Traction Control
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Teching In
Joined: Nov 2006
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Traction Control I'm picking up a 98 T/A with a LS1 and M6 on Friday. A friend of mine asked me if it has traction control and something about the transmission not allowing certain gears if the rpm's aren't high enough. Supposedly it will lockout 2nd and 3rd and force you to shift to 4th. Any ideas on this? 
Its called skip shift. For 30 bucks you can buy something to get rid of that. I personally have never experienced that probelm, and Ive drove a few 6speed fbodies(not a lot but I dont own one). What happens? Everyone I drove let me go 1-2-3-4-5-6?
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 106
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From: the South
There is a solenoid in/on the transmission that locks out the shift path to 2nd and 3rd gear if certain parameters are met, like the engine coolant has to be above a certain temperature and the throttle position has to be less than say 50%. So if the engine is sufficiently warmed up and you're not puttin' your foot in it then you will literally be prevented from shifting into 2nd and 3rd gear leaving 4th, 5th or 6th as your only options (when accelerating moderately). This is a feature that has allowed GM to get favorable mileage ratings from the government, and it is easily defeated. There are write-ups on several LSx sites on how to do-it-yourself or you can get a connector ready-made from many sponsors. Look for "skip shift eliminators".
TECH Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 14
From: England
It's called CAGS (Computer Aided Shift Selection) it exists to allow the cars to meet the EPA fuel economy regulations. Yes it essentially locks out certain gears while driving normally. The V8 is torquey enough not to need them. From a performance stand point it sucks though.
There are some really cheap fixes but they tend to leave a warning light on the dash. Other fixes won't. Just check with any of the spponsors (Texas Speed & Performance, Thunder Racing) they all sell skip shift eliminators. Have a look over at Installuniversity as well or simply use Google.
Traction Control is called ASR, there should be a button on the dash to switch it off. A warning light on the dash will eluminate when it's off. It's not a bad thing to have and in the wet is handy, although after a few mods the engine will completly overwhelm the ASR system. There are option (tuning software) that allows you to set the default to OFF as opposed to factory setting of ON. Failing that just remember to switch it off when you want to go play.
If you don't have the button, then there is no ASR fitted to the car.
There are some really cheap fixes but they tend to leave a warning light on the dash. Other fixes won't. Just check with any of the spponsors (Texas Speed & Performance, Thunder Racing) they all sell skip shift eliminators. Have a look over at Installuniversity as well or simply use Google.
Traction Control is called ASR, there should be a button on the dash to switch it off. A warning light on the dash will eluminate when it's off. It's not a bad thing to have and in the wet is handy, although after a few mods the engine will completly overwhelm the ASR system. There are option (tuning software) that allows you to set the default to OFF as opposed to factory setting of ON. Failing that just remember to switch it off when you want to go play.
If you don't have the button, then there is no ASR fitted to the car.
traction control wont let you kick it really it will kick the gas back up to you not allowing you to get on it hard at least that has been my experience with it. the not allowing you to shift into 2-4th gear is skip shift if the car doesnt go over a certain rpm i think mine was like 2300 or somewhere around there it will automatically bring you into 4th gear not 2nd. to fix the problem you can install the skip shift eliminator and its really easy to do just make sure you dont plug it into the wrong harness because my friend did and it locked out reverse and he couldnt get in it.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6
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From: Cleveland
Instead of the $30 skip-shift eliminator, I installed a 7 cent 2K ohm resistor purchased from Radio Shack into the sensor that I unplugged from the tranny. Sealed it with weatherproof tape. The skip shift light still comes on, but it allows shifting into second even with the light on. Best 7 cents I ever spent (actually, I had to buy a pack of 4 resistors so it was 28 cents + tax. A work around with an active CAGS system is to shift to fourth briefly then, without letting out the clutch, shift to 2nd.
The traction control is, by default, turned on each time the car is started. There is a button near the shifter that is used to disable it. You can buy a device that reverses this so that the traction control is off when the car is started and can be manually turned on by hitting the switch by the shifter. I turn it off everytime I drive the car since mine is only driven in nice weather and I like to hang out the tail sometimes.
The traction control is, by default, turned on each time the car is started. There is a button near the shifter that is used to disable it. You can buy a device that reverses this so that the traction control is off when the car is started and can be manually turned on by hitting the switch by the shifter. I turn it off everytime I drive the car since mine is only driven in nice weather and I like to hang out the tail sometimes.
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Teching In
Joined: Nov 2006
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Thanks for the info everybody. Maybe that's why I didn't notice it I must have had the rpm's high enough to avoid it. I also don't remember a button for the traction control so maybe it doesn't have it. Jason 
Originally Posted by 300bhp/ton
It's called CAGS (Computer Aided Shift Selection).
it actully stands for Computer Assisted Gear Select.
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 171
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From: South Dakota
Originally Posted by Crazy T/A Lover
Thanks for the info everybody. Maybe that's why I didn't notice it I must have had the rpm's high enough to avoid it. I also don't remember a button for the traction control so maybe it doesn't have it. Jason
Last edited by gonefishn1212; Nov 8, 2006 at 01:16 PM.
Originally Posted by prplhaz
There is a solenoid in/on the transmission that locks out the shift path to 2nd and 3rd gear if certain parameters are met, like the engine coolant has to be above a certain temperature and the throttle position has to be less than say 50%.
- you're in 1st gear (of course)
- you're at 35% throttle or less
- you're between 15 and 21 mph
- engine coolant temperature is greater than 171 F (77 C)
Originally Posted by 300bhp/ton
There are option (tuning software) that allows you to set the default to OFF as opposed to factory setting of ON.
