2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Considering before the install I was a complete newb to transmissions, never ever went further then removing the pan and doing a drain/fill, the install went great!

It took me 2 days working on and off about a total of 8 hrs if you count everything. I really took my time since I have never touched the internals of the trans before, I removed section by section slowly and took pics before removing and put the bolts in labeled zip locks so putting back together was a breeze. I should have made a write up but wasn't thinking about it since the directions with the kit cover 90% of it. The only tough part about it, since the trans was installed in the car, was the last part. Removing/installing the cover on the cylinder looking thingy that sits on top of trans was a PITA, I ended up bending the trans dipstick housing back and using several different wrenches to get off/on the bolts. Other then that putting the valve body back in under the car on your back is also a bit of a pain.

Tips for anyone doing the install. If you're like me and this is all new to you TAKE YOUR TIME. I worked on the valve body in a large box that a lawnmower was purchased in. Once I would remove a set of bolts I would take a pic, place them in a labeled bag, and keep notes for myself so there wouldn't be any guessing later. There is one or two steps in the instructions that get confusing since they don't mention if they want you to reuse something or use a new one they supplied but if you reread it enough and put two and two together its easily figured out. Try to use everything supplied. You will end up with a few extra little ***** but I came to the conclusion they were replacements in case you lost a checkball since they are the exact same size as them. I don't think their were any extra springs but there may have been one since there is one part of the steps that you either do or don't based on the plates separating the different parts of the vb. I recommend reading the instructions fully first since some things don't become clear at first until later, also there is some useful information stated towards the back of the instructions so reading it fully you get a better understanding.

Now for the review! At first my car was doing a stall around 1200 rpm then shooting off roasting all of first and half of second it went away after a few minutes of driving, I don't have any idea if that's normal at first or not but if you install the kit and it happens I guess don't be alarmed since it happened to me as well. The shifts are very harsh and precise. I have no more flare at all at WOT or even just regularly driving for that matter. Depending on how fast you accelerate first to second can be harsh it isn't all that bad since its easy to get used to (at least for me) but it is noticeable. The shifts do depend on the throttle position, so I would say anything under 50% throttle and it doesn't shift as hard but this may not be entirely true. Transgo does claim that the kit is designed to shift harder at open throttle. I love how it shifts I feel like I'm not losing power since its shifting right away with no flare or lag at all. I can roast pretty much all of first and even at WOT when I don't roast first, coming off of a nice smooth acceleration instead of punching it I can still chirp in second. The torque feels amazing I think with some ES mounts and a torque link those harsh shifts won't be felt as much. When I say harsh its not a slam into gear harsh, its more of a thud from movement harsh. Its like high rpm shifts with bad motor mounts. Like stormz had mentioned in his review someone else would think your trans is going bad.

Do I recommend this kit? Well in my case this isn't my daily anymore and I have another car to drive with the wife and son so I'm not too concerned with the harshness and it doesn't bother me so yes. But if you can't deal with the harshness then I guess this is not for you. But I will tell you one thing the benefits from this kit, the shifts>>>the harshness. I'll take the harshness just to have the wonderful shifts. I will update later when I'm able to drive it some more.

BTW I would like to add if you do install this kit to get lots of ATF since I put in 5 qts after the install and after driving for a short period checked it and I was basically dry and had to go back and buy some more. In total I added 8 qts and it doesn't surprise me since tons of fluid came out of the vb while taking it apart.

Thanks!

Questions/comments/concerns? Fire away!

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Some pics I took during the install

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Some more I was using as references when putting back together

Rods03Max619

iTrader: (5)

Good job man and good review also....not sure if I will get one soon but in the future yeah....

Ryan95gle

I need to stop being lazy and install my HD2 kit too.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Thanks man! I tried to make the review one that can help someone decide on it since there is a trade off with the harshness. My car jerks pretty hard in the 1st to 2nd sometimes but I've got a torque link on the way and hopefully some better inserts I'm looking it for our crappy mounts to remedy that.

Like I said I don't mind the jerk but passengers will give you a funny look when it happens

Do it like I did it man, take your time spend some days on it if you need to. That way it will be less of a "pain"

7speed

Haha ok nice review. Man I debated on this, sounds like benefits could outweigh the cons. The flare the tranny does at around 40 for me is annoying sometimes but don't experience it so much because I'm not really pushing hard at that speed unless I'm at the d-strip.

I'm usually in my Max solo so I think I can deal with the hard shifts but still scared to take that leap.

Nice right up man! Question.......harsh by feel or is there any thud or clank sounds??

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Thanks man! Its harsh by feel no clunk or thud but you can tell the engine and trans just jerked the car kind of jumps at the shift. I'm in the process of getting some mods to see if I can translate the "hard" shifts to the wheels by tieing down the engine/trans.

ranmas2004

iTrader: (2)

I had a 97 Maxima and I had that crap done to my tranny...after 2nd gear it was great, but driving around daily trying to feather and time the shift from 1st to second so you let off the accelerator just before it shifts to 2nd so you don't get that YANK and SNAP of the neck was annoying!!! It was also embarrassing having people ride in the car, especially females, and they ask "Something wrong with your transmission?" Oneday I was accelerating really hard from a stop from a light and after it shifted to second I heard a CLUNK and THUD and RPMs went to redline but car was not moving. Long story short it shifted so hard from 1st to 2nd that it snapped the drive shaft axle off in the tranny.....had to get a new tranny. NEVER EVER EVER would recommend that crap to anyone. Not worth the $1600 repair bill!!! Get a manual transmission is what I would recommend.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Obviously you had other problems the shift isn't hard enough to break the drive shaft axle. Yours was either installed wrong or you had other problems. Like I said this isn't a thud or clunk its a hard shift just as if you shift an MT hard. For track/drag racing purposes well built AT>>MT, its the way to go especially when going FI IMO.

nishfish871

iTrader: (5)

You can always buy a used valvebody off of ebay and then get this kit, just incase something goes wrong you have a backup valvebody.

How did you go about installing the solenoid caps...or did the kit not include it?

ranmas2004

iTrader: (2)

It broke mine....saw the piece in the tranny myself. Just telling you my experience from it. You can do as you please.

Jime

iTrader: (10)

If you get the Suprastick you can set it to shift the 1-2 at 2 or 3 mph at 5-15% throttle, it will not clunk then when it shifts. It will still shift at the normal mph when you step on it.

I got sick of the harsh 1-2 shift real quick. Probably won't hurt anything but it is annoying. I lived with it for 2-3 years before I got the Suprastick and it didn't hurt anything.

Cant_Get_Ryte

iTrader: (52)

using the suprastick on a daily?

talked to aaron about it and he talked me down off of the tower., you think its worthwhile? really been considering it for some time.

Jime

iTrader: (10)

You can program it to shift exactly the same as stock if you want at lower mph and throttle openings but shift at higher mph and rpm when you are wot. Best of both worlds. At first I ran it piggyback with the stock tcu but its been standalone for the last couple of years.

Yes its my daily. Sometimes I drive 5-6 hrs to a race so I have to depend on it to get me home.

ranmas2004

iTrader: (2)

Now that is something I would not have minded when I had my 97 Maxima. That hard 1-2 shift was very annoying.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Yea I've been looking at the supra stick for a while now it may be the last mod I do after I get all the goodies out of the way and decide where I'm exactly going with the car.

Last Night I took the car out on the highway and did a lot of driving and the shift didn't bother me much. Especially when stepping on it you hardly feel it but it is there can't deny that.

I'll see how it feels after the torque link and mounts.

Jime

iTrader: (10)

I think you will find it even harsher. I have solid mounts and its pretty bad with a normal shift point. You are right about it being better when you step on it a bit but I drive like a granny on the street, try not to draw any attention from the wrong people.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Well I feel my engine and trans jump up with the shift and that bothers me as I hated it even before the kit and with it its worse, all the wheel hop and crap.

May I ask are your passenger and tranny mount solid as well? Also, do you have a torque link? I believe with all 4 solid mounts and a torque link I can tie it down good enough so the engine and trans dont jump thats my major pet peeve the hard shift itself doesn't bother me.

I took the car out today with the wife and son as well and I didn't find it that bad at all. I think you just have to learn how to accelerate with this kit which I'm getting the hang of. Also it may just be in my head but I feel like its not as hard as it was when I first installed it. Maybe I'm just getting used to it or maybe its the nature of the kit? IDK Jime maybe you can comment on this.

Jime

iTrader: (10)

Passenger, tranny, front, rear mounts and even my center member is bolted solid so the engine and trans doesn't budge under full torque. No torque member, its only if you good if you have mediocre mounts, doesn't do anything for solid mounts. When I say solid I don't mean poly urethane. I did have shore 98 polyurethane which is almost solid but now they are all metal to metal, no movement at all. Yes it does vibrate at idle but not once you get moving.

I could not get used to mine it really did shift hard, even chirped most of the time. I did add a couple of stiffer springs though with the HD-2 kit so that probably added to the harshness.

Give it a bit of time you will either love it or hate it, but it can be fixed with the Suprastick.

Jim

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Oh didn't realize when you said stiffer mounts that its actually solid metal.

Stiffer springs?

Well at least you found a solution to it with the supra stick.

I'll see after a few more mods where I end up and decide from there what I will do, like I said mine isn't super hard like some are reporting but it definitely is there.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Installed the torque link last night. The difference can be felt. The hard shifts from the kit are more "dampened", and at higher speeds 50% of the time they are almost undectable since the engine isn't "jumping" as much as before. The jerk from the hard shift still exists though the other half the time since the tranny side isn't tied down but that passenger side clunk is gone.

Having never had a torque link before I wasn't exactly sure what the ideal "setting" for it would be. I accidentally adjusted it where it pulled the engine down (actually pulled the mount towards the front) at first then realized this was wrong. I then adjusted it till the mount sat as vertical as possible and with a open ended wrench turned it another half a turn to a turn for a little extra firmness. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to adjust it but judging from the results I feel it is.

Hopefully someone with more exp with this type of mod can chime in if I'm totally off base.

I'll post pics later for those interested.

streetzlegend

iTrader: (8)

I too have the HD2 kit and yeah the 1-2 low throttle shift is HARD, I drive my car on "manual" mode alot so what I do is accelerate in 1st, let off slightly then shift to 2nd, alot of the time I can barely feel the shift, it takes alot of practice and timing. The suprastick is the best investment you will make, that plus a big cooler, and hd2 kit, and your good for alot of power. (btw i drive 80+ miles a day).

I do have to upgrade my mounts, I have old poly mounts on the Xmember that are worn out (the hole where the middle cylinder lays is actually oval so it has play of about 1/2 inch up n down. and tranny mount is not in good shape. The torque link is the only thing holding the damn engine in place lol.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Yea but since Ive put the kit in I haven't been driving under light throttle very much

I'd be surprised if I get 15mpg this tank "laugh:

Yea I may end up with the a supra stick but that has to be after I decide if I'm staying NA or going SC, I'm leaning more towards SC but we'll see.

Plus I got to step up my exhaust to 3" I'm running 2.5" with the dynomax vt muffler and I remember your review when I was looking into it streetz and actually my wife surprised me and bought it for me for my bday. But now I want 3", it never ends

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Btw streetz do you recommend the 3" vt muffler, I like how quiet the 2.5" is and I know 3" is loud and was wondering if maybe I should go with the vt to quiet it down a bit.

streetzlegend

iTrader: (8)

yeah i recommend it, its been great so far. no noise at idle like before, and seems to flow well.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Sounds good, thanks! Now got to find some mandrel bent piping and get that 3" vt. And its going to be a pain trying to get a good tip for it.

streetzlegend

iTrader: (8)

I got an extra VT 3" lying around in the box still. They never pick it up when you call in for a replacement lol. I used it for a week or two and notice it had the flapping sound, i dont think it was actually the muffler though lol. i can let you have it for cheap, I aint doing anything with it.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

Pm'd.

MoncefA33

iTrader: (6)

Good work, videos please.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

I'll post some vids soon.

2000_MAXIMA_KING

iTrader: (30)

It doesn't include any solenoid caps. I may just buy another kit and VB with lower miles just to have a spare since my trans has 192k miles on it.

Btw hows that BRM 3" holding up. I'm looking into it but I'm not sure if its loud or not I want something quiet so I may just get there piping and go with my own muffler. thoughts?

NcMax90

I'm am trying to install my kit right now but I am having an issue with my linear solenoids looking different. Can someone please give me a ring to help me sort this out? My first time doing tranny work. 252-360-9635. Thanks in advance.