Anyone use a Keisler Transmission ?

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is this purely for fule mileage? or is it something you really want to set your build apart? cause' i don't know what that thing costs, but if it's just to save some gas money, i wonder what the break even point is...

good luck
 
I've installed two. They work really well and are laptop adjustable for your taste. (The base program works pretty darn good). Both installs were in B bodies, so I can't vouch for the difficulty level of an A body install.
 
Revhendo said:
I've installed two. They work really well and are laptop adjustable for your taste. (The base program works pretty darn good). Both installs were in B bodies, so I can't vouch for the difficulty level of an A body install.
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I am looking at the manual conversion for mine. It comes in 5 speed and I guess a 6 speed is either available or almost available. I was going to post this question as well.
 
Mopar to ya said:
I am looking at the manual conversion for mine. It comes in 5 speed and I guess a 6 speed is either available or almost available. I was going to post this question as well.
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It really depends on what you plan to do with the car. I'm not sure I would use a TKO based tranny for drag racing, the 2-3 shift can be a bit of a bummer, although there are a couple of fixes for that. The T-56 is a big trans in relation to what originally came in our cars. Some cutting is required.

I strongly suggest contacting the supplier and talking to them directly to find your own understanding and comfort level on what is required for any conversion. If you can, get copies of the install manual and talk to as many folks who have done what you are thinking about doing.
 
Revhendo said:
It really depends on what you plan to do with the car. I'm not sure I would use a TKO based tranny for drag racing, the 2-3 shift can be a bit of a bummer, although there are a couple of fixes for that. The T-56 is a big trans in relation to what originally came in our cars. Some cutting is required.

I strongly suggest contacting the supplier and talking to them directly to find your own understanding and comfort level on what is required for any conversion. If you can, get copies of the install manual and talk to as many folks who have done what you are thinking about doing.
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VERY diplomatic! LOL
 
I put the 5 speed in my 72 dart, the only big problem i had was not cutting enought of the floor out. and you have to cut the whole hump part of the cross member out. lots of work" BUT I LOVE IT" O72D
 
I am in the process of doing the Kiesler 4L60 swap in a 72 duster.

Mentioning economy will get doe eyes from a hippie, and laughs from an accountant. Rough napkin math showed I would need at least 216 tanks of fuel to break even. That's 3240 gallons.....

I'm doing it because EFI got me addicted to computer control, I want OD, and the 4L60 is the only thing that fits without chopping up a cherry car floor. I've seen them run in blown Denalis and turbo LS cars. They will live if built properly, tuned properly, and driven properly.

Difficulty is Advanced. Abodies such as mine need to have the torsion bar crossmember notched & boxed a little to clear the 4L60 tailshaft housing. It's like notching a K member for a big oil pan, and doesn't even break through the floor. It will require a little MIG welding, whether DIY, borrowed or paid for. Kielser can tell you if the narrower early Abodies are more of a challenge.

The rest of the install is as tough as a normal trans swap, with some plumbing and linkage. The wiring is about as tough as putting in a bunch of gauges.

They have flywheels for all internal balance engines, as well as Magnum 360. External balance strokers will need to balance match the new flywheel like I did.

To get the most out of it, there are tuning elements similar to light EFI. I am lucky (unlucky) enough to know a couple GM guy with powertrain backgrounds. They make life easier, but aren't required. The kit comes with a performance tune already and a warranty.

Tech help from Kiesler is very good. The instructional cds are great. The custom trans mount is flimsy and has gross non-penetrating welds. The rest of the kit is breathtaking and complete down to bolts & oil.

PH
 
port-holio said:
I am in the process of doing the Kiesler 4L60 swap in a 72 duster.

Mentioning economy will get doe eyes from a hippie, and laughs from an accountant. Rough napkin math showed I would need at least 216 tanks of fuel to break even. That's 3240 gallons.....

I'm doing it because EFI got me addicted to computer control, I want OD, and the 4L60 is the only thing that fits without chopping up a cherry car floor. I've seen them run in blown Denalis and turbo LS cars. They will live if built properly, tuned properly, and driven properly.

Difficulty is Advanced. Abodies such as mine need to have the torsion bar crossmember notched & boxed a little to clear the 4L60 tailshaft housing. It's like notching a K member for a big oil pan, and doesn't even break through the floor. It will require a little MIG welding, whether DIY, borrowed or paid for. Kielser can tell you if the narrower early Abodies are more of a challenge.

The rest of the install is as tough as a normal trans swap, with some plumbing and linkage. The wiring is about as tough as putting in a bunch of gauges.

They have flywheels for all internal balance engines, as well as Magnum 360. External balance strokers will need to balance match the new flywheel like I did.

To get the most out of it, there are tuning elements similar to light EFI. I am lucky (unlucky) enough to know a couple GM guy with powertrain backgrounds. They make life easier, but aren't required. The kit comes with a performance tune already and a warranty.

Tech help from Kiesler is very good. The instructional cds are great. The custom trans mount is flimsy and has gross non-penetrating welds. The rest of the kit is breathtaking and complete down to bolts & oil.

PH
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Can you post some pictures of what you had to do to the torsion bar cross member?
 
ask and you shall receive. bascially, you are cutting out a piece of the front vertical wall, and moving it back ~1.75", and rebuilding a box around it.

First is the pattern Kiesler sends to show you what to cut out - very professional touch.

2nd - Under the car looking towards the rear, cleaned up and ready for the plasma cutter.

3rd - the section cut out, and a new rear wall built.

4th - highlighted for easier understanding. Red is what was cut out, green is the new rear wall patch panel. about 1/2way done. It needs a new roof welded in, and it's done.
 

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port-holio thanks for posting the pictures. Now I just need to come up with the template when the trans gets here.
 
My buddy has one in his coda and says they when shifting aggressively you'll miss 3rd a lot. Wait for the passon
 
I wish I never saw a Kiesler 4L65. I am thinking seriously about pulling it, smashing it to little pieces with a sledgehammer, and putting a 727 back in. I have about $8000 into the whole Kiesler project, and nothing to show for it.

From the start it's been an adventure in bad info, delays, excuses, and wrong parts. Once installed, the car starts and idles fine, but almost everytime it’s put in D or R, it goes BANG, chirps the tires and stalls. I’ve put in new lines, new coolers, and a basket full of new solenoids, and no luck. Tech Help from Kielser and PCS was stumped. Silver Sport has been more of the same and it takes a month to get an email back (if you get one). They’re stumped, and they don’t think it’s their problem anyway because they didn’t build it.

I’ve had this car for 25 years, and now I just want to sell it. I hate it, and I’ve hated every hour I’ve spent with it in the last 3 years. I hate looking at it and stepping around it in the shop.

It’s hard for me to believe Shafi’s tearjerker story about how he got bullied out of the business. My experience is that his company was a circus that would throw anything in a box and I regret ever going to their website.
 
Wow.......I'm kinda stunned. Really not what I wanted to hear. I already cut my cross member to fit this thing in. I guess if it's the same for me then I'll just put a 200-4R in instead.
 
port-holio said:
the kit is breathtaking and complete down to bolts & oil.

PH
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Man from this,

port-holio said:
I wish I never saw a Kiesler 4L65. I am thinking seriously about pulling it, smashing it to little pieces with a sledgehammer, and putting a 727 back in. I have about $8000 into the whole Kiesler project, and nothing to show for it.

From the start it's been an adventure in bad info, delays, excuses, and wrong parts. Once installed, the car starts and idles fine, but almost everytime it’s put in D or R, it goes BANG, chirps the tires and stalls. I’ve put in new lines, new coolers, and a basket full of new solenoids, and no luck. Tech Help from Kielser and PCS was stumped. Silver Sport has been more of the same and it takes a month to get an email back (if you get one). They’re stumped, and they don’t think it’s their problem anyway because they didn’t build it.

I’ve had this car for 25 years, and now I just want to sell it. I hate it, and I’ve hated every hour I’ve spent with it in the last 3 years. I hate looking at it and stepping around it in the shop.

It’s hard for me to believe Shafi’s tearjerker story about how he got bullied out of the business. My experience is that his company was a circus that would throw anything in a box and I regret ever going to their website.
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To this ^^^ Wow! O`l Shaft-ye`s business model will haunt for years to come.
Sorry ya got burned for so much scratch, The man and his crew were all POS...
 
This banging in gear issue has me thinking. Sounds like the converter is locked up. What have you done to test that out?
 
Yep it's like the converter is locked 100% of the time.

The day I got it all installed and plumbed, I fired it up. At idle, and the foot on the brake, I ran it through the PRNDL, to fill all the circuits, and it worked fine. Only problem was a drip at the fitting between a braided cooler line and a steel line (don't remember if it was supply or return). I tightened the **** out of the fitting until it stopped leaking. Turned it off, added a little fluid to bring to the correct level. Next morning, it goes BANG as soon as I dropped it into R, and it's done it ever since.

Initial Kiesler guess was too much back pressure in the cooling circuit. I reran the hoses after the braided lines, and put the radiator cooler and the aux cooler in parallel. Seemed to make it better, but could just be wishful thinking.

Next, the GM troubleshooting suggests the pressure control solenoid was bad. Replaced it, no difference. Also replaced the TC pressure control solenoid, no difference.

I've disconnected the TCU to run it in limp mode, and no difference at all. This ought to rule out electrical shorts, something mis-pinned in the harness connector, bad software, bad tune, etc....? (It ought to prohibit lock up in limp, and there should not be lock up in 1rst or R anyway even when the TCU is plugged in)

I was thinking about trying the TCC solenoid next, but the transmission guys say those usually don't fail while this new. A really good Transmission shop in Illinois suggested just looping the cooler lines together right at the barb fittings in the case. I have to loose the headers, pull the distributor and wrestle with some other **** to drop the tail enough to get at the fittings, so I've been putting it off.

I'm open to ideas!!!!

Thanks,
PH
 
Well you've covered my ideas and done what I would of done. The only other thing that could be going on is somehow there's pressure getting into the TCC circuit or the convertor clutch somehow fused itself to the clutch plate in the convertor.
 
I figure next step is pulling the trans, and see if something's messed up with the converter.
 
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