Shift Kit?

[Blue02]

Ok, that laggy 1st to 2nd shift has got to go. Looking for opinions on what you've done and how you liked the results. This is my daily driver with no mods so far. (Just bought from little old lady in Pasadena, jk.) 2002 Firebird w/49k miles and original tires on rear! lmao, not for long tho.
I've put the B&M shift kit in a '78 T/A with built 400 Pontiac and turbo 350 before and never got alot of miles out of a tranny in it. Built them like 3 times. It did PERFORM though, I could jump two car lengths on the 1st to 2nd gear change.

Here's what I've seen the most info on:
Transgo Shift Kit
B&M Shift Kit (stage one or two)
Shift Improver (electronic kit) sounds nice, but does it WORK?
Corvette Servo

[3.8Fury]

Re: Shift Kit?

Damn they killed ur trannies alot then huh....

[Blue02]

Re: Shift Kit?

well, I was trying to force about 400 hp thru 2.43 gearing with positraction on a 4000lb car too.
Not to mention that I was 17 at the time either...

[ssms5411]

Re: Shift Kit?

Transgo shift kit and corvette servo would be your best bet.

[97rs4life]

Re: Shift Kit?

yea transgo kit and vette servo, or depending on where you are located maybe get a local person with HPTuners to play with your trans settings. You can use hptuners and get some great results just like a shift kit would give

[bigbrian442]

Re: Shift Kit?

The eletronic kit works but not as well as tuning the trans with HPTuners. It's easy to install, you just splice into two of the wires going to the trans. You have 3 settings for shift firmness. The B&M version is only about $40. In the firm setting, the trans shifts firm but not as hard as the Corvette servo would. But the servo only affects the 1 to 2 shift. The eletronic kit effects all shifts.

Brian

[96silverbullet]

Re: Shift Kit?

Transgo shift kit and corvette servo would be your best bet.

Ok i've heard a lot about the corvette servo but what exactly are the advantages to it and how hard/how much is it to do?

[jrocstar]

Re: Shift Kit?

i could be wrong but i thought the electronic shift kit doesn't work for 2002. i think it only works up to like 96 or 98 if i remember right. and hp tuners you can change shift points and increase line pressure. the best bet is a good boost valve with a shift improver kit since it is exactly the same thing as the trans pak except the trans pak comes with a filter for like 60$ more. "found that out the hard way" set it on the harshest setting. it's really not bad daily even at a higher line pressure from the boost valve. and use a good synthetic fluid like mobil one or royal purple. it can be done in a day by pretty much anyone.

[bigbrian442]

Re: Shift Kit?

The B&M is for 93 -98 the JET is for 93 -2007.

Increasing the line pressure does not work as well as reducing the shift time with HPTuners. Change your shift time to 0.100 and if you want it to shift harder after that then start raising the pressures. The neat thing with HPTuners is you can make the trans shift almost stock at light throttle but progressively harder as throttle opening increases.

Brian

[ssms5411]

Re: Shift Kit?

Ok i've heard a lot about the corvette servo but what exactly are the advantages to it and how hard/how much is it to do?

I had the Transgo and corvette servo installed when the tranny was out before my M5 to A4 conversion. The guy worked at a tranny shop and was a owner of a tranny shop back east(somewhere) don't remember. He had been working on trannys for like 40 years, real old guy, pretty funny though, but he charged me $150 to install them. That and 97rs4life gave me some good tranny settings for my hptuners. OH, the advantages of the servo and transgo are to reduce slippage of the clutches packs inside the tranny, so the tranny has a longer life span. Just don't increase the line pressures up when using hptuners and a transgo. Since the transgo increases them internally. Also for the transgo it comes with 3 spacers( I think that is what their called), just use 2 and you'll be fine.

[cam98aro]

Re: Shift Kit?

can anyone explain to me what a corvette servo is?

is it the same as a shift kit, but is just atake out from the vettes?

[tkoforpresident]

Re: Shift Kit?

i just got a b&M shift improver kit for my firebird but im not installing it til the spring so i cant give you a report on that

[ssms5411]

Re: Shift Kit?

The Corvette servo will frim up the 1st and 2nd shifts reducing slipping in the internal clutches. Supposed to make the clutches inside the tranny last longer since their is no slipping and wearing them down quicker. Then the Transgo ups the line pressure and firms up the 3rd and 4th gear to do the same reduce slipping and prolong the life of the tranny. Thats what I was told and read up on. If someone else knows more I'm sure they will post. But that was my take on the Corvette Servo and Transgo. So far I'm pretty happy with setup.

[bigbrian442]

Re: Shift Kit?

There are no "clutches" used for the 1 to 2 gear change, it uses a band. The corvette servo applies the band quicker and applies more holding pressure for the band. That is why it's one of the easiest up grades for your trans. You can access the servo with out taking the trans apart.

Brian

[ssms5411]

Re: Shift Kit?

There are no "clutches" used for the 1 to 2 gear change, it uses a band. The corvette servo applies the band quicker and applies more holding pressure for the band. That is why it's one of the easiest up grades for your trans. You can access the servo with out taking the trans apart.

Brian

I didn't know thats good info, I knew someone would know more about it. When I got my corvette servo I remember their were alot of little bands that came with it, and now I also remember that it is located on the passenger side of the tranny correct?