Transmissions and Drivetrain Need help with your trans? Problems with your axle?

Should I Downshift???

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Old 07-20-2001, 03:39 PM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
Should I Downshift???

I have been driving up to the mountains lately and I will be going to college up there in the fall. I have a manual valve body, I can leave it in OD and still make it up, but the pedal is pressed far and I was wondering if I was putting unneeded stress on the engine. Should I downshift to 3rd.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-20-2001, 04:35 PM
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Go back to 3rd gear. Yes, if it stays in overdrive it is hard on it (the transmission) when accelerating in the hills. Third is direct and it causes the least wear on the tranmission. You might even go to second if the R's get below 2,500 rpm when accelerating.
Hope This Helps!!!
Old 07-21-2001, 03:05 AM
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To add to what Pro said, you should be able to "feel" what is the right gear. The lugging will go away.

I am curious though, why do you have a manual shift auto on the street? I have driven this type setup and it gets old after about five minutes.

[This message has been edited by transfixleo (edited July 21, 2001).]
Old 07-21-2001, 08:57 AM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
Well I can leave it in OD and it shifts thru all the gears but if I try to go to WOT in OD the car doesn't pick up rpm's the way it should, I can hold the rpm's thru any gear and downshift at any rpm, so I figure the guy who rebuilt my tranny put in a manual valve body of some sort. Does this sound right. I like being able to shift thru the gears yet leave it in OD and it be fine.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-21-2001, 08:58 AM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
Well I can leave it in OD and it shifts thru all the gears but if I try to go to WOT in OD the car doesn't pick up rpm's the way it should, I can hold the rpm's thru any gear and downshift at any rpm, so I figure the guy who rebuilt my tranny put in a manual valve body of some sort. Does this sound right. I like being able to shift thru the gears yet leave it in OD and it be fine.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-21-2001, 10:19 AM
  #6  
82z
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It sounds like you just have an oem valve body with a shift kit that allows manual up and down shifts.

------------------
82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter
Old 07-21-2001, 04:35 PM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
But how come if I go to WOT from a stop in OD, the rpm's won't raise above 2700 rpm's. And if in D, I'm not sure what rpm's go up to at WOT from a stop but it's around 3000. The only way I can get the rpm's to get near redline is shifting from 1st.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-22-2001, 07:20 AM
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Do this: To adjust the TV Cable skip the book method and do this: Press the D button on the adjuster and loosen the cable setting. Now, have someone floor the gas pedal while you check to see if the throttle plate is open all the way. Usually they are off a little and will wiggle. Do whatever you have to do to get it open solid. Now, with the pedal still floored, press the D button and pull the cable casing (the black tube) back as hard as you can and release the button. You now have the engine, tranny and gas pedal all in sync at WOT. Mark the cable so if for some reason it gets moved you can know where to put it again. The problem with the 'self adjust method' is that it bends things and puts them permanently out of whack. It is also the full TV setting, which is theoretically what the GM method does.
Old 07-22-2001, 10:22 AM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
I've done that several times, it seems to be set right. When I had someone push in the pedal, I then pulled back the throttle to make sure it was at WOT and it was.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-22-2001, 02:26 PM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
When taking off in D or OD even the rpm's don't get high the car just doesn't have any power. The car doesn't pull hard unless I shift the gears.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-23-2001, 08:38 AM
  #11  
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THose RPM's are WAY too low. If you have the orrect tach I would start with a different governor. Most run of the mill V-8's will shift at least in the 4000-4500 RPM range. Do you have a diesel governor in it?
Old 07-23-2001, 09:27 AM
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
I have no clue what kind of governor I have or where it is located. I have thought ever since I got the tranny rebuilt it hasn't pulled as hard, but I thought that was do to my 1-2 slippage. Also, there have been about 2 times where I got on it, and the car actually seemed to be pulling harder, it threw me back in the seat.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"
Old 07-23-2001, 09:28 AM
  #13  
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Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
Oh and I know the tach is right, I just had a 5" autogage tach with shift light installed.
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