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I TESTIFY--Shift Kit--ZZP to TEP

Mr D

Mr D

New member
03 GTP 132k

I bought my car about 1 1/2yrs ago. Too much wrong w/ it to list, but transmission felt good on the test drive. I'm plain affraid of auto-trans, a bad trans would have been a deal breaker. Sure enough, after a couple of monthes, it started to "slip-bang" HARD into 1st, I almost cried.

I did a little research & learned about shift kits. I bought a ZZP shift kit, half b/c it was cheap, half b/c it seemed easiest ot install. It definately helped w/ the slip-bang, but the slow shifts and occasional slip were still there.

I just put in a TEP (Transgo) shift kit, w/ a bottle of Lucas auto-trans fix. Crazy, incredible, instant improvement. Trans feels solid and strong, w/ predictable, smooth, quick shifts.

Others have said this, I'm just joining in and sounding off. If you can install a ZZP shift kit--shims only, you have 90% of the work done for installing TEP kit--shims, springs, & gaskets.

IMO, anyone w/ soft, tired tranny, should seriously consider a shift kit. & if you're doing a shift kit, don't cheat yourself or your car, by cheaping out (like I did @ 1st) and get a TEP/Transgo kit.

Thanks for the Forum for the knowledge, resource & thanks TEP.
 


It took me 5hrs from getting out jacks to parking after successful test drive.

But thats meaningless, I'm seriously slow, I LIKE to take my time, read directions, clean as I go, proper torque, double check everything.

Most people would get it done in half the time, 2-3hrs. Figure the time it takes YOU to replace trans fluid & filter, then double that time.

The actual parts are super simple to install. Its figuring out what part is what ,for those of us that do not have experience w/ these trans, that takes the time.
 
Depending on experience it shouldn't take long. I did it in a hour and half at the shop. But I also didn't have to crawl under the car cause I had a lift

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Can't really speak for the ZZP shift kit but using spacers alone can only get you so far. I have TransGo in both of my cars and have been thoroughly impressed.

Now all you have to do is add a valve body from TEP with all of the upgrades. Dave tailors them to your current setup along with future goals in mind. One car is the TEP valve body and the other one just has the shift kit....Upgraded valve body really wakes up the transmission...night and day difference IMO.
 


Transgo from tep is what I used as well. Works great and a good noticeable difference is shifts

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darkhorizon said:
30-40 minutes is a typical trans pan drop... the shift kit part might take another 10.
Click to expand...

I just got new wheels. Bought a pair of used tires from craigslist, watched a young guy (early 20s) mntd & balance them in 10min flat. Bought a new set from Walmart, took the tech 1hr 15 min to mnt & balance them.

The pan is 20 bolt. The accum has 11 IIRC. The 1-2 man servo has 3 bolts.

I need more than 10 min to torque that many bolts. It takes me as long as it takes.
 
for the shift kit install in the accumulator i would have to say more like 20-30 minutes to install it. But thats cause i cleaned it all and took my time putting it in.
 
but for the Trans go, you have to drop the tranny completely out to be able to do the full shift kit and everything that comes with the kit. It has stuff for the other accumulator and a few other things as well
 


marines542 said:
but for the Trans go, you have to drop the tranny completely out to be able to do the full shift kit and everything that comes with the kit. It has stuff for the other accumulator and a few other things as well
Click to expand...

Uhhh what? The other spacers and **** are for different settings. There is only one accumulator.
 


Doesn't seem like the installs not too bad, and I'm guessing its really densification for your tranny
 
99PGPGT said:
Uhhh what? The other spacers and **** are for different settings. There is only one accumulator.
Click to expand...

What I meant was the trans go kit comes with some seals and another spacer and something else that actually requires tranny to be dropped. I still have those extra parts in my trunk.

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I'm right there with DH...

Remove 20 10mm bolts for trans pan and it drains.
Remove 5 8mm bolts to wiggle accumulator off the lube tubes/pipes.
Remove another 7 or so 8mm bolts to have accumulator apart
Drain and clean pieces for reuse
Put in new springs/spacers
Torque 7 8mm bolts to 97 inch lbs
Wiggle accumulator back into place and torque 5 8mm bolts to 97 inch lbs
Change filter, wipe pan and gasket, retorque 20 10mm bolts to 120 inch lbs

Add 6.5 quarts and start the car. Back it off the ramps, top off the fluid and test drive.

An hour or so is about right.
 
Car is too low for my ramps, even if I start off by driving on 2x12s to lift front 1 1/2". :( My garage floor is ridiculous, broken slab, it usually takes me a few tries to position it and safely lift it so that I'm comfortable working under it, waste of 1/2hr--but that just my problem.

I also took time to remove man servo, which was likely waste of my time. I replaced small o-ring, and unsuccessfully tried to fit larger extended lip o-ring from the pack that said, to correct no reverse/ bad cold reverse--I dont know if it didn't belong on there or if my 03 had different part. But monkeying around with man. servo and trying to fit oring wasted a good hour.

I also took about 1/2 hr unsuccessfully trying to remove the filter o-ring/gasket. I quit after stabbing the f*** out of my thumb w/ the hook pick I was using to try to pry it out.

Finally, the Lucas trans fix is real thick--I bet it took 10 mins to drain the bottle. I should have left it inside where it was warm.

1 hr is for people w/ experience. If I did it again, I wouldn't mess w/ man servo, and could certainly do it in less than 2hrs. But if you're new to this, I advise to give yourself at least 2 hrs to complete the job.
 
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