Does A Sonnax Help???
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2004
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Check with sponsors for prices. Will they help take off? No.
A Sonnax kit will help a lot with shifting - not takeoff. But they are well worth the money. To get better than a Sonnax, look into a BTS valve body. A Factory Tech valve body is also much better than a Sonnax kit.
A Sonnax kit will help a lot with shifting - not takeoff. But they are well worth the money. To get better than a Sonnax, look into a BTS valve body. A Factory Tech valve body is also much better than a Sonnax kit.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2004
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I have a Factoy Tech. I like it a lot. BUT - what I now know about the BTS, I'd get a BTS valve body instead. Brian tunes it to work with Jody's chip - and Jody tunes his chip to work with the BTS valve body.
The BTS is at Brian's Truck Shop at brianstruckshop.com
The Factory Tech is at factorytechtransmissions.com
The BTS is at Brian's Truck Shop at brianstruckshop.com
The Factory Tech is at factorytechtransmissions.com
Senior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 448
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From: Minnesota
I have the Sonnax in mine, and for the money it was a big improvement. Shifts are now nice and firm, compared to that stock setup. Best 50.00 I spent on the truck-a BTS valve body would be nice, but I will wait till my tranny takes a dump, then I will go that route.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
I had a BTS valve body in mine till my diode locked up the trans. Just got off the horn with BTS and he described to me what I should have felt and I didn't even tell him what went wrong other than the trans didn't work. I have an 01 so I have the diode which locked up #3 so when I shifted to #2, #3 was also engaged. While the temp was about 210 in the sensor, certain points heated up much faster and the fluid burnt.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 441
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From: Byron, IL
i have a 01 also and am going to be getting a BTS valve body from Brian should I be conserned with the Diode locking up and if so is there anything I can do to avoid it besides shooting the moon and getting the BTS trans?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
Originally Posted by Wieckster
i have a 01 also and am going to be getting a BTS valve body from Brian should I be conserned with the Diode locking up and if so is there anything I can do to avoid it besides shooting the moon and getting the BTS trans?
In my 2001 4R100, Ford used a Mechanical Diode which has failed in my truck from what I was told. What is this and what has Factory Tech done to eliminate it happening again?
The 2001 Models built for August 2000 to March 2001 are the ones with a mechanical diode, all other models have a 34 element sprag from the factory. All Monster Boxes, irregardless of year are built with the 45 element sprag assembly. A mechanical diode is one form of a one way clutch. When the E4OD came out in 1989, it had a sprag one way clutch on the top of the direct drum, and it worked great for 12 years. So Ford in 2001 changed it to the mechanical diode, which didn't work great and after literally 8 days, they realized it was not going to work. The only problem was that all the tooling for the original sprag was destroyed already and it took Ford 6 months to get new machines to go back to the way that they always were. The units built during those 6 months are the diode units. The diode has a different clutch plate pattern, different direct drum and an integral race. To replace one with a sprag, you need to replace all these parts. No Monster Box has ever been built with a mechanical diode. I had 63K on the trans. Suddenly it happened. Brian cannot help you there. I doubt he can tell you when it will lock up any more than I can tell you the weather. However, I got credit for my BTS VB when it was time for the BTS trans. If you think the VB is good, hang on to your seat when you get the trans. Perfect shifting depending on your application. In my case, firm but not one that jars your teeth lose. trans feels connected to the motor and not like what you are feeling. Can't explain it. I suppose I could let you ride my Ex if you were nearby.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
Aklim, where does this diode info come from? 8 days? Sounds like a lawsuit in the making.
OK, on edit, I see it is from Factory Tech, but if this was true, and Ford knew it, and sold them, they are liable.
OK, on edit, I see it is from Factory Tech, but if this was true, and Ford knew it, and sold them, they are liable.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
Originally Posted by aklim
Ah, but sir, your warranty has expired. If only it had failed during warranty, we would gladly have fixed it.