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How To: Transgo Jr. Shift Kit

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90K views 105 replies 49 participants last post by  Stroked06Goat  
#1 · (Edited)
Okay, I know this to has been done to death but thought I would just give another one to demonstrate how easy this kit is to install to compliment all of the other similar threads out there.

Here is how the Transgo Jr. SK comes packaged.
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Drain the transmission fluid. Before dropping the transmission pan get a large drip pan, large cookee sheet or a actual transmission drain pan like shown here. The point is to have something larger than the transmission pan itself. Once the pan is removed trans. fluid will rain down until the process is completed and the pan reinstalled.
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Pull the internal filter down out of its bore. This may require some slight twisting and walking it out of the bore/seal.
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This is what you should be looking up at.
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While the internals are dripping off I took a few minutes to clean the pan. You can see there is minimal sludge in the pan which is perfectly normal. Actually a little more than this is actually normal, my transmission only has 80k miles on it and this is the second time I have serviced it in the 5 years and 25k miles that I have owned it.
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You will get a little more sludge off of the magnet but not much. What you don't want to see is metal peices. That would be bad.
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The pan gaskets are reusable to a point. This is only the pans first time off so I chose to clean it up and reuse it. The filter kits run about $53.00 for the filter and gasket vs. only about $33.00 for just the filter. I chose to just purchase a replacement filter.
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Now back under the truck. Disconnect all of the wiring from the solenoids and the PSM. Be very careful with the locking tabs on these connectors as they tend to get brittle over time and throughout many heat cycles. There are two small wire retainers that need to be temporarily removed to move the wiring harness out of the way. Remove these two wire clips, move the wiring harness and reinstall the two wire clips. These hold solenoids into the valve body and you could drop and lose or damage them if they fall out.
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Reinstall them once the wiring harness has been removed.
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Carefully move the wiring harness out of the way. Be careful to not use force and merely use something to hold it back out of the way. I use a bungee cord to loosely hold it against the exhaust pipe without pulling or tugging on the wires themselves.
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Personally I don't like to have a trail of oil across my shop floor so rather than remove the valve body and hurry across to the bench I have a large pan ready to set the valve body into it. This way I can carry it to the bench and use the same drip pan to perform my work on the valve body and prepare it for reinstallation.
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I prefer to break all of the bolts loose on the valve body while it is still held firmly in the transmission. This is much easier than just removing the ones holding the valve body to the transmission case and then chasing the valve body around the bench while trying to remove the remainder that hold the two halves of the valve body together. Once all of the bolts are broken loose I remove only the bolts that hold the valve body assembly to the transmission so it doesn't fall apart before I am ready for it to.

I leave this bolt until last and remove it when I have ahold of the valve body.
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There is a small pin right here on the shift comb where it attached to the manual shift valve. Be careful to not damage or loose this small pin. Once the last bolt is removed from the valve body, wiggle or walk the valve body off of the dowel pins and turn to disengage this pin from the shift linkage/comb.
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Better view of the pin in previous picture.
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To be continued in the next post.

Mike.
 
#67 ·
I just installed the Trans Go Jr kit on my 08 LMM. I double and triple checked everything, cleaned everything, deburred everything, no missing parts, everything is in the correct place and torqued down. Did the cooler and lines at the same time. I am now getting P0700 and P0877 codes. The transmission will sometimes not work at all, sometimes default to 3rd gear and I don't know what's going on. Cleared the codes, felt the transmission "reset" with a thud. Drove it for a bit (still defaulted in 3rd) and the codes keep coming back. Did I do something wrong? Am I missing something? Only thing I noticed, was a pinched oring on my valve body pressure switch, which was around the raised little tower looking piece. Could that cause my issues?
 
#68 ·
I haven't run across that personally but the P0700 is limp mode and the P0877 is the pressure sensor code. I would suspect you have an issue with either the internal mode switch, pressure switch or a shorted or open wire in the electrical.

Double check to ensure all of the wires are properly seated in the plug on the trans and at the internal connections. If one of them is slightly dislodged from the connector it will be an open circuit.

Mike.
 
#76 ·
i just bought the kit and putting it on my tranny with 180k miles. transmissions are the only thing in a vehicle that scare me. i own a lot of tools for mechanizing but do i need anything special? looks like through the thread to have an extra socket for the pan but nothing else jumped out skimming through. looking forward to smother quicker shifts
 
#77 ·
Might want to have an extra 1/8" drill bit in case the tip snaps off your bit (the one included in the kit) like it did mine.
 
#80 ·
sub'd
Thanks for the write up, diving in this weekend.
 
#83 ·
I got my kit and trans go steel shift valves because i'm getting code p0872 in my 5 speed lly and its in limp mode. I have already replaced the psm and that didn't cure it so we will see what happens. Never dug into an Allison before but we will see what happens.
 
#84 ·
I think the 5 speeds take the full transgo kit not the transgo jr.
 
#85 ·
The one I actually have to pull it to do?? got it on ebay and talked to trans go and they said they sell it but just listed as sk. Honestly both kits look identical just basically upgrading trim valves and opening up fluid passages from my gathering.
 
#89 ·
Apparently you can install the one you have that's for the 6 speed but it will not give you that much of an improvement.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/#/topics/326877?page=1

For the 5 speed you need the Allison SK kit that requires dropping the transmission to install.

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I'm sure you can easily sell the only you have on here.
 
#90 ·
Apparently you can install the one you have that's for the 6 speed but it will not give you that much of an improvement.

Diesel Place : Chevrolet and GMC Diesel Truck Forums - Duramax Diesel Discussion Forums

For the 5 speed you need the Allison SK kit that requires dropping the transmission to install.

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I'm sure you can easily sell the only you have on here.
when you say not much of an improvement what exactly do you mean by that like is it worth it to install it or is it better to just do my shift valves to fix my P0872 code and try to recoup my money on the shift kit. Also since im going to have it apart to fix my stuck e shift valve is their anything else I need to upgrade it. I need this truck going since winter hit and I need the 4x4. I really debating on the 6 speed conversion vb or a built one but no clue when that would be if I do it but I know it won't be for quite a while. So I guess you can say looking to nip any future issues of the tranny in the butt early on but also on a time crunch to get it done so I don't have to keep leaving my fiancée stuck at the house in case something happens.
 
#91 ·
Well i replaced my shift valves and it was actually pretty easy. Would have been easier in a lit floored shop instead of outside on the snow covered ground in a stock height pickup. Although word of warning definitely be careful plugging the solenoids back in i had a stubborn one and decided to use a little more force now im waiting on replacement solenoids to finish it off.
 
#92 ·
Ok is there a way to somehow install something wrong. My manual shift detent didnt fall in the grove but i had to put it in 4x4 to park it where i could work on it. Now after adding fluid it wont get out of park. Im sure its something with that detent but is their a way to fix that without draining fluid and pulling pan.
 
#95 ·
Mine i just drove it normal after the install honestly keeping close to those recommendations. The relearn will adapt to your driving. Just try not to do many transients (quick on and off the throttle). Try to keep it steady as possible, and as you are coming down to a stop let the tranny do its thing. If you are on and off the throttle slowing down will give confusing info and will take a bit longer to get where it needs to be. My experience there were no issues.

EDIT: the fast relearn the dealer will do i believe is faster as it clears the current info, rather than interpolating from current data. I think that is how i read anyway. Good luck and burn tires!
 
#96 ·
I highly recommend you get someone to do a fast re-learn for sure.
 
#100 ·
I use HPT for everything but, note that thread in the HPT forum is for the 6speed gm auto for gas motors, trucks and cars. 6lxx. Their support for Duramax or Allison is lackluster which is well known. I just like the software so i use it anyway.
My truck i did not do a fast relearn after the transgo jr. I just drove it normal and smoothly with minimal transients, and works well. I am always playing with the tune and it adapts just fine to the new power level.