BRF without original governor mods...

[jakeshoe]

I installed a 200-4R in my '69 Chevelle a month or so ago.

1st one I built over a year ago was damaged and is caught up in an insurance claim until it settles. It had a CK billet drum and Superior servo, PTS VB and pressure reg kit, etc..

MY latest incarnation is a BRF unit with no billet, GN servo, TransGo shift kit, .500/.283 boost valves, 3 clutch OD, etc..

I installed it with the stock D5 converter.

It did not have the original BRF governor so I left it alone to do some testing.

It shifted OK at light to medium throttle, and of course had very early WOT shifts. Approx 3800 rpm.

Yesterday I finally got a chance to do some mods to the governor. I took it out and ground the light weight to very small size, not much more meat to take off...
I took the large weight to about half it's original size.
I cut 2 coils off the spring.
I am now at ~4500 rpm WOT. I expected a larger jump for the amount of material I removed. It looks very similar to a GN governor now..

I will take it back out today and make the large weight even smaller and see what I can do to lighten the smaller weight even more. Probably take another 2 coils off the spring.

I also added a click back to the TV and it didn't seem to change the WOT shift points but it isn't as harsh at part throttle now as it was before the governor mods, so I guess the governor had some effect on the TV pressure at lighter throttle openings.

The OD is nice, had it to about 140 the other night coming home and blew the header gaskets out... LOL Cruises at 65-75 NICE with the 3.73 rear.


Any additional suggestions to get the WOT shifts to ~6000 rpm?

 

[Lee Thompson]

IMO

I don/t believe the BIG weight will do anything for your WOT shifts. A stock BRF small gov. weight is 14.2 gams--- One gram removed will increase shift point 200 RPM.

 

[jakeshoe]

Messed with it some more today, cut 3 more coils off the spring, and lightened the small weight slightly, and the big weight alot..
Now have 5200 rpm shifts.

Would like to get it slightly higher. 5500-5800 would be great.

It has a TransGo kit in it and I did some experimentation with it. I left the plug out of one of the direct holes. The TransGo kit recommends plugging it. I had a slight cut-loose on the 2-3 shift at WOT so I installed the plug today. It was almost un-noticeable, not a real bad slippage feeling, just not as crisp as I wanted it.
Maybe slightly better but I would like the 2-3 a little firmer all around.

I took a pic of the governor after today's mods I'll post in a bit.

 

[jakeshoe]

 

[77 cruiser]

remember what mine looked like Jake

http://webpages.charter.net/77cruiser/Gov/Gov 001.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/77cruiser/Gov/Gov.jpg

I've never weighed the gov. but the heavy wt. shouldn't have any affect on WOT shifts. I lightened the heavy wt. to raise the light PT 1-2 shift.

Are your 1-2 & 2-3 at the same rpm?

I ended up shimming the TV limit a bit also, that'll raise PT shifts as well.

Jim

 

[jakeshoe]

OK,
You can see I took some meat off the heavy weight, it DID seem to bring the 1-2 up a bit at PT which was OK.

My small weight is cut down to the minimum. Nothing left to do to it really. Maybe trim my set screw slightly..

The spring is the lighter of the originals. With about 5 coils gone now... I would be afraid to cut anymore off this one...

My 1-2 is about 54-5500 at WOT. Hard to tell because it gets there so quick and is already into 2nd, usually spinning too..

My 2-3 is at right at 5200 best I can tell. I have more time to see it.

My 3-4 is right at 5000 rpm

And 4th gear will get ya in trouble

Also hooked up the hot wire to get the converter to lock. Never locked...
Checked it by grounding my "command ground" terminal and I didn't hear the solenoid at first, after grounding it a time or two it started clicking, but no lockup on the test drive.

I need to wire a switch to the "command ground" terminal and see if I can force a lockup. Using a normally open/pressure closed switch in the 4th circuit and the ground side of the TCC solenoid is split to the pressure switch and my command ground.

I didn't have ANY kind of a switch in the garage today so will have to get one tomorrow.
Guess I coulda hooked it up to my WOT switch and tried to lock it at WOT

Stock D5 converter seems to flash to over 3500. Closer to 4000...
Footbrakes to ~2500 though.. my rear brakes may be worn though.

Just about right for stall speed for my combo I think.

OD shifts a little harsh with the accum spring I'm using, and I grabbed the wrong spring today to recal it while I had the VB dropped.

 

[jakeshoe]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80951

Old thread, took me a bit to find it.

Chris,
This sounds like the next mod to get me where I'm going...
Sounds like I will be drilling a hole parallel to the gov cover mounting surface, through two walls of the gov cover. Right?

.055"

How does hole size affect this mod?

 

[77 cruiser]

Looks like you have room to drill a few holes to lighten more.

Jim

 

[jakeshoe]

Yeah,
I may try to drill some small holes... That little weight is getting pretty dinky.

Might take my steel set screw out and use something lighter too..

Another drop of the pan

Still want the 2-3 to be firmer.. Guess I'll have to check and see what I drilled the feed hole to for the direct.

 

[77 cruiser]

My TransGo kit had .086 for 3rd .110 for 2 & 4 I believe.

My 3rd isn't as firm as 2 or 4, maybe so you don't break the stock fwd. shaft??

Jim

 

[jakeshoe]

Jim,
I'm TRYING to break hard parts... LOL