Outsourcing

Having originally decided I would do the necessary research and then strip my wiring loom of the unnecessary wire etc I've decided to send it off to John at Speartech in the US, along with the Transmission Control Module (TCM) that lives in the bottom of the Automatic box. In 7 litres of transmission fluid.

So a couple of hours saturday morning and this is the labelled spaghetti in it's unfettered state... and packed in a box ready for shipping.

Next is the turn of the TCM. This proved to be much more challenging, not least because not having an engine stand so working upside down under the dripping internals and being nervous of removing the transmission off the engine (I need to send it to AK intact so they can validate measurements and build the chassis 'around' the engine for fitment.

Luckily Speartech have instructions of how to remove the TCM... but I didn't know I needed a specific Torx Plus socket for some of the internal bolt removals so that caused a delay whilst I located a supplier in the UK.

I've learnt a massive amount about the way the transmission works and about the cooling of it doing this so actually a huge benefit to do so.
I will be replacing the stock GM filter/pickup with an aftermarket one which allows greater transmission fluid flow. (Heat is the primary enemy of this transmissions - any issues are normally related to ineffective cooling)

So what I'm after is in here. Thankfully on the later models GM thought to include a drain plug. On earlier ones they didn't which lead to much merriment and happiness with the US LS swap fratenity ;-)

 

 Even with the drain plug I still managed to cover the floor with a red super slippery swamp... live and learn. Still, the fluid is nice and clear with no rubbish in it meaning I hope I've not bought a donkey.

Chocked and ready for the operation



Sump off, what I need to get off is the brown plastic thing shown below which houses the solenoids and computer - but it is bolted to the valve body from the underside so it all comes out. First the filter which after 3 hours of probing and a panic mail to Speartech I eventually learnt it is a push fit... no bolts :-(

Filter off, passthrough connector tab unlocked (which disengages the unit from the casing) now to locate the correct attachment bolts from the myriad available to undo.

Thank something for iPhones... this was invaluable to help decipher what was where!

Result. After much effort the valvebody /TCM assembly is off - the little 4 hole seal is put back into the underside of casing so it doesn't get lost. now I need to separate the brown plastic bit from the metal bit!

Done. Plenty of fluid left in various parts so I left them to drain at various angles for a week, popped the sump back on the unit and packed up the TCM to go in the box to Speartech.

Update: The TCM and harness arrived in the US at intended destination 30th August. Speartech have alot of work on so not likely to be looked at till late September but I'm not in any rush so this is fine. For clarity they will be doing the following:
Reworking the harness
Supplying an E38 Engine Control Module with a Corvette calibration to enable electronic gear shift (the camaro one does same but it needs the body control module to help 'translate' the messages which is not needed and too much of a faff to get working)
Supply electronic accelerator pedal
Reflash / calibrate TCM to matched Corvette transmission control - much closer to Cobra in weight so will be good match on shift pressures etc.
Supply tapup/tap down gear shift module to hook up to wiring harness

I spoke to John Spear about torque management which is the subject of much debate with the 6L80E transmission. It is a complex area around how much nannying the controller does over the gear changes. i've decided not to fiddle with stock GM tunes until I know more about it and can test for myself.

Just need to build a trolley now and the engine will be ready for AK to collect.