First off I'd like to send out a HUGE thanks to Naked AV for the extra hand, and voice of reason in getting this installed.

Last week I had installed a vette servo and billet OD servo. I got to drive it the whole week to get an idea of how it felt and the changes it made. To sum it up, it should have come like this from the factory. Not harsh or firm at all. Just positive, direct shifts that we're much quicker then stock.

Moving along...
Noon
Yesterday, Naked AV and I met at noon armed with some Costco Polish dogs, Gatorade, and my daughters TV and VCR. We were ready to tackle the install of the Transgo shift kit, separator plate, FWD accum pistson, 1/2 accum piston, and a new release check valve.

Without Naked AV's voice of reason I probably would have blitzed through the whole thing, but he insisted that we stop to look over the video prior to each step of disassembly and reassembly.

4:15PM
While putting back together the separator plate, I managed to strong arm one of the little filter screens that snap into the plate. We had about 40 minutes to find a GMC parts dealer that had the part number and had the part in stock. Luckily, with a little help from the parts guys at two different locations, we were able to locate an AC Delco replacement.

6:00PM
Later that night at one point, we heard a something drop under the car while we were giving the Valve Body a work over. We didn't see anything under the car and kept working.

We buttoned up the while constantly referencing the video inbetween steps. It was now about 8PM

We put in some fluid and let the car warm up. Things were going great. All the gear worked, and the shifter was selcting each gear while on jack stands without a noise or fuss.

8:45PM
We noticed we overfilled the trans fluid, and decided to figure out how much we lost when we drained it. During this, we heard a part fall out of our oil pan.

Turns out that a pin that should have stayed in the trans for the 4th piston accum, fell out.

Hold on a sec though... The car was already put back together, fluid filled up, and the car running and warmed up!

10PM
So under the knife we go again... Naked AV and I tore into the tranny ,pulled everything off again, found where the pin went, and put it all back together in about an hour!

No kidding. It took us about 8 hours from start to finish the first time. But on the 2nd tear down, it took us only an hour. We're pro's now!

As for driving impressions...

At part throttle, and crusing, you can't tell it's there. It's near stock. Other then the fact you notice the shifts are quick and positive with no delay or rev inbetween gears.

At mid to WOT, the shifts are awesome! We setup the shift kit with no washers and the holes drilled (if there was an option for hole size) to the smallest sizes. Nothing but solid, quick shifting. No bark or chirp of the 1>2 shift, just the next gear. The 2>3 was just as impressive. There there is the downshifts.. Pure bliss.

All in all, it was a messy and frustrating exercise. But in the end, the gains were so worth it. This is one mod that everyone should do.

 

You know, I'd feel bad about how long it took us if grippy weren't a member here.



I admit to being a little intimidated by all the little pieces/parts and conflicting directions, hence my wanting to reference both the video and written instructions while doing the job. But the results were well worth it. As the man said, quick, firm shifts are now the order of the day.

As far as harshness, I agree with unredeemed, the Transgo does not cause any harshness, only quicker and (considerably) firmer shifts. I can see how transmission longevity is extended with a kit such as this one. I would recommend it as well.

 

you guys are more ballsy than most if i took a tranny apart it would never work again
congrats on the good job

 

Im looking very seriously at doing this soon...
I have no shop to do it in so it would be a backyard project. see any problem with that? I know there are alot of little pieces that would like to fall out...so Im planning on doing it under a tarp. Also the separator plate, FWD accum pistson, 1/2 accum piston, and a new release check valve are peices in the transgo kit, or is this something I'll need to get and if so, where?...
Also, I have never done anything more to a tranny then installing, removing and oil changes..... am I in for big surprise at how complicated this install is going to be, or does the video make it pretty much a listen and do type thing?
Sorry for all the questions, I have turned wrenches on cars since I was 13, but trannys have allways been something I trusted to others.

 

All I had ever done prior to a year ago (besides change my oil and wiper blades) was replace the thermostat on my 1987 Dodge. Now I'm a veteran of a cam/spring change, supercharger reinstall, a shift kit install, and I'm getting ready to plumb a tranny cooler and upgraded heat exchanger into my truck.

It's really not that hard if you are methodical and take your time. For projects like this, hunger and dehydration are your enemies, as are impatience and a desire to rush things. On the other hand, double (and sometimes triple) checking things is your friend, as are breaks to avoid getting frustrated.

It's not that hard, but there are lots of opportunities to make mistakes. The key is to minimize them as much as possible.

Just take your time and you will do fine.

 

unredeemed - Congrats on the install! glad everything is working how you wanted it too.

Naked AV - I didn't have to re-open mine ........and.......I'm glad your feeling comfortable enough to do things on your own now, congrats to you as well

 

Now ya'll have me seriously considering doing this. Even with my vette servo and billet od I think there is still a much better shift in there.

 

It is worth it. I loved just the servo's, but with the shift kit, it's awesome.

 

How true that is. If I had known my installer was riding their reputation and doing bad work, I would have gone elsewhere...

Thanks, I didn't think it could have been any harder than the cam install, and I was right. Thanks for being a great example of someone learning by doing.

 

I agree with everyone else, can't beat the quality and performance of the transgo kit. Well worth the mess and time it takes to do it. I also broke one of the screens during the seperator plate swap and would definetly recommend buying new ones before doing my next one. I also heard the 4th accum. pin fall out of the case when I had the valve body out making the mods to it. A little transjel helped with that and also on holding the spring that does into the epc sceen. It is definetly not hard, just messy and time consuming.