I am rebuilding my E4OD and am wanting to add the necassary equipment to make it last. The only thing I have to go off of is my father's E-350 7.3 4R100 with banks, replaced TC and nothing else in 242,000 miles. Also so many valve bodies have been suggested, are they all pretty much reliable and do what they say? BTS, Baumann, and I know I looked at a couple more.

 

Don't run a Transcommand. from what I understand it only affects shift when the truck is really working hard and not so much everyday driving which will still clip the clutches. BTS valvebody as well as transgo kits are good. Get a good torque converter and valve body at the very least.

 

Sorry, but TJbeggs is wrong, I run the trans command and it DOES effect your shift points and not just when your towing. It makes firm shifts all the time and overall improves the tranny life. Valve bodies can help but since our transmissions are mostly Electronic, the trans command module is the better way to go since it compensates for towing, and everyday driving habits.

 

I am usually anti Banks anything. But Pest007 has more experience with the transcommand then I do. I have only drive two trucks with the Transcommand and it was before I bought my diesels so i didn't pay attention to them. I have had a 1 or 2 transcommands have issue with the salt in michigan during the winter. the pigtail for the wiring harness got corrodide and destroyed the unit but depending on where your at it may or may not be an issue.

 

i am not against the trans command but i am not impressed with the lite throttl shifts, they are not "sloppy" but i like my kit better....who's tired of hearing that?!

 

I've never had a problem with mine so far, and I know of a friend that has it too on his '97 PSD and loves his. I don't have to worry about it slipping or when it will shift, when loaded it shifts right where it should and unloaded it is good and firm through every gear. I know a lot of people in here don't care much for Banks stuff, but they spend millions on engineering and research for best overall performance and reliability for a lot of applications. And YES it IS more expensive than some homemade shade tree trans shift kit, but I rather have a product with some engineering behind it.

 

I think the Banks kit is a big waste of money. You can get firm shifts from a good valve body and a well built transmission. I have heard that the transcommand kits will actually shorten the life of your tranny, not extend it.

 

How is that???

 

I should probably restate my opinion. I dont think they are worth the money if you have a tired tranny to begin with. Raising line pressure from my understanding is all this thing does. You can get that with a valve body. My tranny guy swears that raising line pressure is bad over the long term on your internals.

 

"some homemade shade tree trans shift kit"
HEY!!! thems fighin words! i spent alot of time on my own engineering before i just started drilling holes, it may be homemade but it sure aint shadetree, alot of thought went into it including many conversations with the ford engineers and the east coast ford field service engineer, all of them liked the idea. service manual were broke out as well as flow charts for fluid, i didnt just wake up one morning and start drilling. my way is safe and dirt cheap, all the banks kit does is turn the line pressure up based on throttle pressure and engine speed, that is all, i can make you one with parts from radioshack for less then 15 dollars so why spend 300? i am 100% against line pressure raising since it does shorten your life. it is a proven fact. more pressure on the seals= less life of them. my "redneck special" simply gives the fluid a faster way to vent when the solonoid opens allowing the clutches to apply faster but with the exact same line pressure as the slush box stockers, i will out shift a banks kit any day and i spent no cash and risk no blown seals, tell me why i should buy a transcommand then?

 

Don't you find it the least bit interesting that a $4,000 Powerpack only comes with a $40 K&N replacement panel air filter? Isn't it interesting that just a few years ago the Banks monster exhaust was 4" because according to Banks research a PSD would never flow enough to need anything bigger...and yet is now a 5" system? Isn't it interesting that the Banks turbine outlet pipe will only mate to a Banks exhaust? Isn't interesting that with all the high quality american gauges available, the dynafacts are sourced in Taiwan?

I have no doubt that Banks spends millions doing R&D....for their racing teams, but I see very little evidence to suggest that much of that R&D money makes it to the consumer.

In my humble opinion the vast majority of Banks products are overpriced and underpowered.

 

Ditto and very nicely put.

 

grrr! screw banks! i'm still stuck on shadetree!

 

grrr. get over it. Haha. Some of the best mechanics I know claim the title of "shadetree" IMO you rank high witrh me. I guess it comes to ya, kinda like being called a redneck. IR1 and am proud to carry both the names.

 

It is better to increase flow by increasing hole sizes in valve body instead of jacking up the pressure electronically. that is hard on the pump.