I was driving to school this morning when I had an idea: why not make a sort of pseudo-performance shift switch in my bird? Here's what I have in mind:

I will build a switch to be hidden behind that little grey panel to the left of the steering wheel, below the dimmer controls. yeah, that different colored panel that is about two inches wide by an inch high. The switch will turn on: The shift light, just for the heck of it, and the Parking Brake light---"P" for Performance shift. That is the visual part. The switch will also turn on the torque convertor lockup. I think it'll be sorta cool. Flick the switch on, P light goes on, and you have torque lockup coming outta 1st....my idea. Whaddaya guys think?

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Kevin-87 Firebird 2.8 liter A4
!Cat, !Maf, !Air Intake, K&N, Bosch Platinum +4, Blue Streak Cap & Rotor
Performance Rebuild in the planning stages...
Best 0-60 10.26 seconds...for now

 

Umm.... Performance by locking the TC???

 

Yeah, enabling the TC locup coming outa 1st is supposed to net 1 or 2 tenths in the 1/4 mile and a mile per hour or so. Read the article HERE

Hey, it isn't full blown performance shifting, but who cares, it works.

[This message has been edited by 87 Firebird (edited January 31, 2001).]

 

Heh, get a manual transmission, and you can control all that however you like

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--Steve S--
1984 Trans Am 305 LG4, 5 speed
RPO codes point to Recaro version
Daily Driver, Flowmaster 80 Series

 

I'd just love to be able to put a t56 in, but right now my main restriction is MONEY. I can afford to put together a simple switch system I already have. I cannot aford a standard tranny. If any of you have on you'd like to give me, then by all means, do it.

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--
Kevin-87 Firebird 2.8 liter A4
!Cat, !Maf, !Air Intake, K&N, Bosch Platinum +4, Blue Streak Cap & Rotor
Performance Rebuild in the planning stages...
Best 0-60 10.26 seconds...for now

 

This is really hard on the Torque converter clutch. It's meant to lock-up when the engine is not under load. Not full throttle. I've seen cars go slower with the TCC locked in 2nd and 3rd gear.

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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

It's not worth crap for performance. Even if it was worth a small bit, the trade-off in wear and tear is not worth it. And if your issue is money, then you should be concerned with that transmission's longevity.

 

I hear that!!! Hate being poor, it sucks! Can't wait till i get my new job.

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--Steve S--
1984 Trans Am 305 LG4, 5 speed
RPO codes point to Recaro version
Daily Driver, Flowmaster 80 Series

 

Your TC lockup idea is legit. I have personally tested TC lockup many times starting in 1994 with results of .15 sec ET gain and 2.5 MPH gain in 1/4 mile. I have friends that have done their own independant testing that will verify similar gains during very strict tests.
One very important trick you should know about lockup is that it needs to stay locked through the entire upper RPM of the gear and then unlock at the shift. I have best results locking mine at the peak HP RPM, which holds the engine at that RPM a little longer. Staying locked through the shift just means that much longer before your engine reaches peak power, and the extra load at shift recovery could possibly hurt performance or show no gains.
good luck


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White 1986 Irocz, 305/383 with Edlebrock Performer-RPM intake and Performer #1407 carburetor, +110hp shot of crack, 700R-4 tranny, 3.25:1 rear, Mcreary Road-Stars, single 3" Borla exhaust, Linginfelter-TPI camshaft pulls 17" vacuum solid. N/A runs 10.9 @124, Crack-runs 10.3 @135... haven't run at track since Oct-99

 

The problem I'm facing right now, is that when I bypass my ECM the torque converter won't lock up. Can I wire a toggle switch in to lock up just when I want it to and not do all that through every gear? Would it be better to lock up in every gear if you way performance to wear and tear on the tranny and converter?

 

don't the brake light say brake instead of "P" ??