I'm buyng a Race Built Trans from treyZ28 and it is gonna be a little while before I have time to drop it off at the shop and have it put in.

I'm totally ignorant when it comes to A4 transmissions, especially my 4L60e, so please excuse what could be dumb questions.

I was thinking of having my Tranny guy add a manual valve body to the trans. First off, can this be done on a 4L60e?

i know that if it can, I will have to cut out the shift insert in the dash so I'll have 1, 2, D, OD.

When u use a manual valve body, do u ALWAYS have to shift it? or can u just leave it in OD when u want to. Also, I noticed that when I upshift now, there is a brief lag time before the shift. With a MVB, is the shift hard and instant? This might also be dumb, but can u then downshift the trans without causing damage?

Another question, would it be smart/possible to install a trans brake as well? I know nothing about these either.

Thanks for any light u can shed on these questions, sorry for sounding so dumb I appreciate the help

 

I'm very interested in knowing this also! I hate how my car downshifts, I would much rather be able to control it.

 

The only way you could go to a manual valve body is to change transmissions to a Th350,400 or 700r4 and disable the trans controlls in the computer. The 4L60E is controlled by the computer and shifts when told to even when you shift manually. IMO that trans should have a shift kit in it already just put it in D and stomp on it the computer will shift more consistantlly than any human ever will......If you want to shift gears get a manual. Steven

 

I am not an auto tranny expert, but I am pretty certain it would be possible to convert a 4L60E to full manual operation. In fact, I think Trans-Go makes a kit for this. Here's a brief description that I found at http://www.bulkparts.com/MM007.ASP?pageno=1173. You guys need to learn how to use the Internet. After all, AlGore invented it for "the people" .

TransGo Reprogramming Kit 4L60E 93-2001
# 98362 Performance stick shift kit 4L60E-3
Stick Shift: Full manual control Converts back to automatic. Competition, off road and pro-street. Holds 1st, 2nd and 3rd to any RPM; Backshifts to 3rd, 2nd and 1st at any RPM

Rich Krause

 

Full manual reverse vavle bodies are great. I wish ever car came factory with them . I have a reverse manual in my th400 and love it. The line pressure is a lot higher in a reverse manual valve body so it shifts HARD and instantly but at part throttle cruising, the loose stall converter makes the shifts feel smooth...different story when you get on it though. Another thing I love about reverse manual valve bodies is the increased control you get without engine braking in 1st or 2nd gear. What I mean by this is that when you let of the gas when your in first or second the car is instantly in nuetral until you nail it to get the RPM's up fast enough to engage the trans again. So if you were on a $hitty track and spun and started to loose control as soon as you let off the car straightens out. With engine braking it would make the front end slam down and cause you to loose control more easily. You love the manual vb if you decide to get it.
Later
Matt

 

Ive got a 700r4 inmy 94 Z28 with a reverse man VB. I love it. ANd you have to shift it your self. I put it in took it to the track and raced it. It took a little getting use to.

 

It's not that I actually want a manual, but when you're going ~45 and you hit it, it takes a second to down shift then a second for it to start going. IF you could manually downshift it when you're going 45 and the rpms are at a higher point, like in a standard, then the initial acceleration is instantainious. It's not that I want to shift gears all the time, if I did then I WOULD have a standard. Everyother car I've owned has been a standard, and I like just putting it in drive and going. Thanks rskrause for finding that, I emailed them and am waiting for a response. I will definately get one if it doesn't mess the tranny up. THANKS!!
JOHN

 

Thanks for the information Rich. I'll have to check that stuff out in detail. I plan on having the tranny fully inspected before I even think about the manual valve body.

What about a trans brake? worthwhile or worthless? (for my applications, mostly street with a few race days a year)

 

I would not put a brake on a 4L60E. Too much stress on the transmission and a brake doesn't really help a car with good low end torque anyway. Think of it as a way to get the engine revving higher at launch, so as to be further into the power band. Most 4th gens with a reasonble stall can lauch hard enough without the brake.

The other main use of a brake is to get extremely consistent launchs for bracket racing. You can get much the same effect with a line lock though, which has the added benefit of preloading the rear end and driveshaft. Of course, you can't be a WOT against a lin lock as you can against a brake. But as I said above, with a typical 4th gen setup, you don't need to be.

Rich Krause

 

as of now,there are no transbrakes for 700r4's/4l60e's.
the sun gear and input drums just cant hold that kind of shock and Art Carr already discovered that.

 

While you are on the subject of trans brakes, I have a Chevy Nova (drag race only) 350ci (435hp) Torker 2 level cam redline 6,750rpm, TH350 trans rebuilt with B&M race overhawl kit, Ford 9 inch locker 4.10 gears ,ladder bars etc. Oh and 10 inch torque converter 3000+ stall speed.

Iam running high 12's at the moment.

I have a line lock but when I try to build revs against the torque converter the car pushes the front brakes say at 1500 rpm

How much gain would I see from adding a trans brake.

I would like to know your point of veiw as I know very little about trans brakes! I know you change your whole valve body they are reversve pattern and my car is already fitted with the switch and wiring as it had a trans brake before I bought it. It was next on my upgrade list, then NOS

Andy

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/441297
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/537476

 

Trans-go makes a full control kit(from what i hear).......there are two they make......one where you have to shift it, and the other where you can shift it if you want but if you put it in D or OD it will upshift normally.

 

Andy: assuming your car hooks up good, you would gain a lot from a brake. Also perhaps from a higher stall. Very hard on parts though.

Rich Krause

 

art carr has been bought out by another company and they are just using the name to sell products under. so that doesnt count.

there is a transbrake for the 4l60e call this number, he'll tell you differnt. he invented a the trans brake for the 4l60e and has a patent on it. his name is john goebel 1-254-875-2045. its been tested and proven

 

I've got a manual valvebody in my 4l60e. Even better, it can be turned on and off with a toggle switch. Full manual valvebody for high stall OBD1 cars at the track and drives just like a normal transmission on the road.

I got mine from http://www.lt1motorsports.com. You have to have a shift kit in the tranny and then the manual valvebody kit was like $60, wasnt much more than a spring and little ball but it works. Another member, Derrick Redd also has this setup.