Installed Transgo Kit now no 1st gear!! PROBLEM SOLVED!!

[Green98XLT]

Delete- Found my answer.

 

[BillJ]

Been there too!

Green,

I had to go in twice for my rebuild. Stick with it, you will get it! I'm glad I did, my 2-3 flare is gone and all the shifts are smooth.

Some advice from experience and the forum:

1) Trace your new seperator plate on cardboard and then poke holes for all the bolts. Also, number the bolt holes with the torque sequence number. this made it much easier when you are on your back try to get the right bolt in the correct location and also the correct torque sequence.


2) I used M6x55 (6mm = 0.236", alignment pins are 0.235 & 0.248") stainless steel shank bolts to serve as a poor man's alignment pins. The bolt shank should be longer then the thickness of the valve body. The bolt fits snug in the small pin placement and is loose in the large pin placement. This can be used for installing the VB plate and then the VB assy to the tranny. Just make sure the bolt is centered in the large hole when tightening.

3) Go around at least 4 times with the VB bolt sequence. I made my last pass at 2 lb-in below the top end spec.

4) Cover the CAT with tin foil to prevent the ATF fluid from showering on it.

Good luck,

BillJ

 

[Green98XLT]

Thanks for the helpful insight Bill. I'm buying a *good* in/lbs torque wrench today and going back in Friday night. I have this entire diary printed out and ready for action.

I still have my first template of the VB that I traced out for the bolts, it worked great thats for sure.

 

[Green98XLT]

Found my problem...

Well, I carefully disassembled the VB again on my 99 just to see what went wrong. It took me an hour before I finally noticed it...

I had one of the rubber balls in the wrong spot, there is actually a 5th place for a ball in my VB but it did not require one. I dug out the Transgo instructions and noticed it was wrong, all of my other mods were done correctly. I got it back together and it shifts great! 1 100% improvement!

Thanks again for all the help guys.

 

[Glacier991]

Thanks for the update. Now we have another qualified "helper" on this forum for folks with VB rebuild questions. I'm glad it was something simple, and I learned a little about the transgo kit through this exercise. It is like I said, there can be dark moments, but no one has failed yet... we just won't let em!

 

[CDW6212R]

Congrats there in VA, I know how that feels. Finally done, check on leaks and double check the fluid level. Drive it,

 

[Green98XLT]

Chris, I can definitely say I learned alot from this experience! From you guys and from my own mistakes... I'm fairly confident now and realize that such a small mistake can really create havoc with an automatic trans! I've actually rebuilt a few autos in my days of drag racing mustangs but they were old C4's and C6's with no EPC's or electronic controls whatsoever.

Either way it was fun, I learned alot and now I know what this 5R55 is all about. I am really pleased with the transgo kit and very happy with the way my Ex shifts now! It should have came like this from the factory.