I here that things like a superchip and or other shift programers work well, but are they as good as installing a shift kit?

 

Fixer,
Yes, a chip is as good as a shift kit. The shift kit changes the shift characteristics by mechanical means, the chip by line pressure changes via the computer. I happen to have both a chip and a shift kit. The advantage of a chip, in addition to the change in shift characteristics, is that it can be used to change other things, such as eliminating the speed limiter, remapping the fuel and timing for better performance, etc.
Hope this helps
GDG

 

This is my opinion. I'm pretty much a 4R100 guy, but the priciples carry over to any automatic.

Never use software to raise line pressure or control shift duration. The PCM has a failsafe in it that maintains pressure to the rear lube circuit, so say, if you have a pump problem the loss in line pressure will come from the accumlator, the shifts will get sloopy enough that you take it in and have it looked at. You fix the pump, if you drive it very long you replace the plates but no catastophic damage is done.
If you have software that raises line pressure for harder shifts, it is possible that the same pump problem will go undetected, the software will maintain line pressure to the accumulator (where shift duration is more or less controlled), that pressure has to come from somewhere, and it can come from the lube circuit and you'll get nice crisp shifts right up until your output shaft welds itself to the rear case bushing. You get about two handfuls of metal in the pan and the box is toast. And this is one of those situations where your warranty can be voided, because by overiding the fail safe lube circuit, the chip definitely caused the failure.

Just what I think,

G

 

You say a pump problem will go un-detected, because the "chip" masks the actual problem. Then you say "the chip definitly caused the failure", can you please explain how a chip causes a pump failure.
I'll agree it may mask it, but it's not responsible for the actual problem, which in your own words is a pump failure.

 

That's a good question. The pump failure itself would be covered by the warranty, but bypassing the failsafe (that would have prevented any more damage) would, in my opinion be pretty hard to defend if they contested the claim.
Just what I think...

G

 

Hey, jstang How do you like the superchip, is shifting much better than stock

 

Night and day difference, I tryed a Diablo chip, and then Superchip, Superchip hands down much better shifting, worth the money for the shifts alone.

 

Factory tech

I understand what you are saying, however the chip has very little effect on shifting at lower rpms. It raises the line pressure linear with throttle position, so at "Normal" driving conditions, you should still be able to notice a problem. The pump is responsible for making line pressure, and if the chip regulates it. If pump output is diminished, so will the line pressure across the board. The chip can't make the pump "work" any harder, or create pressure itself, it can only regulate what pressure is being produced . If I'm not getting something here, please explain. Thanks

 

The chip COULD, I'm not saying thay all do, because I'm sure some don't, but could reach a decision of where to route the pressure in a low GPM situation, and if it chooses to raise line pressure then the GPM shortage has to come from somewhere, and one of the choices is rear lube, if it takes from rear lube and gives priority to line pressure, you could be starving the lube circuit. All this is academic if the tranny is working fine, it would only become a problem if something was wrong somewhere else in the box. I just see it as an unneccasary risk, since there are other ways to raise the line pressure that avoid this hypothetical.

G

 

which bring me to my point. The chip is not responsible for the failure. The pump is. Reguardless of the fact it may mask a problem, the chip in itself didn't cause the failure, a faulty pump did, so the chip did not cause the pump to fail.You being a tranny tech can attest to the fact, with a weak/failing pump, no tranny is going to live very long.
How does the tranny protect itself?, I mean does it have pressure senders throughout? and use solinoids to control flow based on signals from these sensors? I am curious exactly how the system works. I'd love it if you could shed so light on this. Thanks

 

It does exactly that. The solenoid will starve the shift accumulator to maintain lube, and this would cause you to shift sloppy enough that you would look into the problem, it will also write an error code that the dealer can read to determine that the GPM is low. If you take it to the dealer when the O/D light flashes (sign that a code is written) you may have done very little damage to the box (plates may have some wear) but you would avoid the damage caused by an OPS siezing to the case. It's my opinion that a lot of dealers ( and the manufacturer) would at least try to escape the claim for anything beyond that, because the box is made to protect itself from the larger damages, and by using a chip you have bypassed that protection.
I'm not saying they would definitly bounce the claim, but if it was mine and they did I wouldn't fell very good about trying to fight it.

G

 

Thanks for the good input factory tech. I appreciate your opinion and the honest feedback. I am curious if the same drawback or other drawbacks could also happen with a shift kit? If you are not aware of any, could you reccomend some that you think will work well? Thanks,
Terry

 

In the intereast of being straight up with everyone, I'll say right off that I designed the kit that PSP sells. So I'm not entirely objective here, but for what it's worth, if you're going to use a shift kit, great, get one that raises line pressure mechanically (with a series of valves and springs) as opposed to using software. It prevents the computer having to make a choice where to send the pressure, because if it''s just more pressure in the accumulaotr, it's downstream of the solenoid. Level !0 kits do essentially the smae thing as the one I make for PSP, I think mine is a better bargain, but like I said I have an interest in that. Some kits involve drilling hooles in the seperator plate, or altering the main control, it works, but I think the best way is to alter the accumulator, and for my money any accumulator based kit is the way to go, what brand you buy is a matter of preference.

For details on the PSP kit, go to http://www.powersurgeperformance.net

thanks,

G

 

Factory_Tech

The PSP kit is for the 4R100. Does it also fit the 4R70W?

TIA

 

No, it's a 4R100/E4OD only thing. I don't have any real history with the 4R70W.

G