Build me a bulletproof A518

[Higbean]

Ok all you transmission gurus, build me a bombproof trans. It will be used as a weekend driver/hunting rig so it will see quite a bit of 4wd. I wont be doing any boosted launches so I wont need billet shafts, but I want it to be as tough as possible without going over $3,000 (total)or so. Who should I order from and what parts should I get?

[RCCUMMINS89]

Well.... what are your power goals?

A valve body and torque converter will make it a whole 'nother animal. But they may not cut it if you plan on making 400rwhp.

[Higbean]

Honestly? I don't know. I've got her running great now with the free mods, a ground fuel pin and a bit of timing. I really need reliability so I'm not planning much more. But at the same time the egt's climb pretty fast...

I guess 350 hp would be a conservative guess. Not all that much, but with 35" tires and a heavy old (78 Ford Crew) truck, I'd sure like to just build her once.

[RCCUMMINS89]

I'd recommend the two above things.

Sutter1stgen I'm sure will chime in at some point, he is extremely knowledgeable on the autos.

[Higbean]

Will he work for beer? I'm only 45 minutes north of him I think.

[cougar]

I put a shift kit, low stall converter, and the steel pinion gear set in mine. I don't have a lot of power, but I tow with it.

[Sutter1stgen]

I'm no expert with autos. Hahaha. But I've blown a few up that weren't up to the task. At the 350 hp level you could probably get away with what cougar and I run. But with 35" tires don't be doing any hard 4x4 launches on pavement, something will let loose at that power level. But as a hunting trail rig I think the basics would be fine. The only thing is you hav to dig into the trans to put the second gen intermediate and 5 pinion Steel planet in. But I'm sure one would be fine with just a converter and valvebody. Thats what I just got done doing to my old boss's hunting rig. He's running 36" tsl on a excab 1gen. We've also added some decent sized injectors and a quick spooking super B turbo. Should make for a really low end grunt of a truck. Which is what will eat up a auto.

Shop around and try and find a company that will do a converter valvebody combo.

[rockbuggy4x4]

interesting thread here. I just have to ask.
Eric, what hp/tq numbers are you seeing in your rig and boss's rig? (if you happen to know or estimate) And what mods do you have in your trans?

[RCCUMMINS89]

Ok all you transmission gurus, build me a bombproof trans. It will be used as a weekend driver/hunting rig so it will see quite a bit of 4wd. I wont be doing any boosted launches so I wont need billet shafts, but I want it to be as tough as possible without going over $3,000 (total)or so. Who should I order from and what parts should I get?

When you are ready to bite the bullet...........pm, call, or txt me......and I'll send you some quotes on what I can do for you.

[Sutter1stgen]

I'm at a dyno proven 350/716. I've done a few trips down the quarter mile with 10 psi boosted launches. I of course only run a 285 tire. But I do run a 3.07 gear, which in my opinion is like running a tall tire. My boss did a complete build. Turbo, injectors, 366gsk, lpplp, torque converter/ valve body. All through the hungry diesel. But it would be safe to say that his rig would be a 300hp setup. My truck with ddp3s, and small compounds, with the trans I have now, was a fun truck to drive everyday, made 330/660, and never went over 1000 degrees on the pyro. I felt comfortable towing with that truck.

But my end all, be all goal is 400 hp with a nonlockup auto, and we shall see if the trans combo I run now will hold. I built this trans on a tight budget. 720$ I believe. Converter was 500 through a vender.

Oh and I almost forgot. At 330 hp level, John Scheideck and I would heat soak our engines. He had a manual trans, I had a auto. I am a firm believer in the heat exchanger on the side of the block, accompanied by some big coolers. Both of our pyros were in the 1000 degree range, and it didn't matter. The engine itself would overtax the cooling system.
Jqmile ran into this very problem with his p pump truck towing. But having a 300+ hp goal is fine, just tow smart with it.
If you have to let out of the throttle to keep you power down, you are also giving your trans less line pressure through the tv cable input. This is where a valet switch comes in handy. You have way less power, so therefore you give more throttle input, which would give you more line pressure keeping your trans alive.

[rockbuggy4x4]

Interesting. Thanks for the info Eric. I'm going to attempt to stuff in a 7.3 PS rad in mine to help keep the coolant temps down. I'll have to read up on that valet switch.

[Sutter1stgen]

You could do something as simple as a ball valve from a hardware store. Hide it too if you have others driving your rig.

[BlackSkyRacing]

I think you gents would be pleasently surprised as to what a simple build will hold on a non-lockup unit... For the power levels most of you are after a good solid converter, shift kit, steel front planet, and billet 2nd gear lever will certainly do the trick. I only mention the apply lever because I've seen too many break with the added pressure of a shift kit.

[rockbuggy4x4]

You could do something as simple as a ball valve from a hardware store. Hide it too if you have others driving your rig.

How would one set this up? And how would it work? I'll be useing a 47rh on my truck and was going to use a pressure switch to lock up the convertor in 3rd as well as an over ride switch. Would that affect anything?

[Sutter1stgen]

It will go in the boost reference line going to your afc top. All it does is stop boost from pushing down on your afc, so as to limit your overall power. Your shift points will be the same, just that you won't be putting as much power into them. It will make your trans happier when it makes part throttle shifts. It will have half throttle line pressure, yet only have about half power.
The pressure switch your talking about should be affected by the valet switch.