DIY - Transgo Valve Body Upgrade
 

I'm going to start off with saying this "kit" is not for someone who has never worked on cars ..

I AM NOT responsible if you mess up your car, tranny, fingers, etc

this is just a tool to help someone decide if they want to do this mod themselves or pay someone

and if you do decide to do it yourself, this should help make the install go smoothly :thumbup:

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Tools -

10mm, 14mm, 19mm sockets / 14mm wrench
drain pan
torque wrenches (ft lb for drain plug .. inch lb for everything else) - I had to buy inch lb torque wrench .. $40 @ napa
funnel
5mm allen head socket
stiff wire (use to help get shims out valve body)
dikes / pliers
flat screwdriver
punch or 1/4" drive extension (drive in tapered orfice)
light hammer

Supplies -

8 quarts NISSAN S-MATIC ATF (do not use anything else) $8.12 / quart with discount (work at dodge dealer) .. they wanted $18
two rolls of paper towel or shop towels
Transgo Valve Body Upgrade Kit $295 (really fast free shipping from forged performance .. also avail. @ GTM)
Vaseline or suitable assembly lube / grease (hold balls in place)


Instructions -

Download both VB Removal and Transgo Install pdf files off GTM website

Start One Day Trial with transgo website and download three more files

(Study all and become familiar with the parts, bolts, etc before starting)


1) Jack car up and set on jack stands, then drain tranny fluid (4 quarts), re-install drain plug at 35 ft lb

Attachment 239336

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2) Remove two bolts holding the bracket that 02 sensor wires mount to .. one on passenger side with 14mm wrench .. drivers side with socket .. then remove wire clip from bracket for easy install

unclip o2 sensor wires and push everything out of the way

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3) Take 10mm bolts out of tranny pan and drop, drain, and put to the side (wont need it for a while)

there will be another quart or so in the pan

then you see this

Attachment 239341

4) Get out the instructions .. unhook the wires on the bottom .. then take out and label bolts according to the diagram (A, B, C, ETC) ... I used paper with letters on them to organize the bolts (or you could use bags)

get organized b/c there are ALOT of pieces to keep up with

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NOTE - Unclip the two things circled in red before unbolting .. clip on side of the VB sucks when your holding the vb up .. haha

5) BE CAREFUL dropping the valve body .. there are wires you have to disconnect on top (around 6" of slack in them)

put a glove on or paper towel between your hand and the valve body .. this is where I cut my finger .. the pickup is razor sharp

after that little struggle .. you get this


Attachment 239344

go ahead and take a break b/c that was the "easy part" ..the harder part is next

6) Following the instructions for removing electronics / solenoids .. remove / label bolts and keep solenoids in order

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7) Remove / Label filter bolts .. then remove the manual valve body and watch for the spring and ball inside

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8) Remove Temp Sensor and Relief Ball & Spring

Attachment 239349

Around now you should have something that looks like this

Attachment 239350

9) Again follow the instructions to remove the upper to lower vb bolts .. and lower to upper

then lift the upper vb off WITH the separator plate so the balls don't fall out of the upper .. flip over as an assembly and set down (no mods to upper)

only lower vb and separator plate get worked on

also .. take note where the balls are in the lower vb section (yours may differ by VB)

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10) The fun part begins .. installing the kit .. take out the transgo vb install instructions and follow them for location and color of springs

DO ONE AT A TIME and double check everything

I used a piece of thick wire with a hook on the end to help push out the shims .. installing springs on left side is easy, right side are stiffer / harder

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and your organized mess of parts should look like this now

Attachment 239360

11) Measure each drill bit in the kit and / or order them from small to large .. then carefully drill out the seperator plate holes according to the instructions

BE VERY CAREFUL AND DOUBLE CHECK THE LOCATIONS BEFORE DRILLING

I noticed the holes are shiny that need to be drilled out .. if you locate a hole and it isnt shiny .. dont drill it out and check it again

Attachment 239361

12) Make sure the separator plate is clean of metal shavings, check all of the balls in upper and lower VB (I put Vaseline on them to be safe and hold them) .. then Vaseline the filters onto the separator plate

carefully flip upper vb / separator plate over onto lower and make sure the filters stay in place and aligned

Torque to - 65 to 70 inch pounds

then start assembling reversal of the instructions .. make sure to put the bolts in the correct holes

Attachment 239362

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13) Re-Install manual valve body, vb filter, temp sensor and relief ball / spring

NOTE - Everything torques to 65 to 70 INCH lb

Attachment 239364
Vaseline the ball to help keep it in place
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14) Re-Install Electronics board, Soleniods (in order), and wiring

Attachment 239367

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15) Tap the "tapered orfice" into the hole in the transmission before putting the valve body back in .. make sure it is below the surface

I used a 1/4" drive extension .. book says punch .. but either works

Attachment 239370

16) INSTALL VB

I got my brother to help since it is awkward to hold, hook up wires, align and bolt up

follow instructions for bolts, but make sure you get this metal stud in the little clip up in the tranny

Attachment 239371


17) bolt up the pan .. torque to 95 inch lb (service manual says 7.9 ft lb) .. then bolt the bracket for the o2 sensor wires back up

Attachment 239372

18) lower the car down and fill up the transmission (mine took just over 7 quarts) .. start engine, run through each gear P, R, N, D ... after 5 minutes check cold side of dipstick ..

once you get it right .. bolt the dipstick down and

DONE !!!

just hope it works .. take it for a drive .. be easy for a few miles and shifting through all gears a few times (get air out of vb)

then let it rip .. just watch out for telephone poles and ditches .. haha

it was raining when I finished .. every shift over 4K threw the car sideways and tires spinning

If anyone has any questions just shoot me a PM ..

MODS - Move to Drivetrain DIY section



EDIT - Thanks :biggthumpup:

video I shot on the way home from work when I found a break in the traffic ..


turning right on to a highway .. if you turn the volume up you can hear the tires chirp :D


http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...h_MVI_1316.jpg

Nice write up, I would never attempt to do this myself. I wish you lived nearby, cause i would definitely pay you to assist. haha

you could always just drop the vb and send it to me :D


then you can do this Attachment 239375 (I edited it for us 5AT owners .. haha)

Awesome bro, where are you located?

just south of Atlanta, Ga


McDonough


(just added it to profile .. just signed up on here recently before doing the vb upgrade)

I am sure some locals will be contacting you for help/

Thanks for the great DIY! The info you provided was great. I used it for the removal and install of the valve body but, I decided to send it to injected performance for the actual modification.

nice DIY and thanks for sharing this with the community. the transgo kit makes a huge difference! :D

what an awesome DIY!

Adrian,
How much did the kit cost? Also I live in Griffin and would love to try and do this mod. If you are interested in helping or getting paid to do it, I would love to talk about it.

Thanks....

It costs $295 shipped for the "kit" from GTM Motorsports, or Forged Performance


I got mine from forged .. really fast shipping since they are in marietta, ga (just above atlanta)

would of gone and picked it up but didnt have time off work during the week and its free shipping :biggthumpup:

SuhWEET awesomeness! Thank YOU SO MUCH for trailblazing this! This will be my next mod. . .when I get time. :)

Two questions:
1. Do you have a tranny cooler and/or trans temp gauge?
2. Does the vaseline have any negative effects? I guess it is just oil "jelly." <--- sorry total newb question.

I dont have a bigger cooler or a temp gauge ..


I will probably upgrade the cooler later on .. dont really run the car hard right now, just daily traffic with some fun :D


this is my most favorite mod so far .. makes the auto fun, just gotta be careful when its cold or wet b/c the back end likes to move around if you get on the gas too much


as for the vaseline .. my friends dad was a tranny specialist and told me that trick .. just melts once it warms up .. doesnt hurt anything

think I saw somewhere you can use some type of assembly grease too