What's in a valve body upgrade?

***midiwall*** · 02-24-2004, 04:30 PM

So...

I'm curious as to what's done in a tranny valve body upgrade. My real curiosity is what it is that costs $475 (IPT) or $680 from Level 10.

The only thing I've found in a search is a mention of springs being replaced, so this cost seems high considering there's my time to pull the valve body, a bunch of tranny fluid, express shipping out and back, my time to put it back together, and that you have to be without your rig for a good amount of time.

Transdude, I'm not picking on you (or anyone from the Level 10 folks) it's more of that I think I'm missing the tangible. If I'm looking to spend $$$ on a bumper, shocks, wheels, tires, etc. then I can hold it in my hand and determine if I think the item is worth the cost.

Is the cost of doing this based on us paying back the research costs?

It's "okay" if so... I just want to know how this is priced out.

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data · 02-24-2004, 04:52 PM

Check out Gadgets site. He might have some info under the tranny section..

http://www.gadgetonline.com/Transmission.htm

Mad Chemist · 02-24-2004, 09:00 PM

Mark,

From what I gathered (from Gadget's site), it's a means of avoiding thrashing the tranny due to the increased HP from a supercharger. Despite the tuning you've done, do you think you're in a range where you have to be worried?

***midiwall*** · 02-24-2004, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Chemist

Mark,

From what I gathered (from Gadget's site), it's a means of avoiding thrashing the tranny due to the increased HP from a supercharger. Despite the tuning you've done, do you think you're in a range where you have to be worried?

Oh that's right! You don't know about the S/C and the nitrous system I added!

(kidding)

Good point David. I've been through Gadget's site many times, as well as searching the forum. I understand what the end result of doing the upgrade is - I understand that it increases the fluid pressure in the tranny thus allowing for quicker/firmer shifts. The plates are also held together with more force for less slippage, and I think this is where the ability to handle more horsepower comes from.

My issue is not understanding what I'm paying upwards of $600 for (475 + express shipping two ways + tranny fluid). My only clue to this was a message that Chris (ravencr) once left here talking about IPT. He infers that the changes to the VB were springs and a larger jet to allow more fluid pressure. If that's what's going on for $600, then I'm really confused as to why there isn't a $100 kit that I can install myself. Again, _if_ that's all there is, then it seems that all the labor costs are on my side, so I can't see there being $400 worth of labor charges involved ($475-75).

Past that, here's my line of thinking as to why I'm asking this now...

I know that at some point I'll cave in and get a S/C - probably this summer. But, I'll hold true to my word and not do it unless I can afford to do the all the mods that are required to make it work right - i.e., fuel and the VB upgrade.

I understand the fuel issues, and I don't have a problem adding the cost of a fuel pump and injectors into my real cash outlay. So it's the cost of the VB that I'm trying to get my head around. I understand the requirement to have it done, I don't understand why it costs so much.

Thanks man.

Mad Chemist · 02-24-2004, 10:01 PM

[quote=midiwall]Oh that's right! You don't know about the S/C and the nitrous system I added!

You had me going there for a second! I was wondering if you had watched the Fast and Furious last night on the television and gotten a little too excited...

Sounds like you've got everything thought out pretty well. I'm starting to feel like I haven't been spending enough money on mods lately, I better get my act together! BTW- Jessica and I *should* be moving into a rental house in a couple of weeks, so the garage is open to you if you need a space to work.

***midiwall*** · 02-24-2004, 10:06 PM

HAHAAHHA!!!

Thanks man... I can help you undo that winch when I'm over.

(then of course you can help me lift the bumper back into place so I don't have to stress my back like you did!

)

tomstin · 02-25-2004, 05:12 AM

Hopefully Transdude will weight in on this topic, but here is my 2 cents. The valve body itself is modified to permit increased fluid pressures and along with new springs, shortens the time it takes to shift, thus reducing the wear on the clutch packs. I had mine done at Level 10 about a year ago before we found out about Transdude's shop. I ended up removing the Level 10 springs because the shifts were a bit too firm for my daily driver.

With the supercharger installed, you will really notice the slow, soft shifts of the A/T. This slow shift increases clutch wear dramatically. With the V/B upgrade, there is no lag, quick, crisp shifts, therefore less wear and tear on the A/T. Add a ATF cooler and synthetic ATF and you will protect your investment.

It's fun to chirp the tires from first to second...and sometimes second to third!

Dr. Zhivago · 02-25-2004, 05:37 AM

If you had bought a manual transmission to begin with, you wouldn't have needed to spend $600 to be able to chirp the tires from First to Second...

G

MTL_4runner · 02-25-2004, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midiwall

So...

I'm curious as to what's done in a tranny valve body upgrade. My real curiosity is what it is that costs $475 (IPT) or $680 from Level 10.

The only thing I've found in a search is a mention of springs being replaced, so this cost seems high considering there's my time to pull the valve body, a bunch of tranny fluid, express shipping out and back, my time to put it back together, and that you have to be without your rig for a good amount of time.

Transdude, I'm not picking on you (or anyone from the Level 10 folks) it's more of that I think I'm missing the tangible. If I'm looking to spend $$$ on a bumper, shocks, wheels, tires, etc. then I can hold it in my hand and determine if I think the item is worth the cost.

Is the cost of doing this based on us paying back the research costs?

It's "okay" if so... I just want to know how this is priced out.

Hey Mark,

I hope John sets us straight but here is what I got from someone else who did the upgrade already and he mentioned that yes, there were some regulator springs that were replaced. So yes, if that was all there was I agree it should be cheaper. I believe there was also some machining done to the valve body itself...which is why you need to send the entire valvebody to him. I think there were 3 fluid passages which need to be drilled out to 9/32" to allow for the crisper shifts. There are also a bazillion little checkballs in the valvebody so be very careful when you take it out. When he sends it back to you, he will put them all back in place with some assembly lube to prevent them from dropping out during the install.

Part of the value john offers as well is that he personally stands behind his work so if anything goes wrong, you are not on your own and you know the machining was done correctly. Not worth saving some bucks...only to screw up an $800 valvebody. He can also help if the performance was not what you expected, other problems with shifting or etc occur. At the price of about $400 I think it is still money well spent unless you really know what you are doing.

Just my thoughts on it tho.

***midiwall*** · 02-25-2004, 10:24 AM

Thanks Jamie... For the first time in the year I've been looking at this, the cost is making sense.

MTL_4runner · 02-25-2004, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midiwall

Thanks Jamie... For the first time in the year I've been looking at this, the cost is making sense.

I would love to document exactly what was done for posterity.
Glad I could help anyway.

***midiwall*** · 02-25-2004, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTL_4runner

I would love to document exactly what was done for posterity.
Glad I could help anyway.

I just PM'd John and asked him to come comment. Hopefully we'll finally know what really goes on!

I certainly don't want him to expose any trade secrets, just a better undestanding of time and parts.

MTL_4runner · 02-25-2004, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midiwall

I just PM'd John and asked him to come comment. Hopefully we'll finally know what really goes on!

I certainly don't want him to expose any trade secrets, just a better undestanding of time and parts.

Great minds think alike!!! I PM'd him too.

Anyway, I am not trying to kill his business at all (in fact I want to see just the opposite!!!), just to have him explain to us where the costs are allocated (ie labor / parts and what is being replaced, modified, etc). I know myself that I always like to know exactly what is done to my truck so if I need to troubleshoot it, I am well informed (that's just the engineer in me!). The shift kits have been around for a long time (no secrets there) and doing these mods can be applied to most vehicles with auto transmissions (obviously not exactly the same for each tranny) except the CVT style ones. The tranny is a basic system of band clamps and a fluid coupler (way simplified there!).

Even if I did know how to do all the mods and had the parts and equipment I would still prefer to have him do the work and guarantee it for me. More of a piece of mind than anything else for me anyway. I used to do the same and go to the dealer to have all the work done on my truck....they screwed it up too many times so now I don't trust them.....so now I have to do all my own maintenance again. Trust is tough to come by especially in the auto repair biz and to me that is the real value added there!!!

Transdude · 02-25-2004, 06:06 PM

Hi All,

It seems that the questions which are being asked are why does a modified valve body cost what it does? And what is done?

As far as what physically is done to a valve body to modify it, I'm not willing to go into much specific detail. Let's suffice it to say that there is a cleaning and inspection process, recalibration of some of the spring rates, resizing of some orifices, modification to certain hydraulic circuits, and in some models there is a revision in valve spool diameters.

Regarding the costs of a valve body modification, I will make no bones about the fact that much of the cost is associated with the amount of hours of development that were needed, and still needs to be done as new variations arise.

There were many long days where a valve body needed to be removed 6 and 7 times before we were able to get the results that we were looking for. Unfortunately, mathematical calculations and the application of hydraulic theory only gets you in the ball park when it comes to this.

Also, keep in mind that each valve body that we do is customized to the specific vehicle that it is being installed into, and to an extent, the preferences of the customer.

In addition to this, there is the direct labor cost that is involved, those of you who have installed your own shift kits will probably agree that it can be a little time consuming.

Please understand that we are not selling a bag of springs and an instruction sheet, we are selling our technology and the results that the finished product will produce.

-John

***midiwall*** · 02-25-2004, 06:30 PM

Cool.

Thanks John, that's what I wnated to know. Like I said way up top, there was a post here a while back that made it sound like the upgrade was just a couple of springs.

I fully understand the milling costs, and the right to recoup your time investment.

You'll get my money as soon as I can get it together.

Mark

MTL_4runner · 02-25-2004, 07:25 PM

Thanks for the clarification.....future customer here too!

4-RUNNIN' FREAK · 06-21-2004, 03:20 PM

What about another group buy?

Transdude · 06-23-2004, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4-RUNNIN' FREAK

What about another group buy?

Where exactly are you located? I see that you say 10 minutes from Manhatten in NJ.

-John

4-RUNNIN' FREAK · 06-27-2004, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Transdude

Where exactly are you located? I see that you say 10 minutes from Manhatten in NJ.

-John

In NNJ.

4-RUNNIN' FREAK · 06-27-2004, 05:46 PM

If TRANSDUDE can offer a group buy, are there any takers out there right now besides me?

saigon1965 · 06-27-2004, 06:52 PM

I am in for the group buy. How many do we need?

4-RUNNIN' FREAK · 06-27-2004, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saigon1965

I am in for the group buy. How many do we need?

I don't even know if he'll offer it. I will e-mail him again and ask. I guess he has to know people are interested. I am hoping to get up there sometime this week to get mine done since I am having the URD kit installed.
......Transdude......If you see this again, let us know if you can offer a group buy, thanx. BTW, I am the one who e-mailed you with the hedge trimmer to the leg accident ... that I would like to get it done while out from work, and if I can drive over to you or make an appointment.

***midiwall*** · 06-27-2004, 10:00 PM

I need to have the work done, but I just can't handle the cashflow right now.

Transdude · 06-28-2004, 02:33 AM

I am not able to do a group buy because:

A) I'm already MUCH less expensive than anyone else who is doing the modification and

B) It wouldn't be fair to everyone else here who paid the regular price for the upgrade.

-John

Transdude · 06-29-2004, 03:13 AM

Getting back to the subject of the thread, I had posted this elsewhere to give a partial explanation of what goes on in a valve body modification:

"As you know, the Toyota 340 series of transmissions are generally very well made and demonstrate excellent durability in unmodified applications. The framework is present for an extremely strong transmission that is to be used for a performance application.

The problem is that the original calibration is engineered for driver comfort rather than ultimate strength. The soft, sliding shifts that are part of the original design are not appropriate for increased horsepower applications, towing, off road, racing, etc. These calibration inadequacies quickly manifest themselves as extremely poor shift quality, and more often than not, severe damage to the gear box is soon to follow.

Without going into too much technical detail, the factory shortcomings can be addressed through modification and recalibration of the control valve assembly, a.k.a. the valve body.

The valve body is a component that is comprised of valves, solenoids, an orifice plate and an intricate series of passages- it is the most complex part of the most complex part of a vehicle- the automatic transmission.

The function of the valve body is to act as the "brain" of the automatic transmission- it directs hydraulic pressure to the appropriate clutches and bands at the right time to initiate upshifts, down shifts, reverse, converter clutch application, etc. As well as controlling shift timing and shift quality, it is also responsible for directing hydraulic pressure to the cooler and the lubrication circuit.

As you can imagine, the transmission's operation can be drastically altered and also customized to the application through modifications to this component. We have been working with these transmissions for many years. Most of our development work has been done on the Toyota Supra, which uses a slightly different configuration of this same transmission. Our modified 340 transmissions are out there handling up to about 700 horsepower and the main reason that this is possible is because of the modifications to the valve body that we have developed.

When someone with a 4Runner had found us through the Supra community, we began working on modifications that were more appropriate for Toyota trucks- especially those that were needing to handle the additional power that accompanies the installation of a supercharger. The results were very favorable and we have become probably the main source of modified valve bodies among 4Runner and Tacoma owners.

At the risk of oversimplification, there are a few things that are done in concert to create much more favorable operation of the gearbox.

The first thing that needs to be done is to increase the hydraulic operating pressure of the transmission- this pressure is known as "line pressure". All hydraulic functions of the trans are based on this pressure- what is especially of concern, for these purposes, is the clamping force which is applied to the clutches and bands to get them to hold against engine torque. In simple terms, increased engine output is complemented by increased line pressure and increased "clamp" on the clutches- this can be likened to a performance clutch with a heavier spring in a manual transmission equipped vehicle.

The idea is to raise this pressure only slightly at light throttle but increase it by 30-40% at full throttle where it is needed. The effect of this is shifts that are not overly uncomfortable at lower throttle openings, but at heavy throttle, we can accomplish firm shifts with short clutch application time and increased clamping force.

An additional benefit of this is increased flow through the transmission cooler and lube system.

Secondly, hydraulic pressure is normally routed through an orifice in a metal "separator plate" that resides between the two halves of the valve body before it gets to its intended destination. By altering these orifices, we can increase the volume of hydraulic oil that is used to apply the various clutches and bands. This is where some customizing can be done for the given application, and to some degree, to customer preference.

The final part of modification is the alteration of the accumulator circuits. These are hydraulic circuits that are parallel to the components that are used for upshifting. Their function is to absorb or "accumulate" some of the hydraulic pressure that is intended to apply a clutch pack. By limiting the action of what is essentially a "shock absorber" for each upshift, we are able to further reduce clutch lock up time and shift lag at wide open throttle.

The end result is that shift time is reduced by 300 to 800%, depending on the customers preference regarding the amount of acceptable shift feel. The clamping force that is required to apply the clutches and bands is increased by 30 to 40% at full throttle. Flow through the cooler and lube circuit is increased and the converter clutch application time is also reduced".

-John

02-24-2004, 04:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
data Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,915	Check out Gadgets site. He might have some info under the tranny section.. http://www.gadgetonline.com/Transmission.htm __________________ 98 Limited 4x4, Rockstomper skid, Rockware Front bumper, Warn HS9500i, 1" RB BL, Tundra coils front & OME HD rear, Nuke quick discos, diff drop'd, 305/70/16 Baja Claws, Electric Locker, couple of battle scars, but nothing major :)

02-24-2004, 09:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mad Chemist Contributing Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,878	Mark, From what I gathered (from Gadget's site), it's a means of avoiding thrashing the tranny due to the increased HP from a supercharger. Despite the tuning you've done, do you think you're in a range where you have to be worried? __________________ -David '98 4Runner: SAW/OME lift, TJM bumper, Warn M8000 winch, Hayden tranny cooler, Trail Carnage front and belly skid plates, PIAA fogs, Rock lights, 33" MT's on Tech1 Rockcrawler rims, Lars sway bar discos, Sonoran bumpstops and rear bumper, RB 1" body lift, Daystar front bumpstops '73 FJ40: 327 SBC, York, Dual Batteries, custom tire carrier, Corbeau Baja SS bucket seats, Bestop top. TLCA#14428

02-24-2004, 10:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mad Chemist Contributing Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,878	[quote=midiwall]Oh that's right! You don't know about the S/C and the nitrous system I added! You had me going there for a second! I was wondering if you had watched the Fast and Furious last night on the television and gotten a little too excited... Sounds like you've got everything thought out pretty well. I'm starting to feel like I haven't been spending enough money on mods lately, I better get my act together! BTW- Jessica and I should be moving into a rental house in a couple of weeks, so the garage is open to you if you need a space to work. __________________ -David '98 4Runner: SAW/OME lift, TJM bumper, Warn M8000 winch, Hayden tranny cooler, Trail Carnage front and belly skid plates, PIAA fogs, Rock lights, 33" MT's on Tech1 Rockcrawler rims, Lars sway bar discos, Sonoran bumpstops and rear bumper, RB 1" body lift, Daystar front bumpstops '73 FJ40: 327 SBC, York, Dual Batteries, custom tire carrier, Corbeau Baja SS bucket seats, Bestop top. TLCA#14428

02-24-2004, 10:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
*midiwall* Sponsoring Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattleish, WA Posts: 9,078	HAHAAHHA!!! Thanks man... I can help you undo that winch when I'm over. (then of course you can help me lift the bumper back into place so I don't have to stress my back like you did! ) __________________ ~ Mark '96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

02-25-2004, 05:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
tomstin Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 170	Hopefully Transdude will weight in on this topic, but here is my 2 cents. The valve body itself is modified to permit increased fluid pressures and along with new springs, shortens the time it takes to shift, thus reducing the wear on the clutch packs. I had mine done at Level 10 about a year ago before we found out about Transdude's shop. I ended up removing the Level 10 springs because the shifts were a bit too firm for my daily driver. With the supercharger installed, you will really notice the slow, soft shifts of the A/T. This slow shift increases clutch wear dramatically. With the V/B upgrade, there is no lag, quick, crisp shifts, therefore less wear and tear on the A/T. Add a ATF cooler and synthetic ATF and you will protect your investment. It's fun to chirp the tires from first to second...and sometimes second to third! __________________ 2001 Tacoma SR5, V6 Auto, Perma-tech bed liner, Gaylord lid, Deck plate, Amsoil fluids, Hayden Trans cooler, Supercharger, Level 10 Valve Body, URD Fuel Mod, RAAMmat/Ensolite Sound Deadening

02-25-2004, 05:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Dr. Zhivago Away Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Beaverton, OR Posts: 1,589	If you had bought a manual transmission to begin with, you wouldn't have needed to spend $600 to be able to chirp the tires from First to Second... G

02-25-2004, 10:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
*midiwall* Sponsoring Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattleish, WA Posts: 9,078	Thanks Jamie... For the first time in the year I've been looking at this, the cost is making sense. __________________ ~ Mark '96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

02-25-2004, 06:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
Transdude Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 98	Hi All, It seems that the questions which are being asked are why does a modified valve body cost what it does? And what is done? As far as what physically is done to a valve body to modify it, I'm not willing to go into much specific detail. Let's suffice it to say that there is a cleaning and inspection process, recalibration of some of the spring rates, resizing of some orifices, modification to certain hydraulic circuits, and in some models there is a revision in valve spool diameters. Regarding the costs of a valve body modification, I will make no bones about the fact that much of the cost is associated with the amount of hours of development that were needed, and still needs to be done as new variations arise. There were many long days where a valve body needed to be removed 6 and 7 times before we were able to get the results that we were looking for. Unfortunately, mathematical calculations and the application of hydraulic theory only gets you in the ball park when it comes to this. Also, keep in mind that each valve body that we do is customized to the specific vehicle that it is being installed into, and to an extent, the preferences of the customer. In addition to this, there is the direct labor cost that is involved, those of you who have installed your own shift kits will probably agree that it can be a little time consuming. Please understand that we are not selling a bag of springs and an instruction sheet, we are selling our technology and the results that the finished product will produce. -John __________________ Owner, IPT Performance Transmissions IPT Performance Trans Join IPT's Mailing List

02-25-2004, 06:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
*midiwall* Sponsoring Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattleish, WA Posts: 9,078	Cool. Thanks John, that's what I wnated to know. Like I said way up top, there was a post here a while back that made it sound like the upgrade was just a couple of springs. I fully understand the milling costs, and the right to recoup your time investment. You'll get my money as soon as I can get it together. Mark __________________ ~ Mark '96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

02-25-2004, 07:25 PM	#16 (permalink)
MTL_4runner Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Montreal, QC Canada Posts: 8,807	Thanks for the clarification.....future customer here too! __________________ - Jamie 1996 4Runner SR5 4X4 Auto Deckplate Mod, Hayden Tranny Cooler, Amsoil Air Filter, OME 881/906 N86C/N91SC Lift Best OBD II scan tool I have used!. .....and I am AMERICAN!

06-21-2004, 03:20 PM	#17 (permalink)
4-RUNNIN' FREAK Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: NNJ Posts: 3,951	What about another group buy? __________________ '02 4Runner - '06 XRunner Breakdancing www.BadgeYourRide.com Check this out Multi-Touch Interaction Research http://mrl.nyu.edu/~jhan/ftirtouch/ Highest Xmax 6.5" subwoofer made Total Posts: 32,218 (75.35 posts per day) [/center] [/color] Still A Neon

06-27-2004, 05:46 PM	#20 (permalink)
4-RUNNIN' FREAK Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: NNJ Posts: 3,951	If TRANSDUDE can offer a group buy, are there any takers out there right now besides me? __________________ '02 4Runner - '06 XRunner Breakdancing www.BadgeYourRide.com Check this out Multi-Touch Interaction Research http://mrl.nyu.edu/~jhan/ftirtouch/ Highest Xmax 6.5" subwoofer made Total Posts: 32,218 (75.35 posts per day) [/center] [/color] Still A Neon

06-27-2004, 06:52 PM	#21 (permalink)
saigon1965 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hayward, CA Posts: 250	I am in for the group buy. How many do we need?

06-27-2004, 10:00 PM	#23 (permalink)
*midiwall* Sponsoring Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattleish, WA Posts: 9,078	I need to have the work done, but I just can't handle the cashflow right now. __________________ ~ Mark '96 4Runner Limited S/C MI - 370cc injectors, Air! horns, Airaid MIT, ATS A-arms, 285/75/R16 BFG MTs, Bored TB, Brembo slotted, Cobra 75 WXST, Deckplate, Downey headers, Hayden cooler, IPT valve body, Level 10 torque convertor, Meanstreak exhaust, OME/OME rears, On-board PC (XM, Nav, WiFi, etc), Port 'n Polish, Remote Start, SAW fronts, Hilux console, SMT-5, Stubb's sliders, Supra MAF, TJM-17, 2.0" pulley, Viair 450c, Walbro 190, Weasy2k cams

06-28-2004, 02:33 AM	#24 (permalink)
Transdude Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 98	I am not able to do a group buy because: A) I'm already MUCH less expensive than anyone else who is doing the modification and B) It wouldn't be fair to everyone else here who paid the regular price for the upgrade. -John __________________ Owner, IPT Performance Transmissions IPT Performance Trans Join IPT's Mailing List

06-29-2004, 03:13 AM	#25 (permalink)
Transdude Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 98	Getting back to the subject of the thread, I had posted this elsewhere to give a partial explanation of what goes on in a valve body modification: "As you know, the Toyota 340 series of transmissions are generally very well made and demonstrate excellent durability in unmodified applications. The framework is present for an extremely strong transmission that is to be used for a performance application. The problem is that the original calibration is engineered for driver comfort rather than ultimate strength. The soft, sliding shifts that are part of the original design are not appropriate for increased horsepower applications, towing, off road, racing, etc. These calibration inadequacies quickly manifest themselves as extremely poor shift quality, and more often than not, severe damage to the gear box is soon to follow. Without going into too much technical detail, the factory shortcomings can be addressed through modification and recalibration of the control valve assembly, a.k.a. the valve body. The valve body is a component that is comprised of valves, solenoids, an orifice plate and an intricate series of passages- it is the most complex part of the most complex part of a vehicle- the automatic transmission. The function of the valve body is to act as the "brain" of the automatic transmission- it directs hydraulic pressure to the appropriate clutches and bands at the right time to initiate upshifts, down shifts, reverse, converter clutch application, etc. As well as controlling shift timing and shift quality, it is also responsible for directing hydraulic pressure to the cooler and the lubrication circuit. As you can imagine, the transmission's operation can be drastically altered and also customized to the application through modifications to this component. We have been working with these transmissions for many years. Most of our development work has been done on the Toyota Supra, which uses a slightly different configuration of this same transmission. Our modified 340 transmissions are out there handling up to about 700 horsepower and the main reason that this is possible is because of the modifications to the valve body that we have developed. When someone with a 4Runner had found us through the Supra community, we began working on modifications that were more appropriate for Toyota trucks- especially those that were needing to handle the additional power that accompanies the installation of a supercharger. The results were very favorable and we have become probably the main source of modified valve bodies among 4Runner and Tacoma owners. At the risk of oversimplification, there are a few things that are done in concert to create much more favorable operation of the gearbox. The first thing that needs to be done is to increase the hydraulic operating pressure of the transmission- this pressure is known as "line pressure". All hydraulic functions of the trans are based on this pressure- what is especially of concern, for these purposes, is the clamping force which is applied to the clutches and bands to get them to hold against engine torque. In simple terms, increased engine output is complemented by increased line pressure and increased "clamp" on the clutches- this can be likened to a performance clutch with a heavier spring in a manual transmission equipped vehicle. The idea is to raise this pressure only slightly at light throttle but increase it by 30-40% at full throttle where it is needed. The effect of this is shifts that are not overly uncomfortable at lower throttle openings, but at heavy throttle, we can accomplish firm shifts with short clutch application time and increased clamping force. An additional benefit of this is increased flow through the transmission cooler and lube system. Secondly, hydraulic pressure is normally routed through an orifice in a metal "separator plate" that resides between the two halves of the valve body before it gets to its intended destination. By altering these orifices, we can increase the volume of hydraulic oil that is used to apply the various clutches and bands. This is where some customizing can be done for the given application, and to some degree, to customer preference. The final part of modification is the alteration of the accumulator circuits. These are hydraulic circuits that are parallel to the components that are used for upshifting. Their function is to absorb or "accumulate" some of the hydraulic pressure that is intended to apply a clutch pack. By limiting the action of what is essentially a "shock absorber" for each upshift, we are able to further reduce clutch lock up time and shift lag at wide open throttle. The end result is that shift time is reduced by 300 to 800%, depending on the customers preference regarding the amount of acceptable shift feel. The clamping force that is required to apply the clutches and bands is increased by 30 to 40% at full throttle. Flow through the cooler and lube circuit is increased and the converter clutch application time is also reduced". -John __________________ Owner, IPT Performance Transmissions IPT Performance Trans Join IPT's Mailing List

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