shift kit

[Jcrane88]

basically how do i tell if i have one?? me and my dad took my Z28 out for a run yesterday...we suspect that the transmission has a shift kit installed but i dont know how to verify that

[FormulaLT1]

Originally Posted by Jcrane88

basically how do i tell if i have one?? me and my dad took my Z28 out for a run yesterday...we suspect that the transmission has a shift kit installed but i dont know how to verify that

Only way I can think of is to remove the valve body and check for spacers. Besides that its pretty complicated.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by FormulaLT1

Only way I can think of is to remove the valve body and check for spacers. Besides that its pretty complicated.

The spacers would be on the piston pins, on the pressure side of the pistons, in the 1-2 and 3-4 accumulators on the TH700R4 - also many B&M shift kits have you drill the separator plate and replace a spring in the pressure regulator (front pump) on my car this caused the regulator to 'buzz' when cold at idle in gear - sounded like a bee - another thing to look for is the absence of a spring behind the Modulated Throttle Valve Upshift valve (at the FRONT of the valve body, second inboard from the passenger side). Those spacers in the accumulators are bad - it's much more preferable to go with stiffer springs as opposed to the spacers.

Another BAD thing about the B&M kit is that on my transmission, is the way the 2-3 shift on my transmission was modified - it sure does pound into 3rd but I think it releases the 2-4 band first ... before the 'slam shift' the engine flares during the shift and this can never be good.

[FormulaLT1]

Originally Posted by silicon212

The spacers would be on the piston pins, on the pressure side of the pistons, in the 1-2 and 3-4 accumulators on the TH700R4 - also many B&M shift kits have you drill the separator plate and replace a spring in the pressure regulator (front pump) on my car this caused the regulator to 'buzz' when cold at idle in gear - sounded like a bee - another thing to look for is the absence of a spring behind the Modulated Throttle Valve Upshift valve (at the FRONT of the valve body, third inboard from the passenger side). Those spacers in the accumulators are bad - it's much more preferable to go with stiffer springs as opposed to the spacers.

Another BAD thing about the B&M kit is that on my transmission, is the way the 2-3 shift on my transmission was modified - it sure does pound into 3rd but I think it releases the 2-4 band first ... before the 'slam shift' the engine flares during the shift and this can never be good.

I couldn't think of the name of the housing for the piston and so I had a brain fart and said valve body but your right.

[Jcrane88]

sounds like a pain.....i dont have a buzz.. i suspect cause the shifts are a bit delayed and there very hard.....on gravel the 1-2 shifts is so hard it spins the tires and gets me sideways...i changed the fluid and filter a few weeks ago i didnt notice anything out of place....it did seem extremely clean for a 1986 transmission...clean enough to eat off it..if it wasnt covered in dexron

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by Jcrane88

sounds like a pain.....i dont have a buzz.. i suspect cause the shifts are a bit delayed and there very hard.....on gravel the 1-2 shifts is so hard it spins the tires and gets me sideways...i changed the fluid and filter a few weeks ago i didnt notice anything out of place....it did seem extremely clean for a 1986 transmission...clean enough to eat off it..if it wasnt covered in dexron

If you're worried about that hard 1-2 shift (it COULD, after all, end up breaking the reaction sun shell causing failure of gears 2,4 and Reverse), you can drop the pan, remove the 1-2 accumulator housing (three bolts, one long and two not-so-long - all 10mm head size) and check to see if there's a spacer in there behind the piston (which should come out by tapping the housing, inverted, lightly against a wood block a few times), remove it. If you have a white spring in the accumulator along with the spacer, removing the spacer will soften the shift a bit (still firm, but not 'let's now break parts' firm). If you have a purple spring and the spacer, remove spacer and throw away purple spring, replacing it with white spring. If you have an orange spring, replace this with a white spring to soften the shift a little (as above).

If you have a purple spring and a spacer, you can remove the spacer, flip the piston upside down and put it back together to give a good shift until you get a white spring.

The purple spring alone will give a very soft, baby-butt soft, almost sloshy 1-2 shift which a lot of people prefer, but it's not good for the transmission (for obvious reasons).

[Jcrane88]

im dont have a problem with the shift unless its gonna break things. the car used to be a 1/8 mile warrior before i got it..so a shift kit wouldnt surprise me...id just like to know

[Jcrane88]

btw are you a tranny expert?

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by Jcrane88

btw are you a tranny expert?

I know my way around them, but as for the TH700R4 I'm totally in learn mode right now as I have three of them in various states of repair (one of which is in my car).