AutoSol

I'm looking for a place to get my automatic transmission rebuild for higher performance. It's a 4spd tranny from a '98 Integra LS. I've contacted Level10. On their web page, they say about $2500 for Honda/Acura. But when I called them, the guy (Sam) said that was a misprint -- the Civic auto tranny is $2500 (parts and labor), but they want $3200 to rebuild the Acura auto tranny. I think that's a little B/S, they should honor what they put on their web page. Plus, that doesn't include a rebuilt torque converter -- that's another $498! Not to mention the shipping cost (they'll be completely rebuilding my old tranny, at their shop in New Jersey). So I'm looking at spending about $4000!! Of course, it will be a "bulletproof" auto tranny that'll be good for 500hp daily. My axles will give before the tranny does. I'm only looking for about 250whp, since that's about the limit for stock B18B internals and Integra axles (right now I'm only 172whp @ 5.7psi turbo).

A 5spd conversion will run about $1500 (parts and labor). But I can't shift worth a damn, so my car will probably end up being slower. A friend of mine lost 3/10th in the 1/8th mile in his turbo auto hatch (after he swapped from auto to 5spd), he's pissed and wants to go back to auto (and he's a very good driver, and had friends drive his car and they did worse than him). Plus everyone has 5spd -- you can see 13 sec 5spd's all day long, but a low 13 sec automatic import?? Rare.

So I'm wondering if anyone has experience with Level10 or any other company that can work on Acura automatic transmissions. I saw some sites about Art Carr (even here in Texas), but I'm not sure how serious they are about supporting imports. Level10 looks more legit, but damn their prices. I could buy 5 used auto trannies for what they want to charge for the rebuild of one!

I'm in the DFW area. If anyone has any suggestions of shops or places in this area that might help me out, please let me know. The other thing is I need something done within the next two weeks (since my current auto tranny is busted -- but I don't want to go with another stock tranny, since it'll just break again -- Level10 will get me underway in a week, and that tranny better damn well last forever?).

I know, I know -- I should just be a man and swap to 5spd. I can drive a 5spd, but after my last 5spd BMW, it got annoying real quick. Plus clutches don't last forever either..

Vu

Why don't you buy their PTS kit and have a good transmission shop rebuild it for you. As for the torque converter, just send it in to have them upgrade it. That should come out to less than $1000, right?

AutoSol

If I can find a shop in the DFW area willing to do the install, and order the parts from Level10, then I might only be looking at $2000 (versus $4000 for shipping the whole tranny to them). I'd be willing to drop $2000 for a dope automatic setup, than $1500 for a manual... But, what shop can I trust? How long will they take? Anyone know any reputable shops in DFW? (there is a tranny shop next to JoTech in Garland, but I don't know if their reputable)

Vu

Their PTS kit and torque converter upgrade comes out to around $800 without shipping. I'm guessing shipping would be around $50-100. A shop should do it for $350-800 for both items. If you live near Houston or Dallas you shouldn't have a problem finding a transmission shop. I plan on doing the PTS kit and torque converter upgrade later on when I go turbo. My friend is a mechanic, and we have a lot of transmission shop around here, so I don't have a problem finding one. I've read that the torque converter upgrade can take off anywhere from .5-1.0 second off your time. Pretty cool, huh.

AutoSol

Thanks. After thinking about it, yeah, I agree. I don't know where Level10 came up with $3200? According to the prices on their web site, if I ordered the PTS kit ($302.31), shipping them my valvebody and torque converter to be rebuilt ($698 + $498, say $200 for shipping both ways {gotta pay return shipping}), that's $1698.31 right there. Then if I can find a local shop to put it all together <grin>, I think $350 is fair -- but say even $500, that's still way less then $3200. I mean, that guy at Level10 said $3200 what just for the tranny rebuild, not including shipping or a new torque converter. Plus the fact that I have to rent a car since my tranny busted

I've sent another e-mail to Level10, and I'll contact them tomorrow over the phone. Hopefully it'll work out. If you ship the tranny to Level10, I think they put in a new "super pump" (tranny fluid pump?), I'm not sure exactly what it is -- I'll ask.

Yeah, right now I'm mid 14 seconds with the turbo @ 5.7psi and the stock LS tranny. I'm sure it'll border 13.9/14.0 with the Level10 tranny itself. But pump the turbo up to 9psi, and I'll run mid 13's all day on street tires and a stock LS motor

Oh, and it's so true, a stock automatic tranny won't hold up to boost! I thought it would hold with low boost (0.4bar = 5.7psi), but nope -- the damn thing only lasted two months. My friends only lasted about 4-5 months, and he was closer to 7psi (he was running mid 13's in his lightweight hatch!).

I guess I'll just have to take a look at around at the transmission shops in the area. I just hate doing business with a shop I don't know, especially when I'm dealing with something I don't know a whole lot about (i.e. auto tranny internals -- I know a little, but not enough to work on it myself, so I get nervous relying on other people).

Vu

Well, I might go ahead and do all this stuff first. At least I'll be able to keep up with or beat the 5-speed LS. It all comes out to less than $1000 for me without the valvebody upgrade. I was told by Level10 all I needed was the PTS kit to help withstand the high horsepower application and the upgraded torque converter to help transfer it to the ground. I don't plan on going more than 250whp. Traction is gonna be one hell of a problem for me. I plan on keeping my motor stock. Goal is to hit mid 13's with a daily driven car(full interior, spare tire, and all). Oh, and correctly tune. What turbo are you running? I plan on getting the Greddy kit. I know, Drag is better, but I've already set my goal. All I want is a daily driven car that can run on 93 octane gas and still run with the supersport cars off the world.

AutoSol

Yep, that's all I want to -- mid 13's with street tires on pump gas, daily driver. I'm shooting for around 220whp, I think that'll be enough. I'm told that that the stock LS rods are good for 250whp, and the stock axles should be good for 300whp -- but who knows. I noticed Level10 is offering some axle upgrades, so I'll ask them about those too.

I went with a RevHard stage II kit (came with T3/T4 hybrid turbo, turbo manifold, Vortech FMU, Vortech BOV, huge intercooler, inline fuel pump, all piping and connectors, and I upgraded to the TiAL 35mm wastegate and got the Synapse map sensor).

I also put on a FAL radiator fan, because the damn thing was overheating at idle with the stock fan (but I'm in a del Sol, so I had the sissy Civic radiator fan -- not the larger fan used in the Integra's). The motor is all stock (except Skunk2 cam gears, AEM fuel rail and underdrive pulleys, and Magnacore plug wires). For gauges, I've got the GReddy boost, EGT, and oil pressure. Hmm, while I'm getting the tranny worked on, I wonder if they could install a tranny temperature probe...

I ran 14.791 @ 96.27mph (so that's actually upper 14's, but with more practice launching I'm sure I could get it down to 14.5). That's pretty much with no tuning, I did a baseline dyno: 172whp, 149 ft/lbs of torque. The turbo only added about 40-45lbs to the car (my del Sol now weighs in at about 2540lbs, with full interior, seats, spare, etc -- thats without driver weigh). My friend installed a tranny cooler, so I'm sure that's why his lasted a little bit longer than mine.

Are you going with the GReddy kit for the SOHC motor, and gonna make it fit? A friend of mine did that (turbo GS-R, so of course 5spd, @ 8psi he said it was 185whp -- which I didn't think was too impressive actually). And the exhaust manifold that came with the DRAG kit looks like crap compared to the RevHard one.


Keep in touch dude. I hope to be back up before March, because there are some nice import events coming here (here in DFW and in Houston I believe).

- AutoSol
stevelewis@netzero.com