First of all I want to give a big thanks to Kevin (alias: JIGAWATT) for helping me out. I've never messed with auto trannies much, and he sent me instructions of the kit before I even bought it, helped ease some fears I had regarding using a shift kit with a chip already in place, and gave me lots of helpful advice and tips.

The install was very simple, really. I used the specs that TransGo recommends for the Diesel trucks upon Kevin's recommendation. He has larger holes drilled in the plate for the Accumulator valve body, but I started with the diesel ones and will leave it there for now. Shifts are oustanding. Very firm at higher loads, WOT, but not neck jarring at low speed. You know its there, but its not obnoxious.

I also installed the Ford 4x4 trans pan. This pan holds an extra qt of trans fluid and the filter/pickup seems to be in a better location than stock...Kevin had told me this, and even my novice eyes would agree.

Pan part # is F81Z7A194BA, filter part # is F6TZ7A098BB. You do not need a new gasket, as the stocker is definitely reuseable (nice hard rubber gasket). Another really nice feature of this pan is that it has a drain plug.

Does the shift kit work with a chip...? You better believe it! Lays rubber on 1-2 now even on the warm concrete we have in N. Texas today (i.e.: "good track"). I dusted a relatively stock Fox-3 LX after I'd been driving around for ~10 minutes. Pulled him hard...but I'm sure it just had mufflers or something minor. Couldn't be more than a 14-sec 5.0, so no big deal.

If anyone has questions to a novice about installation of one of these kits feel free to ask. I learned a lot just by pulling the pan down and the accumulator valve body out, so if nothing else it was great hands-on experience.

Should help keep my trans happy when I tow my LX to Fun Ford Weekend, 300+ miles away, next weekend.



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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--586rwhp/587rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

Very cool Wes!!!!

I like the larger Pan and drain plug. I always wondered, though....are these trannies not electronically controlled as well?
Shift kits are great and it sounds like you found a nice setting. I may do the same in the future. Thx for the info!

Paul G.

 

Paul,

Indeed these transmissions ARE electronically controlled. I had an "electronic shift kit" on my old '94 Lightning. It worked well. Actually, it worked a lot like my Superchip does...shifts are improved with just a chip (tuning the shifts electronically).

But, by adjusting some of the hardware I must say it makes an even bigger improvement.

Basically, my trans has been adjusted via a traditional shift kit AND via electronics, and I'm pleased with the way it performs so far. I was happy with just the chip, which is why I've debated over and over in my head whether to even fool with a traditional-type shift kit. But now...it'd be hard to go back to just the chip.

Also, I can report that after 5800 miles on the stock trans fluid, it looked really, really clean. Sure there was a bit of metal on the magnet at the bottom of the pan, but nothing floating around in the fluid. I know Ford always recommends changing the fluid at ~30k miles, but I'm **** about this type of thing. I figure 10k at the most for me (which will be every 14-15 months or so with my amount of driving).

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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--586rwhp/587rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

WA 2 FST, two questions. Where did you get the shift kit? and does it void the warr. on the tranny? Thanks.

 

Good questions Caka. Also how much should I expect it to cost, including professional installation?

Thanks,
Mike

 

Thanks WA 2 FST. I just ordered my new 4x4 pan and filter. The dealer charged me $38.64 for the pan and $44.55 for the filter. He also said the filter has more capacity as Ford figures the 4x4 will see extra duty. Since I have 10/m miles and tend toward ****, I will change the fluid when I put on the new pan and filter. The dealer also said that gasket should last the life of the truck. I hope that means 20 years or so.

Nest week I will have installed the JBA headers and get the lower control arm washer welded to the frame. The dealer said they had a Ford bulletin that said to clean off the aluminum loaded frame wax anti rust and retorque. I'm sticking with the weld.

With the Superchip-flip chip, Borla cat back, Airaid, cabin air filter, BedRug, SnugLid and tinted window the Red gal is ready to fly.

 

Wes, where did you get the shift kit? I'm looking to do the same and would like to get it done in the next week or so.

 

Caka/Brim:

The TransGo kit has a new add-on accumulator plate that is what you drill for shift firmness along with new springs in the accumulator body. Both springs and accum. plate can be removed without any detection of it being there! On the other hand, this is a quality built shift kit that will improve the durability and performance of this transmission. So, with that in mind, you should get extended life by having positive shifts instead of having slipping shifts that were out clutches, overheat fluid, cook rubber seals, etc....

No, I am not a dealer of TransGo. For this application (4R100) I know what you can and cannot do with this kit, so I can recommend it to a novice.

Thanks for the kind words, Wes.
Kevin

 

Gentlemen,

I paid $123 including shipping to TX. Bought it from Transmission Exchange Co. (TransGo is part of this company, I believe). www.txchange.com

800-776-1191

They have them in stock.

The installation is simple guys. I'd bet a professional would charge at least $100 to do it, though. Maybe Jigawatt could tell you.

I will be ordering another one within the month and installing it in our new '00 Expedition. I'm _that_ impressed with it.

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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--586rwhp/587rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

Thanks Wes,

I'm gonna order one, sounds like a good deal.

Do you think I could get my dealer to do the 4x4 trans pan for me or is that a novice job as well?

Mike

 

Mike,

It's all very easy. I would probably consider myself an accomplished shade-tree mechanic (although this kid that goes to my chruch humbled me today when he brought over his new Prelude and wanted me to help him install new coil springs...oh, my...what a mess...of course, he didn't have a service manual---I told him we should wait and get some _instructions_) .

But, if you can change oil, you can do this. Wild Bill is correct on the parts pricing from Ford. You will lose 7-8qts of fluid when you drop the pan. So, pick up at least 9 qts of trans fluid, if you go with the 4x4 pan...just don't add 9 before checking the dipstick first!! Don't want to overfill it. You can reuse the stock pan gasket even with the 4x4 pan. They are identical except the 4x4 pan is deeper in the very center and has a drain plug. You need the 4x4 filter, of course.

The dealer could certainly do this, but I figure they'd charge at least 2-3 full hours of labor. If you don't mind getting some trans fluid on your hands and arms (easier to do when the truck is stone cold...that's what I did...let it sit overnight and then tackled the job in the AM), then you can do it. You'll save yourself some money and learn a lot, too...which is what I enjoy the most out of these projects. Just get plenty of shop towels, newspaper to lay on the floor, and a large drain pan to catch most of the fluid (some will hit the floor anyway).

Also, if you're going to drop the pan, then definitely change the fluid no matter how many miles you have on the fluid now. I only have 5850 miles on my truck, but I wasn't about to change the pan, do the shift kit, etc and then re-use the fluid. I figured if I couldn't afford fluid, I had no business buying a new pan, filter, and the shift kit. My fluid looked really good, but its on its way to being recycled.

I don't know what Ford recommends for fluid changes except for the standard "30,000 miles fluid and filter change". On a truck like this that, more than likely, is driven "enthusiastically" I'd change the fluid every 10k miles. I do NOT believe the filter needs to be changed that often, though. That's why the 4x4 pan is so nice. You don't have to drop the pan to drain 9qts of fluid out. B/c the way I look at it is that if you're going to take the time to drop the pan, you might as well change the filter while you've got it off.

If you have any more questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail... Wa2fst@aol.com. One install doesn't make me an "expert" by any means, but I only know enough to keep myself out of trouble...that can be a good thing sometimes.


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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--586rwhp/587rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

Wes,
Does the kit take care of the 20 mph roll no shift zone?
Tom

 

Tom,

I'll check and post it here. Haven't driven it around enough to pay attention to that, to be honest. I'd have to say probably not...when the trans upshifts/downshifts is a function of the computer programming, I believe, so I seriously doubt it changes the rpms/etc when downshifts occur (and when the computer will allow the trans to downshift...like the problem you point out). i know it didn't increase the rpm when the trans upshifted at WOT. In fact, the shifts are so snappy that the rpms don't climb at all in b/w shifts anymore. It "appears" that the shift point is now ~100rpm lower than before, but this isn't really true...there's just absolutely NO slippage on the shifts anymore.

Sorry for the long reply to your simple question. If it gets rid of that issue, I'll post back here.

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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--586rwhp/587rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html