4 Speed Rubbish...wa Help Please...

[NVT]

Hey Guys,

Had a bit of a look around for the question I'm going to ask, but couldn't find anything...

As you can tell from the title, I have a 2004 BA MKI T with the BTR 4 speed in it. What a shocking box this is...I wish I had of bought a ZF T...Oh well.

My Transmission is terrible at the moment. A few symptoms are below...

1) Takes ages to switch between R and D - It's not a firm shift, but sort of rolls into gear...

2) When driving tiptronically, going from 2 to 3 happens in 2 stages. First it gears up a little, then about half a second later, gears up a little more... Driving in D is ok if I drive quite slowly...

3) P mods is fine - never had a slip or anything and just feels tighter all around.

4) The gears all just feel quite "loose..."

It had a shocking tune in it from a Company that shall remain nameless...Unless it's still in my Sig hahahaha.

I want to know if you guys think the box just needs a service (Flush/New fluids) or if it needs a rebuild?

Where in WA do I go? Any recommendations or good experiences?

Thanks!

Dan

[straughsberry]

Firstly, they are a friggen decent 4 speed mate. They hold plent of good power if tuned correctly. If it generally feels slushy, your tuner probably stuffed up the trans settings in your tune.

1) Takes ages to switch between R and D - It's not a firm shift, but sort of rolls into gear...

They do that

2) When driving tiptronically, going from 2 to 3 happens in 2 stages. First it gears up a little, then about half a second later, gears up a little more... Driving in D is ok if I drive quite slowly...

The "gears up a little more" is the torque converter locking up. And never drive in D slowly, it ruins your box

3) P mods is fine - never had a slip or anything and just feels tighter all around.

That's good. I find my P mode quite wet and runny actually. The tightness will go away when you get a few years on it.

4) The gears all just feel quite "loose..."

Seriously, sounds like your tuner stuffed up edit.

The boxes are decent mate. As I said, tuned correctly they'll hold good power even standard. If it's never been serviced it's time to do one.

Edited 08/05/09 03:55 PM by straughsberry

[NVT]

Really mate? Doesn't sound bad then from your answer?

I thought they were a terrible box... This is the first car I have ever had that I've had Gb problems with... I've had about 6 or 7 cars... All I ever hear is that they are hit n miss, and that they die when stock... Sounds pretty average to me mate...

I have heard that they are a nice box when rebuilt with a nice stallie and such, but I don't really have the funds to be reuilding at the moment.

Everything used to be much more firm - All changes and it never hesitated between 2 and 3... You know when something changes - even a little - You seem to notice it so much more...

Does the torque converter kick in even when you're not booting the car? Should it be coming in when shifting at relatively low Revs? As in shifting at or before 2500?

I bought the car with the edit already done, and since I was new to it all, I loved the power and thought everything was fine, but after taking it to Simon, it wasn't as great as I thought...

I'll have to book myself in for a transmission flush and service. Thanks for your help mate!

Cheers,

Dan

Edited 08/05/09 04:59 PM by NVT

[bluprinturbo]

im with straughsberry.they are a great box if setup right.my shifts were stuffed up which gave the impression my box was to blame.had it rebuilt and found out it was the tuners stuffup.since had shift pressures done,not at original tuner mind you,and the box is hard as nails and the shifts are perfectly timed.the torque convertor locks up pretty low in the rev range on mine when I change into third.kind of feels like its hitting third twice.its normal.

id get a service using royal purple fluid and have a tuner set it up properly and youll be amazed.2-3 shift should feel the same as 1-2 shift.if it doesnt there is a problem and you should get it sorted asap.downside to this setup is that theres no progressive pressure in these boxes meaning that even if you coast along at 30kms it will still changes gears firmly.worth it though.

[ravenhard]

296kw here on a standard box, although all the gear changes have been firmed up. Been running that power for almost 12months and no dramas yet(knock on wood). I did get it serviced, new fluid and filters, but that is about it. I probably should get a tranny cooler which I guess is on my shopping list next.

[Panda Eyes]

yeah great boxes if tuned correctly. im running 320rwkw atm with a stock as a rock 4 speed. shifts firm, everytime. but eventually it WILL need to be rebuilt. they are just not designed to cope with 300+ rwkw forever.....

so if you buy an auto ba xr6t and want to mod it, start saving your pennies cause one day it'll fail. but a good rebuild will then last forever.

[turbotrana]

I'd say very good box if you know how to set it up.

Maybe the rookies who did the tune didn't help the situation by not really knowing what needs to be done.

Remember the Expensive Daewoo 3sp Trimatic that used to be nicknamed Traumatic. That had a bad rep also but now they have that box behind 500hp machines.

[bjc]

I also have the hesitation or what sounds like the convertor flaring from 2-3, but after hearing it on some recent quarter mile videos on here I am satisfied that its reasonably normal and still ok.

I have no tread on the tyres atm so that is my weak point also, plus I dont drag my car which I seriously want to now as it looks like too much fun...

[Bender]

2) When driving tiptronically, going from 2 to 3 happens in 2 stages. First it gears up a little, then about half a second later, gears up a little more... Driving in D is ok if I drive quite slowly...

The "gears up a little more" is the torque converter locking up. And never drive in D slowly, it ruins your box

What do you mean dont drive in D slowly? What do you call slowly?

And if you're not in D, are you saying you should drive it tiptronically?

[our06t]

mine has been rebuilt but that was before I learned how to drive the 4spd properly , and had it tuned properly

they are not a drag box and on the other hand they don't like being laboured around ,ie if you are running around town and mostly under 80 km just keep it flicked over in 3spd perf mod ,only really hit 4th when you're cruisin on the freeway or over 80km , even then I flick it back over to 3spd if I see a decent hill

and use the box if your goin to put the boot in and you know it's goin to want change down a gear knock it back a gear before you boot it ,it's much easier on the box than getting slammed with massive torque at the same time as it's changin gears

Edited 10/05/09 06:09 AM by our06t