Opinions on some transmission options please ?

[cat in the hat]

I'm interested in getting this done for its many benefits to the trans :

1. J-mod

- although I'd probably go with springs of some kind, maybe even the OEM ones. I'd like nice crisp shifts, but not annoyingly hard.

But, rather than take a chance that nobody around here knows what the heck a "J-mod" is, and get it screwed up, it might be simpler to go with something like this, and just get it installed ?

2. "Performance Auto" Shift Kit : http://www.performanceautomatic.com/products/parts-and-accessories/performance-kits/valve-body-kits.html

Or possibly this, if someone can justify why it costs triple ?

3. "BC Automotive" Valve Body Kit :
http://www.bcatransmissions.com/album1_007.htm

Or :

4. Other Option (Please Explain)

Opinions please. Thank you in advance.

[myrodr]

6 speed manual

[cat in the hat]

6 speed manual

- Not really the direction I'm looking to go with this, but thank you.

[MM2004]

Do the J-Mod.

If you have a handheld, you can adjust the line pressure down so it doesn't hit so hard.

I just had the J-Mod done this year and love it!

;)

Mike.

[cat in the hat]

Do the J-Mod.

If you have a handheld, you can adjust the line pressure down so it doesn't hit so hard.

I just had the J-Mod done this year and love it!

;)

Mike.

I'm concerned that I'm not going to find anyone around here that will do it right. If they give you a similar end result, the kits seem more fool-proof.

[MM2004]

I'm concerned that I'm not going to find anyone around here that will do it right. If they give you a similar end result, the kits seem more fool-proof.

Check some of the local Mustang forums and ask around.

It's my understanding that the kits are not as good and harder on the trannies than the J-Mod?

Mike.

[PonyUP]

I'm concerned that I'm not going to find anyone around here that will do it right. If they give you a similar end result, the kits seem more fool-proof.

There's a few reputable people on here that do the Jmod, and it is awesome


The Ice Bucket Approves of this message

[RF Overlord]

It's my understanding that the kits are not as good and harder on the trannies than the J-Mod?Correct. Jerry Wroblewski (the "J" in J-mod, for those who don't know) had an excellent article on this subject in the Modular Depot forums...now that MD is closed, I've been trying to find it so we can make it a sticky here.

*EDIT* Found it. It's now a sticky in the Transmission forum.

[MMBLUE]

J-MOD is win win. At first when I had mine done, it was a hard shift. But, after driving it for a while and getting used to it, I can easily, leesen the hard shift when on DD duties with the gas pedal. When you mash it and bang second gear, look out for a ten foot chirp. :beer:

[Bradley G]

If you don't want the speedo to jump 10- mph and the car to pull like you just got slammed from behind on the 1-2 shift, don't do a j-mod

[Mr. Man]

If you don't want the speedo to jump 10- mph and the car to pull like you just got slammed from behind on the 1-2 shift, don't do a j-mod
PM Blackened300a he has a guy that makes a kit for the trans. I can't remember the companies name but I believe his car is using it and he has a pretty fast car. :)

[RacerX]

Bwahahahahahaha!!! I wasn't even drinking, sorry about posting in the wrong thread!

Btw, JMod is EASY to do! Jerry has a nice write-up over on TCCOA and crownvic.nuts has one for the rauder. Let me know if you'd like a copy of that one (can't post link).

[cat in the hat]

Correct. Jerry Wroblewski (the "J" in J-mod, for those who don't know) had an excellent article on this subject in the Modular Depot forums...now that MD is closed, I've been trying to find it so we can make it a sticky here.

*EDIT* Found it. It's now a sticky in the Transmission forum.

That is good information, even though most of it is over my head technically.

I'm not really looking for a shift kit like the TransGo or B&M. What I'd be interested in is a "J-mod Kit," or something close to that. I want something that I can give to a good mechanic who doesn't have any experience with the J-mod and get it done right with no b.s.

I included the BC Automotive kit because I've sifted through pounds of old threads about this, on here and a few other forums, and the answer to every third question seems to be "Darrin at BC Automotive," who is apparently recognized as a subject matter expert on these transmissions and used to be a site vendor here. That valve body kit i linked sounds good, but is kind of pricey IMO.

Thanks to everyone so far :)

[cat in the hat]

If you don't want the speedo to jump 10- mph and the car to pull like you just got slammed from behind on the 1-2 shift, don't do a j-mod

No, I don't want that, I don't really see any point to that in a 4,500-lb. cruiser. I'm looking for crisp but not harsh at part throttle, somewhat sharper at WOT. I think I can address some of this with the right tune.

[RF Overlord]

I want something that I can give to a good mechanic who doesn't have any experience with the J-mod and get it done right with no b.s.The J-mod is pretty simple. Enlarge a few holes in the separator plate and leave out a couple of springs. If you don't want to DIY the whole thing, you could always buy a new separator plate (they're cheap) and drill the holes yourself, then hand that to any decent transmission tech along with the instructions and they should have no trouble at all, even if they are unfamiliar with the J-mod.

[cat in the hat]

You need to do a little reading over on clickclick. Here's a nice read: http://www.clickclickracing.com/tech%20mods1.pdf

600rwhp you will need a 300M hardened stub shaft, 4 Alto he (high energy reds or better) intermediate clutches, 4 reverse clutches, 5 to 6 Alto he forward clutches, 6, 7 or 8 Alto hp direct clutches, spriral ring instead of the snap ring (sonnax part #76554RK), updated accumulators if needed, can go with a lager diameter OD servo (2.7") since 4R's are sleeved, high carbon or Kevlar OD band and tailshaft lube mod.

https://www.wittrans.com/Schematic.aspx?Transmission=AO DE/4R70W/4R75W/4R70E/4R75E

http://www.bulkpart.com/

I'm thinking that this was intended for the "600hp+ Trans Upgrade" thread ?

[Bradley G]

I loved the J-mod so much on the Marauder, I just did it to the GMQ while the trans was being built.
4;10 gears, Cobra clutch enhanced Trac Loc, and a built trans with a stall convertor & J-mod (Lonnie tuned), it's the only way to fly!:burnout:


No, I don't want that, I don't really see any point to that in a 4,500-lb. cruiser. I'm looking for crisp but not harsh at part throttle, somewhat sharper at WOT. I think I can address some of this with the right tune.

[cat in the hat]

The J-mod is pretty simple. Enlarge a few holes in the separator plate and leave out a couple of springs. If you don't want to DIY the whole thing, you could always buy a new separator plate (they're cheap) and drill the holes yourself, then hand that to any decent transmission tech along with the instructions and they should have no trouble at all, even if they are unfamiliar with the J-mod.

This sounds like a winner. Anything else that you'd suggest I get done while we're poking around in there ?

[RacerX]

I'm thinking that this was intended for the "600hp+ Trans Upgrade" thread ?
Yes it was! My bad, I edited my post. I did the JMod myself on my Thunderchicken in 2005 and shortly after getting my MM. I actually increased line pressures @ higher throttle position in my tune. I like the neck snapping shifts. You can always take just the 1-2 accumulator spring out, leave the 2-3 and see how you like that. Drill the holes a little smaller than the max for high hp cars in the seperator plate. A good idea is to get a pan that has a drain hole too while you (or whomever) is in there. Let me know if you need any documentation and schematics.

:beer:

[cat in the hat]

If you don't want the speedo to jump 10- mph and the car to pull like you just got slammed from behind on the 1-2 shift, don't do a j-mod


I loved the J-mod so much on the Marauder, I just did it to the GMQ while the trans was being built.
4;10 gears, Cobra clutch enhanced Trac Loc, and a built trans with a stall convertor & J-mod (Lonnie tuned), it's the only way to fly!:burnout:

For some other applications, I'd tend to agree with you, but that stuff gets old cruising around in traffic IMO.

I'm with you all the way on everything else, but I don't need track-car shifts in this car. As much as I appreciate performance, there just isn't any reason for me to try to squeeze it for that last tenth. I've had cars that would take a quarter off the dash and lodge it in your forehead - that's not why i got this [4-door, 4,500#] car. I've been driving this car around pretty much the way I bought it for almost three years and enjoying the hell out of it. I've had a lot of cool cars, and a few really fast cars, and I even had a Chevy once ;) - but for some reason this is one of my all-time favorites. I can't explain it. In all honesty, I can probably sharpen up the transmission more than enough with the right tune. I'm more interested in the J-mod for the mechanical advantages.

[RacerX]

The JMod just allows fluid to move through the passages to the accumulators faster. You can accomplish the same with higher line pressures. If you like your shifts the way they are, do not do the JMod. These are very tough trannies if you take care of them.

[cat in the hat]

Yes it was! My bad, I edited my post. I did the JMod myself on my Thunderchicken in 2005 and shortly after getting my MM. I actually increased line pressures @ higher throttle position in my tune. I like the neck snapping shifts. You can always take just the 1-2 accumulator spring out, leave the 2-3 and see how you like that. Drill the holes a little smaller than the max for high hp cars in the seperator plate. A good idea is to get a pan that has a drain hole too while you (or whomever) is in there. Let me know if you need any documentation and schematics.

:beer:

The guy I bought this car from (used to post on here) put a TCI deep pan on it when he did the fluid & filter - wouldn't have been at the top of my priority list, but nice to have.

I'm not going to do the trans work at all. My days of doing this kind of stuff on a creeper in an unheated garage are pretty much over ;)

[cat in the hat]

The JMod just allows fluid to move through the passages to the accumulators faster. You can accomplish the same with higher line pressures. If you like your shifts the way they are, do not do the JMod. These are very tough trannies if you take care of them.

Thank you, I'll definitely keep this in mind. I have a lot more experience with manual transmissions that you damn near couldn't break on purpose ; compared to those, automatics have always seemed mysteriously complex and finicky to me.

[RacerX]

I used to think that too, until this:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83454
:D

[RF Overlord]

Anything else that you'd suggest I get done while we're poking around in there ?There isn't much else you can do from the underside. All the other major improvements require removal of the transmission.

Install a new filter, and use only Mercon V fluid...none of that stuff that "converts" plain Mercon. You said you have a TCI pan...it should have a drain plug, so do a drain & fill every 15,000 miles or so and you'll be stylin'.

[breeze]

Warranty got my tranny overhauled and it feels like a j-mod I guess. 2nd gear bangs AND gets a bit sideways with pressure at 10-15%

[cat in the hat]

There isn't much else you can do from the underside. All the other major improvements require removal of the transmission.

Install a new filter, and use only Mercon V fluid...none of that stuff that "converts" plain Mercon. You said you have a TCI pan...it should have a drain plug, so do a drain & fill every 15,000 miles or so and you'll be stylin'.

The guy I bought the car was running Mobil 1 all around, is there any reason not to stay with that ?

[RF Overlord]

No, Mobil 1 fluids are excellent. You can extend your drain & fill interval to 30,000 using M1 ATF.

[cat in the hat]

No, Mobil 1 fluids are excellent. You can extend your drain & fill interval to 30,000 using M1 ATF.

Thank you.
As it stands, it will take me a ridiculously long time to put 30k on this car - is there a time interval that you would recommend ?

[RF Overlord]

There isn't a time interval as there is with motor oil.

The transmission is considered a "sealed" unit as there is no air intake or combustion blow-by to deal with, and no fuel dilution or condensation issues either. Everything that happens in an AT happens due to actual use. Since you have a drain plug, you can easily do a quick drain & fill whenever you get bored or antsy, :D but there's no other reason to change it besides mileage.

*EDIT* Obviously, if you drag-race the car frequently or regularly tow something heavy, then the interval should be shortened, but I think you knew that.

[cat in the hat]

I put about 2,000 a year or less on this car, so I've just been doing the oil once per year in the spring. I should probably just get in the habit of changing what's in the trans pan when I do the oil.

[Bradley G]

As many here can attest both my Mercs' drive and sound very near OEM, it is entirely up to your right foot how silly you want to be .:burnout:
I just happen to be a wee bit silly :P

[marauder21]

After i drove Steve's marauder over the summer...i want the Jmod. So....this summer coming soon, 4.10s and Jmod :) CANT WAIT

[lifespeed]

I did the J-Mod to my 1997 Crown Vic 10 years ago. I should point out that the hole sizes and factory Ford accumulator springs you select (or delete entirely), in conjunction with line pressure, which is computer-tuneable, set your shift behavior.

Without getting too long-winded, your shift firmness is a combination of hydraulic changes in the trans (level of J-Mod), and the overall line pressure you tune in the computer.

When I first did the trans mod, thinking like yourself about overly-harsh shifts, I did the mild kit. It wasn't enough, so re-did it and pulled out the accumulator spring. Pretty nice. Then I got it tuned with increased line pressure by JW himself. He new the trans had been modded. Then the shift firmness was too much. This was before the days of handheld tuners, so I couldn't tweak the line pressure electrically by myself.

So I think the best answer is to do both the mild J-Mod, and mild increase in line pressure. Read about the spring colors and pick them up from Ford for cheap. Give instructions to your tranny guy. Drill the holes yourself in a new separator plate.

[vegasmarauder]

I am fully sold on the J-mod as the best cost-results mod for the MM. Have a bone stock 300A with 218,000 miles. Did the J-mod at 10K miles. It still bangs the 1-2 chirp and the 3-4 is firm. No tune or anything. Best of all, the failure prone OD band is still coming on/off crisply. And she drives the piece of it (doesn't think I know, but I get reports from my "spies" who see the car around town). The fluid and filter was changed at 100K miles just because even though it was still bright red. The current fluid has over 100K miles on it and will only change it because it's time for a new filter. If someone would have told me we would get 200K+ miles out of a stock tranny, I would have said they were crazy.

All the MM's I own/owned and a bunch of GM/CV's got the J-mod too. About the only thing it isn't suited for is a Town Car (unless you like that kind of shifting).

[tbone]

I am fully sold on the J-mod as the best cost-results mod for the MM. Have a bone stock 300A with 218,000 miles. Did the J-mod at 10K miles. It still bangs the 1-2 chirp and the 3-4 is firm. No tune or anything. Best of all, the failure prone OD band is still coming on/off crisply. And she drives the piece of it (doesn't think I know, but I get reports from my "spies" who see the car around town). The fluid and filter was changed at 100K miles just because even though it was still bright red. The current fluid has over 100K miles on it and will only change it because it's time for a new filter. If someone would have told me we would get 200K+ miles out of a stock tranny, I would have said they were crazy.

All the MM's I own/owned and a bunch of GM/CV's got the J-mod too. About the only thing it isn't suited for is a Town Car (unless you like that kind of shifting).

Your 300A was born 6/26 and is number 2171.
My 300A was born 6/27 and is number 2163, as stated on my official certificate. Does not compute.
How do you know the stats on the car? Do you have a certificate?

[tbone]

Apparently you do not.

[MyBlackBeasts]

I'm interested in getting this done for its many benefits to the trans :

1. J-mod

- although I'd probably go with springs of some kind, maybe even the OEM ones. I'd like nice crisp shifts, but not annoyingly hard.

But, rather than take a chance that nobody around here knows what the heck a "J-mod" is, and get it screwed up, it might be simpler to go with something like this, and just get it installed ?

2. "Performance Auto" Shift Kit : http://www.performanceautomatic.com/products/parts-and-accessories/performance-kits/valve-body-kits.html

Or possibly this, if someone can justify why it costs triple ?

3. "BC Automotive" Valve Body Kit :
http://www.bcatransmissions.com/album1_007.htm

Or :

4. Other Option (Please Explain)

Opinions please. Thank you in advance.

Read this: http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=82460

Did mine with no springs - only way to go. Shifts are awesome. I'd like them even harder. I may go back in and drill holes a little bigger.

Plate is cheap enough that you can experiment and if you don't like the result just go back.

I recommend trying no springs and if you don't like, re-add them and start trimming till you get to a tension you like.

Enjoy! :burnout:

[MyBlackBeasts]

I'm concerned that I'm not going to find anyone around here that will do it right. If they give you a similar end result, the kits seem more fool-proof.

Only things needed to do jmod correctly is the ability to read & operate a drill.

All that is done is drilling 5 holes in the seperator plate to a larger diameter. Kindergarden simple.

[cat in the hat]

Only things needed to do jmod correctly is the ability to read & operate a drill.

All that is done is drilling 5 holes in the seperator plate to a larger diameter. Kindergarden simple.

I'm sure I can drill out the separator plate - it's the other seven pages of instructions (counting diagrams etc.) where you swap it out and get everything back together again that I'm concerned about ;)
It doesn't help that I don't have access to a lift, either.

"Back in the day," I would have torn into this myself without batting an eye - these days, I don't mind paying somebody the going rate to do it, but it's not a standard job and I want to idiot-proof it as much as possible. I want to get as big a chunk of this together up front as I can, so I can just hand it to a trans shop and say "Stick this in there, please."

That's why I kind of like this - http://www.bcatransmissions.com/album1_007.htm
- I also like that you can customize the springs, etc and not get a real obnoxious feel, but for $350 plus labor it's hard to pull the trigger on it. Admittedly, it's a lot more product that a J-modded v/b and it may be totally worth the price, but it may also be more than I need. I'd rather put that money towards a 4.10 set-up, and if I do I'll need a new tune anyway so I can get there through the back door by adjusting the line pressures ?

[MyBlackBeasts]

I'm sure I can drill out the separator plate - it's the other seven pages of instructions (counting diagrams etc.) where you swap it out and get everything back together again that I'm concerned about ;)
It doesn't help that I don't have access to a lift, either.

"Back in the day," I would have torn into this myself without batting an eye - these days, I don't mind paying somebody the going rate to do it, but it's not a standard job and I want to idiot-proof it as much as possible. I want to get as big a chunk of this together up front as I can, so I can just hand it to a trans shop and say "Stick this in there, please."

That's why I kind of like this - http://www.bcatransmissions.com/album1_007.htm
- I also like that you can customize the springs, etc and not get a real obnoxious feel, but for $350 plus labor it's hard to pull the trigger on it. Admittedly, it's a lot more product that a J-modded v/b and it may be totally worth the price, but it may also be more than I need. I'd rather put that money towards a 4.10 set-up, and if I do I'll need a new tune anyway so I can get there through the back door by adjusting the line pressures ?

Don't confuse the older jmod instructions with the updated 2003 version Jerry did. The newer version is much simpler because of changes in OEM/electronics. Here is link to Jerry's 2003 updated instructions in case you have not seen this version: http://www.crownvic.net/tech/4R70Wnotes.pdf (http://www.crownvic.net/tech/4R70Wnotes.pdf) (These instructions are spot on except for the location of the small plastic screen that falls out when valve body is removed. It goes in the RF corner, not RR as stated in instructions).

The "no spring" jmod shifts are not obnoxious when driving normally. With normal DD driving they are just firmer. Then with more throttle they get progressively sharper until with WOT you get the shifts that make me giggle like a schoolgirl on a rollercoaster!!!

[Blk04MM]

Read this: http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=82460

Did mine with no springs - only way to go. Shifts are awesome. I'd like them even harder. I may go back in and drill holes a little bigger.

Plate is cheap enough that you can experiment and if you don't like the result just go back.

I recommend trying no springs and if you don't like, re-add them and start trimming till you get to a tension you like.

Enjoy! :burnout:


So drilling bigger then what the instructions say won't cause any harm?

[MyBlackBeasts]

So drilling bigger then what the instructions say won't cause any harm?

I've seen a member who says he has gone up to 11/64" with no problems.

I don't mind experimenting as I do my own work & if I blow up the trans I'll just rebuild it with the opportunity to add goodies...

If you depend on your MM for daily transportation I recommend sticking to what Jerry's instructions are. He is the man that engineered the trans for Ford originally. A very trustworthy source.

[MENINBLK]

You are close enough to New York to talk to Fred Brown.
He rebuilt my transmission and I couldn't be happier.

http://www.fbperformance.com/

I had several people from MM.net tell me to go here and don't go anywhere else.
Fred gives you a very good deal and does all the work in his shop.
You can't ask for better.

[ajcook]

I picked up a nice '04 MM (4R75W) back in Feb. Love the car but absolutely hated the shift schedule. Got to looking around the web and found this site which led me to Lidio's website. Decided to try his tune because of the changes to the shift calibration (plus a few extra ponies!). All I can say is WOW! It's so much more driveable now. The 2-3 shift hits hard enough to slide out on wet pavement (I run out of road to see if the 3-4 shift does the same). If you don't trust anybody to perform the J-MOD, then take a serious look at Lidio's tune. It's a no-brainer to install and several on this site will vouch for the improvement.

[Vortech347]

I received all the firmness I need on shifts through the tune. When I go to the track I crank it up. On the street I keep it down so I just get a small bark into 2nd. Anything more than that is begging for trouble on the street.