TransAmWS.6

Question.

The transmission in my car shifts completely normal when cruising around town, everything feels great with it. However, something that kind of makes me scratch my head is when I'm on the highway. For example, if I'm cruising at 70 and I need to pass someone up, but I'm not trying to pass the person at WOT, is it normal for the car not to kickdown to a higher gear? I mean, I will be accelerating past someone and the speed is increasing pretty quickly, but I'll be definitely past half throttle and the car is still lugging along in 4th gear. It won't kickdown until I basically floor it.

Does anyone else's transmission do this? I have never driven an auto car that behaved the way this car does on the highway.

Thanks in advance. Just kind of wondering if this isn't some type of problem.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

Sounds normal. Idk what the complaint is. You want it to kickdown a gear without going close to wot on the highway? IDK your car sounds normal to me.

JUSTINSWS6

I have heard of this its called like a pressure sensor or something. Ive heard some thing like that can happen and the car wont down shift and raise the rpms to go faster quicker. Sorry i dont kbow completely. If you could take a cell phone video(just dont crash) i would be able to tell if its normal or not. Hard to tell unless i see it or drive it.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

Whats your definition of "bassically floor it"? Do you mean it absolutley dosent down shift unless its wot or do you mean you have to give 3/4 throtle to down shift?
I could be miss understanding you.

TransAmWS.6

I'm saying that, when I'm at highway speeds trying to pass a truck or whatever, I can literally put the throttle ALMOST to the floor, so yes about 3/4 throttle and it does not kickdown whatsoever. It continues to lug along in 4th gear, I can be going up a steep hill and it won't matter. I have driven other auto vehicles and none of them were like this on the highway.

JUSTINSWS6

Yep i aimt a tranny expert but something electronic in the tranny aint right. Like i said there are a **** ton of stuff on these trannys.

JUSTINSWS6

Also any internal leaks will do this and low fluid levels.

TransAmWS.6

Nah, no leaks or low fluid levels.

But, I don't know man, I mean, this is why I started this thread, just want to see what you guys have to say about it. I know the torque management has been deleted on it and that's all that is done to it transmission wise. Every other auto vehicle I've driven, you give it a little more than like 1/4 throttle or so it will downshift no problem, this car for whatever reason doesn't do it unless you are really accelerating hard. Just trying to see if this is normal or not.

JUSTINSWS6

Ya mine downshifts hard with the shift kit. It has to be internal or a sensor. I know there is a downshift sensor or something that will go bad then this happens.

Bertbart

It sounds normal to me. The other cars you mentioned having different characteristics were probably under powered. My wife's Scion xb down shifts when going up a long hill with less than half throttle if we're trying to maintain 55 to 60 MPH. Your car has enough torque to pull hard without increasing the internal pressure in the transmission to the point where it triggers a downshift. If you want to down shift move the shifter to a lower gear but your MPG will go down.

mjs1012

iTrader: (36)

Seems normal. Mine did it but not at 3/4 throttle maybe 1/2.

c0ncEpT

iTrader: (4)

Sounds normal. When your driving 70 even if you go WOT it only have 1 gear to drop so its not going to drop it until you get closer to 75% throttle.

Try the same thing at 60 and I bet it goes down a gear a lot easier.

1996firebirdformula

iTrader: (3)

How many Miles are on it?

justin hover

Sucks doesn't it....but it's completely normal, you have to almost go wot.. and when it does down shift to pick up speed, it almost immediatly shifts right back to 4th. This imo, is why the stock stall sucks ***. Sometimes going 50mph....and you want to pass... you give it gas but it lags, it accels, but not the way you want it to.. You really have to give it wot.. I really can't wait to stall this thing.

mrvedit

If the torque management has been deleted, then the "tune" has been modified and is no longer stock. The tune determines at what throttle percentage the trans will downshift at various speeds.
As long as the trans does downshift, there is nothing wrong internally with the trans. (I'm no trans expert, but pretty sure of that.)
The throttle position sensor and/or MAP sensor could come into play here, but I suspect it is just how the car is tuned. Sounds like the stock factory tune even has this characteristic, possibly to improve gas mileage.

TransAmWS.6

Yup. The throttle response is there and it pulls hard, but the RPM's go no where. Just kind of strange.

Almost at 73k

I really appreciate all the replies guys, glad to hear the majority think it's normal.

StuntmanMike

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, mine takes a good bit of throttle to kick down on the highway. I pretty much have to floor it.

Like others said, the car has plenty of power, so it doesn't need to kick down all the time like other, underpowered cars.

Like when running withthe CC on. My Bird has NEVER had to kick down while in CC, while my 6cyl powered Jeep does it everyday on this one grade I climb on the way to work. The Bird just loafs right up it at 1500rpm.

But yeah, with 2.73's and an A4, it DOES seem sluggish when trying to pass at times. It'll run down the highway just fine at 1700rpm all day, but it sure doesn't like to accelerate from that speed!

justin hover

With those 2.73s, it feels slugish and lags in every gear....I couldn't of been any happier losing 1-2 mpg for the swap to 3.73s...

highgear

Sounds normal. I have to quickly give it 3/4 throttle before it kicks down a gear (3rd). I found that my engine/trans work better on the stock tune. Forget all that Torque Managenment crap.....been there, done that....car ran like crap.

StuntmanMike

iTrader: (2)

It's true. I'm on an eternal quest to find a 4C 3.42 rear locally to swap in.