ok i am on a little bit of a budget this year was hoping to rebuild the tranny but some jerk dedided he wanted to use my car as a art canvas and my insurance is only paying for the part that was vandalized so most of my money saved has to go towards the paint job. but to the point i am looking at getting a shift kit for my 700r4 what do i look for in a shift kit? i would like a real hard hitting shift1-2 and hopefully all the way to 4th gear if possible. i read a lot bout vette servos but where do u get these at? also lately i have been seeing posts bout fairbanks kits?? are they any good? where do u get them at? i looked in jegs and summit they carry b&m and transgo which i have heard good and bad bout both so i guess its a toss up. plz let me know what to do i would liek to do this before it gets warm out since i am getting the itch to drive this car real soon!! also how bout converters? what to look for in one of those? what stall is good? plz look at my current mods to help me out thanks!!

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1988 firebird ws6 formula350tpi msd 6al box blaster 3 coil accel 8.8 race wires hooker shorty headers hooker cat back system pro shift light a pillar gauge pod and water temp and air/fuel ratio gauges autometer oil pressure gauge b&m mega console shifter, march underdrive pullies, tpis airfoil cvr high torque starter (love it)
best 1/4 mile run of 14.44@ 96.53
this run is before the new exhaust system

 

I am a fair believer in the Trans-go kit. I have had both the stage I and the stage III kits. Both kits are well worth the money.

They are complete kits and not a band-aid type of fix like B & M. Not knocking B & M, but that is what their kit is compared to Trans-Go.

Give Dana a call at Pro-Built and talk to him about it. He will give you a lot of good knowledge on what is good and what isn't.

But in the end, it's all up too you.... your car... your choice...

 

ihave the stage III kit and i love it. i love the look on peoples faces when i spin em into third(i have a 3 speed so thats pretty good) it ain no luxurory car ride but hey if i wanteed that id get a new caddy



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1983 CHEVROLET CAMARO with a 1986
305 C.I.D.V8 BORED .030 OVER
HIGH VOLUME OIL PUMP
FLAT-TOP PISTONS
MILD CAM
3" CAT BACK EXHAUST W/ FLOWMASTER MUFFFLER
KEYSTONE CLASSIC WHEELS.
B&M RATCHET SHIFTER
STAGE THREE SHIFT KIT
(she'll spin em into third)

MUSTANGS SUCK

 

does the stage III kit hit harder? does that come with a vette servo?

 

The stage 3 kit shifts very hard, and if I remember correctly converts to full manual control.

 

what do u mean by full manual control? is that u can shift at any rpm? or that u have to shift 1-2-3-4 is that basically it? thanks again so basically that would be a good kit to get then? will i be barking the tires? also is it pretty user friendly as in i could proably do it in a afternoon?

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1988 firebird ws6 formula350tpi msd 6al box blaster 3 coil accel 8.8 race wires hooker shorty headers hooker cat back system pro shift light a pillar gauge pod and water temp and air/fuel ratio gauges autometer oil pressure gauge b&m mega console shifter, march underdrive pullies, tpis airfoil cvr high torque starter (love it)
best 1/4 mile run of 14.44@ 96.53
this run is before the new exhaust system

 

No automatic shifting, it more or less turns it into a clutchless manual.

 

so in other words u have to shift all the time? that sounds kindof like a pain.. also do u have to pull the tranny to put the kit in? the reason i say it sounds like a pain is cause i have tried diffent shifting ideas at the track ie.. shift all through the gears then just leaving it in drive not over drive and just letting it rip and ran a better time leaving it in drive then shifting.. sorry i probably sound stupid asking these questions but what other way to learn right?? thanks again

 

Yes, you have to shift all the time. The TransGo kit can be installed with the transmission still in the car.

 

Guys, a little out of topic, but there is a TCI full manual valve body that sells for app. $240 as opposed to the Transgo for $140? Will the TCI make a better or more durable full manual trans?

 

as far as shiftkits go, there is only one real choice.. TransGo. I have one, and couldn't be happier. Firm, but not neck snapping at part throttle.... and sends the car sideways on the 1-2 shift. It also alters the shift points slightly. It's GREAT.

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91 Trans Am WS6
Bright White
5.0 TPI auto
Flowmaster 3" 2 chamber catback
Trans Go shiftkit
2000 stall converter

Built on Wednesday

 

Transgo kits are really good and the differance between their kit and the TCI valve body is engine braking. When you install the TCI valve body then you lose all engine braking up to 4th gear, this means that in gears 1-3 when you let off the gas then the whole transmission unlocks from the engine and you are free wheeling. So its like putting in the clutch on a manual and letting it roll. Since you have an 88+ 700R4 then I would recomend Std rebuilding of the trans then adding the TransGo kit. For your car which I assume is your daily driver I would recomend a 2200 RPM stall, fast yet streetable.

IROC4LIFE

 

see thats the thing i didnt want to rebuild till next winter will a shift kit kill a tranny? my car has 96,000 on it the tranny seems to be in great shape yet not slipping or anything and the guy i bought it from had it since new and said he changed the tranny fluid on a regular basis which i never asked him what that was but i just changed it and it wasnt burnt or didnt smell bad so wouldi have to rebuild.. or can i wait a year?

 

so about how long does it take the average person to put a shift kit in? anything else i will need to buy to go along with the kit? do all transgo kits come with the video and i dont ahve to take the tranny out right?

 

so from what i have read a shift kit might actually extend the life of my tranny si this true? and the average shade tree mech. can do this in a afternoon i would hope i am just guessing there thanks!

 

also someone said that u can very the shifts will this kit bark the tires? how firm can u make the shifts? is it pretty straight forward in the directions as in what washer to use to make it shift harder?

 

any1 else?? sorry guys but i want this to be righ tjus want to get my questions asked so we can close this topic and get on from there

 

Okay for one thing...

The stage III kit can be installed either as full manual control or automatic control. The instructions come with directions for both.

And yes, a shift kit extends the life of a transmission. What kills the transmission is heat and slippage. The softer the shift the more the transmission is slipping in gears to give a nice baby soft shift. When you put in a shift kit it speeds up the shifting points of the gears. This produces less over lap of two gears being together at the same time.

And yes, you can install the Trans-go with the transmission still in the car. I wouldn't advise installing the Stage III without doing a complete high-performance rebuild and a torqu convertor. The stage I was more than enough to bark my tires shifting into 2 and firmed the shifts up in 3rd. I liked it alot. And I had it in the car for 3 years...

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Sportsman II 72 CC heads, Pete Jackson gear drive, Performance Resources chip, Edelbrock 1 5/8" headers and Edelbrock cat back exhaust, hi-flow cats, Trans-go stage 3 shift kit, Vigilante 9.5" 2800 stall convertor, SLP cold air induction, SLP roller camshaft, 24lb ADS injectors, AFPR, 3.45 rear end gears, and other goodies...


raven

 

ok this should be the last of the questions i think is there a web site for trans go cause when i look in summit magazine i see nothing bout different stages is there a stage II kit? i guess maybe i will have to go with the stage I kit even though i am tempted to get the stage III but dont wana kill my tranny cant rebuild till net year!!
thanks for all the help if anyone has part numebrs that would be great!

 

I have the SLP Shift Improvement Kit installed in my 700-R4, and I love the way it shift.. low-rpm is like no shift-kit at all, WOT it will get squirrly on just about every shift.. I *love* it. I just found it odd that I seem to be the only person with an SLP kit in my car.. this could either be a bad, or good thing.

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Adam .R - 1992 25th Anniversary "Heritage" Camaro Z28 5.7L 350ci - SLP Intake Runners, SLP 58mm Throttle Body, SLP Catback Exhaust, SLP Crank Reduction Pulley, SLP Custom PROM Chip, SLP Shift Improvement Kit, SLP Flow-Booster Airfoil, SLP 160 Thermostat,GMC "Syclone" Fuel Pump (90psi), Accel Fuel Pressure Regulator (38psi), Richmond 4.10 Gears, BMR Lower Control Arms,

 

Just to let you know the transgo kit in automatic control still acts like a manual valvebody. You get all the features of the stick, however when you stick it in 3rd and take off it still acts like an automatic. With that said theres really no reason to go with the full manual option...because youre getting the same thing with the other option(hold it in gear, or downshift at any rpm)...just the luxury of having auto still when you want it.

 

so in otherwords get the auto?? does stage I and if there is a II or III come all in one kit? if not hwo do u order teh different kits from jegs r summit i can remeber what ones have it btu anyways let me know thanks

 

ok trust me you dont want it to shift that hard!!! you'll shread u-joints all the time(try once a month!!!) atleast!! just put in a vette servo and geta stage 1 kit! it may not rip or break off your neck but it'll still shift hard when you get on it and then shift out! it'll be more than enough! i had a completely insane stage 3 kit installed and that wasnt hard enough oh no so i took it back and told them they said to leave it there over night and they'd make it shift REALLY HARD!! well i got what i wanted !! it had the shift kit all right alsoa completely modified valve body, and a smaller than vetee servo!! lets put it this way.. when it hsifts it litterally gives you a headache!! and it'll bark tires in every gear no matter what!! it does get old!!! just put in MAYBE a stage 2 kit and leave it at that!! you'l destoy the tranny eventually. just listen to me its fairt warning! i know i've not just been there im STILL there!!! and it sucks!! i want a "normal" shift kit so when i shifta 5500 it gives a good jerk and keeps going! not break my neack and car!! oh yeah it plays hell with the suspension!!! just fair warning please to god listen!!!

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1989 firebird formula

Mods: converted from T.B.I. to a carburator 305 to a 350. Flowmater exhaust,hedman shortie hedders,202 160 (882) heads,.447/.447 lift 222@.050 duration speed pro 327/350hp cam 350 .40 over (356) edlebrock performer rpm intake and a 600 edlebrock manual choke (1405) Proform H.O. distributor slightly revised 700r-4

Future mods comp extreme energy roller cam, world products sportsman 2 heads, msd 6al ignition, billet distributor, blaster 2 coil and a 406 engine is in the works soon!!!!

 

ok thanks burnouti think for now since i am short on money i will just get the vette servo!!! from what i heard that should firm my shifts up for now.. till next year this time then i will probably get the stage 1 kit. thanks for all your help

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1988 firebird ws6 formula350tpi msd 6al box blaster 3 coil accel 8.8 race wires hooker shorty headers hooker cat back system pro shift light a pillar gauge pod and water temp and air/fuel ratio gauges autometer oil pressure gauge b&m mega console shifter, march underdrive pullies, tpis airfoil cvr high torque starter (love it)
best 1/4 mile run of 14.44@ 96.53
this run is before the new exhaust system

 

I have to disagree with the roughness on the u-joints...

I have yet to replace my u-joints, and um... in fact on my 89 Firebird they are still the stock ones....

Yet I have a stage III transgo shift kit, 2800 stall Vigilante, and I love it, even with everyday driving. What you really need to do is find someone that has a stage I kit and a stage III kit and see which one you would like better.

It is all a personal preference.

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Sportsman II 72 CC heads, Pete Jackson gear drive, Performance Resources chip, Edelbrock 1 5/8" headers and Edelbrock cat back exhaust, hi-flow cats, Trans-go stage 3 shift kit, Vigilante 9.5" 2800 stall convertor, SLP cold air induction, SLP roller camshaft, 24lb ADS injectors, AFPR, 3.45 rear end gears, and other goodies...


raven

 

I'm thinking I'll go with a stage one. Should I get a mega shifter, or ratchet shifter to go with it rather than the stock console? And how hard is it to put the shifter in?

 

I must be some kinda dunce, but tell me this...when you say full manual control how exactly are you shifting? Without an aftermarket ratcheting shifter, is it just 1,2,D or what? Probably a dumb question but I'd kinda like to know. thanks.

 

Don't buy $7.99 u-joints or they will break. buy Dana's and they will live...

[This message has been edited by FastBroker (edited February 19, 2001).]