Don, if it's a three plate design, it's a 6 bolt, and the only 6 bolts ared the one that came stock in the L to begin with, the 7.3L diesel model that is almost identical to it and has the same impeller and stall, and the 5R models that all stall lower or the same as the stock one. All of them are built at Sharonville (most Ford converters are, even for trannies built in other plants) and if they made some special design, I think I would have noticed it somewhere in the 39,765 repairs I have in my log for 4Rs. I posted the build sheet for all the converters that go into a 4R100 for the model year, and mentioned the changes for the next matrix, which was the final one for the 4R100. I have no idea what you have, couldn't care less, but it's not a Navi converter, they were all 4 bolts. If it was, that converter won't live in a stock lightning for long, that's why we put the bigger converter in the m from the factory. If it is indeed stock and 6 bolt, it does have a triple plate clutch in it, but it's the same or lower stall than the one we put in it at the factory, because the L had the highest stall impeller built in ANY 6 bolt converter Ford has ever built. ANd the thing that upsets me about that is it's another vendor who thinks if you put "engineering" in the title, you don't need to have any real engineers who know what they're talking about. If someone told you that a Navi will work in a Lightning without the changes I mentioned, he's wrong, period. And if he told you a stock Navi converter will live behind a 5.4L S/C engine, he's wrong about that too, and I have Ford's engineering data (and we use real engineers for that stuff) to prove it.
Personally, I think he installed a stock converter and didn't think anyone would know any better. It's when people do things like this that give all vendors a bad name.
You said Jim wants me to call him and he'll tell me what you have. Hell, ask him yourself for the part number and post it, and I'll post the build matrix for what number he gives you. Or is the secret part his own secret? I gave up talking to Jim a long time ago. If I'm right he says I just copied it from a manual (when a few of the manuals I actually wrote), and threaten to call Ford Security on me for posting secret information in public. Nothing I've posted is protected, anything I put up is availible from your friendly local dealer, I just know what to ask and most people don't. Like I said, all I want to do is keep someone from finding out the part he said it is won't fit when they have their transmission setting on the floor.
An XL7Z converter won't fit in a Lightning and won't live long if you hammer it in or change to a weaker flex plate to make it fit. That's the facts.

G

 

I heard a rumor that is the JDM 166 super converter

 

Chuck was this before or after your factory tech valvebody was installed. I cant tell you how many transmissions we had Brian @ BTS rebuild after those things.

 

Don,

Greg is just trying to pull a JJ on you here. You remeber the time he told you to get your motor scoped to see if you had manley rods in it. The torque convertor that is in your truck is the same exact one in mine. Its a two clutch in there it will stall to about 2000 rpms. I was leaving the line at 1700, it is a factory production convertor, it was built for a limited production navigator. The internals are production Lightning except for the stator. Its definatley proven, ran a whole season with it in ours running 10.50's. Because it is a tighter stall you get better driveability and better mph at the track.

Greg I dont appreciate your little digs and jabs in your posts, I could tell you one thing we have had more FT trannys rebuilt than we have had stock ones rebuilt. Because you throw a bunch of free valvebodys to people they become loyal to you because you gave them something. Then you sell them a transmission that falls apart faster than the stock unit. If you come on here with your intellegence of transmission try to do that more and not your spite in all you posts.

Jim@JDM

 

Jim,

That's my stock tranny parts with 65,000 hard miles on them. At 3,000 miles it was chipped with shift durations shortened along with removal of torque reduction and ran that way for 62,000 miles. I also installed a 160 thermostat which not only keeps the motor cooler but the tranny as well since the fluid flows through the radiator. At 18,000 miles I installed a Line Mod Valve and changed the fluid running that for 27,000 miles. At 45,000 miles I installed a FTVB with total fluid change and ran that for the remaining 20,000 miles.

I have been in the 400/500 club for 3 years or more and my last dyno was 482 HP/ 562 TQ. I've done tons of kickdowns and over 300 quarter mile passes.

There was no sign of weakness in the tranny looking at my mph at the track before and after the rebuild. The only reason it was rebuilt is because I put a stall converter in and couldn't justify not rebuilding it with that many miles.

The OD steels which show the only significant damage have probably been that way for years. I haven't hit OD at WOT in years because of the load it puts on the motor and the best chance of slinging a rod through the block.

The moral to this story is the stock tranny is a very good piece and with regular fluid changes they hold up well. I would say constant hotlapping and roadracing would do one of these in faster than anything because of the constant heat that would be created in the fluid.

Guess who has more miles than I do on their stock tranny. That would be Frank5L and his stock motored turbo truck that ran a 10.75 twice Thursday night at MMP.

 

All I want is a good converter that stalls @ 2000 and runs great on the street. I would also like to use a FTVB to help get a better shift. I would use both Jim and Greg for their products but man this makes for some fun reading

Ya'll just keep it above the belt.

 

im using a Level10 Valve bady in my 2003 with a PI convertor. i have 27000 extremely beat on miles and im now at 500/600 on my stock block.. i love the way my truck feels and it is extremely fun to drive.. Jim and whoever else attends ill see ya guys on friday at JDM Day!!!

 

In one sentence you go from complaining about something to doing it yourself.

I glad the converter is working out for Don. I've never met him, but from his posts he seems like a genuinely nice person who really enjoys his Lightning. Congats.

David

Edited to be less malicious.

 

How about helping out the Lightning community with a Ford part number?

 

WHAAAAAAAA....From you're post you would think you a teenanger that just got beat up at school and not a big vendor. STOP CRYING! It does not make you look good.
Post up the part # for the convertor to prove Gregg wrong or just keep quite. My MB/TD kicks A$$ and has held up to a ton of abuse! Arguments are won on FACTS..not " since I say so".

Let the JJ / JDM go..MY GOD! IT'S HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS THREAD.

 

So Jim,
Are you saying that the installation of the FTVB has resulted in a significant number of transmission failures?

I'm concerned because I have one in my transmission.

TB

 

Yes Jim, please post this special Navigator convertor part number.

 

I'm sure it's a "JDM spec" converter, so they can charge twice as much as they should.

 

Wow! Their are def. no shortage of a$$hooles on this board tonight. No wonder why JDM doesn't post here as much anymore. God forbid someone challanges the almighty Gregg..

 

Let me guess , a friend of Jims...lol...