ok...

[IanSzgatti]

when im on a mountain bike in the easiest gear, it's hella easy to do a cat walk (or aparantly a burnout if you've seen that post here). I already inquired here about my trans, which by your accounts is a 4T45e.

my cars a 1997 Malibu, 3100. what i'd like to know is if there is a difference between 97-99 trans and 2000-03 trans since the power ratings changed. There is an auto wrecker/salvage place near me with a SHIT LOAD of transmissions... I only discovered that today... they range from 250 bucks for a 1997 to 300-350 for a 2000. Thats kinda cheap!

I think i'd be smarter to learn a little about what I can do with one of these.... I already know what to do with the motor, I've been on this site reading long enough to know what steps to take to surprise people with my sedan

[geldartb]

from what i gather the 4t45 is pretty much the same throughout its course in life.

go for an after 02 year trans GM did some updating to the valve bodies and a bunch of other stuff.

i found one by me that has 300 miles on it for 600. pretty good deal for a pretty much brand new trans if you ask me. thats how i got my new engine thing had 300 miles on it and i paid like 730.

just check the RPO code so you get the right one they had 2 different 4t45's one was the MN4 which had the 3.05 FDR and the other is the MN5 which has the 3.29 FDR

[IsaacHayes]

I thought 97 cars still had the 4T60-E...

[geldartb]

the 4t45 started in 95

just cause im lazy and was already on this site

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_4T40_transmission

isaac depends on the car. probably the whole N-body thing

[IsaacHayes]

According to that site the 97 malibu had the 4t60-e.. It didn't list grand ams at all but they were the same I thought. No idea when they switched in the N body..

[geldartb]

Ian go out and look at the transmission pan. if its a 4t60 it will be stamped in the pan.

every 4t60 that ive seen has a dipstick the 4t40 and 4t45 are the only ones i know of that dont have one. thanks GM for that.

this is from the page i posted it has the 97-03 malibu listed under the 4t40 which its the same trans.

4T40

The "MN4" 4T40E is able to handle vehicles up to 4000 lb (1814 kg) GVWR. The final drive ratio is 3.63:1. It is designed for 1.5–3.1 L engines producing up to 190 ft·lbf (258 N·m) of torque.

Gear ratios:1 2 3 4 R
2.95 1.62 1.00 0.68 2.14


Applications:
1995–2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
1995-1996 Chevrolet Beretta
1995-1996 Chevrolet Corsica
1995–2005 Pontiac Sunfire
1997–2003 Chevrolet Malibu
1999–2005 Pontiac Grand Am
1999–2004 Oldsmobile Alero

and for the 4t60 its listed for both. im gonna scope out the malibu's next time i go to the yard

4T60-E
1991-1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera/Oldsmobile Ciera V6 2.2/3100/3300 L
1994–1996 Chevrolet Beretta/Corsica V6 3.1 L
1992–1996 Chevrolet Lumina APV V6 3.4 L/3.8 L
1996 Buick Park Avenue V6 3.8 L
1993–1996 Chevrolet Lumina/Monte Carlo V6 3.1 L/3.4 L
1997–1999 Chevrolet Lumina/Monte Carlo V6 3.1 L
1997– Chevrolet Malibu V6 3.1 L
1997–1998 Chevrolet Venture V6 3.4 L
1992-1997 Pontiac Bonneville 3800 V6
199x-1999 Buick Century

[IsaacHayes]

It may be the 4banger malibus got the 4T4_-E that year.

[onefastV6]

Been there researched that, all N-bodies have the 4t40/45e tranny.

If they would have use the 4t60e in the 97 malibu it would have been great news for those of us wanting to swap to a 4t65e....unfortunately some parts catalogs have it screwed up.

[geldartb]

yeah no shit id love it if they decided to use the 4t60 in the malibu.

i was leanin towards the 4t40/5 on the malibu anyway, ive yet to see a 60e without a dipstick. and to my knowledge the 40e/45e are the only ones that got that treatment

[IsaacHayes]

Well the 94-96 grand ams used the 4T60-E then though right? That body style was up until 98....

[geldartb]

it was probably cheaper for them to use the 4t60 in the 94-98 grand am instead of changing the mounting for the engine and the trans.

the engine mounts are different too. the 94-98 grand am's used the same engine and trans mounts as the beretta.

where as the malibu was new from the ground up in 97 so they could design it into the build, rather than change an existing format.

[IanSzgatti]

just check the RPO code so you get the right one they had 2 different 4t45's one was the MN4 which had the 3.05 FDR and the other is the MN5 which has the 3.29 FDR

sorry, which one is the 'right one'?

[sharkey]

97 malibu and 94-98 grand am is a 4t60e, 98+ malibu and 99+ grand am got the 4t45e. this is according to the info i have at work.

[IanSzgatti]

thanks... my pan has nothing stamped on it

[IanSzgatti]

For the record, and the sake of anyone reading this for information, it turns out I have a 4T40, and my trans filter costs almost 20 bucks more than the
4T60 for some reason. Oh well, my shifts are much better now that i replaced the filter. The fluid looked alright, but the filter was probably very clogged. I could tell right after i went for a drive it made a huge difference. No shudder when it shifts to second at WOT, and no medium pedal shuddering...nice