FTVB IS IN ????? - Diesel Forum

NCHornet · 03-11-2005, 03:17 PM

Today was truck day. Did the FTVB and also my CCV Mod finally went in. Click on my sig for pics of the CCV Mod. For those of you who said the FTVB or Sonnax is a messy job, you were not kidding!!!! The tip I got on spreading a piece of plastic out really helped. While I was at it, I went ahead and changed the tranny filter, even though it looked new after 13,000 miles, and switched over to Mobil One synthetic. Took it for a drive and 2nd-3rd was quick and snappy, I love it. 3rd-4tth was not quite as snappy, but still a huge difference over stock it was very quick. OD felt about the same as factory, just not as long and drawn out. 1st-2nd is where I have a question. It is really fast, but jerky. I mean it really jolts this big huge truck. I don't know if I can get use to it. I have a PM into Greg, but thought I would ask some of you, because I have read about this same issue from many of y'all. Is this something where the parts need to wear in a little and it will get less harsh (I doubt this to be the case, but thought I would ask). What can be done to correct this. Could it be from something I did on the installation, I followed the instructions to a "T". Could this be doing any damage to the tranny? I am leaving in 10 days to go camping towing my 65000 travel trailer and have some reservations about towing it. I know Greg makes a fine product and will do whatever needs to be done to make a customer happy, I am just wondering if some of y'all have had the same thing. I know I have read about Sonnax guys having this issue. Like I said the rest of the changes are awesome, big difference over that long drawn out mushy stock shift. I appreciate any help y'all can give me.
Thanks
Kevin

TheHammer69 · 03-11-2005, 07:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Today was truck day. Did the FTVB and also my CCV Mod finally went in. Click on my sig for pics of the CCV Mod. For those of you who said the FTVB or Sonnax is a messy job, you were not kidding!!!! The tip I got on spreading a piece of plastic out really helped. While I was at it, I went ahead and changed the tranny filter, even though it looked new after 13,000 miles, and switched over to Mobil One synthetic. Took it for a drive and 2nd-3rd was quick and snappy, I love it. 3rd-4tth was not quite as snappy, but still a huge difference over stock it was very quick. OD felt about the same as factory, just not as long and drawn out. 1st-2nd is where I have a question. It is really fast, but jerky. I mean it really jolts this big huge truck. I don't know if I can get use to it. I have a PM into Greg, but thought I would ask some of you, because I have read about this same issue from many of y'all. Is this something where the parts need to wear in a little and it will get less harsh (I doubt this to be the case, but thought I would ask). What can be done to correct this. Could it be from something I did on the installation, I followed the instructions to a "T". Could this be doing any damage to the tranny? I am leaving in 10 days to go camping towing my 65000 travel trailer and have some reservations about towing it. I know Greg makes a fine product and will do whatever needs to be done to make a customer happy, I am just wondering if some of y'all have had the same thing. I know I have read about Sonnax guys having this issue. Like I said the rest of the changes are awesome, big difference over that long drawn out mushy stock shift. I appreciate any help y'all can give me.
Thanks
Kevin

[/ QUOTE ]

I know i already answered your PM but the additional information in this post makes me want to think that you have one of the original FTVB's that was originally designed for the lightning. Those tend to have a harsh 1st gear and a soft overdrive shift when used in a diesel trans. Greg has a version that is designed for diesel use that softens up the 1-2 shift and firms up the 3-4. I think this may be your problem and could be a simple mistake of a lightning VB being placed in a diesel box. Was there a label for "diesel" any where on the box it came in?

Hammer

Superdutytd · 03-11-2005, 07:45 PM

Oh and btw i think 65,000 is a bit much to tow with your truck. Just kidding. But make sure its the diesel one and not the lightning ftvb. The L one is a bit faster on the 1-2.

NCHornet · 03-12-2005, 07:37 AM

No it was a diesel, Quick story about how awesome Gregs customer service is. I bought a FTVB out of a Lightining, from a poster on this site. Greg offered to re-tune it for me for FREE. I had the seller ship it to Greg. The next day Greg shipped me one for a diesel, without waiting for the other one to show up. Can you believe that, I was blown away. I am not worried at all about Gregg fixing the 1-2, if that is what I decide to do, I just wanted to know if y'all have expierienced the same thing. As long as I know it is not going to hurt my tranny I am going to take it on a family trip today, about 150 miles and see if I can get use to it. Thanks for your advice. Does anybody have greg's email address? If so please PM me with it. I have his home phone but I really don't want to bother him at home.
Kevin

4cstr · 03-12-2005, 08:09 AM

Kevin,

PM sent.

Dave

NCHornet · 03-12-2005, 06:44 PM

Thanks for the email address!!! Well after 175 miles I did learn some things. At WOT the shift is much better, no where near as sharp. To bad I don't drive like this all the time. I also think under a load it would be totally different. Just for me and my needs I need it less sharp. The way it shifts into all the other gears is awesome. I emailed Greg, although I hate to bother him, and asked if he could tune one so 1-2nd is more like 2-3rd. I know Greg will do whats needed to make me happy. I am not looking forward to dropping that thing again. I had ATF in my eyes, mouth and soaked my hair. I ended up paying the rental place 21.00 to rent a torque wrench, so today I went and bought one at Sears. I will need it next time I change the tranny filter anyway. I will let y'all know what happens. Thanks for all your help.

**Kanman** · 03-12-2005, 07:33 PM

Can you post the torque values and sequence if you get a chance. I am gonna do this pretty soon. I would hope this info would be included when i buy, but ya just never know.

Thanks
Aaron

WannabePSD · 03-12-2005, 10:55 PM

I'll post my positive experience with Gregg Evans as well....sorry for the hijack, but Gregg is a great person to deal with.

I wanted the FTVB and emailed Bob with some questions before I ordered. Well, this was when the hurricanes were hitting Florida last year real bad. Gregg had read a post on this board from me about how I could not get ahold of Bob @ Dieselsite.com. He emailed me and explained what was happening to Bob and told me he would send me a FTVB direct and I could square up with Bob once he got back up and running. Well, sure as the sun rises....I had a new FTVB on my doorstep in 3 days. No credit card number or nothing given to Gregg.

3 weeks later, I got a call from Bob, and I sqared up with him and sent my core back to him.

I don't know about you all, but that's how you do business. Very impressive.

Just my experience. BTW....the FTVB is AWESOME.

aLIN

NCHornet · 03-13-2005, 08:42 AM

Wanabe,
That is the same type of service I have expierenced. For the above post who asked about torque values. The directions say to start in the middle at work your way out in a criss cross pattern. the torque needs to be 80-100 inch pounds not ft. lbs. These torque wrenches can be hard to locate, because most people have the ft lbs. Even though 80-100 inch pounds = 6.6 ft lbs, don't use a ft lbs wrench on values this low, it will not be accurate. I ended up paying 21.00 to rent one. Now that I am going to have to tear it all apart again I went to Sears and bought one for $65.00, they were on sale this weekend. So now I will have one when I change the filter again. the pan bolts are suppose to be 144 inch pounds or 12 ft lbs. I hope this helps. Most of this is info I learned on this forum. THANKS Y'ALL!!!

Ggg6 · 03-13-2005, 08:36 PM

Hey Kevin THANKS for mentioning Sears had the torque wrenches on sale. I have been waiting for them to go on sale for some time now. I went there and sure enough they were on sale and in stock. Also they had a "friends and family" additional sale after 17:00 tonight so I got an extra 10% off of the sale price. Then the cashier tells me I can get another $10 or $15 off if I apply for a Sears card. So I did that too. I got that dang torque wrench for a little less then $45 [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img] Now thats what I'm talkin about.

NCHornet · 03-14-2005, 09:26 AM

Good deal,
hey I just wanted everyone to know that I talked to Greg and he is sending out a new valve body with a lighter shift from 1-2nd. Just another example of great customer service. I recommend him to everybody. Go read my post of Fake Valvebodies!!!!

NCHornet · 03-19-2005, 01:28 PM

Just wanted to updat y'all. I talked to Greg (email) and he sent me out another FTVB with tuned down 1-2nd shift and I just got done installing it and the results is awesome. I love the way my truck shifts now!!!!! Greg is an awesome guy to work with. I recommend him and his product to anybody. I can't wait to hook up the RV and hit the road!!!!

**reveye** · 03-20-2005, 08:16 PM

Funny thing. I just installed my FTVB and my trans temp went up 20 degrees above stock. Put the stock back in, trans temp went back down. I think my FTVB is going back.....

Rev

NCHornet · 03-21-2005, 07:51 AM

Before you give up on the FTVB give Gregg a call and see what he has to say. You can get a hold of him through Bob Riley. Are you sure you torqued everything just right because this is very important. You are the first I have heard that is unhappy with their FTVB, to the point of wanting to return it. Again call Greg, you may have other problems.

02f250psd · 03-21-2005, 09:56 AM

My tranny temps went down when I installed the FTVB. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] I only can hit the 140 mark when I am plowing snow or towing my mowing trailer during the summer months.