Flex Bands for Auto Transmission

[BrooklynMW]

I was orginally planning on doing a 5spd swap, but reality set in. The car is my daily driver, and the transmission is fairly new and healthy. There are other things that need work, and spending the time and money to swap to 5spd is not currently in the cards. So instead I've been researching ways to get a little more power out of my automatic. It performs just fine on the high end, but I'm looking for a little more efficency and power on the low end. 1st to 2nd gear, 0-50.

I was toolin around google, and found an old thread on a old forum about Flex Bands. Someone said they fitted these GM flex bands onto their BMW:

http://www.tciauto.com/Products/Comp...ance_bands.asp

I'm not sure I would really want to try this, but do they make similar products for the e30? Has anyone done this? Recommend it?

Any other suggestions to help with auto trans power? (don't say swap to 5 sp)

-Thanks.

[xwill112x]

pretty sure that the bmw auto trans was made by gm. lol

that aside, are you looking for firmer shifts or what? its fairly easy to mod an auto trans to bang gears.

[BrooklynMW]

Firmer shifts would be nice. 1st to 2nd is actually pretty quick, although it shudders a bit in 2nd, but I think that's due to an issue with my drive shaft.

Overall, I'm looking for better acceleration. Depending on how I treat the throttle, it sometimes takes a while to get up to speed, and I'm being overtaken by Hyundais.

It just feels very heavy on the low end. It'll even rev nicely, but feel like I'm not going anywhere.

[xwill112x]

well your going to have to change your gear ratio to change how fast it is on accel, you can change your detent or accumulator springs to get firm shifts from it. the shuddering is probably slippage in your clutches.

[BrooklynMW]

It is suspected that the shuddering is due to needing a drive shaft rebuild.

How does one go about doing all that you suggest?

[xwill112x]

It is suspected that the shuddering is due to needing a drive shaft rebuild.

How does one go about doing all that you suggest?

Does it shudder all the time, or just shifting into 2nd?

And you're going to have to pull the auto trans to do all that work, take it apart, remove the valve body to have access. You can also drill out accumulator passages and the like to build more pressure so it will hold gears longer and shift firmer. Some people redneck the accumulator springs and just put a socket or something of the like behind them, then they really bang gears, but it doesnt exactly make your car faster, it just feels that way. It would be a good experience to learn how to work on an auto trans (they're not to bad) but for all the effort required a 5 speed swap is about the same and funner.

[xwill112x]

And some people run older mercron ford auto trans fluid in the chevy auto's (gm built bmw's auto trans) to get a firmer shift as well as it has different friction modifiers. Not sure if it applies to the e30 trans, but it would be worth a shot and your cheapest & easiest way to a semi firmer shift.

[Sagaris]

pretty sure that the bmw auto trans was made by gm. lol

that aside, are you looking for firmer shifts or what? its fairly easy to mod an auto trans to bang gears.

GM made transmissions are on e36's and e39's probably others. The ZF in the e30 is made by..... ZF

[Danny]

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZF_4HP22_transmission

[xwill112x]

GM made transmissions are on e36's and e39's probably others. The ZF in the e30 is made by..... ZF

Wasn't sure but thanks, i knew it was either the e30 or e36 starting the gm trans.

[chadthestampede]

And some people run older dextron ford auto trans fluid in the chevy auto's (gm built bmw's auto trans) to get a firmer shift as well as it has different friction modifiers. Not sure if it applies to the e30 trans, but it would be worth a shot and your cheapest & easiest way to a semi firmer shift.

Dexron is GM tranny fluid. Mercon is the Ford fluid.

[xwill112x]

Dexron is GM tranny fluid. Mercon is the Ford fluid.

thanks, has been a long day. to many caveliers

[BrooklynMW]

Does it shudder all the time, or just shifting into 2nd?

Well, it either only shudders in 2nd, or feels like it's shuddering in 2nd. I can't really tell. Might just have something to do with accelerating. My transmission has been checked a few times and it always checks out completely healthy. Although I've had to have the Tranny mounts replaced twice.

And you're going to have to pull the auto trans to do all that work, take it apart, remove the valve body to have access. You can also drill out accumulator passages and the like to build more pressure so it will hold gears longer and shift firmer. Some people redneck the accumulator springs and just put a socket or something of the like behind them, then they really bang gears, but it doesnt exactly make your car faster, it just feels that way. It would be a good experience to learn how to work on an auto trans (they're not to bad) but for all the effort required a 5 speed swap is about the same and funner.

Yeah, all that work sounds like a lot of fun and a big learning experience, but you're absolutely right. If I'm going to put all that work into it than I might as well do a 5sp swap.....which is still a possibility, just not in nearest future.

I think for now, I'll just leave the tranny alone and find other ways to gain more power on the low end. I'm open to inexpensive suggestions.

Doesn't sound like I should risk using any GM tranny fluid either.

[QUKBMER]

You can use either castrol dextron III OR redline synthetic D6 atf fluid.

[SpecM]

Doesn't sound like I should risk using any GM tranny fluid either.

Really you should use GM-style fluid : Dextron III


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