http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...rtnumber=70380

I've got one of these on the way for my '95. I did an advanced forum search on it in C4 tech current + archives. Mixed reviews. Ordered from Advance Auto Parts so that if it is the blah, I can refund it at one of their local stores.

Its just a shift firmness increaser (by programming), doesn't make the shifts faster like a true mechanical shift kit such as Trans-go.

How come? Well, truly ever the dealer shop replaced the torque converter in 2003 under GM Major Guard ext warranty the shifts have been softer and in particular the 3-4 shift has felt boggy. Yesterday I took the car to a local transmission shop that has a good reputation (Comp if you're reading it was the shop you mentioned in PM quite a while back). Tech connected a scanner and took it for a drive with me riding passenger. No codes and he felt like it was shifting normally for 3-4 up and 4-3 down, maybe a little soft but not indicative of anything wrong. I'm looking only to firm up the shifts not speed them up into bang-shifts so this B&M I hope fits the bill.

Interesting that the shifts softened a little after new torque converter installed. I've heard this indicative of a tc that has a higher rpm stall than stock?

I'll report back with a post after I've got the B&M installed.

 

B&M shift kits lock the accumulators. They almost always cause a part throttle bang. It was cool when I was 20, but I do not like mine as much now that 40 is around the corner. I have also seen a few rear planetary gearsets break after a few years of using the B&M.
I have one in my 87, but I do not install too many of them anymore.

 

I have used that little electronic shift improver on 3 different vehicles. One was an S-10 blazer, the 2nd an astro van, and the 3rd my corvette. I found it to be a very effective and useful gadget on the first two, less so on the vette. I can only assume that the pressure is already higher on the vette to start with. You can feel the difference, but it is not dramatic like it was on the two trucks.
Roy

 

Pete, this is just a programmer and the transmission is not opened up to put in parts or replace anything. Only works on the electronically controlled transmissions like 4L60E. The one in your '87 would have to be a different one.

 

I had a homebrewed version on a caprice. It helped a little. Slightly less grandma car. Worth trying before cracking open the pan. benny

 

Sorry about that. I forgot they even made that. I have not seen it in years. As you mentioned, I was referring to the transpack.

 

No need to apologize, you're our forum transmission guru and we salute you.

 

The Shift Plus does nothing more than substitute resistance values fed to the car computer which then tells the trans to increase the pump pressure. Effectiveness hinges on the general condition of the transmission. I would like to see some homemade versions if anyone has pics or info. They are quite simple devices but I have been hesitant to tap into the wiring harness going into the computer.

 

Well, I picked the Shift Improver up today and opened it up. Maybe I should have checked into the install procedures more before buying it, because I would have to drill a hole in the firewall for the wire, and then as mentioned by Hotred94 it requires you to splice in to two wires on the PCM wiring harness.

Won't be butchering up my Vette to install this thing, so its going back for a refund.

Call me stupid but from the advertising I thought it plugged in to the ALDL port and did its thing that way...

 

I did forget to mention that a higher stall converter will soften up the feel of the shift.

 

True, maybe the dealer put in a higher stall converter when they replaced the tc. I'm going to try and find out (if they recorded the tc type code when they did the job).