Diablo shift valve installed!!
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Elkhart USA
Diablo shift valve installed!!
First let me say, thanks to SMILLER who drove 4 hrs round trip to help me intall the valve. this guy is what makes this site the BEST!
the valve was an easy install and we even installed some stronger springs to help shift faster.. the truck definetly shifts firm and fast. the way it should!
thanks again shawn
Tony
the valve was an easy install and we even installed some stronger springs to help shift faster.. the truck definetly shifts firm and fast. the way it should!
thanks again shawn
Tony
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Elkhart USA
under normal driving it's not bad at all. under throttle it shifts hard! the springs are from any hardware store just take your stock ones with you and find spings that will slide inside them then put both back in....
Tony
Tony
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Kokomo
The springs are #15 springs from any hardware stores parts bin, you would install them inside your stock springs, making sure the coil was going the opposite way of the stock spring. These are much firmer then the Sonnax kit springs, making the shift just as fast as you can snap your fingers. This really rounds out a great shift kit, making it much better then the Sonnax kit or BullyDogs or anyone elses, the hard Diablo valve is .500, the biggest valve from Sonnax or BD is .427, making the Diablo the biggest\baddest valve there is, and for the springs, they are probally 80% firmer then the Sonnax or BD's. I guess if you want it done right you have to peace it together. Really makes for a great shifting\driving truck. I can only amagine how cool the tranny runs with this set-up....
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 50
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From: Fernandina Beach
How hard is this?
Are we talking the springs in the valve body? Can this be done in the driveway? I have Int/Ext and chip on mine it runs fantastic, but the trany lacks. Sometimes feels like it is falling on it's face.
Originally Posted by SMiller
The springs are #15 springs from any hardware stores parts bin, you would install them inside your stock springs, making sure the coil was going the opposite way of the stock spring. These are much firmer then the Sonnax kit springs, making the shift just as fast as you can snap your fingers. This really rounds out a great shift kit, making it much better then the Sonnax kit or BullyDogs or anyone elses, the hard Diablo valve is .500, the biggest valve from Sonnax or BD is .427, making the Diablo the biggest\baddest valve there is, and for the springs, they are probally 80% firmer then the Sonnax or BD's. I guess if you want it done right you have to peace it together. Really makes for a great shifting\driving truck. I can only amagine how cool the tranny runs with this set-up....
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 848
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From: Kokomo
Yah the springs in the valve body, I did it in my drive way, it was 15* out! Just take the valve body inside and install the springs in there. This is not hard at all, just remove three clips, pull the pistons out and slid the new springs in the old ones. It is that easy. You pull the drain plug on the tranny(13mm), then remove the pan (10mm), remove the filter, then remove the bolts and two nuts that hold te valve body in (8mm + 10mm) put the valve body on shop bench, flip it over and pull the clip pins that hold the pistons\springs, install the springs and reinstall everything. The springs will just quicken the shifts, the valve firms the shift, for $42 I would do the valve while doing the springs. There are detailed instructions for doing this with lots of colored photos if you are interested, the whole thing is no big deal and takes no longer then one hour start to finish.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Fernandina Beach
Oh Yeah....
Originally Posted by SMiller
Yah the springs in the valve body, I did it in my drive way, it was 15* out! Just take the valve body inside and install the springs in there. This is not hard at all, just remove three clips, pull the pistons out and slid the new springs in the old ones. It is that easy. You pull the drain plug on the tranny(13mm), then remove the pan (10mm), remove the filter, then remove the bolts and two nuts that hold te valve body in (8mm + 10mm) put the valve body on shop bench, flip it over and pull the clip pins that hold the pistons\springs, install the springs and reinstall everything. The springs will just quicken the shifts, the valve firms the shift, for $42 I would do the valve while doing the springs. There are detailed instructions for doing this with lots of colored photos if you are interested, the whole thing is no big deal and takes no longer then one hour start to finish.
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Elder User
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From: Kokomo
I would use the Diablo, it is the biggest valve of all the valves on the market, it's .500 vs the other biggest available being .427. That is the big (firm) valve, I would not recomend the softer one. Go to Motorhaven and look for the valve it's $42 shipped, it's just like it has always been in auto trannys, bigger valve allows more line pressure, giving more holding power or the clutch packs, torque converter, etc. I will see ifI can dig up the photos....
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From: Kokomo
http://www.dieselinnovations.com/techfiles/sonnax.pdf, you will have to copy and paste that address to keep from getting sent to Motorhaven, those instructions rock, I printed them off and used them, use a bolt from the valve body to pull the pistons out, you will have to use a pair of pliers to get the stock valve out, it will tear it up, but you are never going to use it again and it's $10 at a Ford dealer if you did, make sure to put all the stock stuff back where it goes, don't mix and match pistons-springs-etc., each one of them is a little worn from there cylinder, kinda be like taking the pistons out of your truck and swaping them around. Don't worry about which one is what, just start pulling them out, you will see that oneof them is the valve and that it only goes in one way, and the others, just pull them out and install the spring the oppisite way of the stock spring and re-install. You can't mess it up...
Last edited by SMiller; Jan 29, 2005 at 02:14 PM.
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From: Cave Springs, AR
What's the negatives to a mod like this? More abuse on the rear? Motor? what? I.E. why wouldn't someone want to do this? Sounds like a cheap mod that I would like, but I don't want to find out 50k miles from now that I caused something to break.
-Jay
-Jay
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 307
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From wut I have been reading, most people say it helps outs the tranny, less slippage and stuff. I have the Edge evo sitting in my room and i want somthing to help the tranny when i put it in, but don't wanna spend the money on a banks trans command or sumthing similar.
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