Chevy & GMC Vans

I am sure this is wishful thinking...but if I have to replace my transmission is there a different transmission that I can hook up with the v6 that would work with a cummins 4bt or other diesel? Preferably a 5 speed auto or manual.

any GM transmission that will fit your 4.3 will fit a 4BT with an adapter (the same adapter that is usually attached to the 4BT's in the Grumman vans) but your 4L60E is propably a little light for a 4BT

The 4l60e is meant for vehicles up to 6000lbs GVW and is rated for engines up to 360 ft/lbs of torque. GM also used this tranny in some trucks that had a 8600lb GVW.
The 4bt has a stock output of 105hp@165ft/lbs. of torque.
The 4l60e will handle a stock 4bt no problem.
Peter

It will handle stock torque but what would be the point of dropping in a diesel with less torque? It would be so slow you could push it faster! A 4BT is so easy and cheap to mod and make 300 plus torque it isn't funny!

Well, what's the point of putting a diesel in anyway.

Kabey's Van wrote:Well, what's the point of putting a diesel in anyway.

waste veggie oil...... not to mention the better fuel econ to begin with.

ya if you find yourself a 4L60-E that came out of a v8 truck then it will handle it with out any problems.... A v6 one will work too but the v8 one has a larger clutch pack and accumulator springs.

The tranny in my old suburban was a 4L60... It was behind a 6.2L diesel pushing about 7000LBs of truck around.


Dean is so right.

The gen 1s only needed a 12v wire run to the fuel pump to run it and turning certain screws on the bosch pumps especially can almost double the output of the engine. Then you can start on other small mods that will really crank that sucker up.

I've heard tales of them running at 90 PSI boost too.

Thanks! Maybe the stock tranny can handle a diesel but is it going to be happy for a long time? I am guessing that the first two things to go on my astro are going to be the power steering pump or the tranny. When the tranny goes I want to be able to drop another tranny into the stro that will (hopefully) not need an adapter to work with the 4.3 v6, will be able to accept 380 ft pnds of torque on a regular basis and hopefully will be a 5 speed, but the wallet may determine 4 speed.

Any suggestions?

lets not forget that diesels dont rev very high. tranny will need to be geared lower

Usually diesels will use the same gears in the tranny and use a lower gear in the differentials. The 3.42 and 3.23 rears that are vans use will actually work just fine.

you will definatly need a lower stall speed for the torque converter