Anyone have or tried one of these and have any comments or feedback?

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...5&autoview=sku

Thanks,

Brian.

 

I know a little bit about them from looking into trying one for my '95. It requires that you either find a way to route the wire for the B&M through the firewall or you drill a small access hole in the firewall and run the wire through. The control switch you mount in your cockpit, most likely under the dash or near the shifter, wherever, then run the wire to the PCM in the engine compartment. You then have to connect two wires from the B&M unit-- one to a wire on the C2 plug-in for the PCM and one to a wire on the C3 plug-in for the PCM (I think it was C2 and C3, can't be sure).

Apparently the B&M contains some sort of resistors that increase resistance when you flip the switch and this increases line pressure in the transmission.

I actually bought one but the install freaked me out-- I didn't want to drill my firewall. If you've ever stuck your head down under the dash and eyeballed the situation under the dash (on the cockpit side of the firewall) you know that the possibilities of where to drill are somewhat limited, and then you would have to work out where you're coming out on the engine side and not drill into something important. So I basically said 'f^ck it'.

 

Thanks for your imput Yeah I cant say that Im up for drilling through stuff either... couldnt you just connect it and then attach it to something under the hood? and if you felt like you wanted a stouter tranny that day you could open the hood and turn it on? If it increases line pressure will it be harmful to your tranny if you left it on all the time? and do you want to sell yours that you never installed? lol

 

that was exactly what i was thinking. If you didnt want to drill a hole in your car, just mount it cleanly in the engine bay. I would probably go this route anyways, because i wouldnt want the switch inside the cockpit. I dont like things that dont look stock, like tacky switches mounted all over the place on the inside of the car, unless the car is heavily modified and they are absolutly needed.

 

I've had it on mine for going on four years. The hole you'll have to drill is like 1/4" maybe, no big deal. Installation takes 20-30 minutes, tops. Hell, if y'all are worried about drilling a little bitty hole in your firewall, why are you even thinking of modifying anything at all? It's a freakin' car. Either drive it, enjoy it and do what you want to it, or leave it in the garage and obsess over it like a concours fanatic.

 

knowing my luck i would drill through something i would rather not take the chance ive never even looked under the the dash before and would rather avoid doing something like that if i can find another way to do it... no biggie...... but since ya have one could you tell us your opinions about it? do you leave it on all the time? or do you switch it on and off? Thanks

 

I like it fine. There's absolutely no reason to install a shift kit in a 4L60E if all someone is after are firmer shifts. This accomplishes that. I generally leave mine on one setting. With standard ATF in the transmission, extra firm was about right for me. Using Trick Shift fluid, I can get the same feel on just the firm setting.

 

Hey CK, does it make your shifts any faster? I would think more pressure would increase the speed of the shift. Mine is a little slow. How about tapping into the computer wires? Was that a sweat for you; would you soldier them? If I knew the resistor values, I wouldn't even buy the shifter think, I would just wire it in myself and save lots of money.

 

I refunded it. I had got it at a local Advance Auto Parts store.


Corvettekid, where did you drill? I couldn't see a good place. I can barely fit my arms down under there. I thought about removing the battery and coming through the firewall behind the battery, is that what you did?

 

Often,no drilling is nescessary to get something through the firewall. Most cars have blank plugs in the firewall made of plastic. It is easy to poke these. Also, rubber grommets like the grommet for the hood release cable are good targets. Pike them with a pin and force the wire through.

 

Pete, when I looked I could find but one grommet that was in the side in front of the door, but could not locate any on the firewall. I practically got stuck while looking. I put the convertible top down, laid on my back on the driver seat with my legs on the rear deck (x-large beach towel protecting deck, shoes off)I got both arms up under the dash and only then realized... DAMN! I almost got stuck. Had my wife wanted to keep me there as punishment, all she would have had to do was tilt the steering wheel down and pin me in

 

Brian9 your car (avatar) looks stunning. Very sharp.

 

Thanks all 3 of you guys thats the input i was looking for

That would be my luck!

Thanks! Its always nice to get a compliment about your car especially from a fellow vette owner ... I went to the NCRS winter meet today and picked up a chrome gas door emblem today and really like it! I went there with a couple of other forum members (Great group of guys and very knowledgable. Suncoast Corvette Club) and gonna have my car lowered by Van Steel a forum sponsor next week got a great quote since one of the club members introduced me to the owner! and will post results and before and after pics then the following Friday im ordering this B&M thingie! If i can find the holes Pete K is talking about great if not ill glue the damn thing somewhere under the hood!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences.

 

You will lose the capability to change shift firmness on the fly by putting it under-hood. On the B&M for our Vettes, you can hit the switch on the fly to select between normal (stock), firm, and extra-firm.

 

Yeah if i can find the holes Pete K is talking about and can find somewhere to mount it underneath the dash out of sight I would LOVE to be able to adjust on the fly! Ive never even looked under the dash but Im gonna look tomorrow in the daylight if i cant find them i will ask another local forum member to help me find them....BTW I am hoping Pete K will chime in on if this little device will harm or shorten the life of our tranny?

 

The way I find a place to drill is by looking on either side using things that already go through the firewall as reference points. To do much or have much access under there, it's almost a necessity to remove the carpeted panel section under the dash. Now you may find this next idea amusing but it's really quite helpful when working under there, especially when more than a few years have gotten by you. Take something long and flat and support it beside the car with blocks or whatever at the same height as the sill. Then you can lie on it just sticking your head and shoulders in far enough to see and do your work. Depending on what you're doing, you can lie on your side or even on your back if you're work is up higher. This made the billet pedal mount installation about a 20 minute job. My contortionist abilities have dwindled in later years, so I take every advantage I can get!

 

Well i got the Shiftplus thing hooked up Sunday or Monday and it works great... I really like it... the shifts are alot faster and seem alot more consistent And when i got under the dash and there was already a little hole there so i didnt have to drill (but i did have my drill handy just in case ) the splicing of the wires was pretty easy you just clip that thing on the a couple of wires from the PCM and there ya go... I mounted the control unit under the dash where it is out of the way but i can reach it and i can change the settings on the fly so Im happy all the way around and it didnt take long at all to install... Thanks to all of ya for your input and feedback

 

What exactly is this thing doing? You mentioned connecting it to the PCM. Is it just effecting the programming? I already have a shift kit and PCM reprogrammed. I was just curious.

Thanks

Edit: Nevermind, I just followed the link and read it at Summit. Sounds like the same thing a tune can do but with the option of switching back and forth. Correct?

 

correct. it just jacks up line pressure in the tranny. a re-tune could do this as well, but like you said, not switchable.

 

Yeah its pretty neat being able to switch between the three especially since you can do it anytime you want with the flip of a switch the best thing is it was only like $45 shipped and only took about 20-30 mintues actual work time to install... Im very pleased with it... and glad i made the purchase!