Level 10 Automatic Transmission
 

Hey everyone,

Well I just picked up Chuck's old level 10 tranny and modified level 10 tq converter. Im very very excited about this because I'm getting older and my next FD will be done up VIP style...lol. Ive got the RX8 that will become my track car. I won't feel to bad about damaging an RX8 but I would feel sad if I damaged a soon to be classic FD.

Anyways, I was looking for some feedback on some level 10 owners. Did I search but didnt really find what I was looking for. As far a power I will stay with 99 twins. I live in Cali and I want to drive this car legally so I wont be going single and making gobs of power.

So any feedback from you level 10 guys would be nice.

Ben

not a lot of lvl 10 owners out there.

the stock FD tranny is verified to be good up into the mid-late 300s. We've got a few members now running in that hp range with zero auto transmission problems.

just curious as to how much you purchased the lvl10 transmission for? you can PM me if you don't want to divulge publicly.

On Level10's site the FD tranny upgrade costs...


Level 10 Mazda PTS Bulletproof Transmission (Send In Yours) Our Price: $3,298.00

Level 10 Mazda PTS Bulletproof Torque Converter ( Send In Yours) Our Price: $498.00

Chuck said with everything he paid over 4k because he had other stuff done, tax, shipping......

Grimple1 I got it For under 1k.

Nothing wrong with it, Chuck is my friend and he hooked me up ultra fat on this one.

Ben, send a PM to "weaklink". He's probably the only Level 10 past FD user who still frequents the forum.

Thanks Mahjik Magic?

will do.

Hi Ben,

I ran the level 10 transmission and torque converter behind a rx6 single turbo for a long while. Never gave me any problems. The guy that rebuilt my tranny with the level 10 components said there was nothing magic about the kit-just upgraded bands, clutches, etc. He said he could have put together a similar package but for less. I swapped to a five speed and sold the tranny to another forum member. He blew it up at the track. Not really sure of the details. I think the real issue was that I was running a pfc. I can tell you that torque converter lockup does not operate normally and the tranny will run hotter. I know this because before the swap I purchased a separate tranny computer. I was able to see that the TC was not operating correctly and also watch the temps rise. I was able to correct the problem with the tranny controller. Can't remember the name but it used to be at transmissioncontroller.com. Since then there is a better, cheaper, more simple solution from Banzaii. I highly recommend that as well as a quality synthetic ATF. IIRC chuck had spliced some wires so that his tranny ECU functioned properly. If you do a search under my screen name you may ind more info. I was all alone at the time...LOL. Good luck. Let me know if I can answer anything specific for you.

Thanks for the response.

I know I will need the Banzai pfc adapter harness. I will also run a large upgraded Transmission cooler. I think I'll be ok because I'm just using it for cruising and maybe some hold time in spirited canyon driving, but not the spirited kind of driving that will spill my Chai Tea Latte...lol.

I will also look into the transmission controller.com

The control options on level 10's site are alot, but this tranny is alot more so I might have to get the controller to be safe.

Thanks again weaklink, Merry Christmas.

Ben

Np problem Ben. I would definitely go with the banzaii. The transmission controller at transmission controller was good, but was a lot more complicated. It was way over my head. I couldn't use most of the features. The hold function didn't work like stock either, but you could use it to swap between maps. I didn't know what to change anyway. The banzaii seems more plug and play, but I've never used it, and it may require the stock ECU to be left in to get the inputs that the tranny needs.

I heard that the Banzaii harness adapter fixed the hold feature when useing the PFC. I'll find out latter on when I actually get everything together.

Banzai's harness requires the use of the stock ECU to be left in place as life support for the auto transmission computer.

When I was running the slush box, the Banzai Harness worked great! The transmission functioned like it was supposed to including "hold" functions and torque converter lockup.

Ultimately, I still killed two automatic transmissions (including one that had a fresh rebuild on it) before I gave up and 5 speed swapped. Of course I beat the hell out of the automatic transmissions running higher than stock boost and power breaking on multiple occasions for fun.

same here,, i want thought 3 stock and 1 level 10 before i converted to 5-speed

I must admit. Power braking killed my stocker. Never power braked the level 10.

Well then I will be perfectly fine then. My plan is to have an auto FD with my vmount set-up and 99 twins or bnr twins with no more then 275 or 300whp max. I do not intend to race the car. I do not intend to drag launch the car. I intend to cruise the car and not have to worry about the auto holding upto this power with normal and some spirited driving. With spirited I mean having fun taking corners in canyon roads... but not touge style, just for fun.

I think with my intentions I should be ok. Thanks for everyones feedback, now I know what "NOT" to do...lol

Ben

level 10
 

hey,we have a customer that has a level ten trans in his fd and he's running a rx7store to4z turbo kit and i don't think he's had a problem,but i know he spent a ton of money on it.he has a programmable ecu that the trans uses,and i think he's in the high 300....

you should be fine with those power goals and application. a well maintained auto can hold that power easily. Just no neutral drops or anything silly like that.

No neutral drops or power brake burnouts for me. I really am looking at the level 10 as a good reliability mod for the main part. Too bad I'll have to wait more then a year until I get an FD to put it in...lol