It is time to have the filters replaced (and fluid )in my trans. I am thinkng about Ecklers short shift kit. Has anyone tried this?

 

For the price, it's worth it. Make sure the shift links fit VERY snugly on the shift shafts. Also, I recommend getting a helper to fine tune the neutral alignment by adjusting the jam nuts on the ends of the shift rods, the goal is to get all the shift gates to line up in neutral. It can be done by feel without removing any interior parts, if you understand how the shifter works.

If you don't adjust the neutral alignment, it's possible the shifter could hang up when moving it between gates. The reverse gate is on the far right, then a nonmoving gate, then the 1-2 gate, then the 3-4 gate on the far left. Notice this is opposite what you see on the shift pattern, as it's below the shifter pivot. For the same reason, when you adjust the jam nuts on the shift rods, you're also working in the opposite direction as the shifter movement.

Confused yet?

 

It is a cost effective way and the only way to shorten the throw. We have it done and it works well. As mentioned above you must make sure that everthing is done with great care and detail.

Al

 

A driving tip for after the installation:
Speed shifting is not a forte of the 4+3 transmission in its automatic mode. When you shift from 1st (no OD) into 2nd and the unit tries to drop into OD during the shift, it may be hard to rush that.
I would recommend that you click to button out of OD for your normal shifting, especially in stop/go driving and in high performance driving. When you get it on an open road, then click it into OD. I think your shift kit will serve you better that way.

 

from what i`ve experiened with a few of these cars, speed shifting is not the 4+3`s forte in any mode...

sorry guys, but these trannys remind me of something from an old dump truck.

 

Uhh.... if you drive your vette like a dump truck it will do that. For example on my model year an '87 if I at any point go >60% throttle in first gear then overdrive will not attempt to engage until I am in 4th gear.

I powershift my 4+3 all the time and it'll handle it just fine. The only time I engage overdrive at full load is 150mph in 4th, otherwise I do utilize the clutch. The overdrive in the car right now is the original one with 188k miles on it without a rebuilt. The 4 speed is one from an '88 due to breaking my cluster gear in a few places taking off from a standstill. The original has been rebuilt and is standing by waiting just in case.

p.s.

I have the short shift kit and its worth the $20 or so it costs.

 

Only 1 small correction: The first gear look ahead tps% is really 25% in Z51 (MK2) cars and 40% in MH5 cars, instead of the 60% as indicated.

This makes it even more likely for the o/d to be locked out until 4th gear is detected.

There should be no o/d interference on 1-2 shifts with any moderate to heavy throttle opening while in 1st gear.

If you really granny shift and hold the clutch in and let the revs drop way below the synch rpm for 2nd or 3rd gear, it is possible that 4th gear will be wrongly detected as the n/v ratio falls within the range for 4th.

This is what makes it possible to get an o/d upshift just by clutching in and letting the revs drop and de-clutching. I do this intentionally in 3rd sometimes if it suits the driving conditions.

I also have the short throw kit and I am reasonably happy with it. Just make sure you can get it in and out of each gear including reverse before you drop it off the jack/jack stands.

If you just pop the rods on, 1-2 and 3-4 should be close, but reverse will be way off, so you have to re-adjust as previously described.

This is one of the reasons I wish these kits would also shorten the reverse throw and keep the throws consistent for all gears like a factory shifter. I don't know if this is feasible though.

The long reverse throw still kinda sucks, but you get used to it. Makes it harder to do those police car style reverse j-turns

 

Sorry, I was going by gearzone.net on that one. I'll have to check my BIN file when I get home.