4L60E Banner Rebuild Kit 1993-96

Owners of 1993-1996 GM trucks and cars with the 4L60E are usually facing an old transmission that has been topped off for years. If your C/K 1500 or Sierra, Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban, S10, Sonoma, Blazer, Camaro or Corvette from those years now slips, engages slowly or keeps losing fluid, this new banner rebuild kit covers the friction and sealing side of an overhaul for the pre-PWM generation of the transmission.

What the banner rebuild kit does in a 1993-96 4L60E

These units are the electronic descendant of the 700R4, with a 2-4 band and five clutch packs: overrun, forward, 3-4, reverse input and low/reverse. Each pack is applied by a hydraulic piston, and each piston depends on its seals. A banner kit replaces those seals and the overhaul gaskets, adds new friction plates for every pack, and includes a filter. That is the work a transmission this age actually needs in most cases: the frictions are glazed and the seals have hardened, while the steels, drums and gear train can often be reused after inspection.

Symptoms on 1993-1996 units

• Slipping or flaring once the fluid is up to temperature
• A long pause before Drive or Reverse engages
• Fluid that smells burnt, with lining material in the pan
• Internal leakage from piston seals that shows as soft, slow shifts
• No 3rd or 4th gear, from a burned 3-4 pack or stripped sun shell splines

How to confirm before you buy

Separate a clutch failure from a hydraulic or electrical one first. On these early transmissions a worn pressure control solenoid can make shifts harsh or soft, and a worn valve body can mimic slipping clutches. Check fluid level and condition, read codes with a tool that matches your year, and compare what you feel to the descriptions in our 4L60E common problems guide. If the complaint is a sloppy or slipping 1-2 shift, the 2-4 band and servo guide explains how a worn band or servo produces the same feel.

Fitment: 1993 through 1996

This kit is listed for 1993-1996 4L60E transmissions, the years before GM moved to PWM converter clutch control. Sonnax groups many TCC parts as '96-earlier, because those units switched the converter clutch fully on or off, and the PWM circuit became standard from 1997. Within this range, Sonnax also separates 1993-1995 valve bodies, which use a PWM-style 3-2 control, from the 1996 on/off style. That means a 1996 unit and a 1994 unit do not share every valve body part, even though the clutch packs are the same design. Lay each gasket over the case and valve body before assembly and send us your year and VIN if the transmission has been replaced. A 1996 owner can also compare the 1996-only banner kit. Every fitting part is on the 4L60E collection page.

Install notes

• Soak frictions in ATF, measure clearance on each pack as it is assembled, and replace steels that are blued or warped.
• Replace bushings during the overhaul; they are not part of a banner kit.
• The 3-4 pack is the weak point. The Raybestos 3-4 Z-PAK clutch pack adds capacity there for a truck that tows.
• Old solenoids are worth replacing while the valve body is off; the 1993-2002 master solenoid kit with harness covers this range.
• Set end play to GM's 0.005-0.036 in range, fill with Dexron VI ATF and check the level hot.

What is the difference between this kit and the 1993-1997 version?

This listing stops at 1996, the last year of on/off converter clutch control. If your unit is a 1997 with PWM converter clutch control, compare the 1997-2002 kit instead.

Does the kit include a new 2-4 band?

A banner kit is frictions, the overhaul gasket and seal set and a filter. Inspect the 2-4 band during teardown and replace it separately if the lining is burned or the drum is scored.

Can I reuse my original steel plates?

Yes, if they are flat and show no blue heat discoloration. Measure clutch pack clearance with the plates you install, and replace steels that are out of spec or heat-marked.

Which fluid goes in a 1993-1996 4L60E?

Dexron VI ATF. It replaces the earlier Dexron fluids these transmissions were filled with when new and is compatible with them.

How do I know my transmission is a 4L60E and not a 700R4?

The 4L60E has a round electrical connector on the side of the case and no throttle valve cable. A 700R4 uses a TV cable from the throttle body. The 4L60E first appeared in 1993.

• 4L60E Common Problems, Symptoms, and What to Actually Do About Them
• 4L60E 2-4 Band and Servo: Wear, Pin Selection and the Corvette Servo Upgrade
• 4L60E Rebuild: The Bench Tools You Actually Need
• 4L60E Overrun Clutch: Function, Wear and Symptoms