What about a 6L80 conversion?

 

Probably something I should have done to begin with...

 

I am contemplating the same swap myself. 6L80's are cheap, rebuilding them is cheap, and then you get better acceleration, better MPGs, better power handling, etc. Just a bit more homework but a couple people have done it. That would be a bummer to have an LS3 but then not be able to use all of the power. Good luck!

 

A lot more homework AND relocation of the trans cross member, custom drive shaft length, etc.

But worth it if anyone can make the combo work properly. The others I read about are working out all the bugs still to this day.

 

Interesting, have any build links? I'd love to read as much as possible about it.

 

Got it back from the tranny shop so with complete new rebuild I'll try to drive it a little easier and see if I can make it last 100k miles... (It did last 8k with some crazy driving so I think I can make this work). On another note I've purchased a new muffler set up from a c7 corvette that was cut off a new car for custom exhaust. I'm putting those two rear mufflers with the electronic by-pass on the h3. Comes with the 4 exhaust tips and looks excellent when we hold it up there. I'll post some pics when it's done.

 

Its been done and well documented on another forum. I was contemplating doing it myself but my trans broke down twice at a time I couldnt afford to do the swap. I did pay in the 2 rebuilds as much as it wouldve cost me to do the 6l80 swap.

basically trans bolts up in same mounting point locations so no need for relocating cross member. You need the correct xfer case adapter to clock it in the right direction so no need for another shaft. You need a custom output shaft for the trans and a 2008/2009 valve body to work with the H3 VIN (using a specific wiring harness). You will need to get a 6l80e tune.
What wasnt done is get it to shift gears in 4 Low, tap up/down.

 

The rebuilt trans is holding fine but I'm not doing ANY wide open throttle. I've been told that the input drum on this trans is aluminum and there's no way it can handle that kind of HP. So the "cool" factor is there having 480 hp but I'm having to watch myself on the throttle. It's hardly a failure though because now I really can go on the freeway with power to spare. The other day I was driving and looked down at the spedo and it was 93... Opps, had to slow down a bit...

 

Just curious on the trans temps - anyone have a temp gauge on theirs to see what the actual temps were?

 

I can see the trans temps when I'm monitoring with my TunerPro and those temps seldom go over 200 degrees f. I do have an external trans cooler and it's isolated from the radiator.