Installing Shift Kit
10-19-2009, 10:50 PM
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Installing Shift Kit Okay, I have the transgo HD-2 shift kit into my 4l60e. The transmission is not in the car and I was going to throw it onto my engine stand.
How hard is it to install this particular shift kit and what are some tips and tricks on people who have done this in the past.
I am currently obsessing over the directions and the how to video they have on the website. I am just wandering if people have any more insight.
How hard is it to install this particular shift kit and what are some tips and tricks on people who have done this in the past.
I am currently obsessing over the directions and the how to video they have on the website. I am just wandering if people have any more insight.
10-22-2009, 09:16 AM
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I did it on my '99 ta while it was in the car so I did not do the servo mod. I did do everything else in the kit.
One thing I just found out is that with over 100K miles and with the increased pressures from the shift kit, the seperator plate takes a beating. My checkballs are starting to mushroom the plate and one is stuck in the plate. I bought a replacement plate from transgo for $26 shipped and it's MUCH thicker and more durable. Get one if you're over 100K miles or yours shows ANY wear.
I put in 3 washers for very firm shifts and it's not bad at all on a stock converter. I didn't mind it chirping the tires on a 1/2 throttle 1-2 shift.
On a 3600 stall, it really softened the "feel" of the shift. No more tire chirp.
Get yourself a pen magnet. If you're upside down you don't need it, but when the trans is out, you need a magnet. You'll thank me later.
The transgo directions suck for sure, they're like ikea's. Pay close attention to the sizes of the valve body bolts. Torque them to spec, don't guess.
The video was more valuable than the directions, (other than the photos), but it does leave some things out.
Use vaseline to hold the checkballs in place. I did not and went searching for 20 mins for a missing ball. Clean everything well and get any gunk out.
You can use small needle nose for the pump boost valve thingie, you don't need retaining ring pliers.
Lastly, when taking the springs out of the valve body make sure you get them all out. I couldnt for the life of me get a spring to go in, it was because i didnt get a part out.
All this advice comes from me doing it the wrong way. I hope you can learn from my mistakes.
One thing I just found out is that with over 100K miles and with the increased pressures from the shift kit, the seperator plate takes a beating. My checkballs are starting to mushroom the plate and one is stuck in the plate. I bought a replacement plate from transgo for $26 shipped and it's MUCH thicker and more durable. Get one if you're over 100K miles or yours shows ANY wear.
I put in 3 washers for very firm shifts and it's not bad at all on a stock converter. I didn't mind it chirping the tires on a 1/2 throttle 1-2 shift.
On a 3600 stall, it really softened the "feel" of the shift. No more tire chirp.
Get yourself a pen magnet. If you're upside down you don't need it, but when the trans is out, you need a magnet. You'll thank me later.
The transgo directions suck for sure, they're like ikea's. Pay close attention to the sizes of the valve body bolts. Torque them to spec, don't guess.
The video was more valuable than the directions, (other than the photos), but it does leave some things out.
Use vaseline to hold the checkballs in place. I did not and went searching for 20 mins for a missing ball. Clean everything well and get any gunk out.
You can use small needle nose for the pump boost valve thingie, you don't need retaining ring pliers.
Lastly, when taking the springs out of the valve body make sure you get them all out. I couldnt for the life of me get a spring to go in, it was because i didnt get a part out.
All this advice comes from me doing it the wrong way. I hope you can learn from my mistakes.
10-22-2009, 07:02 PM
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Thanks for the reply. That is quite helpful.
I am actually going to be doing this on an engine stand. Would it be easier to flip the tranny upside down or would it be easier just to keep it right side up.
My second question is, when you setup your tranny for race, how does it affect the drive ability of your car. I imagine myself driving my car frequently (doing an auto swap and I have not driven the car in almost 2 years)
OH by the way. This transmission is 100% stock accept for the converter.
I am actually going to be doing this on an engine stand. Would it be easier to flip the tranny upside down or would it be easier just to keep it right side up.
My second question is, when you setup your tranny for race, how does it affect the drive ability of your car. I imagine myself driving my car frequently (doing an auto swap and I have not driven the car in almost 2 years)
OH by the way. This transmission is 100% stock accept for the converter.
Last edited by tilly; 10-22-2009 at 07:18 PM.
10-22-2009, 11:01 PM
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I'm going to refer to upside down as pan up.
Do it upside down, otherwise you'll have fluid dripping everywhere, you'll have to hold the valve body up (and it's heavy) while trying to get the z-bolts started. The only reason right side up is easier is getting the check ***** in. Upside down they like to roll off the plate and get lost in the tranny where you have to hunt them down with a flashlight and pen magnet.
People like to scare you with this install but it is really not bad at all for someone that can follow ikea style directions and triple check everything.
I used three washers and drilled the seperator plate to the larger size and this is my take on driveability. On a stock converter on a car that was running 12.9's, you could not tell a single bit of difference. Whatsoever. Until the 1-2 shift. At 1/4 throttle it was docile, at 1/2 it would jerk hard and/or chirp the tires, at wot it would kick the rear out a couple inches. I liked it. I know it's hard on the trans, but I planned on it only lasting a few thousand more miles before needing a rebuild (it had 110K miles on it). I ran it down the track 30 times and it held up great. No issues. I daily drove the car in stop and go traffic 25 miles each way 3 days a week (school). If you drive it gentle, it'll be pretty gentle. If you drive it hard, it adapts nicely.
One last thing i forgot through all this. I had a mail order tune down from steve williams at "tuned by frost". Before that, it would not chirp the tires because of the torque management on our cars. You will be disappointed if you do not have TM removed/reduced. I had steve set up my TM to be 80% at light throttle and taper down as the throttle increases (this is probably simplified, i don't know how tuning works).
You may want to use this opportunity to get a mail order tune done or have a local shop tune it a little. It's usually less than $200 including shipping to have this done and you'll have it back in less than 3 business days. He rush shipped mine to have it in time for a track day.
I gained .2 in the 1/4 and .5 mph from the shift kit and mail order tune (the tune was mostly for my emissions codes and the TM).
Do it upside down, otherwise you'll have fluid dripping everywhere, you'll have to hold the valve body up (and it's heavy) while trying to get the z-bolts started. The only reason right side up is easier is getting the check ***** in. Upside down they like to roll off the plate and get lost in the tranny where you have to hunt them down with a flashlight and pen magnet.
People like to scare you with this install but it is really not bad at all for someone that can follow ikea style directions and triple check everything.
I used three washers and drilled the seperator plate to the larger size and this is my take on driveability. On a stock converter on a car that was running 12.9's, you could not tell a single bit of difference. Whatsoever. Until the 1-2 shift. At 1/4 throttle it was docile, at 1/2 it would jerk hard and/or chirp the tires, at wot it would kick the rear out a couple inches. I liked it. I know it's hard on the trans, but I planned on it only lasting a few thousand more miles before needing a rebuild (it had 110K miles on it). I ran it down the track 30 times and it held up great. No issues. I daily drove the car in stop and go traffic 25 miles each way 3 days a week (school). If you drive it gentle, it'll be pretty gentle. If you drive it hard, it adapts nicely.
One last thing i forgot through all this. I had a mail order tune down from steve williams at "tuned by frost". Before that, it would not chirp the tires because of the torque management on our cars. You will be disappointed if you do not have TM removed/reduced. I had steve set up my TM to be 80% at light throttle and taper down as the throttle increases (this is probably simplified, i don't know how tuning works).
You may want to use this opportunity to get a mail order tune done or have a local shop tune it a little. It's usually less than $200 including shipping to have this done and you'll have it back in less than 3 business days. He rush shipped mine to have it in time for a track day.
I gained .2 in the 1/4 and .5 mph from the shift kit and mail order tune (the tune was mostly for my emissions codes and the TM).
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11-14-2009, 07:50 PM
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I'm going to refer to upside down as pan up.
Do it upside down, otherwise you'll have fluid dripping everywhere, you'll have to hold the valve body up (and it's heavy) while trying to get the z-bolts started. The only reason right side up is easier is getting the check ***** in. Upside down they like to roll off the plate and get lost in the tranny where you have to hunt them down with a flashlight and pen magnet.
People like to scare you with this install but it is really not bad at all for someone that can follow ikea style directions and triple check everything.
I used three washers and drilled the seperator plate to the larger size and this is my take on driveability. On a stock converter on a car that was running 12.9's, you could not tell a single bit of difference. Whatsoever. Until the 1-2 shift. At 1/4 throttle it was docile, at 1/2 it would jerk hard and/or chirp the tires, at wot it would kick the rear out a couple inches. I liked it. I know it's hard on the trans, but I planned on it only lasting a few thousand more miles before needing a rebuild (it had 110K miles on it). I ran it down the track 30 times and it held up great. No issues. I daily drove the car in stop and go traffic 25 miles each way 3 days a week (school). If you drive it gentle, it'll be pretty gentle. If you drive it hard, it adapts nicely.
One last thing i forgot through all this. I had a mail order tune down from steve williams at "tuned by frost". Before that, it would not chirp the tires because of the torque management on our cars. You will be disappointed if you do not have TM removed/reduced. I had steve set up my TM to be 80% at light throttle and taper down as the throttle increases (this is probably simplified, i don't know how tuning works).
You may want to use this opportunity to get a mail order tune done or have a local shop tune it a little. It's usually less than $200 including shipping to have this done and you'll have it back in less than 3 business days. He rush shipped mine to have it in time for a track day.
I gained .2 in the 1/4 and .5 mph from the shift kit and mail order tune (the tune was mostly for my emissions codes and the TM).
Do it upside down, otherwise you'll have fluid dripping everywhere, you'll have to hold the valve body up (and it's heavy) while trying to get the z-bolts started. The only reason right side up is easier is getting the check ***** in. Upside down they like to roll off the plate and get lost in the tranny where you have to hunt them down with a flashlight and pen magnet.
People like to scare you with this install but it is really not bad at all for someone that can follow ikea style directions and triple check everything.
I used three washers and drilled the seperator plate to the larger size and this is my take on driveability. On a stock converter on a car that was running 12.9's, you could not tell a single bit of difference. Whatsoever. Until the 1-2 shift. At 1/4 throttle it was docile, at 1/2 it would jerk hard and/or chirp the tires, at wot it would kick the rear out a couple inches. I liked it. I know it's hard on the trans, but I planned on it only lasting a few thousand more miles before needing a rebuild (it had 110K miles on it). I ran it down the track 30 times and it held up great. No issues. I daily drove the car in stop and go traffic 25 miles each way 3 days a week (school). If you drive it gentle, it'll be pretty gentle. If you drive it hard, it adapts nicely.
One last thing i forgot through all this. I had a mail order tune down from steve williams at "tuned by frost". Before that, it would not chirp the tires because of the torque management on our cars. You will be disappointed if you do not have TM removed/reduced. I had steve set up my TM to be 80% at light throttle and taper down as the throttle increases (this is probably simplified, i don't know how tuning works).
You may want to use this opportunity to get a mail order tune done or have a local shop tune it a little. It's usually less than $200 including shipping to have this done and you'll have it back in less than 3 business days. He rush shipped mine to have it in time for a track day.
I gained .2 in the 1/4 and .5 mph from the shift kit and mail order tune (the tune was mostly for my emissions codes and the TM).
11-15-2009, 10:50 AM
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your definately going to need the pcm reprogrammed for the kit as it well set off torque management every time it shifts and will make the car act funny. Take your time, watch the video several times and if you get stuck you can always call them. Some things on the video and the paperwork might not be up to date so it would be a good idea to give them a call.
11-15-2009, 08:26 PM
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I didn't find the directions to be outdated. The video was "dated" but not "out-dated". Heh. They allow for different year ranges but they note that when it applies. The video shows an install on a caprice (i think) but the trans is the same obviously.
You don't need to get the PCM programmed, I ran mine without a tune for a while and it was fine, you just don't notice any benefit from the shift kit. I didn't FEEL the shift kit until TM was programmed out. Then it was huge!
I JUST took my car to the track and knocked .4 off my previous best, and that was spinning through first the whole time. I went to adjust tire pressures and then when and blew up the trans in my burnout. I know there's another .1-.2 in it. So it's safe to say that I got .4-.6 and i went from 108.3-110.1MPH. My best 60' before was 1.9, with that one run on the new TC i did a 1.9. Obviously that's a terrible 60' for a 3600 stall on DR's, so you see how much more it has in it.
If you need any help with the install give me a PM or post here.
You don't need to get the PCM programmed, I ran mine without a tune for a while and it was fine, you just don't notice any benefit from the shift kit. I didn't FEEL the shift kit until TM was programmed out. Then it was huge!
I JUST took my car to the track and knocked .4 off my previous best, and that was spinning through first the whole time. I went to adjust tire pressures and then when and blew up the trans in my burnout. I know there's another .1-.2 in it. So it's safe to say that I got .4-.6 and i went from 108.3-110.1MPH. My best 60' before was 1.9, with that one run on the new TC i did a 1.9. Obviously that's a terrible 60' for a 3600 stall on DR's, so you see how much more it has in it.
If you need any help with the install give me a PM or post here.
