GTM Valve Body Upgrade Review
03-03-2013, 02:45 PM
#1
Premier Member
Thread Starter
GTM Valve Body Upgrade Review
I wanted to share my thoughts on the install of the GTM Valve Body upgrade for the 7AT transmission and invite comments on others who have installed the GTM VB as well.
1) As everyone knows the 7AT has had some issues with slow or lazy shifting from one gear to the next, hunting for the right gear when down or up shifting or having to mash the gas pedal to get the transmission to down shift when passing. In order to correct these issues many have resorted to getting the ECU re-flashed (I have tried this as well) with minimal results.
2) When wanting to go FI, unless something is done to firmup the shifting in an automatic transmission to prevent slipping and keeping the trans oil from overheating the auto transmission can be a ticking time bomb. Case in point: in 1998 I purchased a brand new 1999 F350 Super Duty Ford pickup with the V10. I also installed a brand new Paxton SC from Banks Engineering along with long tube headers. The SC plus the headers added about 200 HP. The transmission lasted 4 months. $7500 dollars later I had a built proof transmission that could bark the 36” tires in second gear. The truck serviced me for 13 years no problem until it was stolen. The point is that according to the repair shop that rebuilt the transmission they said that if I would have installed a shift kit and a heavy duty transmission cooler right away likely the transmission would not have had to be rebuilt. Lesson learned!
What to do for all the G37/370Z owners wanting to change the attitude of their 7AT and add some insurance to the longevity of their transmission? Get a GTM Valve Bodyupgrade and transmission cooler.
I contacted Sam at GTM and expressed my concerns about the 7AT and installing the twin SC kit. Samsuggested installing the reworked valve body first before installing the SC kit. Sam emailed the down load link for the re and re manual and I set to work on removing the valve body. The step by step instructions provided were very precise down to the pictures and warnings / cautions / suggestions. If you have a metric socket set, assorted screw drivers, wrench set and minimal automotive know how anyone could do this valve body re & re. I did the workmyself and it was so easy. Mind you I have a hoist in my shop so that made thing much easier.
Just follow the detailed instructions, drain the oil in a clean 2 gal bucket and remove the oil pan. The instructions tell you what bolts to undo to remove the valve body and the instructions even show the different lengths of the various bolts and where they go. Unplug 2 sets of wires and you are done. About a 2 hour job.
Follow the instructions for shipping and handling and send it off to GTM. GTM received my valvebody at 2pm on a Monday and it was ready to ship back to me the next day by 4pm! Valve body was reinstalled Friday.
Buy a new pan gasket cost is about $40. To refill fill the transmission first calculate how much oil came out plus a few quarts extra. Buy a $13.00 hand pump from any automotive store. You will need to fabricate a fitting to screw into the refill port on the bottom of the oil pan opposite the drain plug. I did this at a cost of $12.
Follow the directions from the GTM manual for refilling the transmission and you are done. Sam will send you a re-flash file to upload to your ECM and your car is ready to go.
As an alternative you could contact your Infiniti/Nissan shop and they could do the re & re for you. I was quoted $250. Maybe a good time to get your transmission oil flushed and changed at the same time.
Driving the car after the valve body upgrade is so much more fun. It is like driving a different car. In standard D mode going easy on the throttle you can feel the up shifting firm but not too much. You don’t want the transmission banging into gear all the time only when you need it. Stand on the throttle and get ready for some fast and firm shifting. Put the car into DS or manual mode and it feels just like a standard only a lot faster up and down and with no missed shifts.
Another thing I noticed is when driving is DS mode and you do some fast deceleration hard on the brake pedal the transmission rev matches and downshifts so much better than before. Same thing when in DS mode and wanting to pass another car or when you want to accelerate out of a corner you don’t haveto mash the pedal so hard and over rev the engine. The transmission downshifts faster and with authority. D = mode great driving. DS / M = fantastic driving.
In conclusion the car feels and drives like a sports carshould. In my opinion of all the mods aperson can do to the Infiniti G37/307Z (whether going FI or not) doing the VB upgrade is right on top.
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1) As everyone knows the 7AT has had some issues with slow or lazy shifting from one gear to the next, hunting for the right gear when down or up shifting or having to mash the gas pedal to get the transmission to down shift when passing. In order to correct these issues many have resorted to getting the ECU re-flashed (I have tried this as well) with minimal results.
2) When wanting to go FI, unless something is done to firmup the shifting in an automatic transmission to prevent slipping and keeping the trans oil from overheating the auto transmission can be a ticking time bomb. Case in point: in 1998 I purchased a brand new 1999 F350 Super Duty Ford pickup with the V10. I also installed a brand new Paxton SC from Banks Engineering along with long tube headers. The SC plus the headers added about 200 HP. The transmission lasted 4 months. $7500 dollars later I had a built proof transmission that could bark the 36” tires in second gear. The truck serviced me for 13 years no problem until it was stolen. The point is that according to the repair shop that rebuilt the transmission they said that if I would have installed a shift kit and a heavy duty transmission cooler right away likely the transmission would not have had to be rebuilt. Lesson learned!
What to do for all the G37/370Z owners wanting to change the attitude of their 7AT and add some insurance to the longevity of their transmission? Get a GTM Valve Bodyupgrade and transmission cooler.
I contacted Sam at GTM and expressed my concerns about the 7AT and installing the twin SC kit. Samsuggested installing the reworked valve body first before installing the SC kit. Sam emailed the down load link for the re and re manual and I set to work on removing the valve body. The step by step instructions provided were very precise down to the pictures and warnings / cautions / suggestions. If you have a metric socket set, assorted screw drivers, wrench set and minimal automotive know how anyone could do this valve body re & re. I did the workmyself and it was so easy. Mind you I have a hoist in my shop so that made thing much easier.
Just follow the detailed instructions, drain the oil in a clean 2 gal bucket and remove the oil pan. The instructions tell you what bolts to undo to remove the valve body and the instructions even show the different lengths of the various bolts and where they go. Unplug 2 sets of wires and you are done. About a 2 hour job.
Follow the instructions for shipping and handling and send it off to GTM. GTM received my valvebody at 2pm on a Monday and it was ready to ship back to me the next day by 4pm! Valve body was reinstalled Friday.
Buy a new pan gasket cost is about $40. To refill fill the transmission first calculate how much oil came out plus a few quarts extra. Buy a $13.00 hand pump from any automotive store. You will need to fabricate a fitting to screw into the refill port on the bottom of the oil pan opposite the drain plug. I did this at a cost of $12.
Follow the directions from the GTM manual for refilling the transmission and you are done. Sam will send you a re-flash file to upload to your ECM and your car is ready to go.
As an alternative you could contact your Infiniti/Nissan shop and they could do the re & re for you. I was quoted $250. Maybe a good time to get your transmission oil flushed and changed at the same time.
Driving the car after the valve body upgrade is so much more fun. It is like driving a different car. In standard D mode going easy on the throttle you can feel the up shifting firm but not too much. You don’t want the transmission banging into gear all the time only when you need it. Stand on the throttle and get ready for some fast and firm shifting. Put the car into DS or manual mode and it feels just like a standard only a lot faster up and down and with no missed shifts.
Another thing I noticed is when driving is DS mode and you do some fast deceleration hard on the brake pedal the transmission rev matches and downshifts so much better than before. Same thing when in DS mode and wanting to pass another car or when you want to accelerate out of a corner you don’t haveto mash the pedal so hard and over rev the engine. The transmission downshifts faster and with authority. D = mode great driving. DS / M = fantastic driving.In conclusion the car feels and drives like a sports carshould. In my opinion of all the mods aperson can do to the Infiniti G37/307Z (whether going FI or not) doing the VB upgrade is right on top.
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Last edited by timp; 03-04-2013 at 12:36 AM. Reason: spelling
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03-03-2013, 11:52 PM
#5
Premier Member
Thread Starter
03-04-2013, 12:09 AM
#6
Premier Member
Thread Starter
Total cost...........
GTM VB..........................$880 (see their website)
Pan Gasket.....................$40
Hand Pump.....................$13
Refill Fitting....................$12
Trans oil 7 qt @ 12ea ......$84
S&H.....................Free (I own a trucking company)
GTM emails the flash file and you upload it via Uprev.
After I completed the R&R I opted to get the transmission oil flushed out new put in at the local Infiniti dealer. Cost $225.
Total all said and done...$1254.00
03-04-2013, 03:53 PM
#7
Premier Member
Thread Starter
Here is the fitting info for anyone wanting to make their own filler adapter.
You will need
(1) 1/8" male npt to 8mm x 1.0 male adapter
(1) 1/8" npt female to female ball valve
(1) 1/8" npt male hose barb fitting
You can get everything from your local hydralic hose warehouse.
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03-04-2013, 08:50 PM
#15
Total cost...........
GTM VB..........................$880 (see their website)
Pan Gasket.....................$40
Hand Pump.....................$13
Refill Fitting....................$12
Trans oil 7 qt @ 12ea ......$84
S&H.....................Free (I own a trucking company)
GTM emails the flash file and you upload it via Uprev.
After I completed the R&R I opted to get the transmission oil flushed out new put in at the local Infiniti dealer. Cost $225.
Total all said and done...$1254.00
GTM VB..........................$880 (see their website)
Pan Gasket.....................$40
Hand Pump.....................$13
Refill Fitting....................$12
Trans oil 7 qt @ 12ea ......$84
S&H.....................Free (I own a trucking company)
GTM emails the flash file and you upload it via Uprev.
After I completed the R&R I opted to get the transmission oil flushed out new put in at the local Infiniti dealer. Cost $225.
Total all said and done...$1254.00
