I am definitely going to consider you guys when I am ready to go with my LS1 that I am building
Thanks Rich

 

It's a quality brand, probably not my first choice but it's definitely going to be a huge improvement over stock. If you can swing it, I would definitely go with that over a stock converter.

I did a Yank 3500 to my LS1 when it was completely stock other than an air lid and catback exhaust. The performance improvement was dramatic, to say the least. LOL.

 

Keep in mind i had this in a truck.

I had the 1G 2500-2800 behind a stock 5.3L and it felt sluggish. But the trans wasn't built right and gernaded. Also didn't make it long enough to get the rear gears swapped. Hated those 3.42s

I upgraded to the 2G 3000-3200 and put it behind a cammed and ported heads 6.0L, it didn't feel like it had enough stall. Pulled the 6.0L to go stroker and put a cammed 5.3L with 10:1 compression in its place. Felt like it was a tad too much stall... these combos had 4.10s I never sent it back to try and get it stalled properly to either combo.

I Will say They were quick to turn my converter around when I sent it in for a cut, clean, and re stall.

Just wasn't ever happy with the performance aspect.

This go around I decided to buy a Yank. Based on my combo, they set me up with an SST3200. I just haven't had time to swap it out. Dave claims he had I believe was one of his 4000 stalls in his truck for testing and it's street manners were good. Even surprised him.

I know another guy with a vigilante and he has been really happy with it.

 

A little while ago I ordered a 4l60e from @FranksCustomTrans in the stage one variety, and he’s recently sent me a couple photos of it. I bought an 11” FTI 3,200 “Street Brawler” to go along with it. I hope the Brawler doesn’t take a dump on me while cruising around. Anyway that’s the route I wound up going. I’ll let y’all know how it is once it’s installed.

 

You might wonder why if is sitting by a bullet heater? It is part of a process. I clean and strip all the oil and grease off first, Then heat till dry, Then baking soda blast to remove all the corrosion (Being in the north salt really corrodes the aluminum) I use baking soda for a few reasons but mostly its water soluble on clean up . Unlike Nut chips or sand it wont become lodged in indesirable places , rinses away and and poses not health issues to me or environmental issues. Then its heated again to remove all moisture to 200f. Then primed with High Temp engine primer while hot, Then when cooled to about 100f sprayed usually with flat cast aluminum spray high temp header paint. Then heated again to 200f to bond it all. Came up with this system many years ago.
Prevents future corrosion, Stays on (many of my customers have hot rods and show type cars, so this is important to them), Makes cleanup on a refresh super easy, And just makes it pretty. The case even after soda blasting is still very discolored and restoring the original GM finish would require polishing then a boiling process.
Just some useless info for anyone interested.

 

@FranksCustomTrans What fluid do you like? Dex/Merc (Dex III), Dex VI, or the Universals like Valvoline Maxlife and the likes?

 

Anything that meets or exceeds DEX3 requirements, I personally run DEX 6 in my own car.

 

The eagle has landed. Thanks @FranksCustomTrans

 

Always good to see someone follow the advice of the super experienced people here. Too often buy some cheap alternative advertised on e.g. FB; a few months later that ask how to fix it.
Both Frank and FTI will take care of you.

 

@FranksCustomTrans
I bought new bell housing bolts, tq converter bolts, U-joints, as well as a trans cooler. Other than fluid is there anything else that you can think of that I’ll need to get this thing into a 4th gen F-bod? I just thought about the tail shaft extension deal. Isn’t there an o-ring between it and the trans? I suppose a new one would be prudent. The seal in the tail shaft housing was replaced not all that long ago because it was leaking. Should I get a new seal for it too or just the o-ring?
I’m going to have a shop do the install but it probably won’t be until mid June or so. Will the deep trans pan cause any fitment issues in a ‘00
Z28? I suppose I should’ve asked prior to ordering.
Another question I have is since I can see clutch material on the paper towel when I check the fluid on the old transmssion should the lines be flushed prior to installing the new transmssion?
Thanks again

 

Check the crate that the trans came in, I would think that Frank would have sent a new o-ring with the trans. A new tail housing seal won't hurt to replace while the trans is out.

Yes, cooler lines and cooler should be flushed.

 

Yes on flushing lines.
Unless I missed in packing you should have the tail seal. bushing and o'ring tapped to output shaft .(let me know)
To date no one has had any clearance issues with that pan in any application.
Don't forget drain plug and washer are in dipstick hole .

Just holler if you need anything,

 

I had Frank’s Custom stage 1 4l60e and a FTI 3200 stall Street Brawler installed in my ‘00 Z28 and he finished today. The drive home started ok but the shifts got rougher the closer I got to home. When I got home I checked the fluid and it was about a half a quart low. I had a little ATF on hand so I topped it off and I figured it’d be a good idea to crawl underneath to check for leaks. Sure enough, the tail shaft seal is leaking. I guess I’ll call the shop tommrow to see what he says. I hope he doesn’t give me any issues since I brought in the parts.

 

Don't you think that you should have discussed this with Frank before posting. Post like this can really hurt a business, especially a small business. Give the guy a chance before posting and then if no satisfaction then post away.

Is your check engine light on?

 

Hold your horses there John Wayne.
Frank didn’t install it so no one is blaming Frank. The transmission shop who installed it is at fault here for the seal leaking. But your loyalty is admirable though. I think/hope that the fluid getting low from the tail shaft leaking is what was causing the hard shifting since it wasn’t shifting bad until towards the end of the ride. So what I was saying is hopefully the transmission shop that installed the transmission as well as the tail shaft seal (that is leaking) will do right and fix the leak for free. But they might be d!cks and say that they’re not doing any rework since I brought it my own parts. No there isn’t a check engine light on. The fluid was low and the tail shaft seal is leaking.

 

Looking at the color of the oil I doubt its new from trans . Could be melting green assembly gel I use potentially. 1/2 quart low also not abnormal depending on how long driven then sitting before being driven again. In initial start up with a new trans and drive . A lot of air gets churned up particularly in the converter, This will cause softer shifts also . But the air will cause a false reading for full. Then after it sits and air bubbles out . When restarted and run it will show lower and need to be topped off.
Shift quality. While this is stage 1 the shift kit and quality will be the same as all other stages . The shift will be firm not slamming but most certainly firm. Not stock like shifts at all. They will be firmer as throttle is increased. To what extent you feel this will depend on several factors . Rear ratio, converter and of course Tune, It is very typical for tuners to increase line with the stock trans and if so you may want to have this undone. This may make the new trans which has larger feed holes. Higher line pressure , A perfectly flat Rev input drum feel to firm if it has been turned up in the past. Of course I cannot feel the shift in your car myself to make a judgement. But It should feel firm to quiet firm depending on the other factors mentioned and become progressively firmer with throttle. Also note as new friction and band "wear in" shift quality will change some over the first few 100 miles.

I did not of course to clarify furnish the tail housing as I do not normally send those this is what is meant when it's said he supplied it. But I would not be quick to say it's actually leaking either as with the dark color could just be assembly lube that melted.

Most important is top off oil. keep checks for leaks. If you get any codes contact me immediately as while I do use new wiring harness and shift solenoids. New ones do fail from time to time usually if they do it in the first few days . though this is rare. Also note that while off hand I do not remember what stall you purchased that depending on gear ratio in rear any stall 2800 or higher has the potential to set a false code PO757 causing limp mode and no shifts starting out in third gear. This would need to be turned off in tune if it happens but is nothing to be alarmed about and may not happen at all.

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me . Here or FB messenger <always best. And Text of course and call if necessary though I may not always hear phone immediately when working in shop but will return call and or text ASAP . FB messenger is best because I keep it up in my shop on screen all day and of course I check here multiple times a day. But strive to be available always.

Hope this info helps

 

I’m sorry to say that the tail shaft is indeed leaking and the installer didn’t want to fix it. I took it up there and when it was on the lift I pointed out that one side of the seal appears to be sticking out further than the other and he replied, “It just looks that way because I put silicone on that side.” I’m assuming to try to fix a leak.. He didn’t want to fix it so I’m gong to have to have it done somewhere else. Are the odds very high that he messed up the housing when removing & the old bushing and seal and installed the new? He said, “I should have left the old seal in because it wasn’t leaking.” “I” refering to himself. Would it be wise to have another tail shaft housing on hand when I have the seal replaced by someone else?
Also, I’m not sure if it’s normal to see clutch material in the fluid after a new transmission or if he didn’t flush the cooler it prior to putting the new trans in. But when I wipe the dipstick there’s gray material left behind, just like there was with the old transmission. I have about 20 miles or less on the new trans now. If the installer didn’t fluid the cooler prior which I think is likely, would a “Jiffy Lube” fluid exchange through the cooler lines get it clean? Or do I need to disconnect the lines and flush the cooler and then do a fluid exchange? I don’t suppose it’s wise to drive it until I get it flushed is it? Or is this amount of material left behind “normal?”

 

YES if he put silicone on the seal he already knows it was leaking and tried to fix it. Or he damaged the tail housing removing the seal and that was his attempted fix /
May just be he didn't clean out the dip tube and or stick when he put in. It is however normal to see some thus the reason for the 500 mile filter change.
However if he didnt flush cooler? Well" it is flushed now. So little point in flush now. If in doubt I would just go ahead and change the filter now/ TF-351 at autozone as whatever flushed is in the pan now..
Frank

 

I don’t have a whole lot of miles on the new torque converter and transmission yet because the weather hasn’t been cooperating much. But so far I have about 150 miles on them and the bulk of the miles have been slow stop light to stop light driving. I just got back from a 25 mile (one way) highway run and it went well.
The vehicle is a stock ‘00 Z28 aside from a muffler, and it has a 3.23 rear end. It currently has 32k miles on it. The tune is also stock fwiw.
I’ll start with the FTI 3200 Street Brawler. As far as the “pros” go, I don’t have any solid data to report like track times or “actual” stall to report. I haven’t gone full throttle from a dead stop yet and I’ve only gone WOT while cruising in 4th a few times, but I believe when it down shifts from 4th to 3rd at WOT it puts the RPM’s somewhere around 4k. With the stock converter I don’t remember the RPM’s being quite as high, so that is a “pro.” Now for the “cons.” The car won’t pull itself in drive anymore, you have to give it gas to get moving. It’ll pull itself in reverse though. I’m sort of use to this next part, but it would be a slight “con” if one was coming from a properly working stock trans & stall. When the ATF is cold (so it seems) the shift from first to second is fairly long/late when you’re giving it light throttle like you would cruising through a neighborhood. When my old transmission started going out the shifts from 1st to 2nd were getting long and drawn out. For example I’m half way down the block before it goes into second where as when the old trans was still shifting well it’d be into 2nd by the time I went two doors down. Overall I think it’s a decent enough converter as long as it doesn’t crap out. That being said, it doesn’t “drive like stock” if that matters to anyone.
Now for the transmission. I realize this is a fairly early review, and I’ll update as the miles come along, but this is where we are so far.
Starting with “the pros.” The WOT and 3/4 throttle shifts are fast, crisp, and drama free. I’ve yet to do a burnout in it but from a highway roll or say 40 mph or so it’s pretty good. Another “pro” I suppose would be it’s 500 horsepower rating although I don’t imagine I’ll ever make enough power to test its limits. Now for “the cons.” Overall the shifts and general “behavior” have gotten better over the 150 miles that it has on it. But the short trip home from the shop that installed it had me worried a little. Light throttle up and down shifts (Neighborhood speeds. Real
slow) were so hard that it’d bang REAL loud and it’d rock the drivers seat. At one point during a down shift I pulled over because I thought the drive shaft fell out 😂. I was going about 5-10 mph or so at the time. I was told that the harsher slow speed down shift is a “side effect” of the PWM mod. After the first drive home I reset the ECU and added some Lubegard “red” and the slow speed downshift hasn’t been near as violent as it was the first time. The first time my head almost hit the windshield😂. It still has an occasional clunk sound on slow speed up and down shifts but it doesn’t clunk every time. If it’s going to “clunk” into gear though, it’s going to happen with less throttle than more. I realize that the transmission has a “shift kit” in it, and that it’s performance oriented and not “comfort oriented.” But I never took into consideration that slow speed drivability would be “harsher” than WOT. I assumed that it would be the other way around when I read that the shifts would get firmer with more throttle. I’m not bashing the build, but I probably should’ve done more homework. That being said drivability has improved quite a bit over the short 150 miles that I’ve driven. It only clunks on occasion (up or down) now. Maybe hopefully it’ll improve some more, but I’m betting/thinking that it is what it is now. Maybe this or that could be tweaked via tuning to make improvements but I don’t have any tuning hardware or software. To sum it up: I think it’s a good transmission but it might scare off some potential buyers in the future if I should ever decide to sell the car. Once again, that’s not a knock on the product but not everyone is going to be into the occasional slow speed clunking.
I bought a “reman” tailshaft housing that already has the bushing and seal in it to replace the leaking one that’s on there now. I haven’t decided if I want to try and attempt it myself or not. I’d like to do it to save a buck of course but I’m not sure yet if I’d bet biting off more than I can chew. At any rate all in all I’m glad to be up and running again and it’s still a fun car to drive. It’s just a little clunky at times when you’re putting around.

Dinner 25 miles away this eve. Good ride.
🤘🏻

 

This is not normal. I've had considerably higher stall speeds in 4L60E transmissions before, and this was never the case. I've never owned an FTI model, but Yank and PI versions with as much as ~1k more rated stall speed have always still moved forward at idle rpm when in gear. The problem might not be with the converter itself but, one way or another, this is not right.

What do you mean by the "PWM mod"? Was the PWM replaced with a vacuum modulator? If so, I have had a couple of 4L60E builds with that conversion as well, and the light throttle shifts were definitely NOT more harsh than WOT (and the shifts in general were not so harsh as to feel like the driveshaft had fallen out, not at WOT nor at part/light throttle). Something doesn't sound right there either. Some shift characteristics can be changed in the tune, but if your tune is stock I can't see any reason why the part throttle shifts would be so much more harsh than WOT (mine never were like this with a vacuum modulator on a 4L60E nor any other unit). Is the vacuum line properly sourced? Or is this "PWM mod" you're referring to something other than a conversion to a vacuum modulator?