How To Identify a 4L60E Transmission and Decipher Case Tags

The 4L60E is a series of automatic transmissions from General Motors. Designed for longitudinal engine configurations, the series includes 4 forward gears and 1 reverse gear. The 4L60E is the electronically commanded evolution of the Turbo-Hydramatic 700R4, originally produced in 1982.

The TH700R4 was renamed “4L60” (RPO MD8) following the new General Motors naming convention when the electronic version, 4L60E (RPO M30), was phased in as the 4L60 was being phased out. This happened in 1993 for trucks, vans, and SUVs, and in 1994 for rear-wheel-drive passenger cars.

In 1996, a bolt-on bell housing was phased in (along with a six-bolt tailhousing) for S-10 Trucks and S-10 Blazers and beginning in 1998 for all other applications.

The 4L60E uses a 298mm input shaft for non-LS and a 300mm input shaft for LS applications. Beginning in 1998 a new 300mm torque converter with improved higher-capacity internals, 300mm style input shaft, and 300mm style pump was also introduced on models coupled to a Gen III Small Block. The 4L60E is rated to handle up to 360 ft-lb (490 N⋅m) of torque. It weighs 133 pounds without transmission fluid.

The 4L60E uses a 6.5″ depth bell with 6 bolts for non-gen 3 LS applications and a 7″ depth bell with 7 bolts for LS applications.

The 4L60E family of transmissions uses 2 shift solenoids, initially called Shift Solenoid A & Shift Solenoid B, later changed to comply with OBD II (On-Board Diagnostics revision 2) regulations to 1-2 Shift Solenoid & 2-3 Shift solenoid. By activating and deactivating the solenoids in a predetermined pattern by the PCM, 4 distinct gear ratios can be achieved. The last 4L60Es were only used in the GM Vans in 2013, before being replaced by the 6L80E. The shift solenoid pattern, also sometimes referred to as solenoid firing order, is as follows;

Shift Solenoid Pattern

Gear Ratios

The 4L60E transmissions are built at Toledo Transmission in Toledo, Ohio, and have also been built at Romulus Transmission in Romulus, Michigan, as well as Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

GM 4L60E Design Changes and Tags

This video discusses various case changes and other differences in the 4l60E Transmission variations since 1993, as grouped below.

• 1993-1997
• 1996-1999
• 2000 and Newer

A full listing of 4L60E transmission case tag IDs appears below.

Browse Donor Vehicles with 4L60E Transmissions

GM 4L60E Case Tag Codes

Tip: Use the search function to quickly find your transmission tag…