Flex Bands for Auto Transmission

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  • BrooklynMW
    E30 Fanatic
    • Apr 2010
    • 1263

    #1

    Flex Bands for Auto Transmission

    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.
    '87 325i "Chewey" (RIP, my beloved)
    current:
    '01 e46 325iT "Dot" - #datwagonlife
    '87 e30 325i "Tui" - she has her mother's eyes
  • xwill112x
    Θέλησα έναν τίτλο συνήθειας, απορροφώ για να είμ&#
    • Jan 2009
    • 4237

    #2
    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.
    sigpic

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    • BrooklynMW
      E30 Fanatic
      • Apr 2010
      • 1263

      #3
      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.
      '87 325i "Chewey" (RIP, my beloved)
      current:
      '01 e46 325iT "Dot" - #datwagonlife
      '87 e30 325i "Tui" - she has her mother's eyes

      Comment

      • xwill112x
        Θέλησα έναν τίτλο συνήθειας, απορροφώ για να είμ&#
        • Jan 2009
        • 4237

        #4
        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.
        sigpic

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        • BrooklynMW
          E30 Fanatic
          • Apr 2010
          • 1263

          #5
          It is suspected that the shuddering is due to needing a drive shaft rebuild.

          How does one go about doing all that you suggest?
          '87 325i "Chewey" (RIP, my beloved)
          current:
          '01 e46 325iT "Dot" - #datwagonlife
          '87 e30 325i "Tui" - she has her mother's eyes

          Comment

          • xwill112x
            Θέλησα έναν τίτλο συνήθειας, απορροφώ για να είμ&#
            • Jan 2009
            • 4237

            #6
            Originally posted by 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?

            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.
            sigpic

            Comment

            • xwill112x
              Θέλησα έναν τίτλο συνήθειας, απορροφώ για να είμ&#
              • Jan 2009
              • 4237

              #7
              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.
              Last edited by xwill112x; 01-20-2011, 06:45 PM.
              sigpic

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              • Sagaris
                R3VLimited
                • Sep 2009
                • 2243

                #8
                Originally posted by 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.
                GM made transmissions are on e36's and e39's probably others. The ZF in the e30 is made by..... ZF

                Comment

                • Danny
                  Moderator
                  • Feb 2008
                  • 14217

                  #9
                  Here you go:


                  Comment

                  • xwill112x
                    Θέλησα έναν τίτλο συνήθειας, απορροφώ για να είμ&#
                    • Jan 2009
                    • 4237

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Sagaris
                    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.
                    sigpic

                    Comment

                    • chadthestampede
                      No R3VLimiter
                      • Jul 2008
                      • 3600

                      #11
                      Originally posted by xwill112x
                      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.
                      Originally posted by LJ851
                      I programmed my oven to turn off when my pizza was done, should i start a build thread?

                      Feedback

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                      • xwill112x
                        Θέλησα έναν τίτλο συνήθειας, απορροφώ για να είμ&#
                        • Jan 2009
                        • 4237

                        #12
                        Originally posted by chadthestampede
                        Dexron is GM tranny fluid. Mercon is the Ford fluid.

                        thanks, has been a long day. to many caveliers
                        sigpic

                        Comment

                        • BrooklynMW
                          E30 Fanatic
                          • Apr 2010
                          • 1263

                          #13
                          Originally posted by xwill112x
                          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.

                          Originally posted by xwill112x
                          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.
                          '87 325i "Chewey" (RIP, my beloved)
                          current:
                          '01 e46 325iT "Dot" - #datwagonlife
                          '87 e30 325i "Tui" - she has her mother's eyes

                          Comment

                          • QUKBMER
                            R3V OG
                            • Feb 2010
                            • 8178

                            #14
                            You can use either castrol dextron III OR redline synthetic D6 atf fluid.
                            Your signature picture has been removed since it contained the Photobucket "upgrade your account" image.

                            garage queen 91 bmw 325is / 1972 Chevy El Camino 355 sbc 450hp

                            Comment

                            • SpecM
                              R3V Elite
                              • Oct 2005
                              • 4531

                              #15
                              Originally posted by BrooklinMW
                              Doesn't sound like I should risk using any GM tranny fluid either.
                              Really you should use GM-style fluid : Dextron III


                              Sent from my Ally using Tapatalk
                              1989 cirrisblau-metallic 325i

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