Trying to get a little more out of my 5.0 93 vert is transgo reprogramming kit worth the money? how much do they really help my car is stock with a few bolt ons o/r x pipe 65mm tb cold air k&n filters eq. headers msd ignition b&m shifter lowering springs eibach koni shocks new swaybars and17in. wheels thanks for any knowlage you have to share.
Transgo shift kits
- Thread starter rod196202
- Start date
DTT92LX
New Member
I think most here would say to get it but you really should do a forum search to see the pros and cons. There are some decisions you'll have to make before installing (kit parts to omit or include). Also a call to transgo support will reveal other considerations (gear ratio effects).
crazypete
All my crevices are greased.
The kit is great. Install it with the most agressive settings and you will be happy.
One warning though. The only drawback to the kit is an earlier 3-4 shift and no 4-3 throttle downshift. So if you're on the highway and you want to disengage OD to race someone, you need to pull the shifter back. Otherwise, you'd need to actually slow down below the 4-3 dropdown speed to get back to third. You'll do a bit more shifting with it.
However....
the shifts are so nice and crisp. No more OOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo..slip..clunk
it's
OOOOOO WHAM! oooooo. Like instant shift. No slipping. Believe it or not, the slamming from gear to gear is better for the transmission than letting all the clutches slip for a second on each shift. Slipping builds heat and grinds the clutches down. They boost the pressure too so it holds the clutches harder.
But if you're cruising around, the whams are barely noticable and it will be well behaved.
So get it, install is quite doable, they supply the drill bits and templates. It will be messy but you wont regret it once it's in.
One warning though. The only drawback to the kit is an earlier 3-4 shift and no 4-3 throttle downshift. So if you're on the highway and you want to disengage OD to race someone, you need to pull the shifter back. Otherwise, you'd need to actually slow down below the 4-3 dropdown speed to get back to third. You'll do a bit more shifting with it.
However....
the shifts are so nice and crisp. No more OOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo..slip..clunk
it's
OOOOOO WHAM! oooooo. Like instant shift. No slipping. Believe it or not, the slamming from gear to gear is better for the transmission than letting all the clutches slip for a second on each shift. Slipping builds heat and grinds the clutches down. They boost the pressure too so it holds the clutches harder.
But if you're cruising around, the whams are barely noticable and it will be well behaved.
So get it, install is quite doable, they supply the drill bits and templates. It will be messy but you wont regret it once it's in.
hamonkeiser
New Member
Very noticable difference over stock...crisper & harder. I'd recommend a more agressive torque converter with it to really make it worth it. I had a shop install mine with the torque converter, didn't want to deal the mess. You'll like it.
hamonkeiser
New Member
Torque converter depends on how modded your car or how far you want to go. If its mostly stock I'd only go a few hundred over the stock converter about 2000 to 2400 stall if the car's pretty worked up or is going to be you might want to consider a 2800 to 3000 stall. It all depends on what your plans are for the car. I'm running a 2000 stall in mine & I'm more than happy with it. It's mostly a street car with occasional trips to the drag strip.
You'll want to get a trans cooler for it too, the trans can get pretty hot with the new converter.
You'll want to get a trans cooler for it too, the trans can get pretty hot with the new converter.
crazypete
All my crevices are greased.
TCI streetfighter. Cheap($280) and stalls about 2800 on a stock motor. The quality is more than enough for a street application. The stall is just right for the 302 powerband and will give you some room to grow and a fun place to play in the meantime. It is slightly smaller than the factory converter 9.5in instead of 10.5in (10.5 instead of 11.5? I dont have the specs handy).
While you have the valvebody out, install an A+ servo. OD band wear is the leading cause of death for young AOD's =P . The a+ will stop the drum solid and hold it with great pressure so there is no slippage. When you rebuild it, swap in a kevlar band and the band and servo together will give you an indestructible OD "gear" setup. Add a hardened lockup shaft to offset the factory shafts tendency to twist and subsequently break, maybe a red alto clutch pack and as the good man said, a nice fat cooler to offset all the extra heat generated by all these mods.
Have a nice day!
Pete
While you have the valvebody out, install an A+ servo. OD band wear is the leading cause of death for young AOD's =P . The a+ will stop the drum solid and hold it with great pressure so there is no slippage. When you rebuild it, swap in a kevlar band and the band and servo together will give you an indestructible OD "gear" setup. Add a hardened lockup shaft to offset the factory shafts tendency to twist and subsequently break, maybe a red alto clutch pack and as the good man said, a nice fat cooler to offset all the extra heat generated by all these mods.
Have a nice day!
Pete
willys1
Active Member
The cheap Tci's and all B&M are crap 
Precision Ind's and Edge make the best converters for a 5.0..If the trans-go kit is installed rite there's no problem with the 4-3 down shift,,mine works fine!But they dont really give you any gains in performance with a stock motor.
Precision Ind's and Edge make the best converters for a 5.0..If the trans-go kit is installed rite there's no problem with the 4-3 down shift,,mine works fine!But they dont really give you any gains in performance with a stock motor.
crazypete
All my crevices are greased.
willys1 said:The cheap Tci's and all B&M are crap
The AOD hp kit? I was told by the transgo tech himself that this is what the kit is supposed to do. I swapped in the old 3-4 shift valve with the new springs and had no 3-4 shift at all. Even at 4k refused to shift. I made sure it wasnt seized. Then I dropped and swapped the old 3-4 springs in as well. Now I jumped into OD at something like 1600 rpms. Sure at absolute WOT, it would break loose to 3rd, but nothing less. I mean pedal FLOORED before it came loose. And for this, I had to take the wicked wicked early shift into OD. So I put all the transgo 3-4 valve and springs back in and just dealt with it.
Kdubslugga
Active Member
Dont mean to hijack this thread at all but im getting ready to do the Transgo and i have some concerns. Ive been told that it shifts into OD at wide open throttle unlike the stock valve body that stays in 3 at wide open throttle. Is this only with the lever in OD, because on the tape it says with the lever in D the transmission will not shift into overdrive. So who's right??
, acceleration relatively easily on the 1-2 and 2-3 upshifts.
Kdubslugga
Active Member
gork1rogues said:
Should i leave the entire springs/valve and everything out of that particular bore??? Just completely skip that whole step, or just leave out the valve or what???
crazypete
All my crevices are greased.
Skip the entire step, no valve, no endplug, no springs, leave the whole 3-4 valve in place...... just be warned, they boost the pressure so the 3-4 shift will happen REAL early.
Kdubslugga
Active Member
So let me make sure im good!! All i have to do is leave that entire valve and spring in place and it should not shift to OD under WOT correct??? However under normal driving it will shift to OD very quickly??
nosmatt
Founding Member
I respectfully DISAGREE on this, so..... do research, and call TG.
Not sure why crazypete is suggesting that........ transgo recommends drilling the seperator plate differently when you have steep rear gears, and using the hi rev kit to ensure shifts are right.......also, get the sonnax boost valve!
also, set the tv pressure right, or your downshifts will be crap. if the tv pressure is set TOO HIGH, it will take alot of throttle input to make the car kick down into the next gear, and this sucks ass when going up a hill in third (when have a lockup converter) and you need second, will alomost have to floor it to get 2nd.......I THINK this is crazypete's problem........also makes the tranny not want to go into od (tranny "thinks" the throttle is depressed further than it is, thus the shift into od is delayed, or will never happen.
last, if you screw up at all torquing the vb into the case, it will have all kinds of problems, migght not have a 1-2 shift, or might go into other gears too early etc...........get a in/lb torque wrench, and torque to 90in/lbs and take your time.
Not sure why crazypete is suggesting that........ transgo recommends drilling the seperator plate differently when you have steep rear gears, and using the hi rev kit to ensure shifts are right.......also, get the sonnax boost valve!
also, set the tv pressure right, or your downshifts will be crap. if the tv pressure is set TOO HIGH, it will take alot of throttle input to make the car kick down into the next gear, and this sucks ass when going up a hill in third (when have a lockup converter) and you need second, will alomost have to floor it to get 2nd.......I THINK this is crazypete's problem........also makes the tranny not want to go into od (tranny "thinks" the throttle is depressed further than it is, thus the shift into od is delayed, or will never happen.
last, if you screw up at all torquing the vb into the case, it will have all kinds of problems, migght not have a 1-2 shift, or might go into other gears too early etc...........get a in/lb torque wrench, and torque to 90in/lbs and take your time.
crazypete
All my crevices are greased.
Hey it's possible something went wrong. The tranny is from 1986 and hand rebuilt. Seems to work great cept for one feature. I did install the hi rev kit and drilled the seperator plate for the high gears, btw.
Any way my particular install went, fact is transgo is the best shift kit out there
Any way my particular install went, fact is transgo is the best shift kit out there
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