TH400 Questions

A couple of questions about the swap.

1. Anyone using the "Superbell"? If not, any other ideas on an SFI approved setup.

2. What shifter are you using? Any comments about it? I am worried about the shift lever interferring with the electronics I have mounted in the "cubby hole" at the front of the console. Also interferring with the airbag control sensor module.

3. How about tranny dipstick choices?

4. As far as a transmission cooler goes, what are you using and where is it mounted?

5. How did you deal with the PCM programming?

6. I have almost decided on a tranny from Carl Rossler. Any comments.

Thanks in advance!

Rich Krause

I'm in the process of coverting from a m5 to turbo400.

1. I went with an "ultra bell" SFI approved

2. B&M Hammer shifter, need to weld a bracket but fits into the stock stick shift console.

3.Summit LOD-TD-3400TM dip stick.

4. B&M trans cooler BMM70266 11"X8"

5. No programming needed 'cause I have a stick shift car

6. I went with a recommended local trans guy. He does a lot of drag racing work. Turbo 400 , full manual valve body, reverse pattern. This is good for 900hp. Way overkill for my car but leaves room for future enging upgrades. The ultra bell will fit BOP applications so the trans may one day end up in my goat.

Kazman: thank you very much! Where did you get the "Ultrabell"?

Rich

I am swapping to a TH400.
I have a B&M pro stick already in the car. Had to raise it 2" to fit the stock auto console,and even with the 4 speed gateplate it doesnt interfere with the hvac or radio.


Jegs sells the Ultrabell for around $200.

Originally posted by rskrause
Kazman: thank you very much! Where did you get the "Ultrabell"?

Rich

It was included by my tranny guy.

Ultrabells can be found at http://www.auto2000.com/jw/

You don't "need" an ultrabell or any other flexplate shield until the car runs quicker than 9.99 in the 1/4 or faster than 135 mph. Usually an Ultrabell is used if you're constantly breaking bellhousings.

A tranny shield is required at 10.99 and quicker.

The Ultrabell only replaces the factory bellhousing. You'll still need a tranny shield. You can buy a one piece Kevlar tranny shield/flexplate shield for the price of an Ultrabell. Although it's not required until you run very quick, it's still a good investment in case your transmission explodes.

I used to use a B&M Megashifter but didn't like the way it worked. I now use a B&M Pro Ratchet.

Originally posted by Stephen 87 IROC
Ultrabells can be found at http://www.auto2000.com/jw/

You don't "need" an ultrabell or any other flexplate shield until the car runs quicker than 9.99 in the 1/4 or faster than 135 mph. Usually an Ultrabell is used if you're constantly breaking bellhousings.

A tranny shield is required at 10.99 and quicker.

The Ultrabell only replaces the factory bellhousing. You'll still need a tranny shield. You can buy a one piece Kevlar tranny shield/flexplate shield for the price of an Ultrabell. Although it's not required until you run very quick, it's still a good investment in case your transmission explodes.

I used to use a B&M Megashifter but didn't like the way it worked. I now use a B&M Pro Ratchet.

Happily, I'm already going that fast!

Thanks for the heads up about the shifter.

Rich Krause

I swapping to a TH400 with custom gears an aluminum clutch drum, manual valve body, tranny brake. I use a Band M console ratchet shifter. I made a custom plate to hold the top tranny mount. If memory serves the crossbrace is in the same place. Now I have a question, if you are running 9.99 what are you using for fuel pumps with your nitrous.

Originally posted by Deimos
I swapping to a TH400 with custom gears an aluminum clutch drum, manual valve body, tranny brake. I use a Band M console ratchet shifter. I made a custom plate to hold the top tranny mount. If memory serves the crossbrace is in the same place. Now I have a question, if you are running 9.99 what are you using for fuel pumps with your nitrous.

Not quite that fast yet. 10.66 @ 135. Current fuel system is a 255lph Bosch intank with a Kenne Bell "Boost-a-Pump", stock lines. I will likely have to upgrade this year.

Rich Krause

now thats a neat trick,22 posts at the same time. :D :bow:

Originally posted by RacinLT1
now thats a neat trick,22 posts at the same time. :D :bow:

How did that happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen happen :confused:

Rich Krause

These are great replies, that'll help me out when I swap to the TH400 by the end of the month. But I still have a couple of questions.

1. I thought the bell housing on the TH400 was one whole piece with the rest of the tranny?

2. Other than using the reluctor and sensor on the TH400, can you use the front ABS signal to run the speedo? I read this on the LT1 Edit message board.

3. Fred, how hard was it to mount the Turbo Action shifter? That's the one I'll be buying

Thanks,

Jody J.

Originally posted by JodyJ


1. I thought the bell housing on the TH400 was one whole piece with the rest of the tranny?


Thanks,

Jody J.

It is....when you use an ultrabell you actually have to cut away the bellhousing portion of the case and bolt on the ultrabell. It uses the front pump bolts to secure it.

Clear things up?

Originally posted by JodyJ
3. Fred, how hard was it to mount the Turbo Action shifter? That's the one I'll be buying

Thanks,

Jody J.



I thought mounting the Turbo Action shifter was a total pain in the ass. It took alot of trial and error to get just the right elevation so the console would fit correctly. I forget how long it took, but I was thoroughly sick of it when I finally got done. I bought an M6 shifter plate, then took the boot out of it and put it in my A4 shifter plate.. It looks good, better than the pictures show, really. :)

Here's some pics of the install: http://turbocharged.net/twinturbo/shifter/

The shifter is awesome though, I wouldn't trade it for any other.

I thought the Ultra Bell took the place of a shield? As for buying one, the lowest price I found was @ Jeg's.

I also went w/ the B&M Pro Ratchet and a 153-tooth ext. balanced flywheel. I think the PN was 20238. I can look at my bill from Jegs. I also got my dipstick from Madman.

ANyone know the pn for the A4 shifter plate? Any other ideas how to get a shifter to look nice on the console? I am planning on using a B&M ratchet type.

Rich Krause

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?cat=G


</shameless plug> :)

mongse_1

As I said before, the Ultrabell is only for the bellhousing/flexplate shield. You still need a tranny shield to cover the rest of the tranny in case a clutch hub explodes. The price of a good one piece kevlar flexplate/tranny shield is the same price as an Ultrabell.

I saw a top alcohol funny car (Dodge charger using a TF727 tranny) explode a tranny. Part of a clutch hub broke through the case, went through the kevlar shield, through the floorboard on the passenger side, off the passenger side door bar and denting it, through the door, blowing out the window and sailed 300 feet over the grandstand.

Nobody was hurt but if the hub went out the drivers side, it would probably have cut off the drivers legs. There was so much force that the kevlar shield didn't even slow it down.

I was sitting in the staging lanes right behind the car waiting to make my next pass. Loud bang and the passenger window blew out of the car. Of course everyone had to go see what happened instead of pushing the car off the line to start a cleanup.

Ultrabells are cool if you take a spare tranny to the track. With no bellhousing on it, it takes less space to store it away.

To use an Ultrabell you also need a maximum of a 10" converter. Anything bigger won't clear the mount bolts.

I'm still trying to get my Hurst Q-stick to work. Made a plate to mount the shifter to, looks good and the placement is great. I'm haveing the problem with the shifter linkage on the trans pan. I have a big *** pan from Hughes. So the shift linkage doesn't fit on the 1/4" thick pan rail. It's never a bolt-on and go with me.
I have a th400, Hughes insides. Full manual reverse valvebody and trans brake. Havn't got a converter yet still up in the air about that. Lokar dipstick,Ultrabell,The wheel 153 tooth flexplate.Bmr crossmember.Plan to buy a Perma-cool cooler and mount it in the front left fender.
I know this is your thread but if someone has any ideas on that shifter linkage problem I have please help me out.

Thanks for the heads up Stephen. I'm not really into the pirate/pegleg look, so I think I'll get a tranny shield. :)

i am using an Ultrabell. i would think a normal flexplate shield would be a PITA in our small drivetrain tunnels. seems like the bolts are actaully alot easier to get to with the ultrabell than with the 4l60e and T56's too

i am using a Cheeta SCS. love it

i used Madman's TH400 dipstick, fit good. i have heard that all the aftermarket dipsticks are too short and make filling the fluid a major pain.

it was very expensive ($190), but i am using the little cooler that Art Carr sells, made by a company called Setrab. it is pretty small and i mounted it on the radiator, but it works AWESOME. my tranny never gets above 150*, and 90% of the time on the street is under 130* with a 4300 converter (this is with a stock fluid pan also). definitly worth the extra $, and doesnt rob as much radiator space as most other coolers. glad i let them talk me into blowing the big $ on it.

i used LT1 edit for the programming. somebody provided me with a file that is out there somebody made that has all the tranny functions disabled. sorry i cant remember who made it to give them credit. i then just copied all my tuning tables over to that new file. i am using the proper reluctor and sensor so my speedometer still works. you will need an A4 harness connector though. if you want that PCM file for the th400 swap let me know and i can send it to you.

Originally posted by chevyguy3
i am using an Ultrabell. i would think a normal flexplate shield would be a PITA in our small drivetrain tunnels. seems like the bolts are actaully alot easier to get to with the ultrabell than with the 4l60e and T56's too

i am using a Cheeta SCS. love it

i used Madman's TH400 dipstick, fit good. i have heard that all the aftermarket dipsticks are too short and make filling the fluid a major pain.

it was very expensive ($190), but i am using the little cooler that Art Carr sells, made by a company called Setrab. it is pretty small and i mounted it on the radiator, but it works AWESOME. my tranny never gets above 150*, and 90% of the time on the street is under 130* with a 4300 converter (this is with a stock fluid pan also). definitly worth the extra $, and doesnt rob as much radiator space as most other coolers. glad i let them talk me into blowing the big $ on it.

i used LT1 edit for the programming. somebody provided me with a file that is out there somebody made that has all the tranny functions disabled. sorry i cant remember who made it to give them credit. i then just copied all my tuning tables over to that new file. i am using the proper reluctor and sensor so my speedometer still works. you will need an A4 harness connector though. if you want that PCM file for the th400 swap let me know and i can send it to you.

Thanks for the info!

Rich Krause

btw, i forgot to mention that you have to use an A4 pcm file for the speedometer to work properly. that is why all the tranny functions need to be disabled in the file as opposed to an M6 file which wouldnt know the difference since the all it does is read the speed sensor and activate the skipshift and reverse lockout.

Ed Wright made the file that most of us are using, Ed was nice enough to post it on the LT1_Edit list a couple years ago.

I'll upload my .LT1 file to my website if anyone needs it. My speedo works fine.

Originally posted by Brady_96Z
Ed Wright made the file that most of us are using, Ed was nice enough to post it on the LT1_Edit list a couple years ago.

I'll upload my .LT1 file to my website if anyone needs it. My speedo works fine.

Thanks very much! Any problem shooting it to me via email?

Rich Krause

Put it up Brady. I wouldn't mind taking a look at it. :)

I know, for a fact, that these parts will provide a working speedometer in a TH400 equipped '96 twin turbo Z28 (Teal Green, Hardtop) :D

Reluctor: GM part #8655315
Pickup: GM part #8655291
Connector: GM part #12085498

LT1_Edit File:
TH400.LT1 (http://turbocharged.net/TH400.LT1)

those are the same parts and file that i used as well :cool: