Transmission question.

[jabartram]

search didnt help. how do i find out exactly which transmission i have? i'm looking to buy a second tranny to have rebuilt with all the good stuff and i want to be sure to get the correct one.

[lord2heart]

http://sites.google.com/site/aleromodupgrades/performance/transmission

[jabartram]

thank you for the link, but i need to know which exact model is sitting in my car.

[mfuller]

Assuming it's the stock transission that came in the car and you have a V6, you have a GM Hydramatic 4T45-E transaxle with a 3.05 final drive ratio.

[jabartram]

so getting one out of a same year grand am will be ok, except the final drive ratio correct?

[Redog]

If you get it out of a GA, get it out of a SE and not a GT, unless you have HP Tuners to reprogram the PCM ;)

BTW, what "good stuff" are you talking about? I would like to know this info for my tranny

[BlackJack]

He's got the PowrTuner, so that won't be a problem for him.

Hey James, if you want a little bit more low-end torque, get one from a GAGT (2003+) since it's a 3.29 gear ratio. The GASE has the same 3.05 ratio we have in the Alero. Just make sure you extract the transmission settings from a GT .bin file if you do.

[Runaboveit]

The GASE has the same 3.05 ratio we have in the Alero.

That site linked says the base GASE V6 does not have a 3.05, but rather 3:63.

I don't know either way, but thought that should be pointed out and information updated if necessary.

[jabartram]

If you get it out of a GA, get it out of a SE and not a GT, unless you have HP Tuners to reprogram the PCM ;)

BTW, what "good stuff" are you talking about? I would like to know this info for my tranny

i'm still trying to talk to gectek, when i finally do i'll let you know. i did get my quote from Ben on my new engine parts.

[BlackJack]

That site linked says the base GASE V6 does not have a 3.05, but rather 3:63.

I don't know either way, but thought that should be pointed out and information updated if necessary.
No, it says the GA "base model", not GASE - has a 3.63 but notice all the other GM vehicles listed in that category are all the 4-bangers. Had to have that low end pull in that ratio for the smaller engines to get that heavy car moving. I'd be willing to guess that the 3.63 gear ratios were also in the 4t40 rather than the 4t45.

Most of the "mid-model" V6 cars had the 3.05, and the GT or sport editions had the 3.29

There are several trim model cars missing from that list.

[Runaboveit]

Ah, I always thought the SE was the base model.

Thanks for explaining.

[BlackJack]

bah, it could be, but GM normally runs and "unlabeled" model as their base, and an SE, LE, SLE or GT trims for other models above base.

You might be right on that one, I'm completely brain fried right now from taking online courses.


*edit - confirmed.
Grand Am came in five different trims: SE, SE1, SE2, GT and GT1. Base powerplant for the SE and SE1 remained a 2.4L Twin Cam mated to a 4-speed automatic only. The SE2, GT and GT1 sported a new 3.4L 3400 (http://www.aleromod.com/wiki/GM_60-Degree_V6_engine#LA1) V6 engine.

1999-2005: 4-speed automatic with overdrive (4t40e for SE Models, 4t45e for GT models)

[kwhauck]

Interesting, blackjack what is your opinion on high FDR?

when you look at the gtp's some people would step down to a 2.93 to get a good launch and quarter, but at the same time some people step up to a 3.69 or even higher,

I hear some of the j-body guys complain about the 3.94 like I have saying that first is too steep, but there are cobalts that get out of the hole fine and they have something rediculous like 4.09...

[BlackJack]

You can't really "step down to" a 2.93 with the GTP, since that's what actually comes factory in one. That's what I'm running in the Alero right now.

my personal opinion is if you have rediculous amounts of torque from the dig, you're going to break shit (like axles, I/O shafts, diff's etc).

I personally like to be able to produce torque through as much of the powerband as possible, and I think the "way too small" gear ratio's dont really help all that much. Yeah, they're great for the dig (if you got traction, and a bulletproof setup) but they're horrible for being able to run-out your gears. Kinda like nutting too fast.

That's why if I have the '65 built, I'm currently planning to stay with the 2.93, and just up the stall speed to a 3k with lockup, considering I'm also using it for a daily driver and highway car. The 3k stall speed will get me off the line with that huge turbo, and I need the huge turbo so it doesn't fall on it's face from mid-range to the end of the powerband.

Gear ratio is really just a matter of what suits you, your car's powerband, and where you need the torque. I'd go with a tighter gear if I had a N/A setup and was mostly track or in-town driving. But for a midrange to top-end monster, I'm keeping on my current end of the scale.

Consider that back in '08, I made a 14.5 run on 5 cylinders and a tune that wasn't dialed in for the altitude. Where I ran the other guy down was after the 100ft mark, and then I left him exponentially. I had so much lag off the line from the loss of that one piston (5 cyl's trying to spool a huge turbo) that I could have easily made up 2 seconds time in the first half of the track with all 6 pumping, and a higher stall to be in boost on launch.

[kwhauck]

good points, I may just keep the 3.94 gearset for now being N/A and then once I figure out the custom intake manifold and actually get the boost going again, i'll change out the gearset....

on the upside, I found this website the other day, pretty badass IMO, download their free CAD software, you do the designing (and save butt-loads of money), and then they churn out the part for you, They even have a one click quote for machining prices built into the program :yahoo:

http://www.emachineshop.com/

[BlackJack]

um....I think we kinda raped Jame's thread. Ok, back to the task at hand. There should be a metal "tag" riveted to the passenger side shaft housing on the transmission that should tell you a code like MN5 or something to that effect. I dont know if that code will tell you the specific gear ratio or not, but I know it will identify the family of transmissions, such as '40, '45, '65 etc.

[kwhauck]

oh yeah sorry james.....lol......maybe cliff can chime in on the metal tags, he usually knows this stuff......

[jabartram]

If the discussion helps people learn, its all good.

[kwhauck]

I was thinking last night and I believe in an autocrossing, that the 3.63 would be the most beneficial to you, it will help you stay in your power range more......

[jabartram]

if anybody could help me out, i'm changing my tranny cooler setup and i need to know if the top line coming out of the tranny is going to the top of the radiator? the line circled in red.

[BlackJack]

This might help, not sure on the author's accuracy though, I'll look for more references. I'm unqualified to tell you for sure since I did my swap, because my lines are no longer stock.

http://www.ecotecforum.com/forums/showthread.php?1510-How-To-Install-A-Transmission-Cooler

However, I went from trans out, external cooler, radiator, back to trans input. Reason was same as "maven" in that thread stated. You can over cool trans fluid and the radiator helps to warm the cold transmission especially at startup, as well as cool the hot transmission. In that case, you'd want to hit the external first to cool it down to a manageable temp, then let the radiator stabilize the temp before returning it to the trans.

[jabartram]

thanks for the link but thats not what im looking for. i need to know which one is the pressure line and which one is the return line? i have been running an external cooler for years but i bypassed the factory cooler, im upgrading to a slightly larger cooler and i want to put the factory cooler back in line before the external. i just dont remember which line is which?

[kwhauck]

james, if nobody has responded in a couple hours I will run across town at look at the 3400grandam and let you know....

[jabartram]

cool, thanks.

[kwhauck]

headed out as soon as I can find the damn keys.....

[jabartram]

headed out as soon as I can find the damn keys.....


did you ever find anything out?

[kwhauck]

Still haven't found the keys, I parked it a month ago, but haven't found anything out yet. I am headed to rapid city this morning to help my dad move. I'll stop at rapid chevrolet and let you know.

Thanks, Kyle

[Monza]

On my 2002 the top line out of the trans goes into the top of the radiator. (That's checking from above, but I'm 99% sure I could account for every inch of the line.)

[jabartram]

On my 2002 the top line out of the trans goes into the top of the radiator. (That's checking from above, but I'm 99% sure I could account for every inch of the line.)


cool, thats what i've been thinking, thank you.

[kwhauck]

On my 2002 the top line out of the trans goes into the top of the radiator. (That's checking from above, but I'm 99% sure I could account for every inch of the line.)

This guy is good for his word......

me.......i fail :cry: sorry james.....

[jabartram]

This guy is good for his word......

me.......i fail :cry: sorry james.....

no problem, shit happens.

[jabartram]

i need to revive this thread. i need help finding the high performance parts for the 45e.

can anybody link me to the proper websites?

[mfuller]

I got my steels and friction module from Whatever It Takes transmission.
I have the Blue Plate clutches:

https://www.wittrans.com/showfilter.aspx?Category=793&Section=140

Also, you can get aluminum accumulator pistons from Superior Transmission (http://www.superior-transmission.com/).

Not much else out there unless you start doing custom stuff. I've dreamt about the elusive Torsen LSD that GM allededly had in the first Grand Am SC/T show car.....

[widbyj]

Here's a couple more places with parts:

http://www.importperformancetrans.com/gmautofwd.shtml#main

http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=2&Category_Code=4T40E-4T45E

http://store.phantomgrip.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=b68f3c31e17f299602b8a83bdc5645b5

[jabartram]

i finally got hold of gectek over on 60degreev6 so i can get a list of best possible upgrades for my tranny. i'm about to drop some serious cash between Bens parts and tranny parts. If i cant hit the Texas Mile in October i'll shoot for March next year. my goal is 150mph in a mile. and kicking some bmw ass around the cones!