98_Formula

iTrader: (15)

I have an 98 A4, recently had a shift kit installed, full rebuild, and a slightly higher stall (outta a 4.3). I was out cruising and lined up next to a lt1 model camaro, not sure of mods or ne thing, but we were cruising about 45- 50 ish when we first went at it, and pulled about 1 - 1 1/2 cars, then we shut down, this was only up to about 70ish, then we lined up and went at it from 40, i know he had a manual cuz i heard him downshift, we both hit it, but my transmission only went into 2nd, so i started out about 2500 rpms (at WOT). The lt1 pulled a good half car b4 i started reeling him in, anybody know why this might be happneing and what i could do to fix it? I had the shifter in 3rd not overdrive during all of this.

BubaGumpShrimp

iTrader: (1)

has to do with the stock programming of the pcm and the fact that first gear tops out at 45 with a 3.23 rear.. Stock setting only lets you hit first gear when you are going 30mph or less. You can reprogram your pcm to allow first gear dowshifts @ 40mph. Mine is set to that which is a bit high since it only stays in 1st for 5mph, but you dont get that second gear lag, just like you are experiencing. A converter helps lessen the second gear lag, which you have already... The second gear is the one of the main disadvantages aginst a m6. There is no way around it, only bandaids like a converter,shift kit,and programming.

98_Formula

iTrader: (15)

ah, ok i'll have to make sure do to that, HPTuners can do that right? of course what cant hptuners do, but also i 2.73 gears not 3.23.

BubaGumpShrimp

iTrader: (1)

yes hp tuners can do it. I did forget one other thing to improve the second gear lag and that is rear gears, 2.73's make the second gear even worse than 3.23's. 3.73's would help alot for all gears in the trans which is what im going to be doing.
Well with 2.73 gears first gear can hold to a higher mph than 3.23's so you might want to play around with the dowshift speed.. To get a good idea of where it tops out, find a decent road away from people(6,000+ rpm in first is loud) than put the shifter in first, give it gas untill you reach the limiter and note the speed you are going. You might top 50mph so you may want to program for anything under 45mph the trans shifts to 1st but test it out at a lower speed first as you might hit the rev limiter when you nail it going 45mph and it shifts to first... If your near jersey i could help you out one day..

98_Formula

iTrader: (15)

i'm in buffalo new york, jersey is quite a drive... but i just tried doing a launch from a stop and it shifted around 45 - 46. gears are definitly something i plan on doing int he near future, will that change the speed at which my car shifts?

BubaGumpShrimp

iTrader: (1)

yes it will change the point at which it shifts.

Smoker_98

iTrader: (1)

If I may make a few suggestions . .. keep your gears. I wish I would have kept my 2.73's and just got a nice stall. Also I know exactly what you mean about that 2nd gear "lag". I too drove around with it mostly in 3rd unless I was on the highway, but honestly for whatever reason it will always get into the lowest gear possible if you just leave it in overdrive or 4th. This is much harder on the trans but it will get down into the lowest gear possible. Oh and try and snap the pedal through the floor and make sure your floor mat is pulled back, believe it or not sometimes my car feelt like a dog, and then I remember to pull that mat back and try and break the pedal and there's quite a difference.