Hey guys,

I've been testing a new tune for the automatic guys for the last few weeks and just about everything is 100% on it except for the OD mph point.

Now on my personal car and a few other owners I like to not allow it to shift into OD until 60-65mph, I used to ride around with the OD button in the off position. Now in my new auto tune I dont allow it to go into OD upto 60 mph. This has been met with mixed reviews, one email I'll get loves it and then I'll get two that they say they love the tune except for that. You guys with Gears I'll get to you later in the post.

So what should I do with this? I think I could probably make it a option on my site for normal OD shifting MPH standard or OD from 60 and on optional but do you think that would confuse people? I get quite a few orders that I never even exchange an email with the person so I dont want to slow down the process or make it too complicated.

Can I get some feedback from you guys. Those with gears I know it needs to be lower because at 60mph you guys are at a few hundred RPM's higher so I know what to do with you.

Thanks, and please chime in. The best thing with my new auto tune you can use it daily, it can be made for any octane, as well as you can take it to the dyno and put it in 4th and NOT get that annoying bump in the graph, this tune locks the converter nearly all the time.

Thanks, Doug.

 

60 does seem a bit high i torn on OD around 50-55 just to keep the noise down

 

I am currently using your 91 Torque in my Auto w/ a JLT intake and for day to day driving in my rural enviroment I think shifting into OD @ 60 is a bit on the high side.

Not to throw your thread off track. But is there a way to get the revs to fall faster when you get of the pedal?

Thanks for continuing to tweak and look for improvements. I am so glad I made the decission to use Bama.

Mike C

 

I suggest the OD setting as optional. As the tunes become more sophisticated the questions will be inevitable .

 

I think the optional would be the best.

Driving conditions vary so must state to state. Here in PA with 118,000 miles of roads, most being 2 lane with few passing zones you are forced to spend a good bit of time in that sub 60 MPH range.

A sub 60 OD point would/will definitely be my choice.

 

I would leave it where it is I can alway push the button when I don't want it on

 

60-65 strikes me as a little high. I think I'd prefer it to be set a little lower, say in the 50-55 range. Perhaps an option to adjust the OD engagement threshold to where the purchaser desires?

 

I would go with the option, but Doug you are the man and your experimenting with your auto should be the deciding factor.

 

Hmm, I like the 60 number and want to give it (this new tune) a try in the future. I know I mostly leave mine off or locked out in city driving. It really seems like you're bogging the engine at 1500 rpm and 40 MPH. The reason I have bought a tuner yet is I don't like the shift firmness to be overly hard.
Makes the car unpleasant to drive day in and day out.

 

Mine jumps into OD as low as 35mph and it is annoying as heck. I just ride around with it off and shift it with the button. I would think aroud 45-50mph with my 3.73's would be a good point. I'd love to be able to adjust shift points by rpm not mph but the Spanish Oak doesn't work that way. Grrrr.

 

I have a 4.10 gear so i use the OD, the only time i turn if off it's on the drag track or on highway/road when i'm preparing to overpass someone, or coming in a high speed turn.

Most of the time in regular driving on highway with the 4.10 the car didn't shift down when accelerate normaly. That's the beauty of the 4.10.
Oh and i'm using 91 Doug Torque tune.

 

Doug,
Don’t forget to send me the new tune we talked about when you get a chance.

Earl

 

Do it as an option.Ignor the e-mail I sent you.You just anserd my question .

 

Doug,
Under stock tune do you know where OD normally kicks in? Was just curious.
I too usually leave the OD off in normal driving conditions. I really don't turn it on until I get on the Interstate. Otherwise I won't turn it on until I'm 55 to 60 mph or more. I feel like rpm's are bogged at 55 or less with OD so that's why I leave it off usually.
Personally I would like a tune that keeps it off until 60 mph. That way I don't have to remember to turn it off each day for normal driving conditions.
I would have it as an option in your web page order form:

OverDrive Off until 60mph = YES
or
Do not change OverDrive Programming = YES

Maybe you could have a short explanation under this item so it won't be confusing what it means.

PS: Will this new tune your working on be for Performance, Torque, and Racing? And when it's ready what will be the price if we wanted to upgraded/replace some of our tunes with your new ones? Thanks!

 

I was wondering about that. Love the tunes but the OD shift is a little high. I would prefer it to shift into OD normally. My Stingers drone around town and it's probably killing my gas mileage. I do almost all my driving in the city.

 

I agree with this.

 

I have 3.73's in my auto and i like that it doesn't go into OD until 60-65...

 

Hey Doug,

I've been testing the latest modified Race Tune with the modified tranny tune ever since you sent it to me.

The previuos Race Tune with the modified tranny tune has the auto shifting very quickly and I guess that some folks might like that. But personally I dont, and the reason for that is I dont understand why I would want my car to shift into 5th when doing 30mph. I will say this though about the converter locking, you can definitely feel it lock in every gear. And its been "dyno tested" and street tested.

Like you, before the new tranny shift mod was released for testing, I always would have to push the Overdrive button in before leaving the house. Then when I got on the highway and up to 3000rpm in 4th I would push the OD button to allow the car to shift into 5th. Very annoying.

This new race tune with the latest tranny tune shifts more like the way you would shift a manual transmission under the same driving circumstances as above. Its really different, like driving a 5 speed manual without having to touch the shifter. I like it.

Just think all of this stated because of the converter unlocking.

Oh by the way. That comment I made to you in a previous email about the drag race was my fault. I didnt have the OD pushed in. (not allowing the tranny to shift into 5th.

Background:

Tues 10/10 I went to the drags to run the GT. The last time I ran a car was back in 1968 when I had my 1966 GTO.

I ran the car at full body weight (full tank of gas and spare tire in the trunk). I wanted to find out what the car would do just the way I drive it everyday.

So here it is:
Best out of 4 passes (testing different launch rpm's)
60' - 2.128
1/8 - 8.727
1/4 - 13.491 @ 102.47 (launch 2000 rpm) (most consistent)

I really do beleive that the GT will go quicker without the full tank of gas, spare tire. And add some drag tires. The 12's are not that hard to get too.
I came away from the evening feeling pretty darn good. I didnt buy the car to drag race it. Just wanted to see how fast my work car is.

Sure was fun though...........just like the ole days.

See ya next month.

 

I turn MY OD off until about 45-50. That is when I start to get annoyed with the RPM at speed. More importantly, can you improve the downshift? I live in a rural area, and whenever I slow down and make a right, it seems like the car doesn't want to downshift right away and bogs coming off the corner. I ahve actually gotten used to dropping the trans down to second just before I make the right to get it to shift the way I like. Seems klike the car wants to stay in fourth or fifth as long as possible.

 

I can see where talking about different tunes is going to get confusing.

Just for clarity I'm going to number the tunes the way that I've received and used them.

1. 93 Octane Race Tune - Original Tune
2. 93 Octane Race Tune - Converter locks - tranny shifts quickly
3. 93 Octane Race Tune - Converter locks - tranny shifts more like you would shift it if you were driving a stick shift.

Man, ya gotta love "fly by wire". You can get a completely different running car with just a program change.
This saves hundreds of hours of possible mechanical work and hundreds of dollars for trying out different mechanical setups.