tranny problem or tranny swap

dondon3 · 10-19-2008, 08:40 AM

i just bought a 94 ck 1500 4x4 with a 4.3l with a bad tranny.. drive and overdrive were gone.. so i bought a 1990 ck1500 4x4 with a 350 it turns out that it has a 700r tranny and the 94 has a 4l60e i was thinking of putting the 350 and tranny7 from the 90 into the 94.. i think it shouldnt be that hard and should really only have to change the pcm. i suggestions would be great...

75K30 · 10-19-2008, 09:03 AM

Welcome to the site:
What is wrong with the 90 truck? Why not leave it alone? You like the 94 better huh?
Would it be easier to just keep the 90 truck and perhaps use the components from the 94 that make it desireable?
The electrical for your swap is not going to be as easy as you think, but if the 90 still functions it would seem reasonable to just use the body components to upgrade the older truck.

dondon3 · 10-19-2008, 11:15 AM

the 94 is an extra cab thats the only reason i have been debating on just finding a 4l60e for the 94 but one without alot of miles are hard to find..

75K30 · 10-19-2008, 11:24 AM

Calculate the amount of work your swap is gonna involve, and weigh the advantages and the rewards, and you might be dollars a cents ahead by just having the existing 4L60E transmission rebuilt.
At least then the transmission would be something that you could count on for many years to come.
I would re-build before I tried to find a used 4wd electronoc transmission.

chevyracer8262 · 10-20-2008, 07:16 AM

You would be much better off having the 94 tranny rebuilt. The 90 model has a hydraulic controlled 700r4 where as the 94 has a electronic pcm controlled. The only way to make everything function properly would be to take everything (engine, tranny, engine harness, inside harness, gauge cluster, drac module) from the 90 model and install it into the 94. The tranny from the 94 isn't that hard to rebuild I rebuilt 1 about 1 year ago for a friend for his 94 z71 and it's still working great. It costed him about $300 in parts for the kit he bought. The biggest problem your going to run into with finding a rebuilt one is going to be the milage and abuse that it's seen. The reason you've lost 3rd and 4th is because of the weight of the vehicle and strain that these tranny's get subject to on a daily basis. The 3rd gear piston is the smallest of all the pistons in these tranny's and that's what burn's up 4th gear first then 3rd next. There are some things you can install to help it but you will not eleminate it (3-4 Corvette servo, .500" boost valve, shiftkit, etc).

dondon3 · 10-20-2008, 05:32 PM

is their any web sights or anything to help in a tranny rebuild? what rebuild kit is a good one?

436'd skylark · 10-20-2008, 07:25 PM

Really the 700 would go right in place of the 4l60e. in fact it would a long happy life. just as long as the TV cable is adjusted properly. The check engine light would likely be on all the time, but the truck would move and the speedo would work.

Since both trucks are TBIs, if the 94 was a 93 with a 700r, the only difference in the EFI would be the proms in the computers. but, with the addition of the 4l60e, I can't say for sure. but I doubt it. If the plugs are the same, I'd swap the proms and give it a shot. otherwise Swapping the entire harness and computer would be easy, if ya know what your doing.

10-19-2008, 08:40 AM	#1
dondon3 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3	tranny problem or tranny swap i just bought a 94 ck 1500 4x4 with a 4.3l with a bad tranny.. drive and overdrive were gone.. so i bought a 1990 ck1500 4x4 with a 350 it turns out that it has a 700r tranny and the 94 has a 4l60e i was thinking of putting the 350 and tranny7 from the 90 into the 94.. i think it shouldnt be that hard and should really only have to change the pcm. i suggestions would be great...

10-20-2008, 07:16 AM	#5
chevyracer8262 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 144	You would be much better off having the 94 tranny rebuilt. The 90 model has a hydraulic controlled 700r4 where as the 94 has a electronic pcm controlled. The only way to make everything function properly would be to take everything (engine, tranny, engine harness, inside harness, gauge cluster, drac module) from the 90 model and install it into the 94. The tranny from the 94 isn't that hard to rebuild I rebuilt 1 about 1 year ago for a friend for his 94 z71 and it's still working great. It costed him about $300 in parts for the kit he bought. The biggest problem your going to run into with finding a rebuilt one is going to be the milage and abuse that it's seen. The reason you've lost 3rd and 4th is because of the weight of the vehicle and strain that these tranny's get subject to on a daily basis. The 3rd gear piston is the smallest of all the pistons in these tranny's and that's what burn's up 4th gear first then 3rd next. There are some things you can install to help it but you will not eleminate it (3-4 Corvette servo, .500" boost valve, shiftkit, etc). __________________ Chevyracer8262

10-20-2008, 07:25 PM	#7
436'd skylark Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Buffalo Ny Posts: 661	Really the 700 would go right in place of the 4l60e. in fact it would a long happy life. just as long as the TV cable is adjusted properly. The check engine light would likely be on all the time, but the truck would move and the speedo would work. Since both trucks are TBIs, if the 94 was a 93 with a 700r, the only difference in the EFI would be the proms in the computers. but, with the addition of the 4l60e, I can't say for sure. but I doubt it. If the plugs are the same, I'd swap the proms and give it a shot. otherwise Swapping the entire harness and computer would be easy, if ya know what your doing. __________________ Joe 89 K2500 Chevy, Wee-Oh-five 285K miles, completly rebuilt needs a motor, bad 1962 IHC Scout All Wheel Drive (Scout speak for locking axles) 152 ci, dana everything else

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10-19-2008, 09:03 AM	#2
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,992	Welcome to the site: What is wrong with the 90 truck? Why not leave it alone? You like the 94 better huh? Would it be easier to just keep the 90 truck and perhaps use the components from the 94 that make it desireable? The electrical for your swap is not going to be as easy as you think, but if the 90 still functions it would seem reasonable to just use the body components to upgrade the older truck.

10-19-2008, 11:15 AM	#3
dondon3 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3	the 94 is an extra cab thats the only reason i have been debating on just finding a 4l60e for the 94 but one without alot of miles are hard to find..

10-19-2008, 11:24 AM	#4
75K30 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,992	Calculate the amount of work your swap is gonna involve, and weigh the advantages and the rewards, and you might be dollars a cents ahead by just having the existing 4L60E transmission rebuilt. At least then the transmission would be something that you could count on for many years to come. I would re-build before I tried to find a used 4wd electronoc transmission.

10-20-2008, 05:32 PM	#6
dondon3 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 3	is their any web sights or anything to help in a tranny rebuild? what rebuild kit is a good one?