[HISandHERs]

Hi all, as the title states, i'm about to do the B&M shift improver kit.. my uncle recommended this as well as their BM HOLESHOT 2400

but the classic car shop that a personal friend works at (his manager) said that BM stands for BROKEN and MANGLED... naturally that made me puzzled so i wanted to get everybody else's 1 cent or 2 cents if you will?

Enlighten me ANYBODY?? I know about HUGHES PERFORMANCE (which the manager recommended a local Px shop) i liked the B&M price $70 for a deeper tranny pan with gasket as well as shift improver kit!!:nanawrench:

 

[ccc]

i would ask trany mike on this one .i have had mixed results from b&m shift kits,some really bad.i use transgo when i do use a shift kit.

 

[TrannyMike]

Use Transgo or Superior Industries they're both good. I dont know of ANY transmission shop that uses B&M. :beer:

 

[steelybill]

Back in the 80s, guys were using the B&M cheapo shift kits, which affected only the 1-2 shift. They were only about 20 bucks. Problem there was that when running some good power up front, the 2-3 shift was still stock, and the direct clutch ( or is it the forward clutch Mike ?) would get wiped out. All the transmissions I had rebuilt at shops would fail that same clutch....then I decided I could do it myself. The Transgo shift programmer kits ended all the fooling around, and no failures after that. And I still have a heavy foot, so I know they work !:smileyb:

 

[HISandHERs]

WHEW quick replies saved me $100

Back in the 80s, guys were using the B&M cheapo shift kits, which affected only the 1-2 shift. They were only about 20 bucks. Problem there was that when running some good power up front, the 2-3 shift was still stock, and the direct clutch ( or is it the forward clutch Mike ?) would get wiped out. All the transmissions I had rebuilt at shops would fail that same clutch....then I decided I could do it myself. The Transgo shift programmer kits ended all the fooling around, and no failures after that. And I still have a heavy foot, so I know they work !:smileyb:

I was this close to buying the B&M kit, i totally apprecaite the fast responses- does anybody have any idea which website has the best pricing on it? for a th350 (no idea what year?)

also trannymike, are u aware of HUGHES performance, or do u have any recommendation for STALL CONVERTER? i wanted somewhere between 2400-2500rpm so i wouldnt be snapping my neck just crusin around, i wanted it to kick in when i stepped on the gas... makes sense?

 

[TrannyMike]

I'm not familiar with Hughes. I buy all of my converters from a local builder called Saxco. They have a great reputation out here in San Jose. I don't know if they ship or not. I buy Transgo kits from Transtar Industries. They're a national company and probably have a warehouse in Phoenix. :beer:

 

[TrannyMike]

i wanted somewhere between 2400-2500rpm so i wouldnt be snapping my neck just crusin around, i wanted it to kick in when i stepped on the gas... makes sense?

That's not a good reason to buy a high stall converter. The trans won't kick hard just cruising with a Transgo kit. Now had you bought the B&M kit you'd have that problem. Just install the shift kit and drive it, you'll see. :beer:

 

[HISandHERs]

any tranny experts in PHOENIX?

That's not a good reason to buy a high stall converter. The trans won't kick hard just cruising with a Transgo kit. Now had you bought the B&M kit you'd have that problem. Just install the shift kit and drive it, you'll see. :beer:

gotcha, should be getting hte kit from transgo in a few days- my friend's shop quoted me $350 for the labor work to do the kit? is that labor price reasonable or?? i think it even includes my %10 buddy discount lol
:help:

or is there anybody on this forum that can do something like this in PHOENIX??

 

[HISandHERs]

which model of transgo shift kit

That's not a good reason to buy a high stall converter. The trans won't kick hard just cruising with a Transgo kit. Now had you bought the B&M kit you'd have that problem. Just install the shift kit and drive it, you'll see. :beer:

can u suggest which model from transgo? i've seen two i wasnt sure which one to pick..

1: SK350

2: 350 1&2

3: 350-3

i'm gonna assume its the #2 that i shoudl pick? let me know thanks

 

[TrannyMike]

Buy the 350 1-2. For street strip go with all the #2 instructions. For heavy duty go with #1 instructions. It's easy to do if you take your time and can follow directions. :beer:

 

[steelybill]

Like Mike said, you can do it. And you will be changing the oil & filter too, so you will be set to go for quite a while. The labor cost can be saved if you just wade into it yourself !
:smileyb:

 

[fixitman1]

$ 350,00 does not sound any where near a buddy price. just for labor, !!! :dontknow::anyone::eek3::feedback:

 

[black_on_black]

ur buddy works at the shop so he should know how to do it right??oke:tell him to come over when u get it and help u put the damm thing in:nanawrench: while u knock back a few after all it is st. patty's day, now thats a buddy discount. ive done a lot more 4 alot less to help out a friend but thats jus me.

 

[michaelj]

That's not a good reason to buy a high stall converter. The trans won't kick hard just cruising with a Transgo kit. Now had you bought the B&M kit you'd have that problem. Just install the shift kit and drive it, you'll see. :beer:

My big question for you is whatchagunadowithit? Here is my understanding of the need for a high stall...

Built engines normally make their power at a higher RPM than an everyday driver. And if you're doing a lot of hard launches and quarter mile passes, then you'll be wanting your tranny to shift consistently in the range that your engine is making its power. The higher stall converter does this for you.

But if you're driving around town with high stall you're doing nothing but wasting gas and winding up your engine needlessly. Either that or you're getting tickets for being a hooligan at every stop light (not throwing stones, BTDT. oke The neck snapping you're trying to avoid will still be there, depending on what mods you make (you can elect for tamer mods instead of full strip mods.) Otherwise, you're driving everywhere in first or second gear.

 

[steelybill]

I've had two vehicles with a higher stall converter, and wound up taking them out. Too much slippage in general, and highway RPMs were a bit higher, and gas mileage was affected some also. For playing at the drag strip, that's a different story of course.

 

[HISandHERs]

I've had two vehicles with a higher stall converter, and wound up taking them out. Too much slippage in general, and highway RPMs were a bit higher, and gas mileage was affected some also. For playing at the drag strip, that's a different story of course.

Hm thats really intersting, hence why i'm still heavily researching it, based off what my uncle was saying- that for simple replacement i could do the stall converter and get that whiplash at green lights... thats all i want, dont have any plans to take it to the track or beating on it... I just want to be porud of my 350 that has the capabilty of smokiong my uncle's 77 firebird heh

So let me see if i understood you guys right- the torque converter's job is to hold on to the gear as the gas is b eing pressed instead of changing gear.. once i let go of the gas pedal thats when it will upshift??

from what i thought, torque converter would give me more power to the wheel -vs- stock converter and each stall number has a specific RPM whereas when the needle reaches that NUMBER (i.e: 2500rpm) thats when the clutch stays in gear and revs high?? until i let go of the gas pedal?

 

[michaelj]

You are mis-understanding the function of the torque converter. Getting a whiplash effect is not a function of the TC. That is all in the valve body of the transmission (which is what shift kits address.)

As I said previously, the TC is your way to tune the shift points of your transmission to the power band (rpm range) of your engine, specifically your cam. Hardcore race guys take all of this into consideration and even add differential gears to pick the precise TC they NEED to get the performance they desire. Think about it like this...

Dave's [email protected]$$ 502 big block makes its best torque and horsepower between 2400rpm and 5500rpm (totally hypothetical.) He has a torque converter with a 1500 stall, which means he will generally be shifting in the 1500-2000rpm range. That is at least a full 1000rpm BELOW where his engine performs best. So he never see his engine's maximum potential until he reaches top gear and can't shift anymore. And he wonders why he looses every race he enters.

 

[jpmdaddy]

Thanks for your example of the TC relationship to engine power curve. Now it makes a little more sense for me too.

 

[woody31]

i would never run a stall convertor on the streetoke:
ol lumpy couldnt handle itoke::secret:

 

[hotrodelco]

You are mis-understanding the function of the torque converter. Getting a whiplash effect is not a function of the TC. That is all in the valve body of the transmission (which is what shift kits address.)

As I said previously, the TC is your way to tune the shift points of your transmission to the power band (rpm range) of your engine, specifically your cam. Hardcore race guys take all of this into consideration and even add differential gears to pick the precise TC they NEED to get the performance they desire. Think about it like this...

Dave's [email protected]$$ 502 big block makes its best torque and horsepower between 2400rpm and 5500rpm (totally hypothetical.) He has a torque converter with a 1500 stall, which means he will generally be shifting in the 1500-2000rpm range. That is at least a full 1000rpm BELOW where his engine performs best. So he never see his engine's maximum potential until he reaches top gear and can't shift anymore. And he wonders why he looses every race he enters.

Wow, don't know how to address this, help trannymike:
texas::beer: