1997 Transmission Questions

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polarbill1999

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I am looking at buying a 97 Tahoe 4wd with a bad transmission. After doing some research it sounds like it should have a 4L60E. I also found a guy selling a 4L60E out of a 4wd 2002 blazer(s10). Does anybody know if the Blazer transmission will work in the Tahoe? After doing some more research I found that the 4L60E changed some in 97. The main difference being that the later version has a seperate bell housing.

Questions:

Do all the 97 Tahoe's have the earlier, later or can have either version?

Was there any other upgrades to the 4L60E between 97 and 2002?

I also found a 4L60E out of a 99 LS1 Firebird, will this work or is there a difference between a 2wd from a firebird and a 4wd tahoe transmission?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

Brett
 

95TwinTT

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There are enough differences between years and models, in tail sections, bell housings and transfer cases, that you would be ahead of the game to just remover the exisiting trans and have it rebuilt.

A good part of the expense of transmission work on these 4 by 4's is the labor to remove and replace.

You are up against that anyway with trying to fit a trans from another truck. It would be more comforting to be driving a tahoe with a fresh trans.

Just my .02 :cool2:
 

NYrr496

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The later one with the bolt on bellhousing will bolt into your truck. There have been updates since 97 that should be incorporated into your trans at the time it's rebuilt.
 

polarbill1999

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The later one with the bolt on bellhousing will bolt into your truck. There have been updates since 97 that should be incorporated into your trans at the time it's rebuilt.

NYrr496, so are you saying that the newer blazer 4L60E will bolt right in place? When you say updates are you talking about internal things that won't affect installation or how it works?
 

NYrr496

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It shouldn't matter what vehicle the trans is from to a point. The tailshaft and transfer case from yours or a Tahoe unit will need to be added. After that, the mods are internal and won't affect the installation.
 

95TwinTT

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I must have missed something here. Why are you talking about bringing in a trans from a different vehicle if you are going to rebuild it anyway?

Is the case cracked or something?
 

polarbill1999

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I must have missed something here. Why are you talking about bringing in a trans from a different vehicle if you are going to rebuild it anyway?

Is the case cracked or something?

I am not going to rebuild the transmission unless I have to. One of the transmissions that I am considering was rebuilt 10k miles ago. But it is from a rwd firebird.
 

polarbill1999

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It shouldn't matter what vehicle the trans is from to a point. The tailshaft and transfer case from yours or a Tahoe unit will need to be added. After that, the mods are internal and won't affect the installation.


Thanks, that is the info I was looking for. Can I just swap the tailshaft from the current transmission and put it on whatever transmission I am putting in?
 

polarbill1999

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Just talked to salvage yard

and they say that the only one that fits a 97 tahoe is a 97 tahoe, yukon, pickup, subruban. They said that it is because of some of the electronics and or connectors.

Any ideas???
 

79powerwagon

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Why not just pick up a used tranny and rebuild it your self? They SEEM complex, but really aren't- a couple of clutch packs, a couple of planetary gear sets, a couple of bands, some servos, the valve body, seals, gaskets, and pumps.

I can do a Mopar 727 in about an hour now, I doubt the GM is THAT much different...

Rebuild it on your bench, then when ready, swap them out.

Just an idea.
 

mross

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how bout a swap to a 4l65e?heard they are upgraded from the 4l60e.heard they bolt right in.
 
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