Transmission sucks, will a shift kit help?

[BigTurbo6]

Well, my transmission shifts 1-2 pretty hard but if I'm running more than 10lbs boost I have to feather my 2-3 shift pretty drastically (at least enough to let the ricers catch me). I can't even shift them manually, does the same thing. When it does shift its firm, messed with the tv cable. Overdrive kicks in anywhere from 60-70mph which sucks since I hardly ever get there. Also d oyou guys use overdrive in the 1/4 because I'd say I'd have to in this thing, 3rd seems like it'd be max'd way before that.

Now I see this PTS valve body kit everyone's raving about. Will this help me or will it just give me firmer shifts leaving me still fighting gears all the way down the track? What usually causes this and whats the cheapest way to fix it?

 

[d0n_3d]

first of all how many miles are on your trans and is it stock? you may be looking at a rebuild soon...my tranny took a major dump recently and it had 95k stock completely original miles on it with just a tranny cooler front mounted...i lost 3rd and 4th gear and reverse completely...all the clutches went...i pulled the pan and the fluid was as black as motor oil...i was running liquid clutch material through my trans

so that said...depending on the mileage of your tranny...it might need a freshing up...these trannys from the factory are complete GARBAGE...they are awesome if they are modified for street/strip

and NEVER race in OD in the 1/4 mile unless you are making some serious power...and by then you are probably going to want to upgrade the cam anyways...with a stock motored car always race in "D"...you will not want to shift into OD because it will severely slow you down and 4th gear in our trannies is a junk economy gear that is VERY weak...shifting at that high of rpm into 4th gear is just asking for the gear to get destroyed...

if you experience maxing out your rpms before the 1/4 is done (which means reving near 5200-5400 rpms in third) then you better switch to 28" tires instead of 26"...that will drop the rpms by 200-300 rpms...also make sure you install a lockup switch for your TCC and flip it ON at around 70 mph in 3rd gear...that will also drop rpms down a few hundred...hope this all helps

 

[BigTurbo6]

Yeah it's got alot of miles, but the fluid looked decent, a really fine metallic goop on the magnet from something, though.

Just looking for a really cheap fix. I am willing to work, though.

 

[d0n_3d]

Originally posted by BigTurbo6
Yeah it's got alot of miles, but the fluid looked decent, a really fine metallic goop on the magnet from something, though.

Just looking for a really cheap fix. I am willing to work, though.

that "goop" is clutch material...if you have ALOT of it then it's definitely time for a rebuild (in my case the whole pan was filled with clutch material) i have heard that adding a shift kit or such modifications to a tired and high mileage tranny will only do it worse...if i were you i would honestly consider saving your pennies and get it rebuilt...a performance rebuild from vince janis (janis transmissions) only runs just under a grand with no billet parts (get billet parts if you plan on racing the car with decent mods)

eventually your tranny is gonna get worse like mine did...i let mine go and kept putting it off thinking it was ok...but then one day i lost 3 gears completely...so it's up to you

 

[BigTurbo6]

If I ever had $1000 I'd feel rich. I usually have about $100 a month to spned on such things, if I'm lucky. Heck, only paid $3000 for the car!

 

[chris718]

sounds like internal problems a kit will not fix,but be sure to install one on the rebuild.