Originally published this in the Van Forums, thought I'd share it here too:

TransGo | AODE, 4R70/75W: SK AODE

Recently had installed a TransGo shift improver kit in a 4R70W residing in my '03 E250. Mileage at time of install was 172,906; as a daily driver it weighs in about 7800#.

While I understand Ford's design of the 4R70W over all is quite sound, that it's a reliable transmission I just don't care for its characteristics; up shfts always seemed too slow, down shifts under throttle equally slow, not very predictible IMHO. TC lock up was a whole new experience, always felt as though somewhat was about to go horribly wrong. Keep in mind most of my auto trans experience has been GM Turbo Hydromatic's and C4/C6's of yesteryear.

The sole purpose was to improve or change the shift characteristics of the transmisson from its stock performance. There were no operational problems per se,

Parts were purchased locally from a local TransGo distributor, less than 5 miles from me. An extra separator plate was recommended “just in case....” and it seemed like a good idea, it could be returned for credit. (Returned for credit, no hassles.) With new filter and pan gasket I had just about $86 invested in parts alone, fluid purchased separately. (FWIW my year does not have the TC drain plug which can affect fluid change volumes.)

I added a drain plug to the pan like the one I use for engine oil: Quick Changer Oil Drain Valve - Unique Truck Equipment. These fittings allow me spill free drive way oil/fluid changes. A bit pricey but a nice convenience. Anyway....driving impressions..............

560 miles into it all, most of that freeway driving and the difference is noticeable. Normal throttle upshifts are a bit more firm, still occuring at factory-set speeds. TC lock up it takes at least half the time to fully engage.

Passing or overtaking slower cars is much easier now as throttle induced down shifts are crisp, quick and can be “held” for quite a while. Normally the 1-2 shift is about 15 mph, 2-3 about 35 mph, TC lock up right around 65 mph. With more throttle (partial WOT) the 1-2 shift now occurs about 25-27 mph, 2-3 hits about 40 mph and TC lock up still about 65 mph. If I understand the 5.4 motors correctly they like higher RPM's so this modification seems tailor made for the 4R70W or more to my liking only perhaps?

I don't tow anything ever so don't know if its recommended for those applications---TransGo would most certainly have a few ideas about such uses. My amazing trans mechanic says the TransGo kits are the only brand he'll install in this series of Ford transmissions, says they're by far the best suited and less problematic.

FWIW this can be a DIY project but for $125 and no suitable working space it was a no-brainer turning it over to someone with knowledge and experience, 40 years and counting for him.

Feel free to ask questions or make comments. Perhaps Mark Kovalsky will add his input too?

Thanks for reading!

 

The vehicle speeds that the shifts occur at are controlled by the PCM. The TransGo parts have nothing to do with that. The difference in speeds are in your imagination, or you're pushing the throttle further now than you were before. TransGo cannot cause this to happen.

 

You're correct about the throttle---when the kit was first installed (and since) I've been a bit more aggressive with that. Still it feels as though the shifts are as described, more crisp and quicker to occur.

Mark what is the TransGo kit intended to do exactly?

 

It makes the shifts firmer.

 

**Never, EVER put a trans-go kit in a 4R70W**

here is a quote from Jerry Wroblewski (former Ford Engineer that help design the 4R70W)

Having helped design and worked on the trans that's in your car/truck and being the Jerry of the Jerry Mod, TransGo=bad. Here is why.

Once upon a time, oh 10 years or so ago, a higher up at the Blue Oval mandated to us that we make the transmission shift out of manual low gear into 2nd even if you didn't move the shifter. Kicking and screaming we complied. Starting in the late 90's we were able to change this back due to early retirement packages.

Along comes TransGo trying to be hero. They are going to change a whole bunch of stuff in the valve body to prevent the trans shifing out of manual low. All the shift valves get replaced, the solenoid pressure regulator valve, the manual valve, etc. All of this is done in an attempt to prevent it from shifting out of manual low and a few things like that. They are trying to take the control away from the EEC and put it in the trans. If you want to do this, buy a manual valvebody and be done with it.

Here's the problem.

TransGo doesn't realize there are things called production tolerances and stack ups. About one in every 20 TransGo kits won't shift. I have talked to some people on this board that have had this problem. Why doesn't it shift? They cannot account for all the variances in the valve body when trying to do something mechanically that should be done electronically. This is bad, very, very bad. A 5% failure rate is out of control. How lucky do you feel?

Next issue with TransGo. They put a TV pressure blow off valve in the valve body right under the main regulator valve in the cover plate on the bottom of the trans. They claim this is to prevent TV pressure spikes which occur in the trans. I bet I have personally done the post morteums on 500 trans's and looked over a few thousand others. I have taken more pressure data than can be imagined. Guess what? I have NEVER seen an excessive TV pressure spike, ever. The main reason I think they did this is because again, they are trying to change something that should be changed electronically. They change the main regulator valve spring to have a "flatter" line pressure curve based on TV pressure. The problem with changing that spring, you make so much line pressure that you will explode the clutch cylinders. So they add this blow off valve to keep TV pressure to some set limit. Two issues here. One, this should be done electronically by asking for more pressure (there are reasons why this is bad, but I'll get to that later) and not trying to override the electronics. Two, if you ever take the pan off of a trans, even one that functions well, you'll see friction material in the pan, totally normal. What happens when one of these little pieces of material lodge in the blow off valve and have it bleeding off because it doesn't seat? I can answer that, you get your trans rebuilt.

While this may be enough to convince you, I'll give you one more.

Anyone out there with a transgo kit notice that when you are in 1st gear and mash it, about half way through low gear the car seems to really take off (this would be mainly on blower cars, not N/A cars), almost like a turbo kicking in? Ever wonder what this is? It's the freaking trans slipping from the shift kit.

There is a circuit in the valve body to feed the torque converter. Under certain conditions, high pressure demand, lower RPM (<3000) the production valve body will reduce the flow to the converter circuit to keep pressure to the clutches. TransGo gets rid of this nice feature. So you feed the converter circuit full bore all the time. While this is great if you have enough pump flow, but you don't until you really get the pump spinning. So what happens? The line pressure, hence the pressure to the clutches, drops and is not what it should be. In fact, in many cases it drops enough to make the forward clutch slip.
- Jerry Wroblewski

*If you want improved shifts, do the Jerry Mod, or JMod*

 

read here for information about how to improve your shift feel with out installing a shift kit.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ion-j-mod.html

here is Jerry's Thesis he wrote about upgrading the 4R70W.

TCCoA Tech Articles - page 13-14 highlight the valve body modifications

 

Deezal first off thank you very much for all the info----its very, very much appreciated---and a bit frightening too!

I would ask though if such failures were to occur is there an approximate time after installing such a kit when that might most likely happen?

The articles seem to mention blown or supercharged cars---would that have an effect on the TransGo stuff?

 

supercharged or not, Trans-Go for the 4r70w is a bad design.

no idea when the kit will cause a failure in your transmission. Personally, I would remove all parts of the kit, do the Jmod and update the 3 shift valves with improved valves from Sonnax.

here is what I did on the transmission in my buddies 2004 F-150

"Hole #2 is the intermediate clutch feed (1-2 shift). Make this hole in the .100"-.110" range. It should be .081" in your plate right now.

Hole #10 is the reverse clutch feed. Totally optional. If you want it to engage into reverse faster when you move the lever, open this up to .093".

Holes #4 & 5 are the direct clutch feed (2-3 shift). Open both of these holes up to .100"-.110".

Holes #9 and 11 are the forward clutch feed (4-3/4-2 shift). Make both of these .100-.110" as well.

So, it looks like you need a drill of around .100" and you should be good. When you open up holes 4&5 make sure the hole in the gasket between the
separator plate and valve body casting, is large enough. These holes are a little small.

-Jerry"



With valve body removed and disassembled, we cleaned everything. Base on Jerry's information, I drilled separator plate Holes #2, #4, #5, #9 with a 7/64 drill bit. On this 2004 model transmission, hole #11 was already larger than the 7/64 drill bit, so I left it alone.
Since Rob had been complaining about how slow reverse was to engage, when shifting from park to reverse, I used a 7/64 drill bit on hole #10 as well.

I installed an updated Main Pressure Regulator Valve (Sonnax #76948-09) Read here; Sonnax - Aftermarket replacement transmission, torque converter, and high performance automotive parts

To compliment the updated Main Pressure Regulator Valve, I also installed an updated Pressure Regulator Boost Valve & Sleeve Kit (Sonnax #76948-02K) Read about here; Sonnax - Aftermarket replacement transmission, torque converter, and high performance automotive parts

I also installed an updated OD Servo Regulator Valve. This is the valve where the piece of broken snap ring was wedged in. Sonnax #76948-29K read about it here; Sonnax - Aftermarket replacement transmission, torque converter, and high performance automotive parts

Both the Pressure Regulator Boost Valve and the OD Servo Regulator Valve consist of a small shuttle valve that ride in the larger/outer valve called a sleeve. These valves oscillate in the sleeve and become worn, which causes loss of pressure and "lazy" shifting. These improved Sonnax valves are a harder material and more resistant to wear. Both the valve and sleeve are machined to higher tolerances so they fit better within each other and in the bore of the valve body.

 

Sadly I'm not able to follow your directions as I don't have a place nor the confidence to attempt this the first time in my driveway.

I will talk to my trust trans guy and get his ideas---being more local than you that's easier!

Now if you're ever near Columbus, Ohio and wanna make a few bucks----PM me!


J W

 

If you installed the Trans-Go shift kit yourself, then you can do the Jmod.

all it requires is removing the valvebody, drill some holes in the separator plate and put it back together.

 

That's part of the trouble---I didn't do this myself, used a trusted trans mechanic whose been in the biz for over 30 years.

It'd be great getting the two of you together---great conversations I'm sure!

 

you must learn the ways of the Jmod, my young padawan ...

-Obe wan

 

It would seem so Master............

And just when I thought I was done crawling under things!

 

LMAO... It NEVER ends

as the old saying goes, "if its got **** or wheels, it will cause you trouble"

 

As much as that makes us all sound like cavemen its so very, VERY true!

And yet if we're honest---even with just ourselves----we stay at it all because we love it---and them too!