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Topic: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies (Read 1742 times) previous topic - next topic

Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

I have been researching on valve bodies and shift kits for awhile, and I am now in a spot where I need some assistance. I want a shift kit for better shifts, performance, etc., and there are A LOT of options. Right now, I'd really like to buy from Performance Automatic or SilverFox, and I see that both offer the valvebodies that have the" HOLD" feature for 1st and 2nd gear. So my question is do any of these companies or another company offer a regular shift kit WITHOUT the valve body that features the HOLD pattern? If not, would it be alright to buy a shift kit by itself and do the epoxy mod? The reason being is I dont want to buy a whole new valve body due to the cost of them, I'm a college student trying to save money afterall. Another question I have is will any of the kits I want keep the car from shifting into overdrive/4th gear just like it does with the stock valve body? I really dont want the car shifting into overdrive when Im at WOT for obvious reasons.

Thanks guys!
1986 Thunderbird original 5.0, butterfly window car. Two-tone Medium Grey and Silver Metallic Clearcoat paint with red pin-striping. A couple mods so far...with lots to come.

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #1
Anything over 1/2 throttle in od should cause it to downshift. I can understand trying to keep it in a certain gear, but with stock motor and gearing 3rd is good for about 120mph.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #2
I would call Dan at SilverFox and talk with him directly and tell him what you want. 

I plan on using his valve body when I get to that point. 

I was under the impression that the stock shift pattern is the same, it just holds second gear a bit longer that OEM.  I thought you can still keep it in "3" and stay out of OD.  :dunno:

Mike

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #3
  I thought you can still keep it in "3" and stay out of OD.  :dunno:

I did that all summer to keep the car from bouncing between drive and od with light throttle changes. Drove me nuts. Mind you that was with 4.10s and stock engine and trans. Tightened up the tv cable a bit to firm up the shifts a little bit

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #4
My car has a valve body with the epoxy mod, so the shift pattern goes 1-2-3/4 instead of 1-3-4. You can manually shift 1-2-3 without having to do the 1-D-1 shuffle. There is no OD lock out, except for throttle pressure. AOD is built though and has a 2" OD band and A+ billet OD servo, among other things. With the epoxy mod you need a servo and switch to lock out OD. My car doesn't have that, but with the trans mods and 3.73 gears it's been fine.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #5
I've got the TransGo Reprogammer Kit AOD-HP in my car. It required a pretty extensive modification of the valve body, but only took me a few hours.  The kit definitely firmed up the shifts and probably helped keep the V6 spec AOD alive behind my 5.0L swap  :smile: The trans has over 100K and still shifts great. That being said, I've always kept trans fluid clean and I don't beat on it every time I drive it.
1988 Thunderbird
306 HO w/ A9P processor
AOD w/ Transgo Reprogrammer
Full Digital Dash w/ twin Cyberdyne A-pillar gauges 
245/50/16 Tires on Snowflakes
Engine swap - CA smog compliant

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #6
What was done differently with the V8 Bird AOD's vs V6?
Mike

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #7
What was done differently with the V8 Bird AOD's vs V6?

I believe the V6 AOD's had one or two less clutch plates than the V8 AOD.  Also V6 AOD's had "C" overdrive servo for smoother shifting into overdrive compared to V8 AOD with "B" overdrive servo, I did upgrade my trans to a "B" servo from an F150 AOD when I installed the Transgo, since overdrive is considered to be the weak link in AODs.
1988 Thunderbird
306 HO w/ A9P processor
AOD w/ Transgo Reprogrammer
Full Digital Dash w/ twin Cyberdyne A-pillar gauges 
245/50/16 Tires on Snowflakes
Engine swap - CA smog compliant

Re: Shift Kits and Valve Bodies

Reply #8
Call Bill or Ed at Performance Automatic with any questions you have on their products. I have done business with them since 1990 (C4 and C6), and actually worked there in 2017 and part of 2018. Never hurts to get all the info before making a purchase.
1988 LX, 306 with GT40P heads, Downs Upper Intake on Truck Lower, Powerdyne Supercharger and T5 swap.  Scavenger Hunt Build at it's best.