Originally Posted by 2005HHRauto

Hmm...
I say ‘bull’ on this ‘story’ of a HHR SS with a quarter of a million miles on it, bought on the spot, at a bank, with a clear title in hand, for $1,800...


Hmm....
What is 4/11 gearing....
To change the ‘gearing’, or what can be called the final ratio in the 4T45E automatic the we have, the transmission must be removed & torn down to get to the chain driven gears.
Then one must determine which of the 2 gears, needs to be swapped out, & in most cases both gears need to be changed to get the final ratio that you desire.
Also 1 of 2 different carriers must be matched to the changed gear set.
With this transmission being obsolete, the gears might not be available anymore.
100% of the time, the only way is to just swap out the transmission with one that has the ‘gearing’ that you want.
If this transmission was taken out, & taken apart for a ‘gear-change’, 100% of the time the transmission will be rebuilt also.
Also I’m not aware of a 4/11 swap...
I do know that it’s possible to do a 3.91 gear change with our 4T45E...
What say you...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_4T40_transmission


Isn't swapping chains and sprockets the same as changing the final drive?

not exactly, but it has pretty much the same effect. The output sprocket is on the output shaft coming from the torque converter. The drive chain goes between it and the input sprocket which drive the rest of the gears. The final drive gear is part of the differential which is on the end after the other gears. Changing the final drive gear only changes the differential rotation speed relative to the rest of the trans. Changing the drive sprockets and chain also changes the speed of all the other gears relative to the torque converter and engine. At least, thats what I pick up from the break downs in the manual. :)


No factory ‘LSD’ available for our 4T45E...
Back in the day, there were a few aftermarket companys that made them, & sometimes a used one pops up for sell...

Originally Posted by DrLoch

Ok .... now that we know how 2005HHRauto feels abut the OP.

Originally Posted by 2005HHRauto

I really don't feel neg/pos about the OP...
It's just that what he posted, just doesn't make any sense at all..
Maybe I have watched too many episodes of CSI...

Originally Posted by michael sovern

LoL I understand its hard to believe I sure wouldn't have. you always here of the deals to good to be true but I happened to hit one just right. One reason I think that was is because they aren't well liked in the south they bash me for having it but I believe with some upgrades it will be a real performer. The reason I had my friend that owns the shop to work on the gearing was because it was already in terrible shape probably only 5000 miles was probably left in her anyways. Since we had to machine out some new pieces anyways I asked him if 4/11 was realistic and he said with the right parts anything is possible. I may have screwed up the transmission doing that but idk 4/11 just sounds nice. :) Any ways I'll send some pics when I get her back at the first of the week. I hate that they're so easy to bottom out with.

Originally Posted by michael sovern

I didn't have to specifically mention this before your post but some of the parts required were not available but when you have hos cnc equipment and background experience in machine tool technology with the cad software such as feature works its not difficult to pop them out like gumdrops. Now I wasn't aware that the LSD wasn't factory available so i'm guessing the previous owner did what you stated and added the aftermarket parts to make both wheels spin but when i put it in launch control rev it up then let the brakes go it leaves 2 very distinct black burnout marks. sadly I bottomed out the other day and cracked something on the exhaust but i should have her back Monday or Tuesday at the latest if you would like me to send a video. :) I'll show you the mileage and all I don't b.s don't worry.

Originally Posted by 2005HHRauto

Huh...
You can't work on the 'gearing', you R&R, remove/replace, the transmission,
with a transmission that has the ratio that you need...
There never was a 4/11, & I'm thinking you really mean 4.11...
With the right parts 4.11 would be impossible, period...
Anything is not possible...
So now you're saying that you didn't get 4/11 'gearing'??
What 'gearing' did you get??
You/he might have screwed the transmission up by doing what??

The only ratios possible with the 4T45E are 3.63, 3.29, 3.05, and 3.91

All HHR SS have a 3.29 ratio..
Cobalts & 2.2 Malibu's have a 3.63 ratio...
3.5 V6 Malibu's & G6 have a 3.05 ratio...
All 2.2/2.4 HHRs have a 3.91 ratio...

You had to machine out some new pieces??
What exactly are you making??
I've never heard of anyone machine out new pieces of anything, that have to do with an HHR...

The "gearing" was in terrible shape??
What exactly does this mean??

I'm just so confused as this is probaby the most interesting thread that I have
ever read on this forum...



I very much doubt that there are any automatic HHR SS, in which someone put in an aftermarket LSD...
All HHR SS automatics will leave 2 very distant black burnout marks...
What exactly are you making with CNC equipment??
The exhaust is very well protected as it is located very high, so it would be next to imposible to 'bottom-out' & hurt the exhaust...
When you say that you rev-it-up & let the brake go, do you mean that you are 'boosting' againest the brakes to pre-load the drivetrain??
I'm not worried, I believe you...

Originally Posted by michael sovern

Maybe im confused on what the LSD does I just thought that meant that both front wheels pull because on some cars only one pulls so i figured that the limited slip differential meant that both spun. Yes i mean 4.11 and yes its ratio not gearing its just the way we speak perhaps in different regions. And yes it now has 4.11 drive ratio and you know the factory had whatever gear ratio it came out with in it. with the 4.11 ratio it might make the car slower and thats why im worrying that I screwed the car up. He's rebuilt transmissions for years, he sent the feature cam prints over and I had the hos mini mill go to work I mean it was a box full of parts non of which were factory specs and that is how i assume he got the drive ratio I wanted. I am extremely well rounded in machine tool technology not so much in cars. And I mean the transmission was in roughhhh shape it would bang into different gears. Another commentator said that the suspension on my car is shot and thats how i bottomed out probably very true and i need to have that looked at as for the exhaust being protected tell that to my broken whatever. I think it cracked the down pipe or at least broke the gasket because the leak is right at the exhaust manifold. But only my buddy will be able to tell me Monday i'll let all you guys know. And finally no I mean launch control where you mash the gas and the break for the built in stall.

Originally Posted by 2005HHRauto

I call bull on the 4.11 ratio, as it is 100% impossible on a 4T45E...
In the past, a lot of the Grand Am guys with 4T45E, modded their transmissions & could never come up with a 4.11 ratio...

If you did change the ratio, your buggy would never run as the PCM would shut
down as it would need to be programed with the ratio change...

A numerically higher ratio would never make your buggy go slower, as it would
run like a raped ape, & spin the tires like crazy without brake-torquing...

If your 'guy' has rebuilt transmissions for years, need would never even try to machine a new ratio, & would've rebuilt a unit with a quarter million miles on it,
as the work alone on a gear ratio change, would have the trans completely apart...