SMURFN' Z28

iTrader: (2)

is a shift kit good or bad for a 700r4? i wana keep this car cherry.

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Bone stock blue TPI 85' Z28 42k original miles.

*previous car: lightly moded 89' Formula 350

GMTech

It depends on what you consider a "shift kit". Some help, and others hurt. I'll let TFL or Pro-built explain further, but I have had much success w/ TransGo reprogramming kits. Its not a matter of "bangin gears" but a matter of shift improvment and durability. There are things you can add to the kit to provide much firmer shifts if desired.

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1987 Trans Am 305
14.88 @ 92.81

transfixleo

First off, what a Shift Kit ISN'T. Most people associate the term Shift Kit with tire chirping shifts. Actually Shift Kit is a trademarked name coined and owned by TransGo Since 1959. The purpose of a Shift Kit is to correct the weak points of a given transmission. In most cases when someone complains of soft or slipping shifts it isn't BECAUSE if these complaints that they fail but rather there is a malfunction that leads TO the burned/glazed frictions and the poor shift quality is the result. There are many kit's out there designed to give you firm shifts but if that isn't the cause of your problem it isn't fixing them.
For example, in a 700 you have problems with delayed pressure rise which allows the clutches or band to slip until the pressure catches up. If you don't fix this, it doesn't matter if you put the Vette servo in or the .500 TV boost valve or not. They will only mask the problem. This problem is there whether it is a grocery getter or 5.7 IROC. The TransGo Shift Kit corrects this and other problems that these have. This kit however isn't available to the general public because of the technical knowledge required.

They do however have something that I think most of you are after though. It is called a Reprogramming Kit or also a High Performance Shift Kit. It has the basic fixes that the Shift Kit has and it has features to give the tranny HD/HP capabilities such as greater manual control and higher horsepower and torque handling ability. The 700 kit also includes some pieces for when the unit is O/H'ed to give it higher RPM capability (at higher RPM, residual oil can drag the 3-4 clutches on even when they should be off). This kit (the commercial version) has a video to aid in the installation too.