Diesel Truck Transmission Improvements - Pulling Its Weight

Making sure that there are no objects in the way— remove the bellhousing bolts that attach the transmission to the engine and gently pull the transmission back and down. Going slow is the key here.

After the transmission is safely out, lower it close to the ground (if not on the ground). Remove the torque converter by pulling it straight out of the front of the case. Be careful as it can be hot and will change the balance of the transmission on the jack.

Drain the converter in a catch pan. It can hold several quarts of transmission fluid.

Once your transmission is out of the vehicle, you can inspect it better. It is a great idea to do a visual check of the sensors and other components so you can replace them prior to reinstalling the transmission.

Our TCI shifter improver kit was installed at the TCI factory, but these are the parts that were installed. All of the parts are included to dial in the transmission shift points to match your personal requirements. The kit included complete instructions, but a little transmission building knowledge is always a great idea.

Clutch materials
TCI uses high-quality Red Eagle friction materials in all its heavy-duty transmission upgrades, especially those designed for high-torque diesel applications.

Transmission Kit
These are just a few of the parts used by TCI in the creation of its high-torque diesel transmission applications. The professionals at TCI should complete this kind of installation.

The TCI deep transmission pan delivers 7.5 quarts more fluid and features all-aluminum construction to keep your transmission running cool. With a 13-quart capacity and ribbed exterior, the pan provides the ultimate in performance. These pans feature an O-ringed seal instead of leaky paper gaskets to mate to the transmission housing. After cleaning the pan rail, the pan is installed—torque the bolts to between 12 and 16 ft-lb. The convenient center-pan plug should be checked and retorqued to 30 inch-pounds before reinstalling the transmission in the vehicle.

After pre-lubing the new steel billet torque converter by pouring in approximately one quart of TCI Max Shift transmission fluid, the torque converter is slid onto the transmission input shaft. It is critical that the torque converter fully seats on the shaft or it could cause transmission damage. Push it on, turn it, and keep turning until it seats fully in the transmission. You will hear it click several times during the procedure.

Before jacking the transmission back up into the vehicle, make sure it is held in place with heavy-duty straps, or chain. Again, having it come loose during the installation process is a bad thing.