so i just got a Trans-go shift kit from the troyer performance website for christmas. Ive got a 97 F150 4.6. I think i have the 4R70W. I was wondering how much trans fluid i will need if i drain the torque converter and everything? Also, has anyone put one of these in before and if so, how hard was it, and which shift firmness level did you put it on? Finally, would it be worth it to spend the extra money and put Royal Purple trans fluid in it?

 

Look on the trans code on the door jam sticker

U: 4r70w
E: E4OD

 

The only automatic with the 4.6L has been the 4R70W. Maybe someday Ford will change that, but so far that's true.

You'll need 12-13 quarts of MERCON V fluid. When refilling put 6 quarts in, run the engine for one minute, then add 5 more and check the level with the engine running and the trans in park. Then add slowly until it's full. You don't want to be overfilled.

 

I would leave the transmission stock before I would add a trans-broke kit in a 4r70w. Most of their kits are good, except that one.
Alan

 

why is this one bad??. Ive heard from alot of people at my school that transgo shift kits are good. and a few of them have the same truck as me

 

Read the articles on tccoa, it explains the issues of a transgo kit. The jmod is a great alternative for cars, but does not work on truck valvebodies. For that I suggest the factory tech plate kit.
Alan

 

HI!... Well I've run several shift kits in my trannys over the years and have found that transgo makes one of the best. I had a BAUMANN ENGINEERING shift kit in my 4R70-W and it broke my intermediate shaft. The transgo kit even explains in it's instructions why other kits do this and how they fixed the problem. Been running a transgo shift kit in my 4r70-W now for 8 years with NO problems at all. Great kit IMO.

 

You are one of the few, better go buy a spare OD band. you will need it. The baumann kit was based on a jmod so it works on car valvebodies, but not on trucks.
Alan

 

HI!... Well no O/D band problems here. My tranny builder knows what he's doing. I do 6500RPM + from 3RD gear to O/D upshifts with no problems.

 

The only way a 4r70w can handle that is if it slips so bad that it cannot bind on the 3-4 shift as it was originally designed. If it were right and you did that it would snap something, it is a design issue no shift kit can fix.
Alan

 

HI!... No O/D slip here. During the upshift, it hits O/D hard, just like the 2nd to 3rd gear upshift. Nice and firm. I'm running a transgo shift kit, but the tranny has been built to take 650H.P. Might upgrade to a 4R70-W "MONSTER BOX" when I go turbo next year but even they are breaking now, behind sdome of the turbo trucks.

 

The upgrade you will need to make is to a 4r75w transmission. Because of pump issues the 4r70w can not exhaust forward fast enough for a wot od shift. They will bind and break things. There are a few things that can be done to help the situation,but the 4r75w is the only effective one.
Alan

 

HI!... We tried a 4R75-W the last time. For some reason it would not bolt up to my 5.4. The alignment dowels were off by about a 1/4 inch and my flexplate rubbed on the bottom of the bellhousing. Ford said it was the right case. #'s matched up. Ended up using a 4r70-w case again but with the stronger 4r75-w planetary gear set. Ford wanted the case back to see what the problem was. I know you argued with me a few years ago on this but I was there at my tranny builders shop when we tested the pumps max psi capable. According to the pressure gauge it made around 375PSI. I was told the stock 4R70-W only puts out around 165PSI. My pump was modified by my builder though. He wouldn't go into details about what exactly was done. Mabey you would know?

 

Sounds like a defective case. The only pump modifications would be the pressure regulator. I'm not a big fan of cranking up the pressures, but a little won't hurt.
Alan

 

HI!... Thats what we thought too. Just frustrating, when you take time off work, rent the hoist and find out it won't fit. Let's just say several tools went flying! LOL! My builder didn't believe me when I brought it back the next morning. So I brought my engine to trans seperator plate and lined it up on the 4R75-W case and then my old case. All the holes were off by 1/4 inch.