Shift kit or no?

[granitestategn]

Planning on installing a bigger turbo (Limit GT61P-trim, .63 A/R) on my car this winter. I have a TCS 3500 stall L/U converter that I bought when I got the turbo. I have a PTS .500 TV boost valve that I bought from PTS based on Bruce's recommendation .
The car is mostly street driven to cruise nights and short pleasure drives with maybe one 100 mile trip a year. I will take it to street night at the strip a couple times a year which is about 45 minutes from my house. Maybe a dozen passes a year. What would be your recommendation s, short of a complete rebuild? Tranny is a stock BRF with about 99K on it, big B&M cooler, no shift kit. It's not been beat on much and I've owned it since new. Will adding just the .500 TV boost valve give me extra life for the tranny? Will I need a shift kit? Or am I wasting my time trying to use my original tranny with 99K on the clock.
 
Thanks,
Gregg

[Steve Wood]

you are, imo

[granitestategn]

fair 'nuff....
If I need to do something different, I would prefer to keep the old tranny stock and pull it out and set aside, rather than rebuild it. Do I need to start with a BRF core or are most TH200's useable? I don't think a rebuilt tranny is in the budget this year as I just bought new bumper fillers since mine are coming apart. My budget is just about shot for 2014. Should I just leave the TV boost valve out or will it help the performance/life of my old tranny until I can get a rebult one to swap out?

[motorhead]

I just bought billet servos and a shift kit from Sonnax for our unknown mileage 4L60E (LS1 swapped LeMans wagon). 

Is this going to increase the holding power or life of the transmission? Unknown.

But, what I do know is that without some improvements the added 100+ horsepowers and torques it definitely isn't going to last long at all.

For the $2-300 I'd say go for it... the worst case is it blows up and you reuse the hard parts.

[Scoobum]

You'll get longer life with a shift kit in regards to the intermediate band and clutch discs. The quicker you can get them to engage...the less slippage/quicker engagement you get...and less wear equals longer life. I used Transgo shift kits years ago with great success. They're a snap to install and give firm shifts.

[TexasT]

First, there is a BIG difference between a th200 and a 2004r, biggest being an overdrive fourth gear.


How fast are you running at these "going to the track" excursions?
Are you experiencing slip/flair at any of the shifts?
Has the fluid and filter been changed regularly? Is the fluid currently cherry red?


A "common" 2004r can be turned into a "brf" but it involves some extra effort locating the "special" parts.
Do you "need" a brf 2004r? IMO no but it is easier if you aren't cheap like me.
Head over to the trans section and read my build thread. It hopefully will give you an idea on what is involved.
I didnt think it was hard but it is taking me time as my budget is limited. Much easier to call up a vendor and order a trans and whip out the plastic and pay for it.


I think your best money would be on a deep pan and the filter setup to get it feeding, aka bottom feeder.
The .500 boost valve will raise the pressure. I would get the rev boost valve, it goes in the same hole so no more work. There are some other low cost mods but Im unsure of your commitment of diy. Let me know if you want more input.

[Steve Wood]

Putting a shift kit on a tranny with 99,000 mile clutches along with a bigger turbo and a loose converter will soon give you a reason to do a complete rebuild it seems to me, but, I am sure I must be wrong

[Forzfed]

These trannys are hit and miss.  It might survive on you or it might blow up.  I put an Art Carr shift kit and deep pan with bottom feeder filter and big cooler with close to 60k on the car.  I've run a best of 11.5 with a bad 60ft.  I fear with good hook I'd be picking up pieces.  I want to run slicks and launch hard so I bought my self a fully built 200.

Steve is right with a 100k on your transmission you're rolling the dice.  And a 3500 converter seems a little high.  And being a L/U will kill your tranny much quicker if locked.

[granitestategn]

First, there is a BIG difference between a th200 and a 2004r, biggest being an overdrive fourth gear.


How fast are you running at these "going to the track" excursions?
Are you experiencing slip/flair at any of the shifts?
Has the fluid and filter been changed regularly? Is the fluid currently cherry red?


A "common" 2004r can be turned into a "brf" but it involves some extra effort locating the "special" parts.
Do you "need" a brf 2004r? IMO no but it is easier if you aren't cheap like me.
Head over to the trans section and read my build thread. It hopefully will give you an idea on what is involved.
I didnt think it was hard but it is taking me time as my budget is limited. Much easier to call up a vendor and order a trans and whip out the plastic and pay for it.


I think your best money would be on a deep pan and the filter setup to get it feeding, aka bottom feeder.
The .500 boost valve will raise the pressure. I would get the rev boost valve, it goes in the same hole so no more work. There are some other low cost mods but Im unsure of your commitment of diy. Let me know if you want more input.

Yeah, my bad on the TH200, I know it's got a 2004r. I run on drag radials, no slicks. High 12's low 13's at 102-104 MPH. Not that fast.
I don't notice any flair on the shift. I have a Powerlogger that I put in last year but I haven't been to the track in 2 or 3 years. I decided not to go until I get the timing chain and other basic maintenance done. That should get done this winter.
I have changed the tranny fluid but I haven't done it very often. The fluid is not burnt but I plan on dropping it before spring. The car sits a lot. I bet I haven't put 1000 miles on it in 6 or 7 years.
I have read your build thread. Good job! I have a couple books on rebuilding the 2004r. I had toyed with the idea of doing it myself. Not enough time these days.
Come to think of it, I think I have a shift kit in a box somewhere in the basement.

[granitestategn]

Putting a shift kit on a tranny with 99,000 mile clutches along with a bigger turbo and a loose converter will soon give you a reason to do a complete rebuild it seems to me, but, I am sure I must be wrong

No Steve, you're most likely right....

[granitestategn]

These trannys are hit and miss.  It might survive on you or it might blow up.  I put an Art Carr shift kit and deep pan with bottom feeder filter and big cooler with close to 60k on the car.  I've run a best of 11.5 with a bad 60ft.  I fear with good hook I'd be picking up pieces.  I want to run slicks and launch hard so I bought my self a fully built 200.

Steve is right with a 100k on your transmission you're rolling the dice.  And a 3500 converter seems a little high.  And being a L/U will kill your tranny much quicker if locked.

No slicks for me. Yeah, I am wondering if 3500 is a tad high. I got it from Taffy on T6P a few years ago. Same place I got the turbo. I may consider holding off on the turbo and TC this year. I have all this crap sitting in boxes and I'm itching to put it on the car. I haven't mentioned the MAFTPro and the alky kit.

[motorhead]

These trannys are hit and miss.  It might survive on you or it might blow up.  I put an Art Carr shift kit and deep pan with bottom feeder filter and big cooler with close to 60k on the car.  I've run a best of 11.5 with a bad 60ft.  I fear with good hook I'd be picking up pieces.  I want to run slicks and launch hard so I bought my self a fully built 200.

Steve is right with a 100k on your transmission you're rolling the dice.  And a 3500 converter seems a little high.  And being a L/U will kill your tranny much quicker if locked.

No slicks for me. Yeah, I am wondering if 3500 is a tad high. I got it from Taffy on T6P a few years ago. Same place I got the turbo. I may consider holding off on the turbo and TC this year. I have all this crap sitting in boxes and I'm itching to put it on the car. I haven't mentioned the MAFTPro and the alky kit.

Meh... throw it all in and let it eat.

Feel free to drop me a line when you dip into the MAFT Pro.

[Scoobum]

Putting a shift kit on a tranny with 99,000 mile clutches along with a bigger turbo and a loose converter will soon give you a reason to do a complete rebuild it seems to me, but, I am sure I must be wrong

Agree...but the shift kit will already be installed...an d when it starts slipping...and it will...it'll be one last thing he'll have to pay someone else to install.

[granitestategn]

These trannys are hit and miss.  It might survive on you or it might blow up.  I put an Art Carr shift kit and deep pan with bottom feeder filter and big cooler with close to 60k on the car.  I've run a best of 11.5 with a bad 60ft.  I fear with good hook I'd be picking up pieces.  I want to run slicks and launch hard so I bought my self a fully built 200.

Steve is right with a 100k on your transmission you're rolling the dice.  And a 3500 converter seems a little high.  And being a L/U will kill your tranny much quicker if locked.

No slicks for me. Yeah, I am wondering if 3500 is a tad high. I got it from Taffy on T6P a few years ago. Same place I got the turbo. I may consider holding off on the turbo and TC this year. I have all this crap sitting in boxes and I'm itching to put it on the car. I haven't mentioned the MAFTPro and the alky kit.

Meh... throw it all in and let it eat.

Feel free to drop me a line when you dip into the MAFT Pro.

That's the way I was leaning until last week. The generl suggestion is not to change too many things at once so it's easier to troubleshoot problems. That said, there a tons of guys who have taken a bigger swing at it than this project and lived to tell about it. I may hold off on the turbo and TC and just do the MAFTPro, alky, shift kit, tranny pressure valving and maybe the deep pan and 700 filter. I have run the tranny fluid level about a quart high for many years to keep the filter covered.
This would kick the HP up some and allow me to learn the MAFTPro tuning and test out the alky. It would still be tougher on the tranny but maybe the boost valve and shift kit will make it last a little longer. At least I have PowerLogger so I can see what the tranny is doing. I currently have one of Eric's earlier adjustable chips. I know I can run it with the MAFTPro. Is one of Bob's chips a significant improvement when using the MAFTPro?
I also have one of Eric's chips that was burned for alky with the 61 and the 3500 stall converter. Of course, it's still in the box.

[Forzfed]

I wouldn't get the 700 filter.  Most the guys that sell the deep pan, sell it with a mesh filter that is located at the rear of the pan not the middle.  This is what I have, works great!