Today I went to my buddy's garage to use the lift and over the course of several hours, we installed the B&M Shift Improver kit. This is the one that gives you two options: heavy duty or street/strip. We went with the street/strip option. It made an unbelievable improvement in the transmission's operation.
Before, it felt like there was no discernable shifting from second to third - just a mysterious melange of engine and transmission movement/noise that would last for several seconds. It was way too buffered and smooth - like they designed it for a Cadillac not a Pontiac.
Now the thing shifts quickly and firmly like it should, from first to second and second to third. Downshifts are much crisper and firmer, too. Best $95 I've spent so far. We also installed the Summit Racing one-piece, reusable, rubber and steel backed pan gasket. Excellent piece and doesn't leak like the OEM cork gasket.
And what did we find in the filter? Well, anyone with a Jack Russell knows how those critters shed. I found one of his white dog hairs in the filter! What the heck he was doing in the transmission pan, I have no idea. But he has been known to drive the car now and then...
The filter. Note the hair in the orange circle:
The rest of the internals looked pretty clean for 79,000 miles:
The little hairball, caught in the act...
