I have the E4OD tranny in my 97. What is involved in making it "bullet proof"?

Has anyone put in The John Wood valve body? Riffraff Diesel: John Wood 4R100 Valve Body

Would this be just a start to bullet proofing the tranny?

 

It would help alot but for a bullet proof trans you would
Have to get a Racer X, BTS, or a John woods trans built. They run about4-5k

 

I gave up on my stock automatic transmission, but I've heard good things about BTS transmissions.

 

I put in a RacerX valve body and when pulling my 16K 5er and I'm really into it getting it going the shifts are quick and smooth saving the trans the slipping. Driving around empty the shifts can sometimes be a little harsh but I pull most of the time.

 

I just went by our local transmission specialty shop here in Hilo to see about bulletproofing the E4OD. They can do for about $4200.00. And yes, they said the shifting would definitely be noticeable. But with the hauling I do, I think it'll be worth it.

 

What parts would your tranny guy use? Just curious. If it were me I would call John Wood and see what he can do for you. Parts wise at least. Shipping would of course be the biggest issue.

 

You can order a racer x for that price

 

And have it shipped to Hawaii?

 

I also have the RacerX valve body and I like it. I know that JW has a very good reputation as has BTS.
I agree if you want a bullet tranny its not enough just the VB, you need a full rebuild.

 

You ought to strap buoys to the frame of your truck, put paddle wheels in place of the tires, and drive that bad boy to California.

 

How is your trans running now? How many miles on it? A good VB will go a long way on a stock to stockish trans and can support some good tuning and the breathing mods. What are your goals with the truck? What do you with it? Daily driver or toy? The answers to a lot of those questions will help determine what you need done to your trans.

I know one thing your truck won't do...plow snow! Slight OT, I am painfully jealous of your weather, coffee and hamburgers. I have the weather for Wailea on my phone just to see what I am missing. Went there last year and I am dying to go back.

 

Ha. It take me a month of Sundays to get there.

 

176,000 miles. And smelling a little burnt. I was told I'm lucky it's lasted this long.

I went back by the tranny shop and asked them to write me up an itemized list of what they would do to my tranny. And the cost. When I get that, I'll post it for more input, suggestions, on what they might do different.

What I want to have is an all around trans, from daily driving, to pulling heavy loads, to racing. I know I can't get it all, but the towing heavy loads is the important thing, and the racing will go with it (we have a drag strip here). I plan to mod the engine and dream of getting 400 ponies out of it. I'm going to talk with Riffraff about pumping up the engine. The trans guy said they can build the trans to handle the horsepower, that something else will break.

They told me the shift would be a lot harder, no slipping. So it will be a work truck, not a limo.

I did see a site with a computerized trans for shift control (High Impact E4OD "Bad Boy" Automatic Overdrive Transmission) and mentioned this to the guy at the shop. He said it must be adjusting the pressures, but he's not the re-builder, just the guy at the front counter. I couldn't talk to the actual mechanic, because he's in Kona, two hours away, where the tranny work will actually be done. Anyone actually used something like this?

We have snow here. But no, I don't have a plow. I could go snow skiing and surfing in the same day, if I was so inclined.

 

Here' the list that my tranny shop provided me of what would go into my E4OD to make it a bulletproof transmission. They wrote it as:

Friction Kevlar high energy (Raybestos Red Devil)
Shift kit (Trans Go reprogram by Gil Younger)
Updated pump modified
New electronics (OEM)
accumulator V.B. stiffer springs boost valve, P.R. valve
HD T.C. (Sonnax) piston, stator. billet aluminum cover
or Dual load disc $1000.00 more

$3995.00 total price installed. It'll be a little more with synthetic fluid. Any recommendations on brand?

Please provide me with any input of what might be changed or added to this rebuild. I plan to mod the engine and get as much horsepower as my wallet will afford. But the main purpose of the truck is heaving towing and the occasional drag race during our "Outlaw Drags" competition.

A lot of the stuff he was telling me went over my head, me not knowing a lot about auto transmissions (but I hope I'm learning). He said this would handle anything I threw at it. That I didn't need the dual load torque converter at $1000 more as that was mainly for drag racing. I think I understood him to say they rebuild and modify the valve body themselves with a kit. That they've tried the name brand valve bodies and weren't satisfied with them.

Thanks to all for the help!

 

Schaefer's is what I use and BTS recommends it.