Manual valve body

[6packCuda]

What exactly do you gain by using a manual valve body other than being able to up shift or down shift at any RPM? And how about reverse pattern verses forward pattern? Also would using the TransGo TF3 kit in a stock valve body get you the same thing as buying a manual valve body?

[dodge freak 2]

There is no need for the kick down rod or cable they make now. Not only does it help to clean up around the carb it makes it easier to swap different carbs fast.

Problem with that kick down rod / cable is sometimes the engine makes great power at half throttle. Like using a 750 Holley on a built motor. The trans pressure might not be quite up enough to handle the engine power. My tranny guy said nothing happens til after a while but you might get 2 or 3 years out of the trans instead of 5 to 7 years.

Now the 727 trans is one tough tranny. I'm using the weaker 904 and my tranny guy felt it was needed after driving my car years back. He said its hard to set the kick down right and still allow full throttle openings. Now I understand the cable has something were its possible to set it up right but I kept my manual valve body.

A reverse body allows you to slam it in to 3rd gear without fear of going to neutral or even reverse. The faster the car the more useful that can be.

It can be a pain in city stop and go driving. Just depends on how you use the car and if your gf or worst yet your kid uses it, he he. The tranny outfits do make HP street valve bodies that allow automatic shifts and with a cable set up might be worth looking in to.   

[tactransman]

The Transgo TF3 kit ALLOWS you to use the kickdown if you wish so the transmission is not running max pressure all the time and putting high load(and wear) on the sealing rings and stuff like a manual VB.

Reverse pattern VB's USUALLY are not low band apply (CRT'S are)

[6packCuda]

That was exactly what I couldn't figure out. How pressure is regulated without the kickdown hooked up. So with a manual vbody the pressure is just always high. Not good for a street application. Sounds like the TF3 kit would work well on the street though. Does a manual valve body actually allow faster shifts than an automatic VB or anything like that though? I guess I'm just trying to figure out if there's any real benefit to running a manual VB other than less linkage in the way and being able to shift at any point. I thought I heard somewhere that the reverse pattern somehow allowed for quicker fluid flow and therefore quicker shifts. Does that sound right?

[71chally416]

I never had nothin but problems with tranny life (all 727's behind big blocks) and KD linkage issues until I went to the manual VB's. The last two cars (440 Challenger & 318 Cuda) had them (Both daily drivers and my only transportation) along with my current car and I haven't had a tranny issue yet (always the high gear clutches). Ditto with my friends cars. And I never thought shifting a 3 speed automatic as much of a chore. At least it's always in the gear I want it to be in.

[dodge freak 2]

My cheetah valve body has no low band apply and I LIKE it. Its cool to leave it in 1st gear in a fast food parking lot and not be revving the motor high but still be ready to pull out fast on the main road. I gun the motor up to take off and then let off the throttle but the car coasts along the parking lot nicely with no engine braking and the motor idling at 900 rpms...once the car stops it falls to 700, never understood why.



I know I never go back to stock valve bodies.   

[Ck[FIN]]

I gun the motor up to take off and then let off the throttle but the car coasts along the parking lot nicely with no engine braking and the motor idling at 900 rpms...   

If you have lots of traction, that "gunning" with no low band apply will kill your sprag and soon after that blow your trans apart.

[sprecks]

I run a Transgo Manual VB in my Chally and love it too. It is a forward pattern shift that allows me to use a stock slap stick shifter. If you're running a slap stick the reverse pattern shifter can be a pain.

[dodge freak 2]

That was exactly what I couldn't figure out. How pressure is regulated without the kickdown hooked up. So with a manual vbody the pressure is just always high. Not good for a street application.

Well keep in mind the trans oil pump is depended on engine rpm. At low rpms, the trans oil pressure must be lower than at high rpms. Only way I can see for the trans shifting harder at high rpms. Yes driving at 4000 rpms on the freeway (with 3.91 gears and 75 to 80 mph it will be 4000+ rpms) would place a high load on the seals.