got $1000, recommend me a stall,shift kit,cooler!!

i have about a $1000 to spend(including installation) so i can get a stall and other things. need some recommendations, called a local speed shop and they had a Hughes 3000 stall for $429. are they any good? i have heard of the PI and Yank but its a little too much for my budget, or should i just dish out for a good converter? any personal experiences w/ a stall and what are typical performance #'s?

Be honest w/ installation your not going to get much for 1K.. If you do it yourself you can get quite a bit.. but either way if you go w/a yank verter you'll be spending around 5-800 or so on one.. then the cooler is 40 bux and installation is going to be over 3-400 or so i'm guessing.. Shoot Texanmutt a email he's in tx and can probably work on the labor for ya..

well i was thinking about getting something in the $400-$700 range then the shift-kit($140) and the cooler $40-$60.which should be around $8-$900. i will have another $300 by next month so i can finish the install. my main concern is, should i get a PI or yank($700+) or just buy something to get the job done? also how hard is installation on a cooler, i can save $$ by doing that myself?

Install isn't that bad. Don't bother with the shift kit though.

i called different places and they told me to go w/ a Hughes 3000 stall($429) and the B&M cooler($50) thats around $525. local speed shop quoted me $359 for install on both TC and cooler. does that sound about right, also why shouldnt i get a shift kit?

I feel the same way about the shift kits, waste of money, they make the trans. "feel better" imop that is all they do and wear your trans out faster, the stall and cooler are great upgrade that you will feel and can prove with numbers at the track :cool:

i already ordered my Hughes 3000 and got a Derale cooler. got both for $565 but i wont get the conv. till thursday or friday. the guy who sold me the cooler said a 14,000lbs cooler should get the job done. just wondering if i should have opt. for the B&M 24,000lbs cooler, this other guy i talked to said he had the same 14,000lbs model on his 11 sec. mustang w/ no problems. another question is how much better would my be in the 1/4mi? a few weeks ago i went 14.3@97/2.2-60ft, but i couldnt get my tires to hook. next month im going back w/ E/T streets and the stall. what do you guys think?

I would definately get the shift kit especially with the stall. I've got a few buddies who have done the stall w/out the shift kit and their shifts were soft and sloppy. As soon as the put the kit in, it felt much much better.

I would definately get the shift kit especially with the stall. I've got a few buddies who have done the stall w/out the shift kit and their shifts were soft and sloppy. As soon as the put the kit in, it felt much much better.


I agree that a shift kit should be done with a high stall converter. I don't agree with the comments that shift kits just make the trans "feel" better. When the shifts are firmer, the clutches are slipping less, just don't go the easy way and raise the line pressure to firm up the shifts, that does shorten the life.......

P.S. TByrne Motorsports(supporting vendor) has a "power package" that comes with a PI vigi of your choice, trans go shift kit, and b&M supercooler for $839.99 + shipping(I think). I'm ordering mine as soon as they open this morning.

Got to watch out for terminology once again. A shift kit may not be the best way to go. But a TransGo valve body reprogramming kit is kick @ss in my book. Put mine in 3 years ago when I put the ST3500 in. Trans works great, has run hundreds of 12 sec passes and 40 or so mid 11s without any problems.

You didn't get too bad a deal on the install!!.. I would have bought a better converter though like those mentioned through Tbyrne.. I personally like Yank Conv. They tend to hit a lil harder then a Vig.. But have seen both go Fast and thats all that counts.. :)

since ill have some money left over from the install and my manager gave me more hours this month, ill just buy the shift kit in the next few weeks. i wanted to get a PI or yank but it was just too much for my budget. thanks for all the replies, and ill post back on the results on saturday :D

How exactly do shift kits wear out your transmission? They eliminate slow shifts. Slow shifts cause extra heat build up in your transmission which is absorbed by the internals such as clutches, heat is a destroyer of transmissions. Shift kits minimize heat transfer during shifting.

The only reason cars shift slow from the factory is because they realize not everyone who buys a Camaro Z28 will want to drive it hard.

In addition to that they increase performance by keeping you in gear longer.

Shift kits are an excellent add on for the price IMHO.

- Z28WannaB



I feel the same way about the shift kits, waste of money, they make the trans. "feel better" imop that is all they do and wear your trans out faster, the stall and cooler are great upgrade that you will feel and can prove with numbers at the track :cool:

Anyone here that posted "don't get a shift kit" ever ride in a car with a higher stall w/ no shift kit? It feels like a damn slush box. I drove mine before I installed the shift kit right after i installed my converter and hated the way the tranny felt.

I then installed a TransGo w/ 2 washers "stage 2" and the tranny felt great again.

As far as the tranny "dying faster" :rolleyes: -> How does over 150+ passes usually cutting 1.6-1.7 60' times sound.

i really have to agree that my car needs a shift kit now that i have the stall. but i noticed that everyone that replied had a 4L60E. not that it matters but my car in no way shifts like th 4l60E, i rode in my friends 96 T/A and it shifts hard compared to my car. when they get a stall they arent used to slushy shifts. my car personally shifts about the same if not a little harder w/ the stall, but i would like to have the shiftkit either way to take advantage of the stall. i really like the way the 4L60E shifts from the factory, real nice and firm, and my 700r4 shifts like crap compared to the newer cars. JMHO :)

The 93' 4L60 is essentially the same as the 4L60E except the shifts are not controlled by a computer, as I understand it many of the parts are interchangable between the two transmissions. The E on the end of 4L60E stands for electronic.

- Z28WannaB


i really have to agree that my car needs a shift kit now that i have the stall. but i noticed that everyone that replied had a 4L60E. not that it matters but my car in no way shifts like th 4l60E, i rode in my friends 96 T/A and it shifts hard compared to my car. when they get a stall they arent used to slushy shifts. my car personally shifts about the same if not a little harder w/ the stall, but i would like to have the shiftkit either way to take advantage of the stall. i really like the way the 4L60E shifts from the factory, real nice and firm, and my 700r4 shifts like crap compared to the newer cars. JMHO :)

i say ditch the shift kit and cooler and spend the money on a good converter. Vigilante is the way to go IMO. they are pricey but u pay more for the best.

i say ditch the shift kit and cooler and spend the money on a good converter. Vigilante is the way to go IMO. they are pricey but u pay more for the best.

I wouldn't sacrifice tranny life (cooler) and ability to have crisp shifts lost by adding the converter without a shift kit.

Just save up the install money, but a Vigi, Shift Kit & Cooler.

My site has a very clear guide on installing torque converters.

http://www.zmydust.com/converter.html

The TransGo shift kits are a bit tougher to install, but they come with a video, so I didnt' bother with a write-up.

i know everyone told me to get a vig, and save my install money. but i already bought my Hughes 3000, and cooler and got everything installed for a little over $800 and i still have another $400 to spend since im getting paid on friday. i really love the way my car pulls now to 120mph, before it felt like it would have a hard time getting there. got to admit i need a shift kit now, cuz it feels like a powerglide....only feel two shifts ;) only bad thing is now what should i spend my $400 on :confused:

I ran a stock tranny with 33k miles on it with a 3000 midwest stall and no shift kit behind my setup. I didn't want the shift kit because I knew it'd cause me to lose traction between 1st and 2nd on my 275 nittos when street racing and most likely make me slower. It finally just started to slip a tad after 10k miles and lots of high 11 sec passes and 1.6 60fts. It shifted so SOFT though, but now I've got an flp lvl 4 with a yank 3600 and I just got it in so no wot runs yet but part throttle it shifts HARD. I see no traction between gears in my near future on nittos, so I guess I'll be waiting on the new m/t drag radial.

With some et streets and the new stall I wouldn't be suprised to see you drop at least .4 in the 1/4.

I wouldn't sacrifice tranny life (cooler) and ability to have crisp shifts lost by adding the converter without a shift kit.

Just save up the install money, but a Vigi, Shift Kit & Cooler.

My site has a very clear guide on installing torque converters.

http://www.zmydust.com/converter.html

The TransGo shift kits are a bit tougher to install, but they come with a video, so I didnt' bother with a write-up.

Ahh but as you stated before a shift kit makes the tranny run cooler and helps it last longer :confused: