View Full Version : Yet another Shift Kit question
CrisMurfy
09-18-2002, 09:41 AM
I have been to many shops around my area asking them about the Translab Shift kit.. I have not yet found anyone that would sell it to me, or install it.. But thats not my question...
Many of the shops diddn't know what it was, and only 2 of them did.. The 2 that knew what it was, told me not to bother with it.. They said that it was not worth the money, and it would just end up causing problems over a period of time...
Were these guys just wrong, or were they right in any aspects? All over this board I have been hearing nothing but good about them. Is there any bad?
Blackboost
09-18-2002, 07:43 PM
If the General consensus is that they're good, then they must be.;)
CrisMurfy
09-18-2002, 07:48 PM
That is true, and you make a good point. But are there any downfalls that I have just not heard about? Just wondering.
tsi91at
09-18-2002, 11:50 PM
NO downfalls except screwing up the install :)
The kit makes for a positive shift. It actually will help the transmission shift on time rather than overreving the clutches. This causes extra wear and heat build up on the steels among other things.
Quote from Translab "FIXES: 4-2 Neutraling, 2-3 Flare, downshift clunks, OD won't engage, End clutch failure, delayed forward and neutrals when stopping and more"
Translab makes a few different kits for other cars. However, they are not a big company therefore not every shop has heard of them. Dean Mason at Translab is one of the few who has actually worked extensively on the Mitsubishi KM-175 tranny. To respect Dean, Ask any shop that is honest and they will tell you how complex these trannys are when things go wrong. Dean has these down packed.
I have some kits and they are not too expensive. Installation is a different story. Now, what will it do for a Non turbo is beyond me. I have turbos. Without a doubt it has helped me performance wise.
I had planned to add most of what I have on the ATs to my website (with what is there already) but a hard drive crash took out a lot of stuff. SO I have to start over and post it. I also lost oictures of future DSM VFAQs that I cannot redo.
More info on my website:
Charles
http://www.plymouthlaser.com
Just about all the shops in my town will say to stay away from shift kits because they had bad experiences with them. They also say that our trannies are weak pieces of crap and can't handle any power. That's what one of the import auto shops told me. Wich brings me to my conclusion that these guys are total retards who can't install a simple shift kit and then blame it on the kit when they can't get it to work. These are the same guys who blame the trannie for being weak and braking after they overfilled it with some generic trannie fluid they use on GMs.
The shift kit is an awsome thing. It helps the trannie in many ways. I can't imagine that it could hurt anything.
Blackboost
09-19-2002, 08:29 AM
Originally posted by tsi91at
No downfalls except screwing up the install :)
This is the one and only reason that most shops have to tell people that they're crap. Most of them don't even have a clue on how to install tham and end up screwing your tranny and blaming the kit.
CrisMurfy
09-19-2002, 10:03 AM
Originally posted by nano
They also say that our trannies are weak pieces of crap and can't handle any power. That's what one of the import auto shops told me.
That is EXACTLY what many shops I went to told me! Is there anyone on this board that lives in the MA area, that knows of any places that will install this? I have been everywhere I know of and I get tunred down every time. And I am thinking that this is something that is too far out of my league to install myself. So I guess I have to find someone who will install it for me, but this is looking like an impossible find so far. Any ideas?
And thank you very much for all of the help so far.
tsi91at
09-19-2002, 10:32 PM
Well,
My AT is at 76K miles of hard driving. Still shifts fine. I am guessing close to 300HP (no idea). My 1993 needs the 5 speed pulled for the 3rd time in 86K miles. sigh...
The way I drive the AT (60 miles a day HARD, think heat too) I do not believe it is a "Weak piece of Crap". Reading Translab's and any other documentation, shops hate them because of they are tough to figure out. As I have said before as well.
Im sorry but if an auto tranny can take an AWD Heavy-ass Talon (and they are heavy) into 11's , I think they are plain wrong.
The AT list has a 4 door Colt with our engine and AT tranny (F4A33) pulling low 11s >>"With only 4 passes on the car I ran: 60ft 1.667
1/8th 7.108@9...
1/4 mile
11.041@1..."
That is without the Alto rebuild kit like I am installing in mine http://www.plymouthlaser.com/tranreb.htm
Matter of fact, his colt may be in the 10s by now and he was putting the Alto kit in last I heard.
It has Red eagle frictions and Kolene steels. The best Master Kit I can think of.
ANother AT DSM quote: That way, we can all find the weak
links together and spread the financial burden of doing so :) Thus
far, we haven't found a single part that breaks at ~500hp with the
shift kit done.
Charles
http://www.plymouthlaser.com
ApexiGSX
09-20-2002, 05:04 AM
Originally posted by CrisMurfy
That is EXACTLY what many shops I went to told me! Is there anyone on this board that lives in the MA area, that knows of any places that will install this? I have been everywhere I know of and I get tunred down every time. And I am thinking that this is something that is too far out of my league to install myself. So I guess I have to find someone who will install it for me, but this is looking like an impossible find so far. Any ideas?
And thank you very much for all of the help so far.
id try levelten performance in jersey...im like 3hrs from them..and im in hartford....
www.levelten.com
You could always just take the valve body out and send it to Jeoff from the A/T digest. He used to install shift kits for $250. Taking the valve body is preaty easy. I have to admit that I screwed my first install. I had to take it out like 5 times before I got it right.
With my new tranny I took out the valve body installed the shift kit and had the car running back again in 5 hours. I don't know if I should be amazed or sick for being able to do it with out thinking now.
tsi91at
09-20-2002, 08:34 AM
Did I not post here??? Seems to have went away.
Oh well, is response to the poster that posted here, email me charles@plymouthlaser.com and I will answer your questions. As I seem to do a lot lately...
Charles
http://www.plymouthlaser.com
Yeah, didn't you reply that you could do the VB shift kit for $200? I then replied with a question of whether that included the kit or in addition to the kit. What's going on here? This thread is just like my brain-- parts are disappearing by the minute...
Blackboost
09-20-2002, 11:46 AM
This thread is just like my brain-- parts are disappearing by the minute...
Your brain is okay.;)
I edited the thread since advertising is not allowed on the forums. Don't take it personal, it's just part of the rules. Please use e-mails or private messages for this kind of stuff...;)
Originally posted by Blackboost
Your brain is okay.;)
Well, that's debatable, but thanks-- I feel a little better. Sorry for the infraction.
Blackboost
09-20-2002, 11:58 AM
Originally posted by doug
Sorry for the infraction.
Don't worry about it...;)
tsi91at
09-20-2002, 12:21 PM
That is directed at me.....
I understand. No problem. That's what I figured and needed an explaination of why I am seeing Level 10 and Geoff's name.
Here's what I came up with:
So another person can post someone else can do a service, but I cannot post and say I can do it...... Got it. That is Spam.
Makes sense. :D
Just to clarify. I have a site dedicated to helping people for free. So it's not money based. I have since lost money (Camera in fluid, second camera fell off bench a few times, web hosting, etc..). If Ted did not hook me up, the site would have been shut down long ago. Thanks again Ted :)
Time (A value in itself) is the other thing. I dedicate a lot of time helping people, editing pages and photos, stop to take a pic, get tools to do it and answer inquiries. (many many emails). When I do get that occasional "Great site, thanks" email. It keeps me going.
Charles
http://www.plymouthlaser.com
AWD Terror
09-21-2002, 11:31 AM
Charles, sorry to hear that you lost some of your VFAQs... :(
Just wanted to add my two cents and say that I think your site is quite helpful - I've pointed others to it in the past. http://www.dsmsource.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
This thread may now resume... :D
tsi91at
09-21-2002, 01:12 PM
Thanks.
I added two faqs last night.
http://www.plymouthlaser.com/dshaft.htm
http://www.plymouthlaser.com/xfer.htm
The driveshaft was no fun, but done.
I am trying to get together a AT page that will answer a bunch of Questions: TCU code pulling, checking fluid, some troubleshooting and PICS.
Unfortunately, those were the PICS I lost :( Just hafta pull the camera out and do it over...
In other news. I am going to add the DSMABC link to my page as well. I have had about 6 family members and Friends treated for breast cancer recently. I never realized the site was there. So now I can help other folks find it.
Matter of fact, I just added it :D
Charles
http://www.plymouthlaser.com
Charles sorry about that. I didn't know you installed shift kits too. That's awsome. I know I wouldn't do it for only $200 since it's a lot of work. That's great that your willing to help those people out. I love your site. Defenetly one of the most helpfull ever.
ApexiGSX
09-22-2002, 12:01 AM
your asking why i posted level tens name? this is why
"That is EXACTLY what many shops I went to told me! Is there anyone on this board that lives in the MA area, that knows of any places that will install this?"
he was looking for a place that is fairly local and will install it, so i gave him the name of a shop that we all know and is extremely good with a/t cars.
CrisMurfy
09-22-2002, 09:05 AM
Apexi... Any idea what they charge? I really, really want to do it myself. But I would probably mess up something. I think I might possibly be willing to drive to jersey for it (depending on what they charge for labor). I have made that looongg ass trip to Jersey soooo many times recently so its kinda becoming 2nd nature, even thought its a many hour trip.
I know I also have the option of sending off my valve body to someone and having them install it, but I can't lose my car for more than 1 day because of my work and school schedual.
If it is possible for me to do the install myself without messing anything up, I really would like to do that.
tsi91at
09-24-2002, 09:32 AM
"your asking why i posted level tens name? this is why "your asking why i posted level tens name? this is why
Why am I seeing? and why did you? are two different inquiries, one is general referring to my post (Spam topic), the other is directed at your post and never was mentioned...
I understand fully that you were answering a post, the topic of my post was "What is SPAM?" Honestly, I did not have your post in mind upon writing to the moderator. I would have went off list, but the email for the moderator is not public (or I missed it). Sorry for the confusion.
CrisMurphy:
If you are careful and follow the instructions provided with the kit, it is possible. Of course gauging another's mechanical skills is not easy to do. If you want to try, start on Friday night and span it over the weekend. Rushing it could certainly lead to diaster. Also, you can email me with any questions.
Charles
http://www.plymouthlaser.com
ATF 2GTalon
09-24-2002, 11:20 AM
Since everyone is throwing out names and references, I'll add one more to this. Gary at Mitsubishigraveyard works on automatics and the few times I've spoken to him he said he'd be more than happy to install shift kits and torque converters. He's about 1 hour away from NYC in Sayville, Long Island. And he doesn't charge the ridiculous prices like Level Ten does.
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