Auto Manual Valve Body?

[Carlwalski]

I'm thinking about getting one for the 'Cuda (340ci/360hp) are they overkill for street driven only cars?
I've heard they can be dangerous on the street or is that Manual valve bodies?

What would I gain from going to an AMVB? I'd probably buy a Cheetah valve body.
Do shift times decrease (faster)? Instant gear selection on down shifts? Anything else?

Mainly are they safe?


TIA,
Carl

[tactransman]

 Carl, An automatic /manual V.B. is a regular V.B. with a good shift kit put in it. It has more control ( you can hold it  in low gear till 14,000 RPM if your engine will turn it.
A regular (stock) V.B. will go ahead and shift to second and third if you could RPM enough,even with the transmission still in low gear(governor pressure gets high enough that it moves the shift valves in the V.B. causing an up shift)
The Transgo TF-2 Shift Kit makes it a Manual/Automatic V.B. 
The Cheetah I don't think has low band apply, do you know?

[Carlwalski]

Nope, was hoping you might.  Is that right, I thought a AMVB was a part in itself.
Like a computer "chip" looking thing.......the TF-2 kit I got just had bands and springs etc.

The guy who built my trans down here has been doing it for centuries and didn't end up using my TF-2 kit but said his kits are better and of the same principle. I just made sure him and my resto team knew I wanted my shifts HARD. I don't have time for comfort in the 'Cuda. lol Any other tid-bits you can suggest for making it sound like a drag car running the 1/4 mile? There are a few cars I have heard go through the gears on the highway not far from my house and WHOA!! these things a super fast crisp shifts, just like a pro SS car.

My converter is about right, I think. I asked my resto team but forgot  what they said about it.
I think it's "just" OK...perhaps a little high. 3,200rpm stall is what the previous own claims.

So, converter, valve body, shift kit...I'm sure I've missed something that could be looked at for performance?


As always, thanks Terry. 

[tactransman]

3200 stall sounds fine.  What kit did they use?  Make sure it has a 3.8 intermediate servo lever if it did not have one.

[Carlwalski]

Not sure what the stall converter brand is....good question. I'll see if I can get that info from the trans builder.



 

[tactransman]

What Shift kit did they use?

[Carlwalski]

A "custom" built one made by a local transmission guru.
He said it's the same as the TF-2 style kits just made by himself. 

[KellysCuda aircard]

I put a reverse manual valve body in mine..its supposed to be able to build more pressure..every once in a while I forget that it and down shift when i,m not supposed to   

[tactransman]

A "custom" built one made by a local transmission guru.
He said it's the same as the TF-2 style kits just made by himself. 

I doubt that he has the special manual valve that is a a very important upgrade to the transmission that comes in the Transgo kit.

[tactransman]

I put a reverse manual valve body in mine..its supposed to be able to build more pressure..every once in a while I forget that it and down shift when i,m not supposed to   

Yes , your car would be a prime canidate for a full manual valvebody.

[Carlwalski]

I doubt that he has the special manual valve that is a a very important upgrade to the transmission that comes in the Transgo kit.

Terry, not sure if he does or not but he's well respected and has been in the business for 3 or 4 decades.
If he wasn't any good my resto team wouldn't send their transmissions to his shop.  If they can be made by transmission guy, then he'll be able to make it.

Kelly - What do you mean shifting when you're not suppose to? I thought a MVB gives you the ultimate or gear selection? Not sure exactly what you mean.  Are manual valve bodies dangerous or worth it in a street car?

[Jacksboys]

I think what Kelly is trying to say is that he shifted from 2nd into 1st instead of 3rd.  I did that once in my race car and hit the Rev-limiter and quickly shifted back to second and then third.  Scared me pretty good.

The standard valve body is P-R-N-3-2-1, but the reverse valve body is P-R-N-1-2-3.

[Carlwalski]

Sorry silly me, yip, I know how they work. Is there a any real gain in going reverse other than you shift backwards?
It makes more sense to shift in reverse style as under acceleration your body is against the seat and force flows with the backwards shift. However, is it merely cosmetic and nothing else? Or is there "inside goodies" going on?

There must be inside goodies I mean but apart from changing the shift pattern what do you gain?
Oh, yes, that would definitely bring back your memory quick and remind you that you have a RMVB doing that. lol

 

[moper]

The path of the fluid thru the valve body is faster when the positions are reversed. At leas tthat's how I understand it. Like Tact said..I can "make" my own cheapo shift kits...Like the B7Ms and similar $30-50 versions. But the TF2 kit is a little more involved in a good way. It's one heck of a kit really IMO. Also is not low band apply unless it gets put into break-a-way first. A very nice streetable package is the TF2 with an upgraded governor. Thne you cna sit back in "D" and when you floor it, it shifts crisp and clean at where ever rpm wise you prefer. I had a 4dr Newport that shifted at 5700rpm at full throttle by itself. With 3.55s and a small NOS plate I could hang my hand out the window during a race...lol. Really casual like...

[tactransman]

The path of the fluid thru the valve body is faster when the positions are reversed. At leas that's how I understand it.

Yes, that is correct the valves in the valve body are pretty much eliminated in a manual rev pattern opening up the flow of fluid but are still used in a forward pattern.