Hello All,
OK, I have a 86 GT with a 383 SBC..(450 HP a crap ton of torque) connected to a stock 4t60 out of a Cadillac Deville . My transmission may be taking a dump on me, so to be proactive I have been researching switching to a beefier 4t65e-HD. I know there are threads on this, but I kind of have a question that has not been addressed, as far as I have seen. OK, The trans will bolt to my adapter plate ( Archie's Kit), but my car has no ECM, nothing, nada, zippo. I'm running a standard carb, old school hot rod set up. So I know I have to have a TCM, but all of the threads talk about connecting into the Fiero ECM or using an ECM from Donor car. I'm wondering if anyone has addressed this, or if there is a thread that does? I can get an aftermarket stand alone unit, but I'm having trouble finding one for this exact application. Any recommendations on a good TCM that will operate with my application?? Please advise....

Jake

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86 GT Fastback with a 383 SBC
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, "If I Die, You are forgiven. If I Live, I will kill you." Such is the Rule of Honor.

I have a "TCI" TCU. I had it getting a tps input from a Holley MPT set up. I went to a carb because the MPI was just not working. I made a bracket to hold a tps from a 4.9 TBI caddy engine. I had TCI make me a custom harness for the 4T60-E. Before That, when I was haveing a lot of trouble getting the fuel injection and the tcu working together I made a small plate with 3 switchs to control the trans. One switch for each trans shift soleniod, and one for the TQ lock up seleniod. Later the kid used this set up for a year on his 4T60-E while he was getting his 3800SC ser2 / 4T65 ready to go in the car.
this is how I mounted it all.

this the 3 shift switchs. the pair are for shifting. the left to right ( top switch ) is for lock up.

the trans is in "1st" in this picture. move the left switch back for 2nd,. move the right switch back for 3rd. move the left switch to the front for 4th. move the 3rd switch to get the TQ converter to lock up. I didn't do a 383, and I used a victor intake because I wanted to kill a little bit of the low rpm TQ. their is only so much you can do with a FWD trans.
the bracket and TPS on the carb.


The trans is in 1st ( or R ) when it has no electrical in put. It will move the car, but that is it. To make the switchs work I ran a 12v, switched wire to all 3 switches. than a seperate wire to the trans selenoids using a trans plug from the junk yard.
The TCU does out put a speedo signal that will work a after market speedo and can be programed with a laptop for tire size changes.

Thanks, I saw the TCI earlier but I'm Leaning toward the Magna tech TCU and setting up a holly remote TPS. Magna Tech also sells a conversion for my B&M Shifter. This may sound dumb, but how does it shift. You still need to put in drive with the shifter right?? and no im not blonde, i'm just not familiar with the electronic Transmissions.....lol

Jake

Now that I have it running and shifting ( the engine is broke right now ) I use the tcu to drive it. This unit has 4 shift maps. A and B are the normal, tunable, maps. 1 for sreet, one for race. "C" is for snow, takes off in 2nd.
"D" is for dyno, it takes off in what ever gear you program it to ( 3rd for this trans) and locks the TQ converter up @ a user set rpm. Plus it has a paddle shifter option that I am using.
When we used the manual switchs, yes, you had to shift it to overdrive for it to go. But because of the fail safe programing the car will do 1st and rev. with out any input from the ecm ( or the switchs) just using the shifter. I don't have any need for a fancy shifter any more. The paddle shifter will not miss a shift.
For a while I had a 1400 rpm stall converter in the trans. With the 3.29 gears the car drove away from lights with out a lot of fuss or noise, It was nice. BUT..............the idle speed was to high for that converter. didn't want to idle in gear. now I has a 2095 stall, the car sits at a light just fine. But if you are not carefull it will light up the tires with a tickle of the gas peddle unless you let it get rolling first.
I have a bent rod from "hydro lock". The piston looks OK, but I will replace it just to be safe. yester day I ordered the new piston set.

350, .040 over, flat tops, comp cams roller, roller rockers, dart alum heads ( set up for 7500 rpm ) victor intake, SS headers in to a 2.5 cross over pipe, in to a electric exhaust dump, remote electric water pump, with a lot of red powder coating so it would look "stock"


The TQ converter for a 4T65 should have a bigger bolt pattern that the 4T60. but the 4T60 converter my fit in the 4T65.

Cool, that is very helpful. I'm still waiting to hear if my trans is dead before i decide to upgrade.