 

[08HoeCD]

If I loved the truck so much, and if it had no other big issues, I’d be inclined to rebuild the trans or even install a new one rather than sell it as-is and start all over again with a different truck. I’d see it as a safer bet in the long run.

Call me crazy.

 

[Grind]

@08HoeCD Yeah, stick with the devil you know.

 

[SpThomass]

If I loved the truck so much, and if it had no other big issues, I’d be inclined to rebuild the trans or even install a new one rather than sell it as-is and start all over again with a different truck. I’d see it as a safer bet in the long run.

Call me crazy.

Well it did have a few other issues like a/c just was done. And me being 18, I don’t exactly have money to get a 700+ rebuild or a 2000 new transmission. It’s not like I went without a fight, just not much I could do. But I’ll be getting a new one in a couple months.
I still got the fastest Kia on the east coast, so at least I got my other baby.

 

[adventurenali92]

My 2006’s 4L65 gave out around 86,000 miles. Previous owner beat crap out of it and never had it serviced. Bummer. But I had it rebuilt for around 2500 and it has been pretty awesome ever since. Rebuilder that did the work for me knows what he’s doing and I’m glad I chose him.

 

[Erickk120]

My next goal is learn to put a 4l60e together and maybe even do minor upgrades, I had my 4l60e out the last few weeks while doing a rear main. I also took the time to fix my stripped pan bolts, re-tapped and heli coiled them. I also took the time to replace my pump bushings and seal as they seemed to have been leaking previously. Took some time but unfortunately, I had the 2-4 band come loose on me from its anchor pin, "my own fault" and to add insult to injury my input drum also unseated"also my fault" I was pissed to say the least. Long story short, I had to remove the 2-4 servo, re-seat the reverse input drum into the input drum, then I had to seat the entire assembly back into the case, and reinstalled the 2-4 band back. I had to do it twice, since am a dumbo and I was moving things around after I did it the first time, and what do you know! I unseated the band from its pin again. That damn band! I will say it took more tire to remove the transmission from the truck than it did to install. Took me a good 5.5 hours to reinstall it back, note I didn't have a tranny jack and I had to wrangle the transfer case and bench it into position. What a nightmare, I was covered in auto trak ii fluid since i thought it would be wise to not have to refill it later, NOPE!! Lesson learned, live and learn guys, live and learn.......... That band!

 

[SpThomass]

My next goal is learn to put a 4l60e together and maybe even do minor upgrades, I had my 4l60e out the last few weeks while doing a rear main. I also took the time to fix my stripped pan bolts, re-tapped and heli coiled them. I also took the time to replace my pump bushings and seal as they seemed to have been leaking previously. Took some time but unfortunately, I had the 2-4 band come loose on me from its anchor pin, "my own fault" and to add insult to injury my input drum also unseated"also my fault" I was pissed to say the least. Long story short, I had to remove the 2-4 servo, re-seat the reverse input drum into the input drum, then I had to seat the entire assembly back into the case, and reinstalled the 2-4 band back. I had to do it twice, since am a dumbo and I was moving things around after I did it the first time, and what do you know! I unseated the band from its pin again. That damn band! I will say it took more tire to remove the transmission from the truck than it did to install. Took me a good 5.5 hours to reinstall it back, note I didn't have a tranny jack and I had to wrangle the transfer case and bench it into position. What a nightmare, I was covered in auto trak ii fluid since i thought it would be wise to not have to refill it later, NOPE!! Lesson learned, live and learn guys, live and learn.......... That band!

They’re super strong transmissions, but the next Denali I get I’ll be putting a race/ heavy duty transmission in it.

 

[08HoeCD]

Well it did have a few other issues like a/c just was done. And me being 18, I don’t exactly have money to get a 700+ rebuild or a 2000 new transmission. It’s not like I went without a fight, just not much I could do. But I’ll be getting a new one in a couple months.
I still got the fastest Kia on the east coast, so at least I got my other baby.

If I were still 18 and didn't have a ton of cash or mechanical ability to deal with maintenance & repair issues on my own, I wouldn't touch another higher-mileage, older truck with a ten-foot pole.

Friendly advice: Stick with you Kia for a while and enjoy the lower risk & maintenance cost.

 

[latvius]

What transmission isn't a "handgrenade"? It is a part of your vehicle that will eventually wear out like any other part. No voodoo about it. Upgrade the trans cooler and replace the fluid and filter to get the maximum life out of it.

 

[SpThomass]

If I were still 18 and didn't have a ton of cash or mechanical ability to deal with maintenance & repair issues on my own, I wouldn't touch another higher-mileage, older truck with a ten-foot pole.

Friendly advice: Stick with you Kia for a while and enjoy the lower risk & maintenance cost.

Cash ain’t the problem , I got

If I were still 18 and didn't have a ton of cash or mechanical ability to deal with maintenance & repair issues on my own, I wouldn't touch another higher-mileage, older truck with a ten-foot pole.

Friendly advice: Stick with you Kia for a while and enjoy the lower risk & maintenance cost.

I respect that, and completely understand, but that ain’t in my personality. It ain’t the first Yukon I’ve had and won’t be the last, and plus I like the challenge. I’d rather go out and have something to chase rather than stay stagnant and settle for what I have. But I get what your saying just, that ain’t me.

 

[Jeff Groves]

The one in the '06 Silverado went pining for the fjords at 240,00 or so.
Cost about $2550 at the dealers in Norfolk for a rebuilt replacement installed.