4sp AUTO MODS Q's?

Gonz · 18-03-2009, 10:11 PM

Straight up, im about to pull my engine out and i want to do my Auto at the same time, the Auto will need to handle 350-400HP and ive had different opinions when it comes to electronic shift kits and moding the valve body, which is better?

Limp Mode(LHM), set of by fitting a stallie higher than 2800RPM, Shiftkits Aus sell a device to fix that, or im told it can fixed when a flash unit is fitted?

I guess what i should ask is, if you had the chance, what is the ultimate Engine Management System you would buy and why?

and...

what would you have done to your auto and why?

cheers,

Gonz.

ps:if you have proven formula i want to hear from you, all i want is a tough box that shifts hard and hassel free motoring.

mik · 19-03-2009, 01:00 AM

i don`t know which is better but i think if the valve body is altered your stuck with it unless you pull it tp pieces again, my brother has a hard shifting supra auto, and its very nice when you get up it, but it changes pretty hard allll the time......tooo hard for this bloke , just my opinion but i like the idea of the adjustable electronic shift kit, how it goes with lhm sorry i have no clue.

Dauphin · 19-03-2009, 01:28 PM

I had my auto shift kitted at the valve body about 4 years ago, have had no problems since. As mik said, it's annoying if you want to adjust it and I had to have it turned down because it was just too much (they did it for free which was very nice of them).

The advice I was given was that you pay for what you get - take the cheap electronic route and take a bigger risk of something going wrong, but it'd be nice to be able to change it on the fly.

Who knows really. Other people seem to have had no problems with it, some have. A trans cooler is a good idea at the same time.

If money was no object, I'd do the following to the auto:
1. Shift kit it electronically - a normal auto just sounds lazy now.
2. Strengthen it - for peace of mind.
3. Fit a large trans cooler - for peace of mind.
4. Fit a 3,100 RPM stallie - more torque sooner, but impacts fuel economy.
5. Fit an ESS system like the T-series has - for extra fun (a prototype kit was being developed).

**Stav** · 20-03-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonz

Straight up, im about to pull my engine out and i want to do my Auto at the same time, the Auto will need to handle 350-400HP and ive had different opinions when it comes to electronic shift kits and moding the valve body, which is better?

Limp Mode(LHM), set of by fitting a stallie higher than 2800RPM, Shiftkits Aus sell a device to fix that, or im told it can fixed when a flash unit is fitted?

I guess what i should ask is, if you had the chance, what is the ultimate Engine Management System you would buy and why?

and...

what would you have done to your auto and why?

cheers,

Gonz.

ps:if you have proven formula i want to hear from you, all i want is a tough box that shifts hard and hassel free motoring.

Autos are a weak link in the ford. The drums are made of alloy. The bigger the stall the bigger the shock and boom...no gearbox.

blackers10 · 20-03-2009, 06:42 PM

my auto was built to handle 450+hp from a turbo AU XR6 and did so fine..(it was a thrashabout not a daily)
and i purchased it off the prev owner and it resides in my AU Fairlane ...
it shifts extremely hard (real annoying when putting along.. but awesome when up it)
its got the internals machined out to accept more clutch packs and better bands and a whole lot of other stuff
with a 2800 stall
goes well just need an LSD now

DoreSlamR · 20-03-2009, 07:38 PM

Have a chat to Top Quality Transmissions 9444 0181
Unit 6 40 hutton st Osborne Park

They know their stuff, even built up a 4 speed for Simon's typhoon at XFT.

**Stav** · 21-03-2009, 01:26 AM

The drums are weak as alloy

**Mechan1k** · 21-03-2009, 03:32 PM

The one I had installed by my mechanic was destined for a supercharged I6.
I had been rebuilt by a transmission specialist with upgraded bands, clutch packs, etc.
Adjustable S5 solenoid to the shift firmness could be adjusted (when you service the box though).

Had it in the work ute ... it was very nice to drive ... was smooth with very positive shifts (no shunting hard into gears) when punting around nicely. When pushing it with load on it shifted when i wanted it to (manually ... no pause ... no hard shunts). It had a very nice shift to it indeed.

Was the best $2200 I spent on the ute ... it really made it a joy to drive. Handled the work perfectly ... I already had a v8 trans cooler on it to begin with.

The auto had over 120,000km of decent city/metro/heavy load driving ... with it's fair share of manual shifting ... I regularly serviced it and it felt like new when i traded the ute in.

I miss that auto ... I wish i could have it in the BFII.

Gonz · 25-03-2009, 08:36 PM

cheers guys, i didnt think of the hard shift 100% of the time, i guess it would get abit much, going electronic then would alow me to turn it off so that sounds good to me...

so i guess ill rebuild it with kevlar bands, new clutches and fit a stallie and an electronic adjustable shift kit and if i need it ill get the LHM bypass module.

has anyone had kevlar bands fitted? or will std bands do the job?

cheers,

Gonz.

**Mont5.0** · 25-03-2009, 09:08 PM

Just a quick one, what engine combo you planning on running to produce 400HP?

5.0 ED · 26-03-2009, 01:18 AM

ok first of all their is absolutely no difference in putting in an adjustable s5 solonoid as their is to using a resister to vary the current to it, so why mod the valve body when 20c worth of components will do the exact same job, the s5 solonoid varies wot used to be called line 500 pressure (think they remained it) but anyway it varies between 0 and 500kpa, it can not just magically go over it cause someone moves the solonoid further in or out, it can only be adjusted in the range that is obtainable thru electronic control anyway.

The BTR box has well proven itself many times of being able to handle up to 700hp with no probs, i believe nizpro pushed several to the test and found that closer to the 800hp mark before they let go.

Stallies have absolutely no effect on the drums wot so ever. when u launch in first gear the drum should be already engaged theirfore causing no hammering effect. What does however effect the BTR's is the fact that when in D and taking off full throttle in first their is 2 parts in the transmission to apply forward, 1 is the sprag which is rather small in the BTR's, the other is a set of clutches, in D the clutches are not engaged, thus causing a weak spot as u are only relying on a sprag which is about half the size of one out of a C4, tickford when producing the T series cars modified the valve body in them so that when in D and taking off in first the clutch was engaged, this is a should do mod, and its just a modified shift shaft nothing else.

As for 2800rpm hi stall limit that can easily be removed with a plug in chip, if u got the chip and sent one to me i could do it for free very easily, or if u see the thread au chip tuning, then u could tune your car and everything yourself with your factory engine management system, u know the one thats very advanced that u cant even really compare any aftermarket system with.

As for the drums yes they are made of alloy, thus why its not desirable to alter a BTR auto's shift pressure's in any other way than via the S5 solonoid with electronic control. I'll put it like this u have an alloy drum, u instantly apply 500kpa * 1.3/1.4 (the pressure multiplier) slamming the clutches into the back of the drum it'll eventually crack, if u put in 0-500kpa in 0.2milliseconds you'll not hammer that drum but instead have a very fast firm shift that'll still cheap the tyres.

As for putting the T series shift button setup in, i can already do that with V8's with chip tuning, but not with the 6's as of yet. And anyway thinking of doing this setup should modify that shift rod first.

shazaam · 26-03-2009, 11:00 AM

good info, thanks matt

Gonz · 26-03-2009, 09:18 PM

yeh, cheers for that, ill see if i can find that Chip mod thread...as for the rest, it makes sense about the pressure changes, and i have heard good things of the BTR box, it going to handle the 400 odd HP without dramas, ill look into modifying the shift shaft and with that done it should be bullet proof, sweet!!

Gonz.