* Without Trans Fluid

WHAT DOES A SHIFT KIT DO?




Credits: ReaglGS

Synopsis: Install a shift kit utilizing shims in the transaxle shift pressure accumulator.

Difficulty: 3/5. Requires dropping the bottom transaxle pan, removing the shift pressure accumulator, changing the transaxle filter, and refilling the transaxle with fluid.

Parts required:



The parts you need are determined by whether you want to do the medium (light street/strip) or hard (heavy street/strip) shift kit. There's also an optional spring used to firm up the 1-2 shift (usable with either medium or hard). The shims used are available from McMaster-Carr online.

Medium Shift Kit

(2) 92415A865 :: Zinc-Plated Steel Unthreaded Round Spacer 1/2" OD, 1/2" Length, 1/4" Screw Size
(2) 92415A867 :: Zinc-Plated Steel Unthreaded Round Spacer 1/2" OD, 3/4" Length, 1/4" Screw Size

Hard Shift Kit

(2) 92415A867 :: Zinc-Plated Steel Unthreaded Round Spacer 1/2" OD, 3/4" Length, 1/4" Screw Size
(2) 92415A869 :: Zinc-Plated Steel Unthreaded Round Spacer 1/2" OD, 1" Length, 1/4" Screw Size

Required for both kits

8-10 quarts of Dexron III or Dexron VI transmission fluid
Transmission filter

Optional for either kit

2-3 shift accumulator spring (used to replace the stock 1-2 shift spring). GM part number 24203977.

Directions:

1. Raise the front of the car and begin loosening the 10mm bolts on the transmission pan. Loosen the ones toward the back of the car more than the front so the fluid drips toward the long end of the pan. Allow it to nearly fully drain to avoid a huge mess (which is going to happen anyway, it's just saving you at least a little bit of a headache). Remove the pan and clean it off along with the magnet and gasket.

2. With the pan removed we can now access the filter. Pull it straight down firmly, twisting it side to side to break it loose. Change the filter neck gasket if required.

3. Now that the filter is removed, we can now take out the accumulator itself. It's seen below in color, along with the bolts that need to be removed numbered for easy reference. Once these bolts are removed, the accumulator will want to drop down and spill transmission fluid everywhere. Use one hand to hold up the accumulator and another to remove the bolts by hand once they're broken loose. Pull the hard metal lines out of the accumulator using care as not to bend them. Note the location of each metal line.



4. Once the accumulator is removed, place it face-up and remove the remaining bolts. Remove the cover. Inside you'll find two cylinders, both with visible springs. Do one side at a time. Pull up on a spring and remove it. Try to take out only the small spring and the metal plate it sits on, leaving behind the rod and large spring. Put one of the longer shims at the bottom of the rod. If you're using the optional 2-3 spring, and you're working on the 1-2 accumulator, remove the small spring from it's base, and press the new spring onto it. Reinstall the small spring and base onto the rod. Add a short shim in the middle of the spring. Repeat for the other side.




5. Reinstall the cover to the accumulator. Bolt it back into the transmission, using extreme care to reinstall and reseat the hard metal lines. Make absolute certain the lines are reseated properly. If they're not, you'll be left with a slipping transaxle that burns up clutches. In case you forgot where the lines go, here's a picture:




6. Reinstall the trans axle filter. Put the pan cover back on, and fill the trans axle with approximately 8-10 quarts of ATF, depending on how much fluid you lost. Once you're sure you have the proper fluid level, take the car for a spin and make sure that it's not slipping. If it's all good to go, enjoy your new shift kit! Your wallet will thank you for it!

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Should be a sticky. Nice write up.

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1999 GT|SLP CAI|Borla Catback| Shift kit|18" Koblenz|GMPP Lowering|GMPP handling|Blk Headlights|ER Rcokers|HV3|HV TB http://www.fquick.com/The_Guz

is this really safe? cause I just may have to do this

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Yes...cheap, easy and essentually all that s in most kits.

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My Mod List

a firm hard shift adds life to a transmission WHEN ITS SUPOSE TO SHIFT HARD!!!!!

recomended for sure

AND use the heavy duty spring with the bigger spacer YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED

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2000 Silvermist GTP. CAI, 180 t-stat, stage 2 shift kit, u-bend and resonator delete, fastkatt tuned PCM, autolite P104's, 3.4 pulley, altenator wire upgrade.

hell yay

thats what the zzp kit is minus the 2-3 spring

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92 LeBaron Convert: Turbo 3L 97 Grand Prix GT 4dr "Frankenstein": L67 4t65 swap
97 Grand Marquis: Summer DD 99 Grand Prix GTP: Top Swap Beater

so the general principle is that the factory uses restrictions on the trans so that it can shift at a nice light shift, adding a shift kit will eliminate the factory restrictions and increases flow within the transmission.



i will add this to the top

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Did this today for under $10, plus fluid! Works perfect and awesome!

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Thanks
Scott McKinney
http://www.motortopia.com/cars/16218" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wow, you clever sons of bitches. To think I was pondering the idea of buying the Intense kit after looking over my what seems to be extremely cheap ZZP kit.
So, I guess I just need the spring and away we go!

What's the diff. with all the junk Intense includes? Seems like a lot more kit in there....

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T66 Turbo,3" downpipes, oversized A2A,Stg3 heads/cam,hv3,built trans,bilstein struts,ssc springs,gxp brakes,pace car spoiler(1of3??),lots more.. dyno'd @ 421WHP~13lbs boost on OLD setup. New = ???

i higher price tag

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Question: Is this any harder on the tranny?

If it is shifting harder would that make it harder on all the internal stuff? Make it wear out faster?

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2004 Grand Prix GT1, F&R STB's, GMPP R. Sway Bar, GMPP Trailing Arms, 180* stat,

It is harder on hard internal parts such as gears and sprags but better for clutches due to less slippage and faster shifts. Less time in between shifts means longer life for clutches due to less slipping. I love the kit for $10 and have always used B&M or Transgo kits in the past with the same end result but for $80 more.

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Thanks
Scott McKinney
http://www.motortopia.com/cars/16218" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See, what worries me is that I have 125,000 miles on my tranny now. So I dont want to do anything that might make it start to go south any quicker.

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2004 Grand Prix GT1, F&R STB's, GMPP R. Sway Bar, GMPP Trailing Arms, 180* stat,

Mine is working flawless and I have 160k on my transmission. Remember to flush that old fluid every 30,000 miles and they will last a long time!

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Thanks
Scott McKinney
http://www.motortopia.com/cars/16218" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You probally dont want to know that it is the original fluid then, do you?

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2004 Grand Prix GT1, F&R STB's, GMPP R. Sway Bar, GMPP Trailing Arms, 180* stat,

I would be carefully if the fluid has never been flushed or changed. Some of the old sludge and fluid debris is probably holding the seals from leaking and the transmission from breaking. Its a 50/50 on the transmission flush service...

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Thanks
Scott McKinney
http://www.motortopia.com/cars/16218" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great post. I had a hell of a time finding a writeup on a shift kit install and was too concerned with screwing up without it. Now I got one. Thanks folks.

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Fast.Loud.Shiny

Thats what I was thinking too, Scott. I alway knew it should be changed, and wanted to change it. Even planned on changing it! But got busy on weekend. Forgot about one weekend. No money one weekend. Had to work the next weekend. You know how it goes. But know, like you said Im afaraid to change it because its been so long. But, if I do, this kit will be going in.

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2004 Grand Prix GT1, F&R STB's, GMPP R. Sway Bar, GMPP Trailing Arms, 180* stat,

I would probably say you would be safe doing the simple plan drop, fluid drain, kit installation, & refill. I would just not suggest the trans "flush" with that high of mileage and never being done before. Good Luck! You will be pleased with the kit.

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Thanks
Scott McKinney
http://www.motortopia.com/cars/16218" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So what is the diffrence in how hard between the medium and hard? Like how is the hard. I dd my car but want it to shift hard. but not like its a full out race trans. How does the medium feel? Will it squack the tires going into second if you put a 2-3 shift spring in too? Im just wondering what to choose.

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01 GT: top swap, nic, ssic, ssac headers, zzp350 fuel pump, ls6 springs, 42#, 3.0 pulley
04 Comp G: xp, 3.3
04 R6: k&n, olson shorty slip on

most people say medium is hard enough

and most people that do teh hard kit say the shifts are neck snapping

also iirc the hard kit puts more wear on the hardened internal parts so w/ the hard kit there is an 18% greater chance of breaking a part than w/ the medium which is a 12% greater chance then stock now these are rough estimates on "normal driving"

now if you drive like i do and have your foot in it and practice launching at every light then the numbers go up considerably

now please dont let this discourage you on doing the shift kit

i say do the medium w/ the spring and if you dont like it you can always bump up after 30k
however i know a few that didnt like the hard and had to do the trans flush again after a few hundred miles

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Thanks, Ordered the medium one for a friend and I. Now I just need to go to work and order the 2-3 spring. I work at a dealer so hopefully I can get a discount. lol

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01 GT: top swap, nic, ssic, ssac headers, zzp350 fuel pump, ls6 springs, 42#, 3.0 pulley
04 Comp G: xp, 3.3
04 R6: k&n, olson shorty slip on

LMK how it works out for you

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Greetings, I'm new here so let me introduce myself. Name's Stephen, I'm 19 and am the proud owner of a 98' GP GT 2-Door. My Father found it on the side of the road, dead, with a $400 for-sale sign on it. So, we bought it - originally intending the car to be a "learning experience" for me, I quickly fell head over heals for the car. I purchased a Haynes manual and started diagnosing the problem. It had all the symptoms of a blown head gasket but after running compression tests on each cylinder I determined the head gasket was fine. Turns out the upper intake manifold was cracked and was dumping coolant into the cylinders by the gallon. The car was a 3400lb. fog machine. I changed out the old design-flawed upper intake manifold with GM's redesigned one, fired it up, let all the coolant already in the cylinders burn out and it ran like a dream. If you would like to know more about the rest of the car, ask me, I'd love to talk about it.

Now, down to business and why I'm posting on this particular thread. Among changing other fluids in the car after getting it running, I changed the transmission fluid too. The car had 213k miles on it when I got it, I changed the fluid at 213.5k, the old fluid was pitch black which wasn't a good sign. After changing the fluid I put on another 7k miles before the transmission died. The transmission will be going into the shop soon to be fully rebuilt and I'm highly considering a shift kit. I will be putting it in myself but my questions are: How will the PCM take to the shift kit? When I took the car in to diagnose the transmission problem they said the transmission had set a "Long shift" trouble code. This leads me to believe that there may be a "Short Shift" trouble code (exactly what a shift kit would create, in my reasoning, anyways) Would I need to have my PCM reprogrammed to accommodate the shift kit? If so, where would I send it to be reprogrammed? I've also heard somewhere (I believe on this forum) that an overkill PCM > Shift kit. Do you believe this to be true? If it is, once again, where would I send the PCM to be reprogrammed? If PCM > Shift kit, I was considering running around with two PCM's, one programmed to GM's specs, the other programmed for performance.

Any and all opinions, suggestions, questions are welcome. Thank you in advance!

-Stephen

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[url=http://www.twitter.com/sshow]Twitter.com/SShow[/url], follow me.

an aftermarket pcm will do basically do the same thing

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