I bought the strip/performance valve body and deep sump cast aluminum tranny pan from Performance Automatic(Thanks, Spiro). The valve body was $259.00 (less $100 if I returned my stock valve body, which I opted not to do just for the reason Spiro mentioned above). It works absolutely great. I also have a SuperChip with the Johnny Lightning program. If you're really interested in performance, you need both a chip and a shift kit. It took me about 2-1/2 hours to install the pan and valve body. Most of the time spent was waiting for fluid to drain. The stock tranny holds 8 quarts of fluid, the larger pan is supposed to allow you to add 4 more quarts. I ended up putting in 10 quarts, but I did not drain the torque convertor. My total cost was a little over $500 doing the work myself, and I would spend the money on this upgrade again as I think it was worth it. Mechanical ability required to do the job is about a 3 on a scale of 1-10 where 10 is a master mechanic.
I still have all my original parts to return it to stock if a transmission related problem comes up. However, I believe the modifications made, should prevent a transmission failure from occuring.
Good luck with all of your modifications, and hope that none of us have to worry about "warranty issues". BTW, I have to take mine in this week for the dreaded intercooler leak. Bye for now.

Lightning Bob

 

Hey guys,

I had a Superchip in my truck for 8 months before I installed a TransGo shift kit. I did not go to the extent that 95rcobra did.

The basic TG kit is just a valve body enhancement.

But with the chip AND the shift kit installed there is no comparison. The truck shifts signficantly better than with just a chip alone. I know, I know...you're saying "that's impossible". Trust me, I was skeptical as well.

Maybe Kevin (Jigawatt) will post the why's/how's of a shift kit vs. chip. It's not as simple as some here have suggested. He works on these trannies for a living, and I am now a believer that combining them makes for a superior shift quality both at WOT and part-throttle cruise than just one of them.

I have yet to run the truck with the shift kit in it, so my times to not reflect any gain from it at all. Of course, considering the conditions I ran in when I set my personal best...I don't know if I'll bust through that time or not. But suffice it to say, you will not be disappointed if you have a chip and then get a shift kit installed.

------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

Thanks Wes,
I think you partially answered what some of us were asking. Andre says the samething but didn't really express it well. What is the number of the kit you bought or does Transco just have one for our tranny and how much was it.

TO BLUE BLOOD, I'm still interested in what program you are running in your chip when you find out.

noelvm

 

Hey Noel,

I cannot remember off-hand what the part # is. Get online and do a search for TransGo. A company called Transmission Exchange is where I purchased my kit. It will say E4OD-2 on it (those are the last few digits, I know), but its for a 4R100 trans.

The one with the video (which has some helpful hints for the first-timer, but I can give you those via e-mail if you want) is like $120. The one without the video is ~$90-95. I can give you plenty of pointers that the video shows and save you $30.

The video really isn't that good, to be honest.

I have a Superchip/TransGo combo in my wife's Expedition as well. I just intentionally left the settings a bit milder for that vehicle. She drives my truck occassionally and hasn't complained about it at all. Most people don't install mechanical shift kits b/c they fear harsh/obnoxious part throttle upshifts. I understand that. I felt the same way. But, if my wife doesn't complain (and she would), then it must not be too bad.

I think its well worth the $$. I also installed a Ford truck 4x4 pan (which allows 1 extra qt of fluid capacity) on both vehicles at the same time I did the shift kit installs.

------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html

 

Wes and Noel,
The new chip I have is VERY different tan the one I got in Jan. I, at one time asked Wes if he could get it to downshift into first from over 20mph or so and I think he said no (nor could I at the time). Others began reporting ,with other chips, they could. I think shortly after that Wes put the kit in. I am just wondering what Superchips has done to change this program as much as it is. As I said, I am going back because of a high idle problem (750 and higher)after Sandy tells us about his trial with the program he got a couple of weeks after me.
Tom

 

Wa 2 Fst, I agree with you totally that the way to go is with a shift kit and chip combination. my chip will be installed shortly but the main reason I had this more extensive work done to my trans is like pat at level 10 says you have to lower the operating temp of these trannys for consistent performance and extended relability. the chip alone will run the tran shifts well, but it will also increase the operating temp of the trans and be more prone to failure. pat suggests that if you just want to run the chip without the kit and recalibration that you increase the volume of trans cooling. I am doing things a little different from the rest of the crowd but knowing pat for the last 8 years and seeing the kind of work he produces at Level 10 his knowledge and advice are always well taken.95rcobra.

 

Blue blood,

I recently had the new CUX1TRAC program Superchip in my truck. I will still say that with the shift kit the truck will shift significantly better than with just the chip. Just my opinion. I have a PSP chip now b/c it won the dyno test when I pitted both chips against each other on the same day. Both chips create excellent shifting quality.

I will say that the CUX1TRAC program shifted harder than the old original Superchip program that I had for 8 months. For some, the chip may be plenty.

95rcobra, believe me, if I had a trusted trans source around here, I'd consider beefing up the trans _now_. Probably would consider tearing it all apart and going with an entire rebuild kit. I don't skimp on stuff at all. My friends rib me a bit b/c I tend to overbuild _everything_ to make sure the entire combo stays alive. I mean, what good is all the power if the driveline breaks?

Anyway, I'm not criticizing what you did at all. The only people I'd trust to work on my tranny here is the Ford dealer (mine is good actually!). The 4x4 pan with its added fluid capacity vs. stock was an effort on my part to help aid a bit in cooling.

I only have 9k miles on my truck, but so far, so good.

------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--392rwhp/433rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--364rwhp/444rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fst/index.html