4 Speed Automatic for your Fiero – 440-T4/4T60/4T60E

The Turbo Hydra-Matic 440T4, later renamed Hydra-Matic 4T60, and the Hydra-Matic 4T60E are a popular swap for the Fiero. This is partly due to the fact that they are original equipment with many of the popular engine swap choices. They provide an additional gear (overdrive) and increased power handling with only a minor weight increase over the Fiero’s Hydra-Matic 125C. They are almost a direct drop in, requiring only a few small modifications to existing parts.

The 440T4 or 4T60 is the first generation of transversly oriented 4 speed automatic transaxle. It was used in GM mid and full size vehicles until about 1990. It only requires manifold vacuum to the modulator valve and throttle input via the throttle valve cable to  operate. Both are adjustable for shift quality. Torque converter lockup is controlled by  the ECM, or aftermarket kits are available for vehicles without a computer. The 4T60 was replaced by the 4T60E. The 4T60E is shifted electronicly using solenoids controlled  by the ECM. It still has a vacuum modulator, but the TV cable is eliminated. It will not  operate without computer control, therefore it can only be used with an engine that was originally equipped with a 4T60E.

There are several different overall drive ratios available in these transmissions ranging from 2.73:1 to 3.73:1, and possibly more. The overall ratio is a combination of the drive  & driven sprocket ratio and the final drive ratio, and has nothing to do with 1-4 gears.  The sprockets and chain are located behind the side cover and are available in 33/37,  35/35, and 37/33 combinations. The drive sprocket takes the engines rotation and  transfers it through the chain to the driven sprocket and 1-4 gear sets. At the end of the  1-4 gear sets, on the tail end (passenger side) of the transaxle, is the final drive  planetary gearset and differential. The final drive gears can be changed on a 4T60E by  removing four bolts and a snap ring. To change final drive gearing on a 4T60 you need  to entirely disassemble the transaxle.

Mounting the trans in a Fiero is quite simple. The correct brackets can be found on almost any 4T60, and most early 4T60E. They look very similar to the Fiero 125 brackets, but are made to fit the mounting points on the 4T60/E case. There are holes in the brackets that line up with bumps on the rubber mounts to prevent them from twisting when the nut is tightened. The hole in the rear bracket must be re-drilled on the opposite side of the bolt hole so it matches the Fiero rubber mount. Rubber mounts for any year  or model Fiero will work, excluding ‘87 and ‘88 4cyl autos.

The slotted holes in the cradle for the rear mount need to be moved toward the center 1-3/8″ for the correct positioning of the trans.

There is not enough room on the ‘88 cradle to allow drilling new holes in the correct location. My solution is to cut and section a portion of the cradle as shown in these before and after pictures. The third picture in this group also shows where the rear part of the cradle may need to be trimmed for pan clearance (‘88 only).

The shift lever needs to be flipped 180* to match the reverse pattern of the Fiero shifter. The lever needs to be flat to allow clearance for the exhaust crossover pipe in most cases. It also needs to be shortened to get the correct ratio for the Fiero shifter. It should be 1-5/8″ from the center of the stud to the center of the hole. The cable mounting bracket is fabricated using pieces of the 4T60 and TH125C brackets. The part of the TH125 bracket where the cable attaches is cut off and welded to a piece of the 4T60 bracket.

With a 3800 engine, the plastic cable end comes extremely close to the exhaust crossover pipe. For those swaps I break off the plastic end and weld on a stainless steel 1/4″ female rod end. The plastic end has not been a problem with the 4.9 swaps. Below you can see the adjustable cable and the steel rod end installed.

The stock Fiero axles cannot be used with the four speed automatic. For a 4T60 you can use right and left axle assemblies for a ‘89 Pontiac 6000 with 4T60 and light duty brakes. The correct part numbers are A1 Cardone P/Ns are 60-1115 and 60-1078 or CCT 8471 left and 8430 right.

For a 4T60E you can use the same left axle for a ‘89 Pontiac 6000 with 4T60 and light duty brakes on the left side, and a left axle for a manual Fiero on the right side. Some people have reported having problems with the Fiero axle on the right side, but they have always worked well for me. There are plenty of other combinations of parts that can be used to assemble axles that will fit, but those are the simplest solutions. They can be purchased off the shelf at most auto parts stores for about $60 each and install without modification.

Fiero 4.3L-v6 by Steve

I found this during a search on the web at http://home.earthlink.net/~miatav6/id12.html. I did not copy the entire article because there was not enough about the mod for the brakes and I was just interested in the 4.3L swap.

Anyway I don’t the last name but this article is by Steve.

The engine swap, I used a partial v8Archie kit. I didn’t want the extra weight, heat, or cutting required for a v8. I bought a front motor mount “U” plate, crank flange adapter, and a block adapter for $610 from Archie. I also needed a remote oil filter system and gear reduction starter with multiple mounting positions. I made the mistake of buying a kit for a automatic instead of a manual and there are many differences. On the phone, Archie isn’t one to volunteer much information although he has been quick to correct my terminology and let me know it’s been a long time since I bought the kit. My kit required cutting the bellhousing for starter gear clearance and retapping the crank flange adapter for fine thread flywheel bolts instead of coarse thread auto flexplate bolts. Feel free to email me if you have questions.

Here is a finished and running pic except for the air cleaner which there is very little room for(my next undertaking). While it’s easier and convenient to solid mount the engine like Archie does than to use a rubber mount, it’s also a bad idea for a number of reasons. Many an old hotrodder can tell you what happens if you solid mount an engine and leave a rubber trans mount. The trouble with rubber mounting is the factory mount is too far rear ward. It’s not centered under the crank. The dogbone or torque rod would be under stress all the time. While keeping the engine in the same position, I have since moved the rubber mount as far forward as possible and added two rod ends with a short tube between them bolted at one end to the V block and the other to a piece of angle bolted to the cradle just ahead of the mount. This supports the engine while letting it move on the rubber. A torque rod is still used at the rear but it only has to deal with engine torque now, as it would with Archie’s typical v8 engine mounting.

Here you can see the reason for running a 4.3L instead of a sbc. The forward valve cover clears the hinge box nicely with no cutting. The water pump pulley also clears easily. I rolled the frame lip down for extra clearance. It about 2″ between the pulley and frame rail. I didn’t move the transmission out of the stock location or extend the trans mount adjustment slots as Archie suggests for the v8’s.

In a nut shell, to put a 4.3L in a fiero you need the following. Archie block adapter, crank adapter, and front engine mount($610). Gear reduction starter with multiple mounting positions($150). Remote oil filter mount($12), 24″ hoses($20), Canton racing products bolt on oil filter bypass with 18mm thread($60), an extra driver side manifold($20), a complete 1985-present 4.3L v6, short water pump for small block chevy(sbc), low mount alternator bracket for driver side for sbc($25), single groove pulley set for sbc with short water pump($45), a sbc right hand or straight water neck($7) and remote Moroso water filler($25) or a water neck filler($55). Various cushioned clamps(addel) to support hoses($?aircraft supply). Water pump inlet=1 3/4″. SBC water neck=1 1/2″. Fiero rocker pipes=1 1/4″.

Two s10/astrovan driver-side exhaust manifolds with 3 inches of exhaust pipe are required along with one 2 inch 180 degree mandrel bent pipe($12 from JCWhitney). A s10/astro passenger-side manifold won’t clear the speed sensor on the transmission and fullsize pickup 4.3L manifolds are different. I reused the stock exhaust after the Y pipe, adding a T for the rear manifold using half the 180. The other half was used at the rear.

A filter bypass is why the starter isn’t in the stock location, necessitating bellhousing modification. I bought 3 oil filter bypasses before I got one that would clear the mini-starter. The first one($20) on the left would have cleared but the output ports overhang the filter base area. The 4.3L has a recessed filter pad and an 18mm thread. The second one($9) fits but there isn’t enough room for elbow fittings. The last one from Cantonracingproducts.com ($55) worked perfectly. They make lots of cool stuff.

I used a remote filter for a ford filter because it was (A)$12 versus $40 for a GM thread and (B) I had it laying around. I mounted the filter vertical instead of side ways like Archie does it so I will have more capacity and it’s less messy to change. The bracket is just Home Depot 2×2 angle secured with 2 3/8’s bolts. Thats a bolt on heat shield from 2024-O I made for the alternator and around the pipe near the starter(gets very close)Theres also a aluminized, ceramic blanket around the starter left over from another project. You can almost make out the lower rod end that supports the engine near the alt heat shield described below.