vt commodore transmission 4L60-E issues

[Ryback]

Well the wife was driving my VT V6 wagon on the open road sitting at 105km, no issues or sounds, the wife stoped at a lay-by, after about 5 min the wife put the the car into drive and found it had a funny sound coming from the box under 10km over this speed the noise goes away. Now the car has no 2nd gear or reverse.

The box changes fine apart from the large jump from 1st to 3rd (high revs to low revs) no bangs, jolts or anything. When i put into reverse nothing happens just revs like it was still in park.

The transmission shop said it seems like a thing called a "Sun drive gear????" it's in the middle of the box and if that goes the rest of the gears will not be far behind. Told looking at around about $2100 (NZD) to fix and recon box.

Wife drove the wagon drove the car over 120kms from where she was at the speed limit to get it home.

Any ideas. Also how do i find the box code (eg 4HDD, 6HDD etc) this is not anywere on the box as needed so i can replace the box for under 600 nzd and i will replace myself if needed.

 

[BlackVXGTS]

Number 8 from the list of 4L60E common problems and failures:

8. 1st and 3rd only, no 2,4 or R; sunshell is fractured or splines are sheared off. R&R. Try not to run or drive the car or further damage could result.

R&R = Remove & Repair (or Rebuild) = Transmission must be removed to fix the problem and may have to be rebuilt or replaced.

 

[Mick1988]

My mate who is a gearbox mechanic told me that the gearbox codes are just to show the year. The first number is the last digit of the year and HFD is 90's HDD is 00's

So 9HFD is 1999 and 2HDD is 2002. Looking at the gearboxes I have in my shed his theory checks out so if your car is a 1998 try looking for a 8HFD. There are slight changes in sensors (and I believe input shaft changed from VT to VX) so best to get one the same as yours. If your car is a 2000 VT maybe seek out a 0HDD but ensure it's from a VT.

I have 4 gearboxes just standing in my shed from various cars I have wrecked when I have wanted parts for my own car. I usually ask $200 for them I'm sure that you'd be able to pick one up for $300 at most in New Zealand and a good gearbox shop shouldn't charge more than $700 at absolute most to fit and oil a new box. For what they're worth second hand they're not worth repairing unless it's just the shift solenoids which you can do under the car.