I was wondering if anyone has installed this item and what difference it made? I just ordered it and will be installing it, but am hoping to pull away from a 5spd that I hang out with. Last time we ran, after we got up to speed (about 40) I stayed dead even with him. I'm thinking this will do the trick, but if it doesn't I'll be able to do it in another week when I get the lightened crank pulley from RSM.
I heard that it wasn't possible to have a shift kit for the 3spd tranny. Does anybody know?
I found this in Karo's shift kit Group purchase (hes talking about 3spd trannys)
Shifted wrote:^ Your transmissions are hydraulic, the only way to change the way they shift is to change the valve bodies. There is no electronic piggy back now or in the future that will change the way yours shifts.
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=50&i=14982&t=14982
^ ^ ^ theres a link to the gp
The JBP shift kit will work with the the 3sp TH125C/3T40 tranny. The kit comes with springs, check valve balls, drill bits and gaskets(Just like a B&M Kit). It will firm up your shifts and correct some other problems with the tranny stock design. To get the most performance from you tranny read this:
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=41&i=1893&t=1893&arch=1#1893
^ ^ ^ oh sorry. I thought it was like some kind of trans interceptor. I might have to pick me up one of those kits.
For the 3 Speed Trans its the next best thing...another reason I went that route is because a transmission shop can install the kit without removing the transmission AND have it done in under an hour.
There are three kits that I know of so far: Trans-Go, JBP(contents appear to be the same as the Trans-Go) and Superior(which I've got in mine).
BTW: thanks to Event's post, which I used to base my research on the TH125C/3T40. Through this research I was able to find various rebuild kits, shift kits, parts catalogs w/ diagrams and torque converter manufacterers/re-manufacters.
Yeah Event, i was just reading up on your tranny rebuild and im seriously considering doing the same thing around spring next year. Might even be going to the place you got yours done, I live in DE so its only about an hour drive.
what tranny does the 3 speed 2.3 grand ams have
cause thats what im stuck with lol
Its hard to be patient, but I know its going to take a while to go from Canada to Wisconsin. Now of day 11 (9 working days).
hmm wrote:what tranny does the 3 speed 2.3 grand ams have
cause thats what im stuck with lol
It's the TH125C/3T40, same tranny, just differnt TC and gears.
Yay...got the kit on Friday, but I didn't see it before I went up north. When I started looking at the box as was really confused because it wasn't related to a car, but rather a fish tank cleaner.
lol...they can't afford a different box?
Ah...problem! I went to the transmission shop to see how much it was to put it in and was told $150, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that after finding out the price I was told that doing this would make it great for a few months, but after that things would start going down hill and eventually kill my trans. What's everyone's take on this? Right now the kit is in the classifides and will end up going unless someone can explain how I to avoid this issue. Thanks for your time.
thevilliagemon wrote:Ah...problem! I went to the transmission shop to see how much it was to put it in and was told $150, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that after finding out the price I was told that doing this would make it great for a few months, but after that things would start going down hill and eventually kill my trans. What's everyone's take on this? Right now the kit is in the classifides and will end up going unless someone can explain how I to avoid this issue. Thanks for your time.
Why will your tranny go down hill??? Unless you can give a good reaosn why, then I would find another shop.
FU Tuning
I don't have a clue...all he said was that it would overwork the transmission and cause it to fail. I'll check with a different shop tomarrow. If anyone else has useful suggestions feel free to keep them coming.
Unless the tranny is extreamly worn(i.e. needs rebuild) it wont hurt anything in your tranny. If done properly it will correct many minor problems with the tranny. The most important thing this kit corrects is clutch slippage, the slippage that make for a comfortable stock ride.
Stock trannies alow slower shifts for a certain amount of slippage and a smother transition between gears, the kit reduces the delay between shifts and the slappage for firmer and quicker shifts.
Well...I stopped at a total of three transmission shops and two other garages. They all have told me the same thing. One trany shop told me that it would make the engine rev to high before shifting, wouldn't go through the gears properlly in town, and waste more gas. I just don't know what to do.
The shift points are adjusted with the Throttle Valve (TV) Cable. Mine shifts at the same point while driving normall, just a little firmer. Right now, at wide open throttle (WOT), mine shifts at 5500. When I take it to the track, I'll adjust it to 5800-6000rpm.
The TV cable is the cable that runs from the top of the drivers side of the tranny to the throttle bracket. To adjust the TV cable depress the button on the passenger side of the cable and slide the cable in and out as needed. Sliding the cable out raises the shift points(to include the downshifts) and in lowers the shift points. The adjuster is very sensitive, move only one or two notches at a time, till you get the feel you like.
You best bet is to talk to a shop that specialises in performance transmission work, not AAMCO, All Transmission World, Cottman or any other "transmission chain."
a shift kit when installed properly on a healthy trans will actually prolong the life of a trans, crisper shifts less slip. i dont recommend any adjustment of the tv cable, it should be set to factory specs. i see lotsa failures from people messin with it. but hey if your happy with it.
If your adjuster is working properly, it will pull itself back in, if you adjust too far out when you firmly press the pedal to WOT. It's a good back-up if you adjust too far.
So the trans will still shift at the stock points as long as I don't touch the cable? I will also stop at the local speed shop to see what they think. Any other information you can provide would be more than welcomed.
The tranny shift points are determined by how much throttle you are using, the further you press the pedal the longer it stays in gear, to a point. At WOT mine won't shift till 5500rpm, but I've got a little more fine tuning to do yet. Red line on the 2.2L/2200s is 6000rpm, so fine tuning is all it will take.
FOR NOW, ANYWAYS!!!
So its still okay to do this? Even with the 127k on the trans? The trans doesn't slip or anything and I'd love to do this, but if the trans fails I'm darn near screwed since I gotta go 30 miles to work. I do realize that there is risk with any mod, but I have never had anyone tell me anything that I have done will hurt the car.
