mitch@jc'sCTD

I want more hp for my truck but dont have a ton of money to blow to do it so any ideas? please let me know.

gunracer1

sliding the plate is free, timing can be free, grinding the plate can be free. do some searches on what i posted and you will be amazed how much hp you can get fro free. but as i tell so many people, power is cheap, holding cost some bucks.

Forrest Nearing

grind the plate, but realize that you aren't going to be able to do much without addressing the tranny...

Forrest

mitch@jc'sCTD

What should be done so my tranny will hold up and how much do these kind of things run?

Forrest Nearing

start saving... the closer you get to $4500, the better!

mitch@jc'sCTD

So what needs done converter, shift kit, what?

Forrest Nearing

yes, yes, etc.

Tmc243

Depends on how much HP you want to make. With the right shift kit (and or valve body) and a good TQ, you should be able to get up to into the mid 300's safely, if your not trying to do full throttle launchs, also depends on if you tow and how much you tow. I've wasted more time and money on my transmission than anything else on my truck. By wasted I mean had to go back and redo some stuff. Talk to several for the major trans. rebuilders (dtt, ats, suncoast, goerend bro) tell them what you plan on doing with your truck. I've gotten the best advise and parts from Dave at Goerend Bros. and strongly recommend calling him, seemed willing to work within my budget. Power wise do like gunracer1 and Forrest Nearing said timing, new plate & or grinding yours, also you need to get more air into the engine scotty 2 or afe. Good Luck and have a Merry Christmas (maybe some help there with parts)

infidel

Nothing's free. Unless you are feeling lucky any hp increases without at least a pyro gauge can turn into an expensive new engine.

mitch@jc'sCTD

So what brands of shift kit and converter are good and what are the valve body and what is the stock timing set at do you want it at 17?

gwhammy

I slid my friends 97 auto plate full forward this summer. Trans is holding so far but he always lets off for the convertor to lock in. Just sliding the plate really helped him. Once you drive a good trans for awhile you won't go back to stock. Good luck

Forrest Nearing

he's already slid his plate

moki210

FORGET THE PLATE TAKE IT OUT.

John_P

mitch@jc'sCTD:

The other members have given you some good advice! I would like to add that
you can purchase a good shift kit from "TST Products" in Columbus, Indiana for
less than $100.00. If you are interested, their phone number is: (812) 342-6741.

I ran just a shift kit with higher line pressure in my 1996 Dodge CTD after I
initially purchased it and believe it or not the stock tranny lasted to 98,000
miles! You may have alot more miles than I had though and my concern for
you would be "what type of shape is your stock transmission in?" I had
about 300 H.P. with my truck at the time. I now have an ATS TripleLok
Stage V Transmission in my 96' and as the other members pointed out
you will be looking at an easy $4,000.00+ for that one or any of the "upper
end" units from DTT, Suncoast or Goerend. An alternative is to get something
"in between" the stock unit and the high end stuff and I understand Dave
Goerend would be good to talk to! At one point I had a "Pro-Torque"
Converter and had very good luck with it. They run about $600.00.

You asked about brands on shift kits. One of the most popular is the "TransGo
Shift Kit" Dunrite makes one called the "TransBuddy" and Scheid Diesel also has
their own unit. Here are some numbers for you on those:

Scheid Diesel: 1-800-669-1934 (Ask for Brian Koester)
Dunrite: (971) 244-0401

On the timing of your 12 valve engine a good place to start is around 16.
See how the truck runs, and you can adjust from there.

Good luck!

-----------
John_P

CarlJensen

I had the same problem with mine, I needed something better but was low bucks. I ended up putting in a TC from Axiom auto in Rancho Cucamonga out here with there upgraded valve body. Not up to Gorend or ATS but it had a heavier clutch set up and a billet back plate with much better shifts and higher line pressure. When it gets weak maybe I will be able to foot the bill for something better.