Is the stock transmission a ticking time bomb?

[Jonathan Floyd]

    Hey guys and gals I was hoping y’all could answer a question of mine. I currently own a 2019 Silverado trail boss with the 5.3 and 6 speed transmission. A mechanic told me the transmission is a ticking time bomb if I do any performance mods. Such as a cam swap and tune. So I explained my plan for the future. Cold air intake, flow master exhaust, headers, tune and cam swap. He said if I do any of the big changes to the engine the tranny may go out. The reason why is because the stock transmission was only made to handle the stock HP and TQ. Have any of y’all had an issue like this after some big performance mods?

Edited September 29, 2019 by Jonathan Floyd

[J-man67]

I think you'll be OK with bolt ons and a cam. Any forced induction, then I'd consider tranny upgrades.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[AJMBLAZER]

Sounds like he’s full of shit. 

 

The 6L80E is a 3/4 ton spec trans by any old measure. GM just finally learned from 25 or so years of 700R4/4L60E/4L65E/4L70E mediocrity to just upgrade to a stronger transmission from the start. 

 

If you were talking cam, heads, blower or turbo, etc you might eventually get to where you’re stressing things with hundreds of additional horsepower but what you’ve listed won’t even be 100hp. You’ll be fine. 

[CamGTP]

The key is the calibration tune with adding more power. People have been adding superchargers to stock 6L80e's for years without issues and those add well over 100 horsepower and torque to the rear wheels.

 

Sadly not being able to tune these new trucks has put a stop to any mods that add any real power.

[Jonathan Floyd]

32 minutes ago, AJMBLAZER said:

Sounds like he’s full of shit. 

 

The 6L80E is a 3/4 ton spec trans by any old measure. GM just finally learned from 25 or so years of 700R4/4L60E/4L65E/4L70E mediocrity to just upgrade to a stronger transmission from the start. 

 

If you were talking cam, heads, blower or turbo, etc you might eventually get to where you’re stressing things with hundreds of additional horsepower but what you’ve listed won’t even be 100hp. You’ll be fine. 

   Yeah he was kinda odd and I didn’t think GM would make a something so weak that if you add like 50 HP the damn tranny would break. He was most def a ford lover not trying to be biased. I think all brands have pros and cons I’ve driven all the big 3. But he couldn’t stop talking about how ford makes the strongest Transmissions. I will say this though after driving the big 3 I feel like GM is my favorite so far.

[Sin City Trail Boss]

I was under the assumption that the 6 speed is pretty bullet proof what I've read.

[Black18WT]

Im almost positive the 6L80E was originally offered with the 6.2L V8 when it came out, around 2012 if I recall, before the 8 and 10 speeds showed up. The engine can definitely handle at least 400hp. From what I've read, some hot rodders even use it even. It may be a little rough around the edges, mine rough shifted every once in a while, but I think they're pretty strong. If you dont have the tow package with the trans cooler maybe look into that though and keep an eye on temps if towing/fully loaded. Mine ran a bit hot but I heard that's normal too.

 

Im in a new 2019 elevation with the 8 speed now, and I'll be very curious to see how it holds up. I've heard some guys on here are having issues with it but so far its running cooler and pretty smooth. 

 

 

[FiatDale]

The 6 speed is tried and true. It can take a ton of power without issue. Find a new mechanic because if he doesn’t know this, I wouldn’t trust him with anything else.

[J-man67]

I had mine rebuilt at 165k, but I was expecting it to go a lot sooner with how this truck has been used/driven. I'll also shamefully admit that I did not change the fluid like I planned to between 75 and 125k. The grenade is probably more my fault for bad maintenance, not overall abuse. With that being said, it's a stout trans!

 

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[CamGTP]

Because we all love facts, the 6L80e came out in 2007 with the new body style denali trucks, both the Sierra and Yukon models.

 

The corvette also got that transmission in like 2006-2007 time frame too.

 

The calibration changes and minor design changes over the years have made it a good transmission.

Edited September 30, 2019 by CamGTP

[steveved]

While you are talking facts, the 5.3L and 6 speed in the trailboss is the previous gen engine and trans in the new body.  So, you CAN tune this...  Unlike the newer engines with the 8 speed and 10 speed transmissions which have the locked down computer.

Edited October 1, 2019 by steveved

[ForestryGuy]

On 9/29/2019 at 7:13 PM, Jonathan Floyd said:

   Yeah he was kinda odd and I didn’t think GM would make a something so weak that if you add like 50 HP the damn tranny would break. He was most def a ford lover not trying to be biased. I think all brands have pros and cons I’ve driven all the big 3. But he couldn’t stop talking about how ford makes the strongest Transmissions. I will say this though after driving the big 3 I feel like GM is my favorite so far.

 He may have been smoking crack if he believes Ford makes a good transmission... Out of all the Fords I have had experience with, the trans was always the weak link. 

[J-man67]

Keep in mind Ford and GM collaborated on the new 10spd... Or was that the 8spd? Gotta have some faith if it's in our trucks!

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[lebag335]

41 minutes ago, J-man67 said:

Keep in mind Ford and GM collaborated on the new 10spd... Or was that the 8spd? Gotta have some faith if it's in our trucks!

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 

It was the 10 speed.  Ford and Chev now running the same transmissions!

[CamGTP]

10 hours ago, steveved said:

While you are talking facts, the 5.3L and 6 speed in the trailboss is the previous gen engine and trans in the new body.  So, you CAN tune this...  Unlike the newer engines with the 8 speed and 10 speed transmissions which have the locked down computer.

Can you show me a calibration file for one then?

 

The motor/trans may be a carry over but as far as I know the computer is not. If it was then HP Tuners would have come out with support for that truck last year shortly after the trucks rolled off the assembly line. I've been waiting a long time to hear or see anything for support on the T1 trucks but nothing so far.

 

Not trying to argue or sound mad/mean in this post but until I see proof, it can't be tuned.