<shrug> Ok. I hope there's no one irresponsible enough here to tear down their transmission and do modifications based on a more or less off-hand comment by a forum member. At least without doing research first as to why it was a good idea, or not a good idea.

Personally, I'd probably ask you and Cliff why you hold your particular opinions.

Or actually, I'd probably not. As me doing work on my own transmission is a less than zero sum possibility.

 

No a shift kit is actually a valid modification not just changing filters and fluid. You do a fluid and filter change if your smart anytime you drop the pan but when someone tells you that a shift kit was installed that means they purchased a shift kit from somewhere and installed it.

The kits vary is why I was so vague on exactly what it does after installing it.

For example. When I put one in my 4l60e transmission in my gmc pickup I was out to fix a problem with it slamming into 2nd gear when you drove it more than 6 miles or so at 50 miles an hour or faster and came to a stop and the went to take off again. The violent shift was horrible. Literally would make your head bounce off the back glass of the truck. GM made a fortune selling rebuilt transmissions to customers that didn't know any better to the tune of $2500 plus labor. Nice racket. The part to fix this cost $9 for a valve in the valve body.

So to fix it I bought a shift kit made by transgo. This kit came with the valve I needed plus other parts that would make it very hard to downshift while driving. 4l60e's loved downshifting from overdrive if they even smell a hill coming up. Also it came with stronger springs that made the shifts firmer and a few fixes for known wear problems.

All of this was in a $50 or so shift kit. Came in a small card board box.

You drop the pain on the trans and remove the old filter. Then remove some bolts from the valve body and remove it from the transmission. Place it on a work bench and install the "kit" you bought into the valve body. I think the valve I bought for the tcc sticking (2nd shift issue I first mentioned) went into the pump housing edge but in general all of the parts went into the valve body. After you complete the modifications to the valve body its re-installed back onto the trans.

Then you put a new filter on and bolt the pan back on. Fill the trans and your done.

So its a bit more than just changing the fluid and filter but nothing like actually removing the entire transmission and rebuilding it.

 

Oh, I'm aware of that. The shift kit doesn't really mean much to me as I'm a pretty sedate driver. I can feel that difference between shifts, that sharp hit instead of the usual "slushbox". I was just speaking of buying a used car with a shift kit in it and wondering how much work on the trans they probably did while they had it apart. At the very least, I got a transmission oil change, which means I won't have to worry about changing oil in the trans for a LONG time.

 

I really don't know where he get's his, but mine is notan "opinion". It is industry fact - non debatable and non deniable. Just for ***** and giggles, why don't you search "Sharp edges on valve body valves". I think Mr. Google will tell you there are about 112,000 choices. Do a bit of research and when you find one that says, "If the valve sticks in the valve body, take some emery cloth and file off the special anodized edge that the manufacturer put there on purpose", let me know.

 

So, your "opinion" is that the manufacturer put those sharp edges in to clean any debris that might be there and to reduce the possibility of letting dirt in that might score the internal workings.

And apparently Cliff had some specific instance where he found smoothing off those edges made something work better for him.

<backs away slowly from the discussion>

 

My 94 with the 4l60E has the best stock shift characteristics of any other automatic I've ever driven. At WOT it will chirp the tires on the 1-2 shift. As good as that shift is I hesitate to put a kit in it because I don't want the shifts to become violent and start beating on the IRS. One would think that if every shift was a neck snapper it would take its toll on other driveline parts eventually.

 

When 4l60e's get mileage on them the slam shift will happen so the kit isn't a bad idea. The 2 things you want from the kit like I mentioned about are the valve fix to prevent the failure from happening and the part that helps it hold overdrive longer.

The kit also stops the converter from partially engaging. So its either on and off not a percentage of duty cycle. This REALLY helps. It lowers trans heat, extends converter life and helps the fluid do better longer.

 

I'm done. Ron White has a very truthfull catchphrase.

 

I'm pretty happy with the stock setup in my car *shrug*

 

...And Internet myths get duplicated and forwarded forever. That doesn't make them true. The info sounded far fetched to me, since I don't see how these "particles" can get through the filter. All the valves in my 700r4 cast iron valve body are steel, so I don't see how particles could get embedded in the "soft metal".

I did a search on your "Sharp edges on valve body valves" and got a LOT fewer hits when I added 700r4. I found this link (see the last post in the thread) for somebody else who fixed his trans by filing a valve:

http://forums.superchevy.com/super-c...#__federated=1

Since you provided two links, let me do the same, in the interest of busting Internet myths that have been repeated forever:

http://www.misterpeachy.com/VetteStu...th_Busted.html
http://www.misterpeachy.com/VetteStu...elay_Myth.html

I made a statement of what worked for me. That's all it was.

Did some posts in this thread get deleted? I went back through it and some of the ones referred to seem to be missing (like the two links, which I could not find).

 

Hi Cliff

Am glad you have thick skin, we all learn to cope with the thoughtless and out of context comments from valued information shared on this forum.
(Re me mentioning the wide open throttle shift inhibitor to overdrive, i will be making sure my new transmission will have that modification) My 85 corvette is not standard, the transmission not shifting into overdrive during a airport runway timed competition event was a major hindrance.

I value your many years of in depth knowledge shared on this forum, Your willingness to help and your many years of membership proves you know what you are talking about.
We are all continually learning about every aspect of our Corvettes, perhaps a lot do not think or read the whole thread before they post comments.

We forum members have no right to assassinate someones character in public, perhaps a private message asking to clarify a comment will help us all feel better. Some do like nothing better than to argue a point, why...

 

Wrong! If you choose to do that to your own equipment, knock yourself out. But to encourage someone else looking for help to do the same thing is irresponsible. On December 6 in a thread titled
"1992 Corvette 4L60/700R4 Valve Body Rebuild" you specifically stated and I quote,

"I suggest smoothing the sharp edges of the valves with emery cloth so they move more easily."

In that thread, I pointed out to you that the sharp edges were there for a reason. You asked me where I got that information and I supplied you with two links. One of them was from Sonnax which provided a fair bit of information. Are you now trying to suggest to the masses that a company like Sonnax is spreading internet myths? If people choose to believe that their information(and any other company in the hydraulic industry) is wrong and yours is gospel, them so be it.

 

Speaking of the 700r4, I've heard conflicting information on whether the 700r4 will shift into OD (4th) at WOD. After some digging around, the best information I've found is that most 700r4's will not shift into OD without letting off the throttle, including C4's with the 2.59's, the exception being Corvettes with the performance axle (3.07) and so long as speed/RPM requirements are met. Can anyone confirm or deny that information? Anyone do top end runs with 700r4 equipped CFI/TPI C4's?

 

Wow, I can't remember a post I made yesterday and this guy remembers one someone else made two months ago. *shrug*

 

I'm telling you......althouigh I know Cliff didn't get all those stars giving crappy advice.......I'd take his opinion any day.....

 

 

Let's all get alongneck....

In the interest of full disclosure here, I did do a little research and found arbee's references. The sharp edge is there to act as a wiper, because the small clearances inside the valve body, along with the actual valve environment, dictate that design. We're talking tolerances in the tens of thousands of an inch.

Cliff's corrective action worked for him and that's good. A tiny bit of wear could feasibly be corrected with emery cloth. Emery cloth doesn't remove a whole lot of material.

I've taken apart several trannys over my car mechanic career back in the 80s but I don't call myself an expert. I know enough to get in trouble, then out of trouble most of the time. All the trannys I put back together worked with no comebacks, if that says anything.

Bottom line in my opinion is that both of you are correct. Arbee is right about the design, and Cliff is right that what he did corrected the problem in his tranny. I say we all drive to someplace warm and have a cold beer.

 

Four more for your reading pleasure.

From James Halderman, member of the SAE and author of several automotive books

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...84349003,d.cGU

Go to page 111 of this link and read the part in bold

http://www.hotrodlane.cc/New%20HEMI%...mi%20trans.pdf


From a book entitled: Light and Heavy Vehicle Technology by MJ Nunney

https://books.google.ca/books?id=Xnw...0edges&f=false


Drive Line publication from Joseph Industries

http://www.joseph.com/pdf/trans_dl.pdf

 

What I would be really interested in hearing is where do some of you's think the sharp valve edges come from on a new valve body fresh out of the package.

 

What I don't understand is why this is so important to you, Arbee. I think we've all pretty much said that we understand where the sharp edges come from - I posted the information you asked me to Google about six or eight posts ago.

I have no idea why it is that apparently a bit of emery cloth was a fix for Cliff. I suspect that with some wear, the sharp edges might be a detriment and might cause binding that would be alleviated by smoothing. Or that might be completely off base.

In the end, I don't really care. You've made your case. Can we move on?