Shift kit need?

[RnR]

I wonder what a tranny "shift kit" is really designed for.... is it regular maintenance, performance upgrade or life extension?

I've experienced an occasional "grab" sequence between 1-2 & 2-3 which disappeared after shut-off and cool down, and seemed to occur when I inadvertently jumped on the accelerator after a stop, or hauling extra loads which don't normally occur.

Thus I wonder if this type of kit is something I should consider.

 

[willix]

It's purpose is performance, quicker, crisper shifts. It will also extend clutch pack wear due to OEM shift programming is aimed at softer-smoother shifts that slip the clutch packs more. Less material & heat in the fluid is a bonus from a shift kit.

You say good by to smooth shifting & introduce mild but elevated shock load to drive line components as a compromise.

Nowadays electronics would be involved in a performance application.

 

[Jakegday]

is this for your grand prix? if so, skip the "kit" and do what i did. just get an aftermarket PCM. it will come with different settings for the transmission that make it shift like an F'ing rock star, along with several other performance related benefits. even if your car is relatively stock, you will still benefit from it. pm me and ill tell you a few places you can get one

 

[beast3300]

The shiftkit for the 4T65 (if this is the car) won't do anything for your issue. There are alot of things it could be. You could see some improvement with Dex6 if your not using it now.

Aftermarket PCM from one of the 3800 vendors are quite generic. If you can find someone local to tune it that would be the best. In MI there are many good guys that could help you in a performance aspect. This is off the original topic though.

 

[RnR]

I wouldn't say that "performance" is what I'm after, more like longevity and mileage.

Now that I have my fluid extractor in hand, I'll be trying the MaxLife ATF & Lubegard Red in an upcoming exchange and see if that helps stabilize things.

Sorry... no "rock star" here!

 

[sciphi]

Read some of what I and others have posted about the TransGo shift kit. It's not "rock star" or jerky-shifting in the least.

Good decision on the Maxlife ATF. It's doing quite well in my Buick's 4T65, along with the TransGo shift kit. No slam-bang or head-jerking shifts.

 

[Ryan]

The Trans Go has been working great in my 4T65E... although I only installed the parts to address the shifting problems I was having...its not a "performance" kit by any means.

 

[TMoto]

Originally Posted By: RnR
I wonder what a tranny "shift kit" is really designed for.... is it regular maintenance, performance upgrade or life extension?

There are two broad categories of shift kits. Those that help solve an issue and those that improve performance.

As I and others have stated in this and other threads, the TransGo SK4T65E shift kit is not a performance shift kit. It's for those of us who for whatever reason, have chosen to install this relatively inexpensive kit to "fix" a known issue with older 4T65-E transmissions rather than rebuild or replace it. The most common source of our troubles is the PCS, which requires removing the front cover, which, on our FWD vehicles is not inexpensive.

Maxlife ATF has a good reputation, I use it and do not hesitate to recommend it.