I know everyone on here is going to tell me to ditch the b&m and get a transgo (if and when i replace the tranny i will go that route) but for now i bought the car off of a buddy of mine who just replaced the tranny and he had this kit installed. The shift from 1-2 will definitely toss you around in your seat. It has all ready broken a transmission mount (rubber). Those things are normal with the firmest shift kit they offer from what ive read, but my question is that at WOT my car shifts fine from 1-2 (about 5300rpm) but it shifts way way too soon into third (about 4000rpm). Is this good/normal? It doesnt seem to have a problem at all accelerating but i'd like to be able to hold second longer. If I try and shift manually with the crappy stock shifter its hard to correctly get it into drive instead blowing it into neutral.

 

B&M kits usualy:

Drill the 2nd clutch feed hole WAY to big
Replace the accumulator springs w/ spacers
Replace the line bias spring w/ a spacer
and lot of other no-no's.


If you take out the spacers in the 1-2 accumulator (real easy to do) and put a yellow accumulator spring in it, it might make it more bearable.

 

Everyone here complains about the B&M, but mine has worked perfect, I have no complaints.

 

Ya win some and you lose some. I personally DO NOT reccomend them, but I've been told by several people what my opinions worth...

 

Well reguardless of the B&M bashing (I do my share) Ive read around the board here that this has been a common problems assosiated with freshly rebuilt transmissions. I dont know what caused it but most people were in need of another rebuild shorty after the 1st. If the B&M kit was installed W/O the line bias blocker HD setup there would be far less failures, just think if B&M would invest $5 in firmer accumulator springs and dump the spacers people wouldent have problems at all.

 

NOW I SEE!!!!!!!

Those that think the B&M kit sucka, think that they don't come with springs!!!!!!

THEY DO!!!!!!!

They just give you the option of using them.

I have the transpak, and in it was a bunch of springs for what they call "towing" mode, or you can use the sleeves/shafts for "street/strip"

That explains a lot.

Now..... as far as the shifting too soon into 3rd..... I don't know. Maybe one of the check ***** fell as the valve body was installed?

 

AJ,


Ive installed many B&M kits in customers cars, I even use thier accumulator spacer in my own 3/4 accumulator (only as a cheap way to firm up 3/4 shift) so dont tell me I dont know what im talking about.

What I was getting at was B&M should use accumulator springs that are strong that would give some cushion in the accumulator but instead they use spacers that in the S/S kit totally block accumulator travel completely.

The only spring that comes in the B&M kit is a purple pressure regulator spring.

Also to be clear that I do know all about the B&M kits I can give you the instructions (note instructions are not on B&M website). 1. Drop pan then valve body. Remove MTV upshift spring, disguard and re-install valve. (this step eliminates the forced 1/2 upshift) 2. S/S only remove line bias valve, replace with blocker rod (this step jacks up the line pressure causing 90% of B&M failures). 3. remove pressure regulator assemble, replace stock spring with purple spring. 4. drill 3 holes in seperator plate. 5. Accumulator HD. 1/2 accumulator add a yellow spacer (this is where they should add springs not spacers) 3/4 accumulator add red spacer. reinstall. S/S, 1/2 add 2 blue spacers 3/4 add 1 blue spacer. The 3/4 is where I admit I used an accumulator spacer from a B&M kit and it did a nice job although firm spring would be better.

Now who doesnt know thier shift kits.

 

I don't know the last time you bought a B&M kit, but the Transpak I used did have stronger springs for the accumulator. I didn't use them, but to be honest, I didn't care if it hurt the tranny or not because once I build the car, another tranny (Hughes) will be going in.

I've had the kit installed for over 1 yr, and 16K miles, and I haven't had one problem (plus the tranny has 184K miles on it).

I'm not exactly easy on the car either. The sooner I blow the engine/trans, the sooner I can convince my wife I need to change stuff.

 

Hughes :rockon:

 

AJ, the Shift Improver Kit is what most people buy, the Transpack does have more parts but thier two different things, the SIK only costs $30. The cars that I installed these Shift Improver Kits on all operate fine.

 

what is the transpak? how does it give you more manual control?

 

I got the improver kit and it had no springs. On the 1-2 accum, what I did was use the small spacer in conjunction with the stock spring. (one of my springs was already broken in 4 when I went to put the kit in! )