My impressions of the Translab Shift Kit

[focusedrage]

First id like to say that i like the feel of the kit, and thanks to transdude for the awsome package that helped me get it all together.

As to the install, it sucked, if i had to do it again i would have the car up on a lift with another person under there, instead of me under there with one corner jacked up. The rebuilding was not that bad, the instructions were certainly helpful but sometimes confusing, i certainly needed the machine shop i did it it, for the purposes of the drill bits required.

The feel of the kit is nice, the shifts are firmer, and the overdrive engagement is instant, one odd thing is that the car idles a little lower during standstill in gear and during coast from a slow stop. after the install i put 4 quarts of b&m trick shift in, the fluid leval seemed fine, ill have to check it later, is this the normal required amount?

 

[transdude]

You will need to check the fluid level again idling in neutral, you will probably need a bit more. Also, I think everyone knows my feelings regarding trick shift, but it's your car.

As far as the hard to find drill bits, Dean Mason tells me that they will be included in the TransLab shift kit soon, which is good news for everyone. I'll probably post that somewhere else soon also.

The idle difference in your vehicle is coincidental and has nothing to do with the kit- we all know DSM's don't necessarily have a stable idle to begin with

-John

 

[focusedrage]

oh yeah? what are your feelings on trick shift, i really wasnt sure what to put back in, it was a choice between that and mobil 1 and i went with trick shift just cause i herd good things on this forumn...

yeah ill probly add the other bottle in tonight

 

[DSMchick]

oh yeah? what are your feelings on trick shift, i really wasnt sure what to put back in, it was a choice between that and mobil 1 and i went with trick shift just cause i herd good things on this forumn...

yeah ill probly add the other bottle in tonight

There's been a couple threads about tranny fluid recently. Here's the one on Trick Shift.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123964

 

[69_luv]

if you don't mind me asking how much did the whole setup cost you, and you said you did it in your garage? I have access to a floor lift, and any drill bit, where the drill bits you needed a special set of some sort? reverse thread, large, small??

I am wanting to do this next, but wanted to know if I could do it myself.

 

[focusedrage]

if you don't mind me asking how much did the whole setup cost you, and you said you did it in your garage? I have access to a floor lift, and any drill bit, where the drill bits you needed a special set of some sort? reverse thread, large, small??

I am wanting to do this next, but wanted to know if I could do it myself.

Yes you deffinitly can do this yourself.

I paid 145 i belive, it was a deal, for the shift kit, endclutch kit, filter and gasket.

i did it in a machine shop, the bits i needed were number bits, the instructions will specify which numbers, they were pretty small, i wish i had had a floor lift.

 

[tom1995tsi]

Did the translab kit make your car faster? And also it seems like my car can sometimes drag out the gears is this normal? And if not how can i fix it.

 

[69_luv]

when you say number bits, as in metric not standard? Do you know the specific size that you needed? Also I saw transdude say that the new kits may include the new drill bits? What did you have to drill? Just asking these questions as to prepare myself and see if its worth it for my next mod.

When you say the shifts are firmer, as in the snap in a little faster in every gear? Can you notice anything else about the kit in performance?

I am deff intersted in your input its great to see people posting input after the mods are done!!

Thanks

 

[transdude]

when you say number bits, as in metric not standard? Do you know the specific size that you needed? Also I saw transdude say that the new kits may include the new drill bits? What did you have to drill? Just asking these questions as to prepare myself and see if its worth it for my next mod.

When you say the shifts are firmer, as in the snap in a little faster in every gear? Can you notice anything else about the kit in performance?

I am deff intersted in your input its great to see people posting input after the mods are done!!

Thanks

Number drills are just that- numbered drills that have a decimal (of an inch) equivalent.

Also note that the decimal size the doesn't match the number.

Number and letter drills are the standard when precision work is being done. Some of the numbers equate to fractional size bits, but they are a lot closer in size to each other than a fractional set is.

-John

 

[69_luv]

Thanks for clearing that up John, I don't have any decimal bits in my surplus of tools, so I might have to track some down. When you mentioned precision drilling, is the drilling involved in the install difficult? What do you have to drill? Thanks guys.

 

[focusedrage]

Thanks for clearing that up John, I don't have any decimal bits in my surplus of tools, so I might have to track some down. When you mentioned precision drilling, is the drilling involved in the install difficult? What do you have to drill? Thanks guys.

the drillign is actualy the esiest part, its basicaly enlarging holes in the valve body plates, i just threw the plate on a block of wood in the drill press, the holes that are there will center the drill. Its just important to make sure you have the right drill and the right hole.

 

[doug]

I'm still planning on just mailing my VB to John and pay to have the shift kit put in. Taking the VB out of the transmission isn't too hard (just remember which solenoids go where and whatnot), but I don't trust myself to bust that thing open.

 

[focusedrage]

have you taken it out? i find it incredbily difficlut to remove. if you had the car on a lift and another guy holding it, then it would be easy. But one person under a car, trying to hold the heavy thign in an akward way whil remvoign the solinoids is a PAIN.

 

[transdude]

Wait a second.

The proper procedure is to remove the valve body with the solenoids intact.

You need to send the trans harness (12" pigtail of wires) through the hole in the case with the valve body when you remove it.

You will need to disconnect the harness before you start and push it through the case from the top. It starts under the battery somewhere.

-John

 

[doug]

have you taken it out? i find it incredbily difficlut to remove. if you had the car on a lift and another guy holding it, then it would be easy. But one person under a car, trying to hold the heavy thign in an akward way whil remvoign the solinoids is a PAIN.

Yes, I have taken one out. I did have another guy helping, but not on a lift. And we didn't do the trans harness thing like John mentioned. Yeah, I guess it was a little harder than I first remembered.

 

[focusedrage]

, thanks transdude... oh man i wish i had know that before i started, here i was cursing the mitsubishi engineers while i was covered with trans fluid. Ha, well live and learn

 

[doug]

You will need to disconnect the harness before you start and push it through the case from the top.

Is this easier to do than it sounds? Seems like reinstalling it would be like trying to push a noodle.

 

[Awoler]

the drill bits you all are looking for can be found on ebay for about $30.I picked up my set from harbor frieght tools for $30 . I only wished I had adjusted the shift control valve tighter my car shifts harder than it used to but I know that it isnt going to shift really really hard because of the high stall converter I use ..but there is a definte improvement over stock....

 

[transdude]

Is this easier to do than it sounds? Seems like reinstalling it would be like trying to push a noodle.

Yes, it's very easy.

-John