5speed swap into early LS?

[brawls43]

Did you ever get this to work Spinnetti? I was thinking of doing this to my SC400, but I think cost for a controller won't let it fit within our rules. But I'm back on the hunt, because we were trying to drop our transmission pan, and snapped a bolt off in it.

The ratios on the SC400 are a little better, so I may stick with it, but I'd still love to come up with a paddle control for shifting.

 

[Spinnetti]

Did you ever get this to work Spinnetti? I was thinking of doing this to my SC400, but I think cost for a controller won't let it fit within our rules. But I'm back on the hunt, because we were trying to drop our transmission pan, and snapped a bolt off in it.

The ratios on the SC400 are a little better, so I may stick with it, but I'd still love to come up with a paddle control for shifting.

Shhhh.. its my secret weapon!

No, I contacted the two people I know that could build me a controller and neither was interested. I could do it with a micro controller and some relays, but I don't think I'll do it as I have projects coming out of my ears. I've also been out of electronics/programming a while it would take me months to sort it all out. If you are handy with electronics, maybe we could tag team and use an arduino board or something. I guess you could do it "manually" with a shift lever that triggers the switch sequences at each point.. hmm... I wonder if the late model trans will operate on just the floor shifter without the ECU? Something to research....

The A340 ratios are just horrid. the 99 and up 5 speed has really nice ratios that combined with the right rear end are just like having a manual.

 

[BlackUZZ31]

http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com/transcontrol.php

 

[Spinnetti]

http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com/transcontrol.php

Thanks for the info, but in the race series we run the entire car has to cost less than that! Mine is fast and runs great and only cost $300usd!

 

[BlackUZZ31]

look for one second hand or see if trans-go do a manual shift kit for the a650e

 

[brawls43]

If you are handy with electronics, maybe we could tag team and use an arduino board or something. I guess you could do it "manually" with a shift lever that triggers the switch sequences at each point.. hmm... I wonder if the late model trans will operate on just the floor shifter without the ECU? Something to research....

The A340 ratios are just horrid. the 99 and up 5 speed has really nice ratios that combined with the right rear end are just like having a manual.

I'm more of a mechanical guy, sorry. One of the guys on my team bought a used PLC to try to control the trans, but he hasn't gotten around to trying it or programming it. If it didn't take a custom torque converter, I'd consider the TH400 swap in the How-to section, for easier mechanical control, but if that's a bit of work. I'd prefer to pick up a 4th gear for closer ratios too and ditch overdrive. We did finally make the switch to a 4.27 diff, but still haven't found an LSD. Also in the process of completely rebuilding our suspension to get rid of seized/torn bushings.

 

[Spinnetti]

I'm more of a mechanical guy, sorry. One of the guys on my team bought a used PLC to try to control the trans, but he hasn't gotten around to trying it or programming it. If it didn't take a custom torque converter, I'd consider the TH400 swap in the How-to section, for easier mechanical control, but if that's a bit of work. I'd prefer to pick up a 4th gear for closer ratios too and ditch overdrive. We did finally make the switch to a 4.27 diff, but still haven't found an LSD. Also in the process of completely rebuilding our suspension to get rid of seized/torn bushings.

My suspension is in amazingly good shape, but I did find two lower control arm bushings were gone - as in completely. I just machined some new ones up out of delrin and hammered em' in (pics on my Facebook site of that)... Finally got around to doing my 95' brake upgrade.. more to it than I would have though. Had to machine up a couple bits, run spacers, a centering ring, longer studs and the 95 ball joints - whew!

 

[brawls43]

My suspension is in amazingly good shape, but I did find two lower control arm bushings were gone - as in completely. I just machined some new ones up out of delrin and hammered em' in (pics on my Facebook site of that)... Finally got around to doing my 95' brake upgrade.. more to it than I would have though. Had to machine up a couple bits, run spacers, a centering ring, longer studs and the 95 ball joints - whew!

Which pad did you go with from Porterfield? I love our ST43 Raybestos pads from them. You'll like this upgrade, our car stops amazingly well with the '95 upgrade. We got new upper control arms for the front, the rear uppers were in good shape, but we ended up replacing all the lower control arm and trailing arm bushings with poly. Its funny seeing the nicely cleaned up and painted parts surrounded by rusty stuff.

 

[Spinnetti]

Which pad did you go with from Porterfield? I love our ST43 Raybestos pads from them. You'll like this upgrade, our car stops amazingly well with the '95 upgrade. We got new upper control arms for the front, the rear uppers were in good shape, but we ended up replacing all the lower control arm and trailing arm bushings with poly. Its funny seeing the nicely cleaned up and painted parts surrounded by rusty stuff.

Dang! Is all that new? Diff looks aluminum?
Mine is still lemony... I mostly make parts that break....

The stock brakes were fine actually, but I had a caliper stick, so decided to upgrade. In the last event on the old brakes, there was almost no rotor wear, and barely any pad wear.- yep, st43 in the front, and r4s in the back. Amazing stuff. With the bigger brakes I suspect they will really last a long time.

 

[brawls43]

Naw, its not aluminum, we just used up a old can of "aluminum" spray paint. For chump, I got our AIV down enough to "afford" the value increase of doing just the lower bushings. "Value" would be the same if I made 'em or bought because of Chumps rules. We were mostly sick of working on rusty parts, so while we had stuff apart we cleaned what we could. Now it'll be easier to see leaks and stuff too.

 

[brawls43]

New idea spinnetti, have you found anything on how the solenoids control the A650E? I found on the 4 speed (A340) that its basically 0-0, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1 for the solenoids being on or off. I wonder if you could use a 4 speed controller on the 5 speed, and just never shift into 5th gear?

 

[Spinnetti]

New idea spinnetti, have you found anything on how the solenoids control the A650E? I found on the 4 speed (A340) that its basically 0-0, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1 for the solenoids being on or off. I wonder if you could use a 4 speed controller on the 5 speed, and just never shift into 5th gear?

Interesting idea.. will have to do some digging. I know cars stuff inside and out - all except auto transmissions that is! That would be even easier than a gear swap... Something I like the idea. I thought the 340 had 3 solenoids? Just two? Maybe other for lock up?

 

[BlackUZZ31]

Chumps rules.

Sounds like they need to revise them to allow replacements of safety items like bushes and bearings, I had to stop watching those videos on your site the sound of that front wheel bearing was horrendous!

as for the 5 speed I have been looking at it more your not going to be able to do it without a controller that can also look after the line pressure, accumulator and TCC...

http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com/download/tcu/harness/A650E.pdf

 

[brawls43]

Interesting idea.. will have to do some digging. I know cars stuff inside and out - all except auto transmissions that is! That would be even easier than a gear swap... Something I like the idea. I thought the 340 had 3 solenoids? Just two? Maybe other for lock up?

The 340 has 3 solenoids, one for the torque convertor, and 2 for the shift solenoids.

 

[brawls43]

Sounds like they need to revise them to allow replacements of safety items like bushes and bearings, I had to stop watching those videos on your site the sound of that front wheel bearing was horrendous!

as for the 5 speed I have been looking at it more your not going to be able to do it without a controller that can also look after the line pressure, accumulator and TCC...

http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions.com/download/tcu/harness/A650E.pdf

Wish we'd have known the noise was a wheel bearing last year. Had a big bearing failure at our Sept race. All four corners have new bearings and high temp grease.

Controlling the line pressure and accumulator are definitely new, vs the A340. I think that was all done with springs and hydraulics on the A340.

 

[Spinnetti]

Wish we'd have known the noise was a wheel bearing last year. Had a big bearing failure at our Sept race. All four corners have new bearings and high temp grease.

Controlling the line pressure and accumulator are definitely new, vs the A340. I think that was all done with springs and hydraulics on the A340.

That does complicate things a bunch doesn't it. I'm back to wondering if the 1-4 gears from the 5 will work in the 4. If they are same family, then splines and shafts probably same? would be nice to have couple junk ones to tear apart and find out!

 

[BlackUZZ31]

The 340 has 3 solenoids, one for the torque convertor, and 2 for the shift solenoids.

Ahhh but then there is the 341 that has electronic line pressure control and then the 343 that has line pressure and accumulator control