Life in my Auto Tranny

[97gtdroptop]

I havent done any real power mods to my car.For the most part, for daily driving and racing red light to red light I have more than enough power.The only problem I have is my tranny.It seems lifeless.The shifts are real soft and well to be honest its boring.I took it in to have it checked out and they told me thats just how it is.What can I do to liven it up a bit?Do shift kits really work?They didnt recommend them at the tranny shop.I would just like some firmer shifts.


Thanks!!!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Diablo Predator will firm it up. You will need to add after market tranny cooler for sure though. If you can afford it a high stall torque converter will kick it up big time... Just say no to shift kits...

 

[streetstang03]

Jerry Mod, Tranny cooler, 4.10s, and a new torque converter will change that right up.

read the article " Modifing Valve Body to Jerry's specifictions - Jerry's mod"
http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html

 

[Bubba Z.]

I recently had a Transgo shift kit, 2800 RPM torque converter and tranny cooler installed for my 4R70W and the difference is like night and day. 1-2 and 2-3 is nice and crisp and no longer hesitates like it used to. At the same time it doesn't feel like my whole drivetrain is going to fall off like some other shift kits might do. The torque converter makes for a great launch and with some gears and extra horsepower its going to be sweet!!!!! A tranny cooler is a great add-on for ANY transmission.

Some will argue the j-mod, some will say user a tuner and some will say shift kit. Mind you, I had my work done at a performance shop and not some Mom/Pop shop that works on Hondas and Toyotas all day. It was done by a guy who installed many a shift kit. He also tweaked my transmission here and there so essentially the whole tranny is now bullet proof -- it can take a lot of abuse even though I don't drive hard much.

 

[OUR01GT]

I also have a TRANSGO shift kit installed with no issues. The instructions are very good and with some mechanical knowlege you can do it yourself. Be sure to install an aftermarket tranny cooler!

 

[propellerhead]

If he has a 97 (as the user ID indicates), he won't have many options as far as tuners go.

 

[Dark Knight GT]

I havent done any real power mods to my car.For the most part, for daily driving and racing red light to red light I have more than enough power.The only problem I have is my tranny.It seems lifeless.The shifts are real soft and well to be honest its boring.I took it in to have it checked out and they told me thats just how it is.What can I do to liven it up a bit?Do shift kits really work?They didnt recommend them at the tranny shop.I would just like some firmer shifts.


Thanks!!!

I agree with what streetstang03 has suggested. A torque converter, jerry mod, transmission cooler, and 4.10 gears will wake that transmission up. Follow that link streetstang03 has given you and do the Jerry mod. Its well worth the money. If you aren't mechanically minded, thats ok, any transmission shop can do this for you in just a few hours of work. While reading up on how to do the Jerry mod, look into upgrading your transmissions accumulator pistons. Since you have a 97 GT, you have the older style accumulator pistons. You want to upgrade both your 1-2 and 2-3 accumulator pistons while you're in there to the newer rubber-bonded accumulator pistons found in the 99-04 GT's. I think even the 98's use the rubber bonded accumulator pistons. You can purchase these straight through Ford. I recommend contacting Randy Stinchcomb. He can hook you up with all the parts you need to do the Jerry mod as well as the new style accumulator pistons from Ford. You can contact him at www.modulardepot.com Just go to the top of the page, click the forums section, register, and go to the Ford parts section of the forums. You can contact Randy there. Just tell him you're wanting to do the Jerry mod to a 97 automatic GT and you want to upgrade the accumulator pistons to the newer specs. You can also ask him about transmission coolers and gears as I do believe he sells both. Not 100 percent sure on the transmission coolers though.

EDIT: One more thing. Should you decide to get a tune, go with Superchips Tuning. Jerry Wroblewski(the same guy who designed the "Jerry mod") works for Superchips Tuning now. Thus, they can design you a custom program specifically for 4r70w automatic equipped Mustangs. As for Torque converters, Precision Industries is about the best in the market. Warning, converters are expensive though but do a great deal to liven up that transmission.

 

[big T]

Jerry Mod, Tranny cooler, 4.10s, and a new torque converter will change that right up.

read the article " Modifing Valve Body to Jerry's specifictions - Jerry's mod"
http://tccoa.com/articles/tranny/index.html

You are dead right! Similar mods knocked 1.4 seconds off my 1/4 et...4:10's/trqe cnvtr will do wonders.....Doesnt do crap without decent tires though, but spin em!

 

[Bubba Z.]

Since you have a 97 GT, you have the older style accumulator pistons. You want to upgrade both your 1-2 and 2-3 accumulator pistons while you're in there to the newer rubber-bonded accumulator pistons found in the 99-04 GT's. I think even the 98's use the rubber bonded accumulator pistons.

My accumulator pistons on my '98 GT were rubber bonded. I also believe that the older style were aluminum while the new style are made of steel.

Also, if you do go with 4.10 gears you'll need to recalibrate your speedometer/odometer. I have a Dallas Mustang speed calibrator which works well. See how this snowballs -- waking up a lazy tranny isn't cheap but it's well worth it.