Disclaimer: These are all "my" tips, and they worked for me, they might not work for you, etc.

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Tom P's Installation Tips - B&M Shift Improver Kit

Tip #1: Understanding what you're doing

Please don't buy the kit and install it the same day! Read and re-read the directions. Study the pictures. If you have the GM tech manual for your car, compare the shift kit instructions against the GM info.


Tip #2: As you're installing the kit

Check off steps that you've done. Double-check everything. Quadruple-check any torque settings. Always put your internal trans parts on un-used newspaper. Keep everything dust & dirt free- don't work with the garage door open on a windy day, know what I mean? TAKE YOUR TIME... and go easy on the beer.


Tip #3: Removing the old filter seal

I have never had a filter-neck seal come down with the filter. It's not just a rubber seal- it has a metal ring inside. That's why it stays up there so good! This is easiest done after the valve body's taken down, and barely any fluid is dripping out. You can take a CLEAN flat-bladed screwdriver, and place it at the top of the seal- between the seal & the "step" in the bore. Pry the seal DOWN, from first the driver's side, then the passenger side, then the driver's side, etc. It'll slowly start walking down. Try not to scratch up the bore in the process.

Tip #4: "Wash the valve body down with a solvent"

Well, what kind of solvent? Acid? Paint Thinner? I called B&M's tech line, and they told me a "spray brake cleaner" would be fine. I used a non-chlorinated one; I don't know why. B&M didn't specify normal or non-chlorinated.

Tip #5: "Use petroleum jelly to hold the check-***** in place"

Yeah, regular 'ol Vaseline is what you need. When the trans fluid hits it, it just washes away and doesn't harm anything. The specialized GM trans assembly grease is basically petroleum jelly.


Tip #6: Pressure regulator tips

A. -Buy- snap ring pliers:

I didn't have them when I did my initial install of the kit, and tried to improvise using two awls (ice pick, center punch, etc). Yeah I got the ring out, but I couldn't get it back in. And I could've messed up the pump by stripping the "groove" when I got the ring out. If that happened, I would've had to drop the trans to replace the pump! Buy snap ring pliers that have long, thin ends: I bought a Lisle adjustable set, and could barely reach the snap ring, since the ends are wide & the pressure regulator bore isn't.

B. Get the right groove:

The regulator has TWO grooves in it. You will need to bottom out the regulator to see the second groove. Don't be a moron like me, and use the first groove- I put everything back together, and the car wouldn't move. I had to take everything apart again. B&M refers to the first groove as "a step in the bore". It looked like a groove to me!

C. Install the new snap ring easily:

B&M's method of installing pressure regulator is a pain in the *** . They suggest using a thin screwdriver to bottom out the regulator, while you put the snap ring back. Yeah, sure, if we weren't working in such a cramped spot, that might be a good suggestion.

After fighting this thing for a while, I came up with the "Ultimate" tip: Either buy or scrounge up a wooden dowel, about 3 feet long, and about 1/4" wide. When you need to put the regulator back up, wedge the dowel between the bottom of the regulator and the garage floor. Snap off sections of the dowel to make the thing fit almost straight up & down between the floor & regulator. Now you can put the snap ring up with ease. Make sure you don't leave any wood chips inside the regulator bore- just run your finger around up there.

Tip #7: Putting the pan back up

Make sure there's no trans fluid on the pan flange or the tranny case flange. If there is, you'll get a leak, since the gasket won't be able to seal properly.

Make sure the new filter is installed before you bolt the pan back up.

Align the gasket properly. On the passenger side of the trans, there is a hole in the case by the pan lip that lets the fluid pump drain. If you block this hole with the gasket, you'll burn up your trans. You'll notice on the passenger side of your pan, there's a little indent along the lip, between the 2nd & 3rd bolt holes- that's where the hole drains.

The gasket is designed to "hold" the tranny bolts in place while you put the pan up. Every hole in the Fel-pro gasket will do this; the cheaper Purolator gasket only has four holes, one in each corner, that hold bolts. Thread the bolts into the gasket holes (just the four corners for Purolator's), then put the pan against the trans, and hand-start the bolts.

Put all bolts in finger-tight before tightening them down with a ratchet handle and your torque wrench. If a bolt won't spin in finger-tight, please make sure it's NOT crossthreaded- you're putting a steel bolt into an aluminum case, these crossthread Easily- and you'll get a leak.


Tip #7: Check on your tranny's condition

Once you're all done, pry open your old tranny filter. Use angled wire cutters, or pliers, to separate the metal cover from the plastic base of the filter. Once you pull that metal square off, unfold the filter medium. Hopefully you don't have alot of metal filings in there. When my first trans blew, I watched the Lee Myles (trans shop) guy do this to my filter- there was a ****load of filings in there. On my last check of my Aug '99 rebuild, there were about 2 or 3 filings in there.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

Awesome, Tom! Thanks, I will print these up at work on Monday. I was thinking of skipping on the snap-ring pliers, but now I see I will need them. I'm sure you saved me a lot of wasted time right there.

 

Thanks Tom...my printer ran outta ink, but when I get some, I'll be sure to print this and keep it in the folder I got for all the "to dos" for the RS

 

I know how it is, I have a directory on my computer that's filled up with Firebird/Camaro info.. I find stuff in there sometimes that I forgot I had!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!