A few questions about shift kits.

I am in the market looking for a shift kit for an automatic formula firbird. The thing is i want to know the benefits from getting a shift kit installed and if this will change my actual gear selector in the center consol of my car. What i would like is for a shift kit to sort of simulate a manual transmission layout but only have 4 gears and then reverse, but let me have the ability to shift at my leisure. So, in short what i want is to pretty much turn my automatic gear selector into a manual shifter and enable me to shift my car as if it were manual but without the clutch. Is this possible with a shift kit?

dont know if there is a full manual valve body body avaliable for the 4 speed in the f body but a good shift kit will give you a 0simmilar affect

Why would you want to do that? The 4L60-E automatic transmissions aren't designed to have the gears be manually selected like that, and in the long run, will really decrease its life.

actuly shift kits extend the life of your trans becuse is makes them run cooler due to less sliping of the clutches

I didn't say that shift kits decreased it's life. I said manually shifting an automatic transmission, as he said he would like to do, would decrease the tranny's life. Heck, once I get the money, I wanna get a shift kit. I know those things are do wonders for a transmission.

Trans go is the best shift kit on the market for our cars but like was mentioned it is not meant to be shifted manually. It will drastically improve firmness of shifts though. You will notice nice chirps between gears.

Ok, so the shift kit will only improve my cars already automatic shift times. Ok, cool, i can deal with that... even though i would like a manual vehicle. Oh well guess i'm stuck with what i got. Anyway speaking of shift kits, how much would an installation of one cost? i know i can get a good shift kit for around 150, but installation is where you get killed with costs.

Just get a transgo with the video and watch it several times and take your time and in the words of every good Adam Sandler movei "You can do it!!!"

FormulaRX7, could you possibly resize your sig's image? It's extremely large and makes it a hassle to read a post, seeing as in how you have to scroll from right to left to read it.

Nice Blindxeyed, I thought that was a posted pic, didn't even notice it was in his sig.

Sorry about that, this better? Anyway, thats the thing, i'd rather pay someone to do the work so i dont screw anything up and besides i dont even have a ratchet, allen wrenches or even a normal wrench, let alone jacks.

Sorry about that, this better? Anyway, thats the thing, i'd rather pay someone to do the work so i dont screw anything up and besides i dont even have a ratchet, allen wrenches or even a normal wrench, let alone jacks.

Mucho grande better :thumbsup:. Thanks.

But yeah, it's always best to have a professional install things like a shift kit anyway. Unless you know alot about working on transmissions and have the experience to back you up. Most places you buy the kit from even recommend a you get it installed at a transmission shop. So that would definately be the way to go.

I didn't say that shift kits decreased it's life. I said manually shifting an automatic transmission, as he said he would like to do, would decrease the tranny's life. Heck, once I get the money, I wanna get a shift kit. I know those things are do wonders for a transmission.

not to be a prick but a full manuel valve body would alow manual shifts only and can be considered a shift kit
it what most bracket racers use

not to be a prick but a full manuel valve body would alow manual shifts only and can be considered a shift kit
it what most bracket racers use

Even still, not worth the money to do so. If you wanna manually shift through the gears, then get a manual transmission.

while my transmission is down, im having the guy thats working on it beef it up, hes putting a shift kit in it, a new pressure regulator, xtra clutch plates. Its gonna be alot cheaper since he already has to drop it out and take it apart, so it iwll save me money int he long run.

So... i can get a manual transmission to replace my automatic one? The dealers and shops ive talked to said i couldnt do that because the parts to the vehicle are set in different then they would be for a manual... also... how much does a manual trans cost? (including installation)

Yes, you can convert to a manual tranny. Just wouldn't be worth the time or money though. The only thing I can think of engine wise that you would need to swap out would be the flywheel. Because automatic transmissions connect to a different kind of flywheel as to the one the manual tranny uses. Then you would need the manual tranny, with the pedal assembly. I probably overlooked something, but those are the basics. Not sure of the cost on installation, but you can probably find a cheap tranny on eBay.

i dont know... i mean ive heard a lot from other shops and friends that a manual vehical can always out preform an auto any day, and besides after recovering from a drift with a manual you dont lose nearly as much speed as you do with an auto, or so ive heard. But then again... a turbo would fix the lag from the speed loss and a 25 shot of nitrous would solve the turbo lag problem... all in all though... i really do want to put a manual in the car. Mainly for durability reasons none the less. Any thoughts?

Manual is always good for drifting. Auto's suck when it comes to that, no doubt about it. But I believe John (FormulaLT1) mentioned a couple of times on the forum that the auto's are actually faster in the 1/4 mile. If your willing to put up the money to do the swap, then go for it. But I'll warn ya, it's gonna cost ya a pretty prenny.

ah, kk thanks... i'm not much of a fan of 1/4 mile i'd rather take a course... so.. looks like i've gotta start saving for that tranny... yay...

Why would you want to do that? The 4L60-E automatic transmissions aren't designed to have the gears be manually selected like that, and in the long run, will really decrease its life.
Its true that it will decrease its life, but it is better to manually shift it then to stick it in drive and start it out hard. Will tear up faster from u starting out 2 hard in drive.

hay not to talk shit but have any of you read your owners manuels it will tell you under sertain conditions to manualy shift yer auto trans and if it was bad for yer car they would tell you not to do it or it would not be mentioned at all true the trans is computer controlled (this will prevent damage

hay not to talk shit but have any of you read your owners manuels it will tell you under sertain conditions to manualy shift yer auto trans and if it was bad for yer car they would tell you not to do it or it would not be mentioned at all true the trans is computer controlled (this will prevent damage

hay is for horses.. lol j/p man. First off, I don't have an owners manual. 2nd, prolonged use of manually selecting gears will decrease the tranny's life. The transmission is an automatic. Hence, it selects which gear would be suitable for current driving situation. If you select a gear other than the one which would be more suitable for the situation, than that will have a negative affect on the transmission. Regardless if it's computer controlled.

man ive down shifted to help stop faster in the snow ive held it in to a lower gear to go up hills i mean shit man what do you think happens when you stomp the gas and the car takes off





just in case you didnt know the damn thing down shifts

mmk, well cool your jets man. No need to be getting worked up over it.

Yes I did know that it downshifts.. It's a transmission, I would hope that it would. I'm just passing what I've heard from others onto you. If you think that manually selecting gears is fine for all out daily driving, then so be it. But I'll keep it mine in "D" and only manually select gears when the need is necessary.

Oh another question, a friend of mine and myself were discussing what ive been trying to get answered here and he said that its called either of these things a "shift kit" or a "quickm shift kit" now he says they are the same thing and what he is talking about is what i wanted to do. Can anyone elaborate?

mmk, well cool your jets man. No need to be getting worked up over it.

Yes I did know that it downshifts.. It's a transmission, I would hope that it would. I'm just passing what I've heard from others onto you. If you think that manually selecting gears is fine for all out daily driving, then so be it. But I'll keep it mine in "D" and only manually select gears when the need is necessary.





sorry man not trying to be dick just going from things ive seen and done
not here to argu or make people mad :nutkick:

well, im not really satisfied with the "yahoo" shift kit i had installed. yes, you can tell its in there, but just barely, it replaces 2 of the ball bearings in the shifter with 3 springs i believe, its designed to shift harder, but barely noticable on a v6.

Oh another question, a friend of mine and myself were discussing what ive been trying to get answered here and he said that its called either of these things a "shift kit" or a "quickm shift kit" now he says they are the same thing and what he is talking about is what i wanted to do. Can anyone elaborate?

What you want to get is the TransGo 4L60-E shift kit. Here's a review and install guide about it. It also explains its purpose and the benefits from it:

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/tech/0407htp_projls1/