Basic shift kit

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rumblefish360

rumblefish360

I have escaped the EVIL Empire State!
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I'd like to get an easy to install shift kit for my 1978, 904. I have no idea what is out there. Clue me in fella's!
 
Rumble there's the B&M kit, the TCI kit and the Turbo action kit and I think another that I'm forgetting right now and they are all basically the same kit. Very easy to install. But not nearly as good as a Trans-go kit. The Trans-go kit is more time consuming and work to install but it's worth it. The advantage of the trans-go kits is their not generic kits like the others which are copies of copies and sometimes don't work right. Trans-go corp. has put in numerous hrs. ironing out the wrinkles in the TF. And they're are a few that need addressing that the other kits don't do. The Trans-go kit costs more and takes about 1 to 1-1/2 hrs longer to install but it's worth every penny and ammount of energy. I've put them all in and found the B&M and associated kits work right sometimes and other times they overlap between gears which I'm sure you know is real bad. I've never had a trans-go kit cause overlap. The extra work with the valve body involves installing a modified manual valve and changing some springs and drilling a place and grinding a valve down. That's real easy. The only hard part of a Trans-go kit is the rear servo mod. It's a little tricky but it's one of the most important mods to do cause it eliminates 1st to 2nd gear overlap which can be bad with some of the generic kits. I had one so bad once that when I tested it on jack stands when running it through gears it completely locked the rear wheels when shifting from 1st to 2nd. Other times the generic kits work fine. It's a crap shoot. JMHO
 
I've used the B&M and TCI kit on several different transmissions , they give a hard 1-2 shift but 2-3 is always mushey. I would use them for street fun but not racing , love the 1-2 tire shreading shift.
 
Ok then, a Trans-go is the more involved but prefured way of doing things. I'll start saving soda cans for it now. Thanks
 
I had my trans rebuilt with a Trans Go shift kit. It realy works and feels more radical than they advertise (in a good way!).
No overlaps at all and the shifts really do bang in on the strip. I knocked 2/10 off my et with this mod and would have got more if i had traction(another story!).
 
Tim, that sounds like a real good vote for them. Thanks for letting me know.
 
I have a 904 with the trans-go kit in it and i can say its best shifting auto i have ever had.
 
Easy and cheap shift? Pull the accumulator spring, and crank the pressure regulator up. Drill a couple of holes out a bit, and you'll be almost as good as the B&M kit.

If this sounds interesting, I'll dig through my info and post a "step by step" on a shift that will cost next to nothing but time, and work well without killing parts.

That said, Transgo is about the best out there.
 
TF2 kit all the way. Ill be honest I was reluctant to crack open the valve body and start modifying peices like the kit requires but I took my time and checked off each step through out the mod and it works great!
I swapped in the kit and an 8 3/4 Suregrip and Ill be honest when I nailed for the first time and she got sideways on the 1-2 shift it caught me off gaurd. Im sure it caught the others on the road off gaurd as well.
 
Yep trans-go no yo-yo is the way to go, wouldnt use anything else personally, all others[most] just wanna be's
 
Hey Max, this sounds something similar to the old MoPar shift improver kit. Drop the accumulater and install a billet rod and new servo with ring. Crank up pressure.

Do you know how that one goes together? Billet rod on top? Or after the servo on the bottom?
 
rumblefish360 said:
Hey Max, this sounds something similar to the old MoPar shift improver kit. Drop the accumulater and install a billet rod and new servo with ring. Crank up pressure.

Do you know how that one goes together? Billet rod on top? Or after the servo on the bottom?
Click to expand...

From what I've seen, it doesn't really matter if its on top or bottom. However, the billet fits into the accumulator piston, so it'll only go one way, IIRC. The cheap shift kits don't even block the piston.
 
What is this overlap you guys keep talking about with the generic shift kits? I've never heard of this before
 
73golddusterkid said:
What is this overlap you guys keep talking about with the generic shift kits? I've never heard of this before
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Overlap is when 2 gears are applied at the same time. If the shift timing isn't correct 1st gear can still be applied for a while when 2nd is applied. Same goes for the 2-3 shift. Of course when it's in 2 gears at the same time something has to give thus accellerated wear happens and you lose performance. It doesn't necessarily do it with all generic shift kits but it can happen. The Trans-go kits totally reprogram your valve body by having you do several mods virtually making all transmissions perform as they designed. That's why I only use Trans-go kits.

BTW: Overlap is usually just a few tenths of a second but that's all it takes to lose performance and trash the clutches and or bands or possibly break other stuff if it's real bad.
 
Golddusterkid,

The way I understand it (and I'm no tranny expert, but no one else has replied, so I'll give it a shot; I don't think it's that complicated...)

In second gear, the band is applied to hold the planetary drum (probably the wrong name) for the 1.45 torque multiplication. When the shift to 3rd (direct) is effected, the band has to release, just as the high gear clutch pack applies. It's a timing issue. If it is timed wrong, the band can release too soon, before the clutch application takes place, and the engine will run up like it's in neutral for a short time. On the other hand, if the timing is off the other way, the clutch pack will apply BEFORE the band has released completely, and it will literally be in two gears at once (2nd and 3rd) and will try to stop EVERYTHING, including the motor. This will cause a momentary rpm drop and the car will stop pulling for a time, until the band is completely released. It sounds like a bog.... and is REALLY hard on parts.

A good shift kit minimizes the possibility of this timing glitch happening.

Hope this helps.

If I have erred, someone with hands-on experience can straighten me out. This is the way I see it, but as I said, I'm not a tranny expert by ANY means...

Bill, in Conway, Arkansas
 
When I had my transmission rebuilt, the guy who did it put a Trans-Go **** kit in it, and it could NOT perform any better, if it were a $5,000.00 Pro Trans!

I have a lot of runs down the drag strip on this 904, in the low 13's in a 3,500-pound car, and it's as crisp as it was the day I installed it.

TTI headers, Hughes cams and Trans-Go shift kits are as good as it gets for Mopars, in my humble opinion. Your mileage may vary... :happy10:





Bill, in Conway, Arkansas
 
Thanks bill that makes a lot of sense actually. I think i might send my B&M kit back and get a TF-2

Drew
 
73golddusterkid said:
Thanks bill that makes a lot of sense actually. I think i might send my B&M kit back and get a TF-2

Drew
Click to expand...

Like I said, I'm no transmission expert (not at all), but from my experience, and what I've read on this thread, I think that might be a good idea!!!

Down the road, you might be glad you did!

My buddy's Dad had a sign over his desk that said, "WHY IS THERE NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO DO A JOB RIGHT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ENOUGH TIME TO GO BACK AND DO IT OVER AGAIN?" 8) LOL!

Hard sayin's... but true.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Bill
 
73golddusterkid said:
What is this overlap you guys keep talking about with the generic shift kits? I've never heard of this before
Click to expand...

it's not just the cheap shift kits , the 727 and the 904 have overlap by design , chrysler has a stock trans setup just on the hairy edge so you do not feel it , but it's there . when you start chaging fluid pressure and springs you change the overlap from stock , some kits handle it better than others .

as far as removing the accum spring and blocking the it , i have done it and I can tell you that a teeth rattling shift does not mean it's a GOOD shift . I don't do it anymore .
 
John,

I THOUGHT I wanted the accumulator spring removed, but Len talked me out of it (my tranny guy who rebuilt my 904.) I'm glad he left it in there. It's civilized, but still shifts lightning-quick when racing. I THOUGHT the bone-jarring shifts were part and parcel of a race tranny, but I was wrong. Don't need that harshness; it serves no legitimate purpose.

Once more, I think your advice is spot-on. Thanks for sharing your considerable knowledge.

Bill
 
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