Custom Shift Kit

[Shudson105]

I recently spoke with my local transmission shop about installing a transgo shift kit and they told me it would cost $150 labor (plus the kit itself) to install it. That's quite reasonable to me, however for the same $150 they also offer their own custom shift kit including parts and labor. They say that their kit includes heavier duty springs, stronger parts and increased line pressure above what a transgo/B&M kit provides. It sounds like a good value but is it too good to be true? Is there anything I can ask them or talk to them about to find out if their custom kit is better then a trans-go kit?

Steve

[JaycenK]

They are going to rework the valve body. Most custom preformance automatic builders do this. With B&M your paying for name see if there is anyone else that they have done this for recently and see if they will give you an opinion

[346ci]

I work for a trans. shop (I'm a drive ability tech though, so I'm no pro at trannys), but I know when we install shift kits (trans go) our builders do "customization" to the valve body in addition to what the kit calls for.

I'm not sure what parts they would use in lieu of the trans go kit, as trans go makes some great kits.

[Shudson105]

It sounds like it's pretty safe to go with the shop's own kit instead of the trans-go kit. I will probably setup a time with them in the next few weeks to have it done. I will report back what happens.

[Z28_Driver]

Thats a very low price for a shift kit install. Are they a reputable shop?

Trans Go is a great shift kit, had it put in two cars and a truck.

[fieropope]

custom shift kits in these cars useually consist of holes being drilled in the valve body seperator plate,epc pressures bieng boosted, tcc lockup taken off pulse width modulation:IE converter just has ON or OFF no gentle engage to make old people happy that burns the conv. clutch.And the accumulator arrangement changed which all requires a drill bit,a 5/16X1" spring, a t15 torx, and a 10 mm socket. so no thats not a bad price but just make sure its the right shop. In my opinion if you do go with the trans go kit, read the instructions yourself before you decide that a shop has to do it. youll get a big sense of accomplishment from being able to say you did your own shift kit.

[JaycenK]

custom shift kits in these cars useually consist of holes being drilled in the valve body seperator plate,epc pressures bieng boosted, tcc lockup taken off pulse width modulation:IE converter just has ON or OFF no gentle engage to make old people happy that burns the conv. clutch.And the accumulator arrangement changed which all requires a drill bit,a 5/16X1" spring, a t15 torx, and a 10 mm socket. so no thats not a bad price but just make sure its the right shop. In my opinion if you do go with the trans go kit, read the instructions yourself before you decide that a shop has to do it. youll get a big sense of accomplishment from being able to say you did your own shift kit.

Like he said, If you take the time and plan out the install by learning tricks on how to do it and asking questions no reason you shouldn't be able to install it your self.

[Shudson105]

Well, I did have my local shop install their own personal shiftkit about 3 weeks ago. At first it was real nice, held gears quite a bit longer, very quick and firm shifts. My LT1 would chirp the tires in third gear depending on the pavement material. However, the more I drove it, the more it returned back to the way performed stock. It's been about 1000 miles now and it seems like nothing has been changed. The transmission seems just as sloppy as it was before the shift kit work.

I know I need to take it back to the shop, but I have been too busy. Any idea what happened? Somebody told me I couldn't expect a whole lot in the first place since the tranny has 85k miles on it, but I can't believe that performance would degrade back stock performance.

Steve

[JaycenK]

What is actually happening is the trans needs to gone through because those components are wearing out. Time to upgade the clutch pack, bands, sunshell ect. It's not that it is going back to stock but the trans has alot of miles on it and these parts wear out.

[Shudson105]

That's what I was afraid of. I talked to a few other people and the general consensus is that it's time for a rebuild. I'm just kind of surprised since the car/trans has only 83k miles on it....I expected the trans to last 20-30-40k miles more before it needed any work...but I have no idea how the last several owners treated it (it was an Auto Nation lease car before the previous owner bought it). Thanks for the replies!

[DIRTY JERZY]

Most f-bodies take beatings more offten then red headed step children

[outlawZ28]

for six hundred my trans shop said i can get a stall a shift kit and trans cooler installed (stall is included in price)

[outlawZ28]

is that a good price i forgot to ask in last post

[mark21742]

That's what I was afraid of. I talked to a few other people and the general consensus is that it's time for a rebuild. I'm just kind of surprised since the car/trans has only 83k miles on it....I expected the trans to last 20-30-40k miles more before it needed any work...but I have no idea how the last several owners treated it (it was an Auto Nation lease car before the previous owner bought it). Thanks for the replies!

granted I had a VERY aggressive tune and stall that I ran in mine for about 20,000 miles, but mine grenaded at 75,000 miles

[Z28_Driver]

granted I had a VERY aggressive tune and stall that I ran in mine for about 20,000 miles, but mine grenaded at 75,000 miles

85,000 or 75,000 is pretty good. My sunshell split at 38,000 miles on stock power. (And it wasn't beat on at that point. It was just my DD. I had a 78 setup for road racing then.) The next 30,000 has been a different story. If installed properly the shift kit will make it a different car.

[JaycenK]

When you have a fresh trans matched with the right stall speed and a shift kit to your wants, it will transform an auto car from a lackluster to a ball buster just like that. Manual guys wont be able to touch you from stop light to stop light unless you have no traction or they are running about 100 more HP than you. Down a strip it's the same thing. The battle is won at the starting line.

[mark21742]

85,000 or 75,000 is pretty good. My sunshell split at 38,000 miles on stock power. (And it wasn't beat on at that point. It was just my DD. I had a 78 setup for road racing then.) The next 30,000 has been a different story. If installed properly the shift kit will make it a different car.

my dtock sunshell was actually fine, my sprag had a deep rut almost as wide as the carrier wore into the carrier about an 1/8" deep, I'm pretty sure the debris from the sgrag clogged the filter and pump.

when I rebuilt the tranny I upgraded everything to make it bulletproof to +700 hp (which I'd love to hit, but will probably never come close to lol

[mark21742]

When you have a fresh trans matched with the right stall speed and a shift kit to your wants, it will transform an auto car from a lackluster to a ball buster just like that. Manual guys wont be able to touch you from stop light to stop light unless you have no traction or they are running about 100 more HP than you. Down a strip it's the same thing. The battle is won at the starting line.

+1 exactly.
if your racing on a dyno you want a manual, if racing on the street/track even though it "eats" alittle more power you want a stalled auto with a shift kit.......same thing goes for gears, same setup with say 410s will dyno lower than with 3.73s, but the car with 410s will be quicker.

[67CamaroRSSS]

When I did the stall (3400 2.1STR Fuddle) on my car I had my friend go into the tranny to evaluate it (it was already out and tearing it down was relatively easy). Even at 45,xxx on my tranny the sun shell was a bit scorched and the friction disks were worn. I did beast SS sunshell, better sprag and Raybesto clutches in addition to valve body mods and TransGo shift kit (deleted TM) + a big cooler. I beat on it mercilessly this past season (~2k miles) and it's performed flawlessly.