what is a shift kit

I have a c4 96 and am keeping it. Lately I have been looking at some
70's trans ams for fun.

Some auto's on Corvettes also have a shift kit with the automatic.

What is that and what does it do?

Thanks

PS: c6 corvette does 0-60 in 4.3 sec for $44 grand. Wow. that is
tough to beat.

Ralph started a controversy when he said... :

> I have a c4 96 and am keeping it. Lately I have been looking at some
> 70's trans ams for fun.
>
> Some auto's on Corvettes also have a shift kit with the automatic.
>
> What is that and what does it do?
>
> Thanks
>
> PS: c6 corvette does 0-60 in 4.3 sec for $44 grand. Wow. that is
> tough to beat.
>

No one seems to be stepping up to this one. So, I will attempt it.

A shift kit is a way to re-valve an automatic transmission. Most kits
allow the installer to make different settings for different effects. The
mild setting will cause a firmer shift. The intermediate setting will
allow much firmer shifts and will cause the shift points to be higher
than stock. Then there is the 'offroad/race' setting which will cause
hard shifts and must be manually shifted.

Shift kits are good, in that they will actually make the transmission run
slightly cooler and the firmer shifts cause less band and clutch wear. It
is a modification to a stock component and may cause loss of value to the
vehicle.

Hope this helps,
--
Robotron Tom *remove nospam to email*
See the Flashback Arcade at: http:// www.arcadeguy.net

Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral
character.
-M. Smith

Yea and if you set it on the full-blown setting be ready to buy some tires.
I have used shift kits on several 70's firebirds and trans-ams with good
effects for the drag strip.
My favorite was the Turbo-action shift kit with a turbo 400 with a yellow
striped turbo 350 modulator valve.
Man what a rush!! The tires would lay some pretty pos. marks at 45 mph
when it changed from 1st to 2ed
then another set (only a little shorter in length) when it would change from
2ed to 3rd gear at around 80-85 mph!!!
hope this helps!
Mike
"Robotron Tom" > wrote in message
...
> Ralph started a controversy when he said... :
>
> > I have a c4 96 and am keeping it. Lately I have been looking at some
> > 70's trans ams for fun.
> >
> > Some auto's on Corvettes also have a shift kit with the automatic.
> >
> > What is that and what does it do?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > PS: c6 corvette does 0-60 in 4.3 sec for $44 grand. Wow. that is
> > tough to beat.
> >
>
> No one seems to be stepping up to this one. So, I will attempt it.
>
> A shift kit is a way to re-valve an automatic transmission. Most kits
> allow the installer to make different settings for different effects. The
> mild setting will cause a firmer shift. The intermediate setting will
> allow much firmer shifts and will cause the shift points to be higher
> than stock. Then there is the 'offroad/race' setting which will cause
> hard shifts and must be manually shifted.
>
> Shift kits are good, in that they will actually make the transmission run
> slightly cooler and the firmer shifts cause less band and clutch wear. It
> is a modification to a stock component and may cause loss of value to the
> vehicle.
>
> Hope this helps,
> --
> Robotron Tom *remove nospam to email*
> See the Flashback Arcade at: http:// www.arcadeguy.net
>
> Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral
> character.
> -M. Smith

tater spoke thusly...
> Yea and if you set it on the full-blown setting be ready to buy some tires.
<snip>
>
Yea, what Tom & Tater said. IIRC, most of what the "kit" consists of is
a customized valve body. Mostly they drill out passages to larger
diameters and use springs with different tension for the "ball valves".
I remember being very uncomfortable for street driving (thus Tom's
caveat about "loss of value"}, but like Tater described, whee hoo! what
a ride when you jumped on the gas! Seems to me that by now the "shift
kits" should be completely electronic...that would be slick...you could
program the tranny to shift any way you want and switch back and forth
between street and strip. Do these already exist or am I actually
getting a good idea here (doesn't happen often)? Tom: why do they run
cooler with the kit? more flow?

--
-|>|- Diode -|<|-
'68 L-79 Coupe
'79 Triumph Bonneville
Shut up, dave.
Professional driver on a closed course. Do not attempt.
Actual mileage may vary.

Diode started a controversy when he said... :

> "shift kits" should be completely electronic...that would be
> slick...you could program the tranny to shift any way you want and
> switch back and forth between street and strip. Do these already
> exist or am I actually getting a good idea here (doesn't happen
> often)? Tom: why do they run cooler with the kit? more flow?

The 'electronic shift kits' are available but not for all trannies. IIRC it
is a plug-in piece that has a switch but I can't remember what vehicle or
tranny it was for. It was made by B&M. Not really a shift kit but a mod
that tricks computer into shifting at higher rpm.

The shift kits I have installed(3), and talking to my tranny guy(built the
tranny for my drag car), the kit causes the valve body to make the shift
faster. By doing this, the clutches slip for a shorter period of time, less
slippage, less heat. If you look at and smell your transmission fluid, if
it's old, will be brownish red and have a burnt odor. When you change your
fluid, look at the old fluid closely in sunlight and you will see sparkles
in the fluid, clutch dust.

Hope this helps,
--
Robotron Tom *remove nospam to email*
See the Flashback Arcade at: http:// www.arcadeguy.net

Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.
-M. Smith

Robotron Tom spoke thusly:

> faster. By doing this, the clutches slip for a shorter period of time, less
> slippage, less heat. If you look at and smell your transmission fluid, if

Yes, after I posted my question it dawned on me that it's the lack of
slipping that's causes the lower temp. It also causes whiplash )

--

Shut up, Dave.

-|>|- Diode -|<|-
'68 L-79 Coupe
'79 Triumph Bonneville

Diode started a controversy when he said... :

> It also causes whiplash )

And that's a bad thing? LOL

--
Robotron Tom *remove nospam to email*
See the Flashback Arcade at: http:// www.arcadeguy.net

Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.
-M. Smith

Since we're on the topic.. I have a shift kit for my '99 Blown C5. How hard
are they to install? Is it a transmition shop deal? If it is what should it
cost to install?

-Stan


"Robotron Tom" > wrote in message
...
> Diode started a controversy when he said... :
>
> > It also causes whiplash )
>
> And that's a bad thing? LOL
>
> --
> Robotron Tom *remove nospam to email*
> See the Flashback Arcade at: http:// www.arcadeguy.net
>
> Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.
> -M. Smith

sbright started a controversy when he said... :

> Since we're on the topic.. I have a shift kit for my '99 Blown C5.
> How hard are they to install? Is it a transmition shop deal? If it is
> what should it cost to install?
>
> -Stan

Actually you would get the shift kit for your transmission and not the
blown C5. :-)

It's according to how mechanical you are. They aren't that hard to
install if you know a bit about auto trannies. All the work is done from
the under side, on the valve body, inside the pan.

I'd guess it would take you 2-3 of hours to finish the work if you are
capable of working on cars. If not, take it to a shop and, guessing
again, it might cost you a couple hundred bucks.

--
Robotron Tom *remove nospam to email*
See the Flashback Arcade at: http:// www.arcadeguy.net

Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral
character.
-M. Smith