I know Mike is outta town, so I am hoping all you other MT owners can help me out here.
I recall a thread in the past month or so where a guy posted that he had set his shift PRESSURE at the max setting, with stock tranny. Mike replied and advised that without a shift kit (larger orifices in the valve body), that setting would damage the front pump in the tranny. Mike advised him how high to go on the PRESSURE setting, but I cannot recall how high.
I have looked and looked and cannot find that thread. My question is, with a stock tranny, how high can I set my pressures?
I changed my tuning this afternoon from the standard default settings. I selected the 3rd "dot" above "MIN". Is this a safe setting?

Thanks

 

I read that post and, I think he told him to go no further than a notch or two past center point. I've got a new valve boday and I'm at about 2 notches past center on all gears. Going to bump it up a little more on the 1-2.

John

 

RebelYell,
JBRIII is correct. I read Mike T's post and he said not to go any more than 2 points past what the MicroTuner's default setting was. I remember, because I was running mine one point from FULL and ran out that night and reset it until I do my Transmission work. I sure liked the shifts though! VERY firm and crisp! Hope to have a Transgo kit in this month.
Later
TJ

 

Hi RY & everyone,

This does vary a bit, as with some computer codes, the middle is stock, and with others that center point is what you would get in the Superchip programming, our normal changes. Generally, you can go 2 to as many as 4 notches above center with a stock tranny.

The issue of not wanting to see people use it maxed out is one of *long-term* use like that, in reality. To actually *damage* a haelthy front pump would take doing that for some time, but because we're cautious as most of our customers are buying $35K+ new trucks they are going to keep 5-8 years or more, we do tend to focus on the long-term aspects. It's not like if you do that you'll ruin the pump in a few weeks or even months usually, it's just that you work it harder, so it wears more over time, that's all. I.E., do a teardown at say, 50K miles of that kind of use and you'll usually see 80K+ mile wear characteristics, just to give you some perspective on that. You won't blow the pump out quickly unless it already had a problem, but there's just no reason to run it maxed out like that. If someone wants their tranny to shift that hard, then it's time for the shift kit to be used in conjunction with the program changes for best results.

Without opening up those orifices, in many of these trannys, especially in the pre-2001 or so trucks, you reach a point where in effect, you're trying to drain a swimming pool thru a straw.

Have fun!

 

Hi Mike. Welcome back. Hope you had a good week testing.

About that custom tranny pressure setting. I was under the impression that "MIN" was the setting that the *Standard SuperChips Program* would install, if I had selected to install that, and anything above "MIN" was more than the standard SC program.

There is nothing I can find in the documentation that came with the tuner that mentioned how high was safe with or without shift kits. The display looks something like this....

MIN . . . . . . . . . MAX

I selected the third "dot" above MIN. The way you describe it, I am 2 "dots" below the standard SuperChips program setting. Am I correct? The way the shifts feel, it is a slighty firmer shift with the setting I have now than when I installed the standard SC program, so I am thinking that "MIN" is the standard program setting, and that I have increased the pressure some over and above what I had when I just installed the standard program.

I just would like to know how many "dots" above the "MIN" can I select and be safe without a shift kit.

Thanks much!

 

RebelYell,

When I furst installed my 1715 the defaulet was exactly in the middle of the Min.........Max. It was flashing at that point. I believe that is the defaualt position, because Mike told me you could lower the firmness from the default as well. I have PA Valve Body and was concerned it would be too firm (It wasn't) and wanted the ability to soften it, if needed.

John

 

Hi RY,

In the first paragraph of my last response, as I pointed out that varies depending on the code of each vehicle, so it's something you may want to play with a bit to get it where you want it along with your shift kit's installation. Just don't max it out on a stock tranny is what we recommend, once you install a shift kit, then you've generally opened up orifices so the tranny can flow the additional fluid *volume* required to deliver a really hard shift (if that's what you're lookling for), thus you're not overworking the front pump like you would be if you maxed it out on a stock tranny. So just adjust it until you get it like you want it. We generally don't go more than 4 notches beyond center, as I mentioned above.

This depends on just how hard you want your shifts, as once you install a shift kit you are obviously into a custom situation, which is just one of many reasons why you have the ability to adjust that built in.

The Micro Tuner's documentation is for the Micro Tuner, not other modifications, so it's not going to talk about shift kits, for example. That can be a bit difficult to cover due to the fact that there are a number of different shift kits that do different things different ways, and numerous levels they can be installed at, etc.

The bottom line is, play with it until you get it where you want it, basically. Just don't make line pressure alone do all the work, if you have to max out the Micro Tuner to get the shift firmness where you want it, you should generally install the shift kit at a higher level instead of cranking on the pressure electronically. So if you have to go more than 4 notches above center to get it as hard as you want it, bump up the level you've got the shift kit installed at so you don't have to max out the line pressure is a good general rule of thumb. That's nmot an absolute requirement, just a good loose rule of thumb, so to speak.

Good luck!