Master overhaul kit with gaskets, seals, friction and steel plates for GM 4T65E front-drive units in Impala, Malibu, LaCrosse, Rendezvous and Uplander.
This kit covers the whole 1997-2011 run of GM's 4T65E, so it is the one to look at if you have a Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo, Lumina, Malibu, Venture or Uplander, or a Buick Century, Regal, LaCrosse, Allure, Rendezvous, Riviera or Terraza that now slips under load, bumps into gear, or keeps setting P1811. It packages the gasket and seal set together with friction and steel clutch plates, which is what a high-mileage unit needs to come back to factory-firm shifts in a single teardown. The kit weighs about 7.6 lb, so it ships easily.
Inside the 4T65E, the input, second, third and fourth clutches and two bands are applied by oil the pump sends through the valve body and channel plate. When frictions glaze and seals harden, a shift takes longer, and the PCM adds line pressure through the pressure control solenoid to make up for it. Transmission Digest calls this adaptive strategy: once added pressure can no longer keep a shift under about 0.65 second, the code appears. Replacing the frictions, steels and every lip seal and sealing ring brings shift times back to normal so the computer is not working at its limit.
Read the 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 shift time, shift error and TAP values on a scan tool. Transmission Digest explains that a large TAP number in one shift or gear tells you which clutch the computer is fighting to hold. Then inspect the pan. If the fluid is clean, rule out the pressure control and shift solenoids first with our pressure control solenoid guide. If third and fourth are the complaint, read the 4T65E 3-4 clutch failure guide.
The listing covers the GM 4T65E front-drive four-speed from 1997 to 2011, including Impala 2000-2011, Monte Carlo 1997-2007, Malibu 2006-2008, Lumina 1997-2001, Venture 1999-2005 and Uplander 2005-2009, plus the Buick models above. A 14-year fitment range spans real design changes, most importantly the 2003 switch from sprag to pawl-type freewheels, which changed the input friction tooth count. Compare the kit frictions to your old plates before assembly, check the case tag, or send us your year and VIN. You can compare year-specific kits on the 4T65E parts page.
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Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
It is listed for that range, but GM changed the freewheels in 2003 and the input friction changed with them. Compare the kit frictions to your old plates, or send us your year and VIN to confirm.
Yes. The listing includes gaskets, seals, friction plates and steel plates. Bands, drums and bushings are not included.
Third-only slip usually means the third clutch, but a full kit is the sensible choice on a high-mileage unit because every seal and friction is the same age.
A common shop rule is 0.008 to 0.012 inch per friction. On the six-friction second clutch that works out to about 0.048 to 0.072 inch total.
Dexron VI. Flush the cooler before filling and reset adapts with a scan tool.
