First of all, I would like to give my thanks to Matt(Mardigrasmax)for helping me with the VB install. Actually, he did most of the work. The install was a bit harder than I thought. The VB install itself wasn't that time consuming, but just a few litte things that kept us working longer than we had to.


Now, for my thoughts on the recalibrated VB. Btw, in case you didn't know, this VB was from MobileTek Racing aka Don. I'm going to be as straight as I can because I don't want to give people a false impression.


Well, what can I say? Let me put it this way, my reaction was more of a "wow, not bad, very nice", and not a "WOW, HOLY COW!(not exact word I would use)". For the price though, it's definitely worth it. I can say that the shifts are definitely firmer, even when I drive normally. Under spirited driving, I can definitely feel the difference.

Funny that was that after leaving Matt's place, as I was going home, I wanted to test out the new VB. I just happened to run into a few "victims". In one case, two guys in a Mazda 626(I think)with rims wanted to play. So, I was happy to play with them, plus I get to see what my VB can do. This was on the highway, we were going about 40-50(traffic), I let him hit it first, then I step on it. As I passed him, I waved BYE BYE to him. hehe...that was fun.

Back on the subject of the VB. I can understand why some people say that even with a VB, an auto vs. a good 5spd driver, the auto will still lose. That is true. With the VB, the shifts are firmer, but it still doesn't give the pull that a 5spd gives. However, I will say this, with a VB, an auto can finally "hang" with a 5spd. I think that's good enough. Overall, this is a must have for any autos. Good thing the price isn't too high.

Again, I want to be honest. Am I disappointed? Well, kind of because I thought this will give me the same pull that a 5spd will give. Yes, it does gives me firmer shifts, but a 5spd just pulls harder. Maybe it's the gearing? However, being it doesn't cost too much, I can't complain.

If any of my comments about the VB are wrong/misinform/whatever, let me know. I don't know if it will give me even better shifts later on. I mean, I just got the VB installed. Will it shifts even better later on i.e. after a break-in?

 

My impression as well was yeah its good but not wow. The vb is not ment to make it pull harder only shift faster like your gettting. The reason the manuel pulls harder is cuz it has more power and less weight: reason being the auto tranny is heavier and has more power loss through the clutches.

 

Yes, it does shifts faster. I guess you can only do so much with a VB.


If only I had the funds, I might just go ahead and do a tranny swap. A VB is good and all, but it's no comparison to a true manual tranny. Oh well, it will have to do for now.

 

damn i want a vb mod

 

What mods do you have?

 

I'm still impressed with it to this day, along with every other 5 speed owner that has ever been in the car. As you stated, the point of the VB isn't to make the car pull harder (it isn't changing gears), its to make the car shift much faster. As a result, the engine is ever so slighty higher in the power band when you change gears. BTW, what was difficult with the install? The only hard parts I found were tryingto get the harness to come down completely (it never did) and holding the VB by myself while trying to reinstall.

 

4 gears Vs. 5 gears. That's reason enough. (why do you think that a 6spd sounds so inviting?)

 

i still think its pointless to install one of these unless you have a couple of mods. Cause then you have a hard shifting tranny on a bone stock car, lol!

Ant

 

Uh, the ACTUAL reason the VB was put out wasn't to improve track times, it was to extend the life of the tranny. Since the shifts are shorter, the clutches do not slip as long, therefore less heat. Less heat=slower tranny breakdown. The track time improvements are nice though.

 

Hehe sounds good man.
just wait until you get a torque converter

 

It wasnt a hard install just tedious. I was trying to be real clean, perhaps a bit too much. I had never been in a auto before, the instructions were great. I just took my time. The other end of the harness was a PIA to remove from the bracket on the other side of the trans mount, but this had to be done so it would come out.

Mike, keep in mind that you rode in my car just before we took yours for the first test. Once you get your SC in I'm sure you will appreciate the VB a little more.

 

Glad to hear you like the VB. You'll definitely need it for your SC or *BOOM*

 

You know, I feel a bit different about the VB now. I like it...I really, really like it.

Matt, yes I almost forgot that I rode in your car, maybe that's why I felt the car wasn't really moving. Now that I'm back in my car, I appreciate the VB more.


Like Matt said, the install wasn't hard as it was tedious. Sorry if I didn't clarify. And the "little things" that were a PIA such as the harness and the gasket thing.


The main reason why I got the VB wasn't to improve my track time(15.5)...lol, it was because it would be unwise to not have one when I get the supercharger install. However, if it will improve my track time, good, if not, oh well. I just want to make sure my tranny is safe to handle the supercharger, which it is now with the VB along with the tranny cooler.


So, I want to take any bad things I said about the VB. Auto guys: YOU NEED THIS!


With this VB, I am more confident if I race a 5spd car that has similiar power as mine. I say confident, I don't mean I'm all of a sudden thinking, "HA HA, 5spd guys, you better watch out!"

 

i want !!! i want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

www.mobiletek.net
www.levelten.com

 

im glad you are happy with the vb.im looking on getting this also because it supposed to lengthen the life of the tranny. i want my max to last as long as possible. also im planning on a sc by next summer.i thought don was all backed up. how long did it take you to get your vb?

Len.

 

http://www.txchange.com/transgo.htm



Actually, what's so bad about trans-go huh ! Maybe it doesn't have the cool name "Mobiletek" or "LevelTen", but it's 1/4th and 1/7th the price of them.

It's pretty tempting...

 

http://www.txchange.com/transgo.htm



Actually, what's so bad about trans-go huh ! Maybe it doesn't have the cool name "Mobiletek" or "LevelTen", but it's 1/4th and 1/7th the price of them.

It's pretty tempting...

 

Too hard to do. Easy to screw up.

 

Yea dude but AAMCO would install it ALL for me under WARRANTY for 180 bucks.

And it's all local! Would you have gone for it ?

 

Med, don't let Steves experience get ya down! (no offense steve, but I told ya it was hard!)
It's not that hard to do if your organized, but you have to be REALLY organized, and ready for what your about to do, which is completely disassemble a VB. Mine cost me $65 total to do, including the new filter, tranny fluid, and car lift fee, took me about 6 hours to do, but I was putting in part of my NOS at the same time, and taking my sweet time doing it. I think I could do one in about 3 hours or so now, from drain to fill up time. Now just to clarify, while I'm no car mechanic, I was a helicopter mechanic for 5 years, so I have the basic mech knowledge down, though I don't know how much it helped out here. There is no break down of the VB in the Haynes or Chilton manual, and the instructions that come with it really SUCK. I actually used the directions off of Don's site to remove and reinstall it, but taking it apart and modifying it, I was on my own. Does it speed up the shifts? Yes, quite a bit. While I have never had a ride or driven in an auto with Don's VB, I have heard that it shifts harder, which I believe, it just wasn't in my budget at the time. If I decide to keep my auto and not go to a 5 speed, I will probably purchase a Mobiltek VB at some point, but i think my tranny is much better off now with the transgo than with nothing at all. Just my $.02

 

Never. Read up on it, it is a POOR substitute. Having ridden in both a TransGo and Level 10 VB car, I can tell you, that there is quite a difference.

 

hey guys, I have an altima 99 SE
My mods are:

CAI, header, exhaust 2 1/4 mandrel bent, u/d pulley, plugs&wires
coming up: 75 shot NOS, already ordered will be installed this week

Unfortunately its an auto, I want to do the mobiltek vb upgrade and the protorque converter. I searched all over this site and heard what everyone had to say, also read the maxfaq. And I really like what I'm hearing.

How do I contact Don? Any phone number? Generally, how long is the down time?
Also, would anybody know if the tranny in an altima is the same as the maxima tranny? A reliable source told me that and I want to confirm it so I don't worry when I squeeze 75 shot. Thanks.

 

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lookie up there... there's a nice URL. check it out and email him

 

hehe, I know, I already visited mobiltek, level 10. I read everything on his website and emailed him too. But no response, that's a week ago. I'll try again, maybe he's busy or something.

oh, also, tranny cooler, does it fit on altima? are the 2 transmissions exactly the same?

 

It's definitely the gearing. I have an 97 GXE auto and BlkStnvalyMaxima has a 97 GXE 5 speed. We were coming home from the Pike late one night and we were the only ones on the highway so we played around a bit and my car just couldn't accelerate as quick as his car. By the time I got to 123mph from 80, he was over 130. Granted my car is stock and I have about 125pds of amps, a sub and the spare in my trunk and Mike has cold air and other stuff.

I think the gears in the auto(2, 3, 4) are a few teeth larger than the 5 speeds. It's just the way they pull that makes me believe this.

 

the email on mobiletek's web site no one ever responds to Don's email address is different.

 

On the heat issue I thought since the shifts were shorter, less time to rest, the fluid would be hotter? That is why they reccommend the tranny cooler. I still don't understand how this mod helps extend the life of the tranny????