Both the 4L60E and 4L80E are automotive transmissions built by the General Motors Company. While the 4L60E is a standard transmission used in rear wheel vehicles manufactured after 1993, the 4L80E is typically limited to diesel and big block vehicles. The two differ greatly in origin, performance, appearance and price, with the 4L80E being easily the more powerful of the two.
Origin
Despite having model numbers that are very similar to each other, the 4L60E and 4L80E are vastly different even down to how they are manufactured. The 4L80E is the electronic overdrive successor of the Turbo 400, an earlier transmission model favored by drag racers and hot rod enthusiasts. The 4L60E is an electronic transmission based off the 700-R4, which was essentially the standard transmission for Chevrolet and GMC vehicles beginning in 1982.
Power
Without a doubt the 4L80E is the more powerful of the two transmissions. Vehicles with powerful engines, such as big trucks for towing or high speed cars for racing, require a 4L80E rather than a 4L60E as the power of the engine is likely to break smaller, less powerful transmissions. For most stock vehicles, the 4L60E is strong enough to work with the engine.
Appearance
In addition to being bigger, the 4L80E and has an oval-shaped pan while the 4L60E has a rectangular pan. Similarly, 4L80E requires a greater numbers of bolts to secure onto the engine, which corresponds with the bigger size and greater durability.
Price
The 4L80E is considerably more expensive than the 4L60E because it is larger, more powerful and manufactured for engines with greater horsepower. The 4L80E is also the better investment for heavy trucks and high-speed vehicles with big engines since the 4L60E is prone to breaking when placed on a high horsepower engine.