How to Install the TransGo 5EAT-HD2 shift kit - A Detailed Walkthrough

[paintpollz]

My god this is incredible work. Wish I had a 5eat sometimes. completing this project would feel so satisfying. producing this and its R&D has to make you feel god like climber

[fishbone]

Regarding the thread ... Cool story bro. Imma let you handle all of it if/when the time comes

[ClimberDHexMods]

My god this is incredible work. Wish I had a 5eat sometimes. completing this project would feel so satisfying. producing this and its R&D has to make you feel god like climber

 

Nope, it just makes me feel like I have so much more to learn, since somewhere in Japan there is an engineer who knows much more about this platform than I do.

[ClimberDHexMods]

My Porter Cable Impact Driver and Drill combo just arrived from Amazon.

 

Good lord I am going to rip through these bolts now. Impact to remove, drill with low clutch setting to put back on. Happy Valentines Day to me.

 

Edit: Another day another post (#7 is done).

Edited February 15, 2012 by ClimberD@HexMods

[lieutenantcolumbo]

Regarding the thread ... Cool story bro. Imma let you handle all of it if/when the time comes

 

Smart thinking. I always seem to end up with an extra bolt or two when I work on something like that. :lol:

[No DRFT]

Or worst yet, the damn thing doesn't work

 

Seriously, good work.

[KoukiS14]

Very nice, thorough write up there. Nice collection of tips and techniques.

 

The Transgo 5EAT-HD2 kit I recently received did have a new supplementary orange spring for the TC regulator. It fits inside of the existing spring in that location. The TC spring is included with the RE5R05A-HD2 kit as well.

 

The restrictor orifice appears to install in the direct clutch path. I think it's there to increase the line pressure to the direct clutch, which would seem to add capacity to the gears 2,3,4. Does that sound right?

 

I was thinking the restrictor could be implemented as a stainless steel allen set screw with a specific hole size drilled through it. You could lightly tap corresponding vb hole/channel to fit the set screw/restrictor. Install with thread lock and stake lightly above the top thread to make sure it doesn't go anywhere. That way the mod stays with the VB, not the trans, and is easily removable and modified with a different orifice size if desired.

 

As far as the drilling, have you tried it with and without and decided against it? If so, why? It seems every VB kit out there for other platforms includes bits for drilling, so it would seem to be a good thing.

[ClimberDHexMods]

The Transgo 5EAT-HD2 kit I recently received did have a new supplementary orange spring for the TC regulator. It fits inside of the existing spring in that location. The TC spring is included with the RE5R05A-HD2 kit as well.

 

Good, that is what you want.

 

The restrictor orifice appears to install in the direct clutch path. I think it's there to increase the line pressure to the direct clutch, which would seem to add capacity to the gears 2,3,4. Does that sound right?

 

No, opposite. The Direct Clutch gets two channels to drive the piston. All the others get one. Thus when you increase the line pressure, it just so happens the direct clutch can end up a little more trigger happy than all the others. In reality, it's all in the software. The simplest solution is to restrict the volume of fluid from hitting the Direct piston as quickly, thus softening the engagement. That's what the simple restrictor orifice does. Slows rate of flow, still allows full pressure to clamp the piston.

 

You do not need to install this (well you should not need to do this), but in order to make the TransGo kit one size fits all across transmissions with different wear and slightly different tolerances and un-reset TCUs, it's a conservative hedge to make sure people don't get upset at your product. I don't know how attentive the 350Z/G35/Titan guys are to doing TCU resets, but I have had a lot of trouble getting various customers to do one after the VB install. In every case, the TCU reset has solved finicky overactive shift behavior in the minority of cases where it was a problem.

 

I was thinking the restrictor could be implemented as a stainless steel allen set screw with a specific hole size drilled through it. You could lightly tap corresponding vb hole/channel to fit the set screw/restrictor. Install with thread lock and stake lightly above the top thread to make sure it doesn't go anywhere. That way the mod stays with the VB, not the trans, and is easily removable and modified with a different orifice size if desired.

 

Sounds excessively complicated.

 

As far as the drilling, have you tried it with and without and decided against it? If so, why? It seems every VB kit out there for other platforms includes bits for drilling, so it would seem to be a good thing.

 

If you want to kill a week of your life, trace the VB flow and see what's going through each of those holes. Just because you have the ability to do something doesn't mean you should. The drill bits might cost a dime a piece, so why not toss them in to make the kit appear more serious and involved? I traced both the RE5R05A and 5EAT VBs. With the RE5 VB, there is only one divider plate, yet they ask you to drill more holes If you look at all the different TransGo kits for different transmissions from different design houses and made by completely different companies, you will notice all the kits look an awful lot alike, except the fancy American drag racing platforms (due to insane levels of aftermarket support to push

up R&D on those several notches). Does that not make you question things? Are all different kinds of auto transmissions really that similar that they all need a few valves replaced?

 

There is no existing restriction in the 5eat VB that needs a hole drilled out. As is, I can get one of these to shift so hard it will feel like you crashed into a brick wall (not a production version). Even IPT got an early revision to shift so hard it broke one guy's flex plate.

 

I know what you're talking about though, some of the 4L60 kits involve a LOT of interesting modifications or entirely new computer-designed separator plates. Apples and oranges. The Jatco 5AT is an absolute beast out of the box. Ours has a bit less grip surface than the RE5 version, and it's still a beast.

 

If it wasn't for the soccer mom TCU programming to make the car feel more like a boat than a sports car, this trans would have earned a menacing reputation in the enthusiast community. I have a couple customers pushing massive amounts of power/torque, past commonly accepted 5mt limits. Best to let the VB operate as it was designed to in that regard. Sure you can increase the resultant line pressure for a given decrease in duty cycle relative to what it does from the factory, but other than that you want everything to mesh as OEM-like as possible.

[fahr_side]

Great work with the write-up there! I wish I'd had something even half that detailed with the slushboxes I built in the past!

[KoukiS14]

Thanks, ClimberD. For those of you wondering, the additional orange TC regulator spring that comes in the later kits installs inside of the existing spring in the bore pictured in the top right of this pic:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=112456&stc=1&d=1329262394

 

The restrictor orifice is pretty small. I did notice that the passage was listed as the direct clutch small apply area. Thanks for explaing a bit more about that. I'd be slightly concerned about possible sludge and debris build up around the restrictor. I'll probably leave it out.

 

I've been a Nissan guy for a long time, and I know the Jatco transmissions are super stout. The stock RE4R03A has been proven to hold up well on 700 whp drag cars, and the Aussies mod most Jatcos made in the past decade or two to do the same or better, even installing trans brakes on some of them. That's why I was more than willing to buy a 5EAT legacy, knowing that they could be made to perform. Still, I wouldn't have been willing to do it if I hadn't seen someone like ClimberD hadn't been on the ball in that regard already.

[ClimberDHexMods]

^^^ Good note. I have played with that valve before, but honestly I don't notice a big difference. That's probably because the line pressure is higher from everything else, thus the TC is already getting more pressure. It's very nice that it engages smoothly even at WOT. As it should.

 

If you're worried about sludge per the restrictor orifice, don't. The divider plates have smaller holes, and the divider plates also happen to be where the majority of the sludge builds up.

I cannot imagine any issue with sludge and the restrictor orifice. I have seen a full range of sludged 5EAT VBs. Even in the worst cases, where the fluid is original fill and has six figure mileage, nothing is actually getting blocked. The issue would either be in the solenoids, or otherwise in the piston seals and interfering with the clutch frictions.

[fishbone]

This thread is every bit as epic as it is detailed.

[ClimberDHexMods]

Posts 9 and 10 are up.

[dan04103]

Fantastic write-up. I would be immensely interested in doing a DIY mod kit. I love getting my hands dirty. I have no qualms getting the VB out and taking it apart. Thx Climber. Do you sell the transgo kit?

[ClimberDHexMods]

Thanks. I never finished this write-up, though if you make it this far then the rest is not terribly difficult in comparison.

I actually do have a kit here, but it's just sitting in a bag with all the hefty TransGo packaging thrown away. I don't think I'll be using it. PM me if you would like to buy it. It won't come in the massive TransGo packaging that tries to make you feel like your purchase has some heft. It's just small springs, valves, balls, and some useless drill bits. But it should work just as well. My price won't be much better than Summit, so don't set your hopes too high in that regard.

[dan04103]

Thanks. I never finished this write-up, though if you make it this far then the rest is not terribly difficult in comparison.

I actually do have a kit here, but it's just sitting in a bag with all the hefty TransGo packaging thrown away. I don't think I'll be using it. PM me if you would like to buy it. It won't come in the massive TransGo packaging that tries to make you feel like your purchase has some heft. It's just small springs, valves, balls, and some useless drill bits. But it should work just as well. My price won't be much better than Summit, so don't set your hopes too high in that regard.

 

Thanks Climber... still have my LGT brake system & STI BB/MC upgrade to do so the transmission is going to be after that. Have to save my pennies again. Thanks for the offer though! Cheers and keep up the great work.

[ClimberDHexMods]

If anyone wants me to finish the walkthrough, I can do that. Just ask

[Red-rover]

Whats still missing from the walkthrough? Just the rest of the reassembly? I am gonna install the kit in my 5eat soon. I wouldnt mind having a complete walkthrough if you wouldnt mind finishing it.

[ClimberDHexMods]

Yup the final reassembly. It's not that hard if you've already made it this far. I'll add it to my to-do list.

[dan04103]

Climber... finally tackled this mod thanks to your great insight and unselfishness to post this despite a lost sale. I just have the DIY blood flowing through my veins! I didn't drill any passages nor did I put in the reducer. The mods were a snap with your tips.

 

I will wrap up the install tonight, reset the Tcu, and report back my review in a week or two.

 

Climber... I sent you a pm

 

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/22/8eme5amu.jpg

Edited February 22, 2013 by dan04103

[ClimberDHexMods]

^^^ Looking good! I remember when I use to use those pads. Best thing other than perhaps my oiled metal table. Looks like you have all the right tools to make it a snap, just need to bolt on your inhibitor (shift position) slider switch.

[dan04103]

She's in the car now. Tcu acting weird as was expected but I can already feel a difference. 2-3 and 3-4 snap in nicely. Definitely well worth the time and learned a bit in the process. Putting in that inhibitor switch was slightly nerve racking. Would have been in quite a pickle if that went awry. Edited February 23, 2013 by dan04103

[dan04103]

Well I couldn't help myself... I pulled the wife's 06 Tribeca vb and modded it. A bit quicker install this time. No issues and shifting after 20miles is going as suspected. MUCH better! Perhaps an expanded albeit very small group of vb mods climber can help with.

[Squishy808]

Climber D or anyone else in the know, if I got this right, both the 5eat and the RE5 TransGo kits are usable on our trannies?

 

Thank you in advance!

Edited July 30, 2015 by Squishy808
Clarity edit

[freaksavior]

man...I got through the whole thing and then no reassembly instructions...