Lentech Street Cruiser Valve Body - HARD shifting

[CaptainKRM]

I'm not sure how many people are using this valve body here, but I'll ask anyways. The overdrive upshift is hard. It slams the whole chassis like a kick in the ass. All other shifts are superb, and super smooth the harder you have your foot into the throttle. Chirps the tires between 1-2 and 2-3. In fact the overdrive upshift is great if i'm at wide open throttle. Otherwise i cringe at about 40 to 45 mph and await the POW.

I guess the question is, why is it so damn hard? Did I do something wrong? Transmission is a wide angle built model with the 4R70 guts. I'm worried about ripping something up in terms of driveshaft or yoke or something.

[88grandmarq]

call Lentech and discuss it with them.
I had problems with mine when I first got it, they took it back and re-calibrated it.

[gadget73]

Did you order one calibrated for the wide ratio? It does make a difference in some places. Best bet would be to call them about it though. Chirping tires sounds like all of the shifts are way too harsh if you ask me. Smacking gears hard enough to break the tires loose does bad things to the driveline. Just ask the motor mounts on my pickup truck.

[CaptainKRM]

i told the Lentech rep exactly what I was doing - explorer motor, wide ratio AOD, 3.73 rear gear and the 2400 stall speed. it only chirps the tires if I'm flooring it. if i am just cruising, it will shift 1/2 and 2/3 fine. but overdrive slams hard unless I'm really gunning it, then its smooth. can't be out there flooring it all the time

i have to say the rep i talked to up there was a true hardass when i placed the order. he was giving me a hard time for "only" buying the street cruiser and really tried to upsell me on the terminator pack and ditching overdrive. i hope i can get someone reasonable on the phone tomorrow. i'm not looking to break a driveshaft yoke or joint, etc.

[Archangel]

All AODs have a tendency to slam into OD when equipped with modified valve bodies - it's my understanding this is due to the fact that in 3rd and OD the converter is effectively bypassed and the transmission and engine are directly coupled together, so when the OD band applies the converter cannot act as a fluid dampener like it does in 1st and 2nd gear.

[torquelover]

All AODs have a tendency to slam into OD when equipped with modified valve bodies

I know of one that doesn't :smirk:

[Archangel]

Does it have the single- or dual-shaft converter tho?

[torquelover]

Does it have the single- or dual-shaft converter tho?

Had a dual shaft converter, of course. You'll have to ask Mikey about what's happening now, though.

[Mercracer]

The street valve body is not meant to be shifted into OD or out of OD under power. I have talked to Len face to face in the staging lanes at the World Ford Challenge when it was in St Louis. We were both in Open Comp Class.

[torquelover]

The street valve body is not meant to be shifted into OD or out of OD under power.

So, is it recommended to keep it in 3rd manually until one desires OD? Or do you have to feather the throttle when the trans is left to shift for itself before going into OD? Not too desirable for a DD IMHO, unless I am mistaking you.

[Mercracer]

You have an electronic OD switch which you disengage when you wish to shift into OD and you engage when you wish to go back to drive. You lift the throttle when you shift. It is definitely an extra pain to use, but worth it for a street/strip car. If you are not using the vehicle on the strip, or not really hammering it with a strong engine, there is no reason to go with the Lentech valve body in the first place.

[CaptainKRM]

You have an electronic OD switch which you disengage when you wish to shift into OD and you engage when you wish to go back to drive. You lift the throttle when you shift. It is definitely an extra pain to use, but worth it for a street/strip car. If you are not using the vehicle on the strip, or not really hammering it with a strong engine, there is no reason to go with the Lentech valve body in the first place.

i would have stuck with a stock valve body, but there were so many complaints about the shift points being all wrong on a wide ratio AOD and needing something better. just trying to cover all my bases. i do intend to cam it eventually, so i suppose i can adjust my driving habits as needed. is there any potential real damage I can do keeping it in?