Performance Upgrades for 4t60-e?

Ultimate 85 · Post by **Ultimate 85** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:56 pm

Seeing how the chances of me getting the differential for my 4/spd. muncie back are about as likely as winning the lottery while being struck by lightning, I've been pondering using my spare t60-e I bought from an insurance auction for my LQ1 swap (which is collecting dust as I type) a couple years back. Is there any kind of performance aftermarket for this transmission? LSD's, torque converters, clutchpacks, coolers, etc.? Figured maybe I'd use it since I have it, be a shame to let it go to waste. I don't know piss all about autos though.

PervertedHamster · Post by **PervertedHamster** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:27 pm

Talk to FieroX, he has done anything and everything to the 60E. What motor are you mating it to?

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:32 pm

Stick with the 4 speed. Plenty of them out there and a few different gear ratios to choose from.

Switching to a Getrag is actually fairly pricey, wish I'd kept the 4 speed.

I've heard mixed reviews, but I think the 3.65 4 speed Muncie is as strong or stronger than the Getrag 5 speed. Fuel economy definitly goes to the 5 speed though.

If you want to take all the fun out of driving, use the auto. I've only ever had 1 auto fiero and it sucked....

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:42 pm

do not use an auto with the LQ1. Waste of time. Me personally I think the 5 spd would be best, but I say find a new 4 spd. They are abundant and cheap.

donk_316 · Post by **donk_316** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:05 pm

There are LSDs on the market for the 4 spds. They are about 300ish a piece.

Plus another guy (i think will knows him) who makes them inhouse and have a higher clamping load.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 9:03 pm

Shaun41178(2) wrote:do not use an auto with the LQ1. Waste of time. Me personally I think the 5 spd would be best, but I say find a new 4 spd. They are abundant and cheap.

How so?

Yes, I like 5-speeds behind the 3.4, but just becuz its an auto doesn't mean it won't pull strong or anything. The motor is actually pleasurable to drive with an auto IMHO. It isn't as fast, and the gear changes are a little less neck snapping, but it wasn't bad.

Now with a high stall and a shift kit, the 3.4 I drove around was actually really likable. It still bogged off the line for a second, the converter holding at about 3200rpm, but then it took off, and at 6500 slammed into the next gear. My only dislike was that the stall was still too low, and that the gears were very long, the rpm drop between shifts was pretty harsh.

All the 3.4 owners here will agree that the 3.4 5-speed can be kinda a bitch to drive sometimes, especially in traffic (True for any stick). The auto remedies this well IMHO. It is about as much as I could ask for in a daily driver. Smooth, efficient, and dependable. Yet when you want your Fiero to move, just hammar the pedal, let the car take care of the rest. This would be the perfect swap for the guy looking for 2005 horsepower from his 1988 car. The car would be left very civilized and quite, yet have some power to back it up. And I bet a stock 3.4 Fiero auto could pull a sub 14.5.

But to call it a waste of time is ignorant. The motor will still behave the same, just with a little less personality and power.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 9:12 pm

And Shaun, have you ever even driven a 3.4l DOHC?

How about a 3.4 in a Fiero?

If so, you'd know they aren't exactly how everyone makes them out to be. They aren't all high end machines, with no low end. In fact, their high end is nothing to write home about. After 6000rpm, the motor falls flat on its face. At 7000rpm it is making less than 120whp, and less than 90wtq, and the lines were falling FAST.

The low end is quite impressive if you think about it. The reason it gets such a bad name is becuz of the power spike at 3500. It picks up so hard, that it feels really pitiful below 3500, when in all actuality it makes more wheel torque and horsepower, AT ANY RPM, than a stock 3.4 OHV, especially one with Fiero intakes and such.

From 2000rpm (Start of dyno), to 6000, the motor is never making less than 160 wtq, which isn't bad by any means, especially compared to a 2.8l. So are 2.8l auto Fieros a waste of time? That is what you've just said in essence considering the 3.4 outperforms it at any RPM. Yet to a lot of people, a 2.8l auto Fiero is exactly what they want. Yet some of these people just want a bit more power for their daily driver, and a 3.4l DOHC is perfect.

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 9:56 pm

You don't want an auto with any DOHC engine. Half the fun is shifting. You don't want an auto in a light mid engine car period.

I really hate when people say use an auto for city driving. You don't get to shift on a highway, so how much fun would that be? I love city driving with a stick.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 10:27 pm

crzyone wrote:You don't want an auto with any DOHC engine. Half the fun is shifting. You don't want an auto in a light mid engine car period.

I really hate when people say use an auto for city driving. You don't get to shift on a highway, so how much fun would that be? I love city driving with a stick.

I agree 100%, I would SOOO much rather have a 5-speed.

But, for the guys who want or need autos, that doesn't mean the 3.4 won't work, or won't be worth it. It will be, it is still the same motor, just tamed a bit. But it will still pull hard, be quick, and fun to drive to an extent, the 5-speed being moreso, but for osme people, a 5-speed just doesn't cut it.

Especially in California traffic. I'm sure a few of you have experienced this, and be honest, it is shear hell, especially when you have a long 1st gear (~40mph redline!). I could deal with it, but not everyday, and a lot of people use their Fiero as an everyday go to work car.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 4:58 am

explained in the next post.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 5:33 pm

also if you want to drag race, and just use the tranny untill the 5spd gets back together, you can remove the clip from the input shaft on the tranny, where it enters the torque converter. With the clip removed you can use a magnet to remove the ball in there. THis is if you want real hard shifts and not recomended if you plan on keeping this tranny as a daily driver for the rest of your life.

Now that I dont have a baby in my arms ill elaborate on the first post I made. When you remove the valve body you can check for pump damage to the steel plate, if its there, you will see it, there are replacement 1/4" plates to mount the pump on for this. The ball that needs to be removed is the largest one, in fact they are all the same size except one, which is the large one, its easy to see. This is the throttle valve exhaust ball and when removed it will in fact make your 4t60 shift harder, but not as hard as the input shaft mod. The input shaft mod should be done in conjuction with the tv exhaust ball removal. This information comes from a 4t60-e rebuild manual. I have not done it, but I have overhauled one of them. it was in my dads pickup so I didnt do the performance stuff. The tranny is easy to work on, just have a clean bench and a magnetic tray. OH AND A GOOD MANUAL.

Ultimate 85 · Post by **Ultimate 85** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 6:24 pm

Thanks for the input guys.

Real Fiero Tech

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Performance Upgrades for 4t60-e?