LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Best shift points for a stock auto?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 07:14 PM
  #1  
Speedmonster185's Avatar
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette/West Lafayette, IN
Default Best shift points for a stock auto?

I wasn't sure whether to put this in the auto tranny forum or here, since its about an LT1. Let me know if I need to put it over there. What are the best shift points (rpms) for a stock LT1 to shift at? The reason I'm curious is that the one I have ('93 Z28) shifts at about 5000, or maybe 5100 at the highest, and I'm wondering how much it is hurting the car acceleration-wise to be shifting like 500-600rpm before the red line... So let me know what you guys think. Its the one thing I don't like about the car (all the tranny stuff), but maybe it isn't that bad, I don't know.

Thanks
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 07:52 PM
  #2  
LT1Falcon's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, West Virginia
Default

thats weird, do you have a 700r4 (4l60) or a 4l60e? im asking because mine shifts right at 5800 and its a stock 700r4. as far as helping performance, im sure it would help even with a stock motor since they are rated as having peak hp at 5800 rpms, so if your not getting to the hp, whats the point? if you are 700r4 you will need to mess with the springs and weights in the governor, and for the 4l60e you will have to mess with computer settings
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 07:53 PM
  #3  
Matts94Z28's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,213
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, S.C.
Default

I shifted mine at 6100 when it was stock...no prolems here.
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 07:55 PM
  #4  
LT1Falcon's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, West Virginia
Default

also you can shift manually at the rpm you want, but sometimes it is hard to be accurate and consistent due to the delay after you move the shifter. im sure with some practice it can be done, but it would be better if you can fix the tranny
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 08:18 PM
  #5  
3pnt4maro's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
20 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 0
From: Middle Georgia
Default

i shift mine at 5800...course it has a cam and the works..i say 5600 ish on a stock setup but thats just me..some folks may say to run them out farther
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 08:36 PM
  #6  
Speedmonster185's Avatar
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette/West Lafayette, IN
Default

'93s had the 700R4 in them to the guy that asked which mine was .

Ok, so I just went out and did a bit of work (haha) on it. The thing shifted way too high under normal driving acceleration, so i adjusted the TV cable and now it's just right . Only problem is now it shift at 4500 at WOT. That frustrated me a little since I fixed one problem only to make the other worse. But then I tried manually shifting it. That actually worked great. I could get it to shift just about at the red line each time. I did bounce off the rev limiter once while I was out, but I just need to get used to it. What is the rev limiter set to for the stock tune? The actual red line on the tach looks like maybe 5700 (or maybe 5800 from what you guys are saying?).

Anyway, does manually shifting it hurt it any (other than hitting the limited every once in a while)? I seem to remember reading something about that not being good for it, but that also was a long time ago and I don't remember any detail about it. Let me know. If it's fine to do that then I'm just not going to mess with it anymore because that solves my problem of it not down shifting more than one gear too . lol. Let me know what you think.

Thanks again.
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 08:47 PM
  #7  
3pnt4maro's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
20 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 0
From: Middle Georgia
Default

i heard its bad for the tranny....something about the line pressure i believe...and your not gonna be able to "outshift" the computer so to speak..except for in your position where its acting funny..i tried it at the track versus letting it shift and it slowed me down 4/10 of a second
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 08:58 PM
  #8  
Speedmonster185's Avatar
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette/West Lafayette, IN
Default

Well in this case I don't have a computer shifting it anyway .
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 09:32 PM
  #9  
3pnt4maro's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
20 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 0
From: Middle Georgia
Default

Originally Posted by Speedmonster185
Well in this case I don't have a computer shifting it anyway .
exactly, sorry im no help anymore
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 10:50 PM
  #10  
infinitebird's Avatar
TECH Veteran
20 Year Member
Liked
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,280
Likes: 51
From: Denver, CO
Default

the stock redline is set at 5800, and yeah your tranny is probably not going to last very long if you constantly manually shift it. Some people do it, but others have had bad luck with that.
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2007 | 11:14 PM
  #11  
DADDY&GIRL93TA's Avatar
12 Second Club
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: ohio
Default

Were shifting at 5500 on our 700R4. Ours is a 93 also.Shifting 1,2,3 at the drag strip.Were at 125000 miles on tranny and car.What i was told about hurting the tranny was going into 4th at red line.
Reply
Old Aug 27, 2007 | 05:43 AM
  #12  
LT1Falcon's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
From: Charleston, West Virginia
Default

Originally Posted by Speedmonster185
'93s had the 700R4 in them to the guy that asked which mine was .

im pretty sure the later models that year came with 4l60e's
Reply
Old Aug 27, 2007 | 05:49 AM
  #13  
Schweet97Z's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (35)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,550
Likes: 0
From: Danville PA
Default

manually shifting a transmissions up through the gear will not hurt it. manually shifting a transmission down through the gear will not hurt it but you MUST have your foot ever so slightly on the gas pedal to keep line pressure up. If you dont do that, then yea it can hurt the trans, because of the drop of pressure when you let your foot off the pedal.
Reply
Old Aug 27, 2007 | 07:29 AM
  #14  
ron williams's Avatar
Teching In
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 40
Likes: 1
Talking shift points

i have a 94 firehawk.......modded 4l60-e. it still retains the stock shifting points an all. i just put it in drive and stand on it,it reaches 6000 rpm just shy of rev limit and shifts in itself. have tried shifting it myself it just doesn,t work. 13.8...........14.2 et completely stock nitto 315 x17 drag radials in the back...................RON
Reply
Old Aug 27, 2007 | 10:31 AM
  #15  
3pnt4maro's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
20 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 0
From: Middle Georgia
Default

yeah your not gonna outshift the comp..there is also a delay bang when you shift it..it takes a second for the line pressure to build up so that it can shift and if you shift at redline its too late..i only bring ine form OD into 3 if im passing someone or something so the convertor will unlock..if im racing then its 3 and stand on the pedal
Reply
Old Aug 27, 2007 | 10:46 AM
  #16  
Speedmonster185's Avatar
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette/West Lafayette, IN
Default

Ok, thanks for the help guys. I realize it won't be as consistent as the computer shifting it, but mine doesn't have a computer shifting it anyway, and it does some strange things. Most of the time now the WOT shifts happen at 4500 if I don't hold it, and every once in a while they get up to about 5000-5100. I can shift it pretty well though it seems so far. If I push it up one gear at about 5500 it shifts at just about the perfect spot, just at the limiter. But anyway, this isn't a race car, just a daily driver, thats what my WS6 is for . I'm just mainly worried about hurting the tranny by manually shifting it whenever I do accelerate hard in it.

Just on a side note, it is hard for me to let this thing shift on its own because it runs sooo strong still even with 135k on it. When it hits second gear it just flies for a second. Lots of power left it in. There is a place where I can make a run to a little below 100mph safely where I kind of test the stuff I've done to my car. My full bolt on and tuned LS1 TA with 25k on it that should run 12.8's now gets to about 95 at the sign where i hit the brakes, and last night I tested this camaro while manually shifting it and I hit 85 at the same spot. What's even better was I had myself, my dad (~240lbs), an almost full tank of gas, and about 75 or 100lbs of guitar stuff in the back of the car. It felt really good and I was surprised how hard it hit second. I wasn't used to that since I am used to it shifting too low... Ok, thats my story . lol
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:24 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE