manual valvebody atx? can it be done

[92mtxsho]

so i got a race car with an atx in it and im in the process of putting a different motor in it, (a 3.0) just because i already have one, but was wondering if there is a halfway easy way of bypassing the wiring for the computer and making it a fully manual ahifting trans, kinda like you could on the old turbo 350's and 400's?

 

[firebat45]

If by halfway easy you mean halfway between easy and impossible, sure. IIRC the shifting in the ATX is just 3 solenoids, it should be possible to control them manually with the right kind of shifter, or make your own electronic control that triggers the appropriate solenoids.

 

[whiteguy3]

I don't see the point and I think it's nearly impossible. A correctly tuned ATX will shift faster than any other manual will. You can manually run 1st and 2nd gear and lockout 4th (or overdrive) if you want. I do most of my driving with the o/d off anyways.

 

[firebat45]

I don't see the point and I think it's nearly impossible. A correctly tuned ATX will shift faster than any other manual will. You can manually run 1st and 2nd gear and lockout 4th (or overdrive) if you want. I do most of my driving with the o/d off anyways.

If you shift the car into 1st, or 2nd, there's a lag before it actually shifts. A manual valve body will shift instantly. You're more open to breaking things, because there's no TCU to protect the tranny from mis-shifting, but that's the same problem with an MTX.

A properly set up ATX with a manual valve body is like driving an MTX that shifts instantly, perfectly, and without a need for a clutch. I can definitely see the point in that.

 

[92mtxsho]

maybe im asking the wrong question, for my races i only need 1st and 2nd gear, so i would just like it to stay in the gear that i want it to be in even if i am on the rev limiter in say 1st gear and let off. i have not raced this car yet so i would say im unfamilar with the atx so im just throwing ideas around, so if i have the gear selector in 2nd will it still downshift to 1st if under wot going say 25mph? or will it stay in 2nd?

 

[93rev2sev]

there are several different gear selectors out there. Usually, if I see a (2) on the gear selector, I assume that would lock out 1st gear but shift normally through the rest.

this is handy in the snow as 1st gear in the snow can be a little pointless.

 

[Brett]

id stop worrying about the transmission shifting and more about finding another 3.2 instead of a 3.0 in there unless that was a typo.

 

[92mtxsho]

id stop worrying about the transmission shifting and more about finding another 3.2 instead of a 3.0 in there unless that was a typo.

your exactly right, i just found out that it is not going to work, the main reason why it wont work is because there is not hole for the idler for the timing belt and the alternator brackets that bolt to the head will not work. looks like i may be swapping in a 5 speed.

 

[somedude_001]

maybe im asking the wrong question, for my races i only need 1st and 2nd gear, so i would just like it to stay in the gear that i want it to be in even if i am on the rev limiter in say 1st gear and let off. i have not raced this car yet so i would say im unfamilar with the atx so im just throwing ideas around, so if i have the gear selector in 2nd will it still downshift to 1st if under wot going say 25mph? or will it stay in 2nd?

I am assuming you have a ATX SHO not a regular vulcan taurus. In the SHO when you put it into first gear it will stay in 1 no matter what. when you put it in 2 it will stay in 2 no matter what. BUT when you are in 2 and want to go back to 1 you have to be under a certain MPH. the stock programing will not let you downshift into any gear that would drive the engine past 7Krpm. The computer is aggressive in this aspect. This can be altered with a tweecer. You can also raise the redline if your track makes that necessary, as well as firm up the shifts which I would recommend doing. I raced my turbo ATX in 1st gear and reved it to 8K just so I didn't have to shift into second and right back into 1st within a second or 2. It does not make good power that high in the revs stock and it will destroy your altanator very quickly without under drive pullies but it will cut lap times at some small events like autoX.

cliffs. put shifter in 1 is stays in 1 even if on the limiter and when you want 2 it will stay in 2 no matter what, and this includes from a stop.

Go give it ****. Put header wrap on your Y-pipe to keep transmission temps down during racing. It makes a huge difference.

 

[whiteguy3]

If you shift the car into 1st, or 2nd, there's a lag before it actually shifts. A manual valve body will shift instantly. You're more open to breaking things, because there's no TCU to protect the tranny from mis-shifting, but that's the same problem with an MTX.

A properly set up ATX with a manual valve body is like driving an MTX that shifts instantly, perfectly, and without a need for a clutch. I can definitely see the point in that.

I was more or less stating that I don't see the point because if you were wanting that, you minds as well go MTX. Either way, in theory it would be great, but not gonna happen. Especially if you have to utilize AX4S internals. Not exactly the strongest internals.

Somedude nailed it. The car already has some similar qualities in 1st and 2nd.

There is of course a point on other cars, but I don't on ours.