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MSD is one of the recognized industry leaders in automotive controls, having made their name over the years mostly with relatively inexpensive but high quality ignition controllers. With the rise of transmissions with electronic controls, they’ve brought their expertise into this arena. Telling your transmission how to behave has never been easier.
MSD’s new Atomic Transmission Controller interfaces seamlessly with their Atomic EFI Controller. Harnesses are available for most electronically-controlled transmissions from GM and Ford from 1993 to the present. This means you can control some older transmissions while driving with a handheld wired remote instead of a laptop.
The harness on the left (included) goes to the EFI unit. The harness specific to your transmission is sold separately.
The controller can either be dash-mounted or removed when you’re done reprogramming the transmission. Leaving it on the dash allows you to monitor your transmission’s operating parameters in real time.
This is the menu that opens upon startup.
Controllers available for newer GM and Ford transmissions can make programming or controlling a transmission pretty easy. However, changing operating parameters in those older transmissions (like an ’89 Ford E40D) can often be a matter of hit and miss, especially if you have to make use of software on a laptop.
This is the Initial Setup Menu where you tell the controller what you’ve got.
MSD says that setting up an Atomic Controller is as easy as walking through an initial setup menu that opens when the unit is plugged in. The setup menu walks you through setting up transmission and engine parameters. Once that info is stored by the unit, it will tell you to just go for a drive.
This screen shows some of the control parameters available in the Advanced Setup Menu.
As you’re driving, you can open an advanced menu that allows you to change shift points, converter lockup and the firmness of the shifts. Hand the controller to a passenger as you make a few passes and you’ll be dialed in in nothing flat.
