4T60E Banner Rebuild Kit

This banner rebuild kit is for the early GM 4T60-E, the 1991 to 1994 units found in front-wheel-drive cars such as the Buick LeSabre and Park Avenue and the Oldsmobile 88 and 98. If your car now flares between gears, slips once it warms up, takes a moment to engage Drive, or shows burnt fluid with friction material in the pan, a reseal alone will not hold. This kit pairs a complete overhaul gasket and seal set with a new friction module, the two things almost every 4T60-E needs when it comes apart.

What this banner kit does in a 1991-94 4T60-E

The 4T60-E is GM's chain-drive four-speed transaxle with computer-controlled shifting, and it is the unit the later 4T65E grew out of. Each gear comes from applying a clutch pack or band with line pressure, so the parts that wear are the friction linings, the lip and piston seals that hold that pressure, and the gaskets that keep the circuits separate. Per the listing, this kit is two branded pieces in one order:

• A Transtec 4T60-E overhaul kit, number 2223, with a molded pan gasket, listed for 1991-up
• A Raybestos 4T60-E friction module, number RCP96-051, listed for 1991-94

The friction module is what sets the year range. The overhaul kit covers later units too, but the frictions are matched to the 1991-94 design. Steels, bands, pistons and a filter are not listed.

Symptoms a worn early 4T60-E shows

• A 1-2 flare or delayed engagement, which Sonnax links to a burned 1-2 band and low reverse pressure on this unit
• Soft shifts with second or third clutch distress, often from low line rise
• Converter falling out of lockup when hot, or shudder
• Slipping that gets worse as the fluid heats up
• Leaks from the pan, side cover or axle seals at the same time

How to confirm it before you buy

Read codes, check the fluid, and run a line pressure test. Low line rise can make good clutches slip, and Sonnax traces it to wear in the pressure regulator and boost valves, so new frictions alone will burn again if the valve body is ignored. Heavy friction debris in the pan with slipping under heat means the packs are worn. The 4T65E kept most of this design, so our 4T65E diagnosis guide and pump failure guide are useful references for this unit.

Fitment

Fit this kit to 1991-94 4T60-E transaxles only. GM revised the 4T60-E during that span; Sonnax lists a TCC regulator valve change for 1993-later and new 2-3 shift and 3-2 downshift valves for 1994-later. Those are valve body changes rather than kit parts, but they show why the build year matters. Check the identification tag on the case, and if your unit is 1995 or newer, a different friction set is needed. Send us your year and VIN if you are unsure, and see all related parts on the 4T60-E and 4T65E parts page.

Install notes

• Soak the Raybestos frictions in fluid before stacking each pack, and measure clearances as you go.
• Inspect the steels, both bands and the pistons, since this kit does not replace them. Sonnax notes the forward band clearance is often large even with a new band because the servo pin bore in the case wears.
• No filter is listed, so add our 4T60E/4T65E filter and pan gasket kit.
• Check the sprags while the unit is apart; a worn 1993-95 4T60-E sprag clutch causes slips that new frictions cannot fix.
• A 4T60-E shift kit fitted during the rebuild firms shift timing and cuts clutch heat.
• Fill with Dexron VI, which GM made back-serviceable into older Dexron applications, and check the level hot.

Does this kit fit a 1995-1999 4T60-E?

Not as listed. The Raybestos friction module is for 1991-94 units. The Transtec overhaul kit is listed for 1991-up, but the frictions are the year-specific part.

Is a filter included?

A filter is not listed in this kit. Add a 4T60E/4T65E filter and pan gasket kit so the rebuilt unit starts with clean fluid.

Are bands and steel plates included?

No. The kit is the Transtec overhaul gasket and seal set plus the Raybestos friction module. Inspect your bands and steels and replace any that are burned, warped or heat-marked.

Will this fix my converter falling out of lockup when hot?

Not by itself. Sonnax lists lockup loss when hot and shudder on the 4T60-E as valve body issues such as TCC apply and regulator valve wear, which need repair alongside the overhaul.

What fluid should I use?

Dexron VI, which is back-serviceable into older Dexron applications such as the 4T60-E. Check the level at operating temperature.

• 4T65E Common Problems and Diagnosis
• 4T65E Pump Failure Symptoms and Replacement
• 4T65E Rebuild Cost and What Drives It
• 4T65E 3-4 Clutch Failure: Symptoms and Fix