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Automatic Trans upgrade thread

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TJCTalon

10+ Year Contributor
916
67
Aug 20, 2009
Nebraska
I was hoping to put a thread together, to organize some information about upgrading the auto trans in our dsm's.

Primarly because im inexperienced with our auto trans, and info is scattered through out the forum.

First question I have is shift kits and shift boxs. Along with wire mods with stock TCU. Torque converters ect


If you have a shift box, do you need a shift kit?

What has worked with you guys with getting full line pressure and holding power?

Post up any info you can, and please back it with experience. Links are always good too.


Thanks
 
Hey man,
I have a 91 gst auto. When i was having trouble with the trans I had to bring it to a local place bc I dont have the tools or the time to work on it myself. But they could not help me, so I went to level ten in new jersey because they do full race auto trans for rear wheel drive cars. So they understood my car was fwd and wanted to do it. Well I got thier blue plate special trans and torque convertor. Best money ever spent!! The trans is strong and shifts like a dream!!
Hey your from the town the guy killed all those people in the theater. That must have been tough to be around! Hope you didnt loose anyone in that !
 
Just wanted to stop in and give a good review on the IPT transmission paired with the Translab shift kit, this was my first mod to my 1991 tsi awd, the guy that did the rebuild kit + shift kit install worked for chrystler for 30 years, he was the guy who was pulling out transmissions under warranty in the 1g's and 2g's, when he test drove it all he could do was shake his head and comment "that thing is an absolute beast!" Best money anybody could ever spend if they're serious about building an auto, on one occasion I actually got 2nd gear scratch. (I also recommend the IPT end clutch kit):thumb::thumb:
 
I considered it, along with a re-stalled Torque Converter, however I really wanted it to remain a streetable car that wasn't a pain to go uptown to grab a rockstar/pack of smokes LOL. :thumb:
 
The road surge shift box has a switch to throw it back to stock shifting. Then when you turn it on its full line pressure. You control up and down shifts.

I was just wondering if there's anything else needed with said shift box? Can a mildly modded car just throw it on?
 
I believe you unplug your stock TCU and plug in the shift box, it will shift at full line pressure, but honestly, I would be hesitant to do this on a stock transmission, unless of course you only want to use it for the occasional 1/4 mile pass. But that is my opinion, if you want a true professional's opinion/advice call IPT:1-866-828-7267 or 973 238 0079 When I had questions on my options for my auto, I called them and they went above and beyond to educate me.
 
Depending on the miles and condition of your trans, an end clutch kit and front clutch kit would be wise.

A larger cooler is a must if you decide to put money into the trans to help keep the temps down and save it.

A shift kit and shift box are two different things of course. A shift box (road surge, or whoever) will just give you 100% line pressure and allow you to shift at whatever RPM you want, samething with a reprogrammed TCU.

The translab shift kit is a mechanical upgrade and perminant. It has nothing to do with line pressure, but with the shifting of the gears and pressure of fluid and such in the valvebody. In order to get 100% line pressure either a reprogrammed TCU, kiggly mod or bluewire mod would still need to be done.

A upgraded torque converter would be one of the most benificial modifications along with a flexplate.

Run good fluid, and a welded center differential if you are mostly worried about 1/4th mile drag racing.

An upgraded/rebuilt trans is only needed if your trans has a ton of miles on it and is in rough shape (shifting badly, hesitant between shifts, so on). Same with the transfer case, hell I wouldn't worry about upgrading the transfer case until you broke one to be honest. People have ran 8's on a stock one (of course it eventually broke).

List of mods I'd do
1. Larger trans cooler and a trans temp gauge
2. new filter and good fluid
3. end clutches front clutches
4. Translab shift kit
5. flexplate and torque converter
6. reprogrammed TCU, blue wire mod, or Kiggly mod
7. welded center diff
 
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A shift kit does have to do with line pressure. It raises it, which is no different than a blue wire mod, a TCU flash, or a shift box. How hasn't anyone made a manual valve body yet?
 
There is no need to unplug the tcu with the roadsurge box..There are two modes auto,and manual.Auto is letting the stock tcu control shifting,manual is where the buttons come in.

Then for the 2g guys,there is the paddle shifter mod,which used the horn buttons to up and downshift.

But always a plus when adding power is a shift kit,and the end clutch kit..The restalled converter is a great idea,just pricey.


Great idea starting a thread about the auto trans.
 
My list of upgrades for my auto tranny will consist of:
New ATF and filter
STM tranny oil cooler
Trans temp gauge
Roadsurge shift box

And maybe end clutches.


I'll be sticking with a small fram turbo, so a restalled converter won't be necessary.

Also for the guys on a budget swapping Ecu's will prevent timing being pulled between shifts
 
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I'm not sure if its just a 1g thing.

But a 1g auto ecu pulls timing when brake boosting.So swapping to a 5 speed ecu takes that away, and allows you to brake boost, and add timing instead of pulling it.

If anyone knows if the 2g ecu does that, I would love to know that info.
 
Yes I'm pretty positive the 2g ecu pulls timing as well. It's not just during stall building boost but between shifts

The only thing is that there's no difference between 2G A/T and M/T ECUs so I don't understand how swapping would help this.

I haven't ever gotten a good launch on my GSX. I keep pulling through the brakes and it just doesn't seem to launch well after all the techniques I've read. I've tried neutral rev+brake to get more vac and then launching but no success. I have brand new rotors and pads too, with good working calipers.

I guess I've never checked in ECMLink if it really does pull timing when launching. But my ECU is from a 95 M/T, and the one I used to try launching on was from a 97 A/T (the stock one). Neither seemed to help.
 
I can get about 2800 with just the ebrake on..3k + holding the brake.I have not launched since the new setup,I get to 10 psi and back off.

Upgraded pads do help us auto folks.
 
I run AMSOIL racing ATF. With my current setup (may have to look at my build thread, profile is outdated) I can stall up to 3600-3800rpm and build 28psi at the line. The car launches like a jet.
 
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