B&M Transpak or Transgo kit?

[charger500guy]

To anybody who has not followed my "Shift kit" thread, I was wondering if anybody can tell me if the B&M kit is as good, or does the same things as the transgo kit. Transfixleo, are you out there??? I ordered the B&M kit, instead of the Transgo kit that I was thinking of, by mistake. Should I send the B&M back, and get the Transgo? Has anybody used the B&M with success versus failure? If I use the B&M, is the "Full competition" setting too much for 75% street use? Thanks in advance...

[charger500guy]

Actually, I just read the last thread regarding this topic. It sounds like I will perhaps be happier if I ditch the B&M and get a Trango. So, does this kit come with the option of different stages as well? If so, how much difference is there between the highest performance stage and the next one?

[rumblefish360]

Doesn't the full comp set up get ride of any automatic features? I would think that you would want to put it in drive and go. Driving made easy for a reason
Full manual autos were ment for the track, right?
Around here, back in the day, all I used to see was the B&M kits. Never heard anything negitive. I've been into manuals to long to know best.

[Dart_340_Swinger]

I can tell you what i know after talkin to a few drag racers we live and race with! Most of the guys i talked to were old and set in their ways! They all run B+M, take into consideration, they are old and set in ways!
As far as i can tell you, i installed 3-shift kits in my life, however this was in my earlier years before i was smart(2yrs ago) and these 3-kits were in chevys! They were all B+M kits

Whenever i did this however i also installed deep trans pans, a trans temp gauge, and a cooler and filter(like i already didn't have one on)
I put two in cars and one in a truck! I set them all to street and as i stated earlier, instead of chirps, i would have insane tire spin if i didn't let off the gas!(except the truck-35" tires don't spin easily---they will chirp)

In the cars i always like using manual valve bodys, but you have to upshift and downshift everywere(which i love)
however i also like the reverse pattern too, so it goes
REVERSE PATTERN:P,R,N,1,2,3
Regular PATTERN:P,R,N,3,2,1
So you have to weight the options, like i said i like the full manual and reverse patterns-to each his own!

All in all i haven't had any problems with the B+M and i know other people haven't eaither,i can't tell you about transgo, i don't know!-however i'd like to know too, i have a 904 built up, waiting for a valve body and converter,,please would like to know about other options for kits!

[transfixleo]

Easy, put the B&M kit on E-bay and let someone pay too much for it. In the meantime order a TransGo kit and FIX/PREVENT allot of problems in your tranny! They offer different levels of performance use but I weould go straight to the -2 unless you are after manual shifts then it is the -3, which can be converted back to automatic mode. With any of the TransGo automatic kits thye allow you to hold a gear to any RPM and to pull it into manual low at any speed (be carefull). Since the throttle Valve system on a TF has it's limits it is nice to hold to a higher RPM if need be and then still drive witt normal shift points the reat of the time. I also use the Mopar Performance Deep Pan Kit on these units. It look great and can't be beat. Don't forget the TruCool cooler to round out the whole picture.

[Fly Boy]

Charger, I have been using Trans-Go kits sence 1972 And I have never had a trans fail. Plus the the TF-2 kit will kick Butt in a street/strip car.

[charger500guy]

Done. Ordered a TF2 kit from the only website I could find them on. Hopefully gets here before Friday. I know an older guy who is very knowledgeable with Mopars/trannies. He said he would put a it in my car next Saturday. Problem is, I told him he would be putting in a B&M, which he recommeded, because he is familiar with them. Will the Transgo kit be much different for him to install (read: take longer, etc)? Does the Transgo kit come with a gasket/filter? Also, maybe I am wasting everybody's time. My tranny works pretty well right now. It shifts fairly firm, and only goes to the next gear when I tell it to when I am manually shifting. My hope is that this kit will chirp the tires at shift points. I also like the idea of being able to shift down to first at any speed. Thank you all for your comments/ expertise.

[charger500guy]

Any thoughts on that last one?

[Jims451]

I had a shop put in a trans-go kit in my 727, but I think they uses a very mild kit as it really did not shift much diferent than stock.
I have heard alot of good about the trans-go kits, but I got another valve body (the trand-go kit required the valve body be machined by the shift valve) and installed the B&M trans-pak with really good results. The only non-B&M modification made to the valve body is the pump-in-park modification which is supposed to allow extra oil to run through the tranny cooler when in park.

[transfixleo]

There are four levels of kits; the basic Shift Kit, the stage one, two and full manual three, plus different converters, axle ratios, levers, frictions, etc. all have an affect on the final results.

[68ChargerRT]

Which kit provides the pump-in-park modification?

[tsteiner61]

Hey Charger500guy,

Just as a reference, I think I put in the basic shift kit (correct me if I'm wrong anyone..), it includes a modified manual valve and three springs with tensions modified from the OE stuff. I think the installation will be a bit different (read: there will be some permanent, albeit minor, modifications on your valve body). I had to countersink the hole where the manual valve goes into the body, drill a pinhole in one of the valve body walls and bore out (drill) 3 existing holes in my stock separator plate. Determining what needs to be drilled was the difficult part, I think I got a pretty old copy of the instructions with my kit..The actual drilling didn't take too long. Just be careful, but don't stress too much, valve bodies are a dime a dozen for TFs at the junkyard. There usually in good shape, too.
I've never run the B&M kit, but I think it's just a separator plate, and none of the other modifications need to be done, but I'm not positive...

Also, again correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all the TransGo kits provide the pump in park modification, that's what the permanent mods and the new manual valve correct.???

[transfixleo]

You should find it in all of the TransGo kits now.

[charger500guy]

Well, as I said, I ordered the TF-2 kit. It was about 40 bucks. I hope it addresses more than the "fluid in park" issue, because my primary goal was the chirping tires during performance driving, and the ability to drop into low at any speed. . .

[Jims451]

I believe the pump-in-park mod is just drilling a small hole in the valve body between two passages where the (I think) Torque Converter or pressure valve is?

B&M sells two kits, one is just a shift improver kit which is the basic plate kit. The B&M Trans Pack has a new seperator plate, a drill bit and locating fixture for removing a wall in the valve body, a reverse servo shim, some new valve body valves, some new valve body springs, a direct clutch restrictor plug (I don't use mine) and some other parts that may or may not be used depending on your specific year of transmission.

I also use a 3.8:1 front lever, and 9 springs in the front clutch with factory clearances (select snap ring thicknesses for correct clearance.)
I also have a cast iron front band, that is modified with a few extra small fluid escape holes drilled in it, simular to what is used with the flex type front bands.

[transfixleo]

Actually the full time cooler flow feature requires a special manual valve.

[charger500guy]

Well, I got the Transgo TF2 transmission reprogramming kit today. As tsteiner said, it only contained some springs and other small items, filter, and gasket. I am having somebody install it tomorrow; I am not doing it myself because he is doing it for free, and he is more knowledgeable, anyway. I am concerned that there is no separator plate, or whatever those flat plates are called that all of the other shift kits have. I suppose it is because they call for you to drill out your stock one, as tsteiner said. Anyway, can this kit provide the chirping shifts that I want? All I have heard about is how Transgo will make my tranny last longer, nobody has really said how my car will SHIFT with it.

[Fly Boy]

Charger, You have the best shift kit known to man for your trans. Trans-GO it the leader in transmission shift kits. The kit you have is easy to install and will give you a tire shirping second gear shift when you are into the throttle, and a softer shift when just driving around plus it will increase the life of the trans.

[charger500guy]

Well, hats off to you all! -and hats off to Andy Schnabel, who installed the kit, along with a few of his own "tricks" for me. This man knows his mopars and transmissions (like you guys, apparently). Anyway, the kit is perfect. Nice, firm shifts while cruising, and hammering 1-2 and 2-3 shifts under harder acceleration. Nice, loud CHIR-RP when I hit 2nd, and too much wind noise to hear if I get any scratch on 3rd. I can't help wondering what wound happen if I put in a solid motor mount on the driver's side? Would I flat out break the wheels into a good spin when I hit second? You know how it is, no matter how good the result, you can't help wondering . . .