200r4 KC VB governor modifications

[Thesjaak]

Hi all,
Finally was able to get some miles on my 200-4r.
It needs some tweaking, shift points are a bit over the place.
I have a KC valvebody with the stock governor that I lightened to have the following governor weights: 14.3 grams for the small weight, 33.6 for the big weight. This should be the same as the weights in the BRF Vb AFAIK and give me 6k wot shifts.

I have the following issues:

- 1st to 2nd at part throttle is very high, +-2.5k rpm
- after that, 2nd to 3rd is in a very quick succession, it shifts to 3rd within 1-2 seconds after hitting 2nd on light throttle.
- when descending a hill I can manually put it in third to engine brake, I can't put it manually in 2nd to engine brake, it's like it's in neutral. However, when applying throttle in 2nd it does Engage fine.
- wot shift is too high, 7k rpm orso (i lift the throttle at that point), do I need to make the governor heavier?
- rpm in 4th seems too high, that might be due to the 2.5k rpm stall converter?
- doesn't seem like the TC lockup is engaging, I'll bypass the 4th gear switch to test where the issue is. Does it engage at any speed? I have a setup with a 4th gear pressure switch and a reverse relay on the brake switch. Or will it shift/lockup after like 60 mph?

Any ideas are welcome.
On the good side, car passed technical inspection!

 

[BEATAV8]

I used a KC for a while, shift points were just too high. Switched back to a BRF and used TV limit shims to increase WOT shift points a bit more modestly.

 

[Thesjaak]

I used a KC for a while, shift points were just too high. Switched back to a BRF and used TV limit shims to increase WOT shift points a bit more modestly.

Where were your shift points at? I'd gladly use a BRF, IF I could find one for sale somewhere.

 

[BEATAV8]

6600-6700
Didn't work out so great on the street if the car spun the tires.

 

[Thesjaak]

6600-6700
Didn't work out so great on the street if the car spun the tires.

See, I wonder why people have this issue and other shift consistently at +-6k. Maybe someone else will be able to help. On this side of the water finding parts isn't very easy either.

 

[BEATAV8]

You’ll have to try adding some grams to the governor. The KC with its original governor was supposed to be a relatively low rpm setup

 

[hensleyt]

2004R BRC Valvebody Package

extremeautomatics.com

Lonnie valve body works
More to shift timing than governor weighs

 

[Thesjaak]

2004R BRC Valvebody Package

extremeautomatics.com

Lonnie valve body works
More to shift timing than governor weighs

I've sent him an e-mail if he could source a VB for me and add a core charge, might be a bit cheaper than sending my own VB across the world and back.
Do you think it's possible to achieve 6k shifts with these?

 

[hensleyt]

yes he can do that I asked for 5500 on my Stage II and its right on the money

 

[BEATAV8]

It’s definitely tunable. Even my BRF valve body & governor combo went well over 6000 with too much TV limit shim.
My blue car shifts 1-2 @ 5950 and 2-3 @ 5650 with BRF vb & gov and some shimming. Having some spread between the two shift points seems to be pretty typical too.

 

[77 cruiser]

It’s definitely tunable. Even my BRF valve body & governor combo went well over 6000 with too much TV limit shim.
My blue car shifts 1-2 @ 5950 and 2-3 @ 5650 with BRF vb & gov and some shimming. Having some spread between the two shift points seems to be pretty typical too.

When you shimmed the TV limit did the PT shift points go pretty high? I did my CQ to shift at 6400 & PT is pretty high & detent is sensitive.

 

[BEATAV8]

When you shimmed the TV limit did the PT shift points go pretty high? I did my CQ to shift at 6400 & PT is pretty high & detent is sensitive.

Part throttle seems normal. Responds to cable normally too.

 

[hensleyt]

I just check Craigslist in AZ and southern Ill for 200r4 parts for a core for you. No luck yet ,Maybe Monday Ill call a few shops in Tucson if I find some time to help you out

 

[Thesjaak]

Update, Chris from extremeautomatics mailen me it's possible for them to source a core for me as well. That's a start I do hope the "no engine brake in 2nd" and stacked 2-3 shift will be resolved as well. But I'm hopefull.

 

[Phoneguy]

If you can't locate a BR Valve body, I have an extra one near St Louis. Not cheap. $400.00 + the ride.

Bryan

 

[hensleyt]

Update, Chris from extremeautomatics mailen me it's possible for them to source a core for me as well. That's a start I do hope the "no engine brake in 2nd" and stacked 2-3 shift will be resolved as well. But I'm hopefull.

Chris is a great guy been with Lonnie over 15 years.
Please tell them everything your 200 is doing and not doing Chris is Lonnie #1 man on the 200. He has branched out into more than the 200 to make his business grow but the 200 was his beginning. Lonnie came from GMs transmission division as a Technician not a engineer.
This is my personal experience I went from locking to non locking on a Stage II Lonnie sent me everything I needed and said the instructions were ease to follow, but suggest I remove the trans and turn it upside down pull the pan and call for a few things that was not in the instructions. Then a followup call before putting the pan on. I lived in Hawaii at the time shipping is stupid $ so you want something the won't crap out in 90 days.
Where on the Earth are you?

 

[hensleyt]

If you can't locate a BR Valve body, I have an extra one near St Louis. Not cheap. $400.00 + the ride.

Bryan

Im like you I have 2 complete BR trans I don't really need but being very selfish about letting them go $ 400 is a fear price in my book for a VB

 

[Thesjaak]

Chris is a great guy been with Lonnie over 15 years.
Please tell them everything your 200 is doing and not doing Chris is Lonnie #1 man on the 200. He has branched out into more than the 200 to make his business grow but the 200 was his beginning. Lonnie came from GMs transmission division as a Technician not a engineer.
This is my personal experience I went from locking to non locking on a Stage II Lonnie sent me everything I needed and said the instructions were ease to follow, but suggest I remove the trans and turn it upside down pull the pan and call for a few things that was not in the instructions. Then a followup call before putting the pan on. I lived in Hawaii at the time shipping is stupid $ so you want something the won't crap out in 90 days.
Where on the Earth are you?

That puts my mind at ease!
I'm from the country of beer, chocolate and terrorists: Belgium

 

[Thesjaak]

For anyone reading this in the future, problem is the wrong spring in the governor. I put the light spring from the stock governor on the small weight.

 

[77 cruiser]

For anyone reading this in the future, problem is the wrong spring in the governor. I put the light spring from the stock governor on the small weight.

I tried that once just to see what it would do, didn't work very good. Went to about 7500 & didn't shift out of 1st.