holy crap, this thread is still open? I've had my auto FD for almost 2 weeks now...

 

can someone explain the hold function IE how it works, and how to use it? im kinda sketchy on this...

 

^

 

The FD auto is a electronically controlled 4spd with overdrive and lockup torque converter.

In a nutshell, the 'Hold' feature, locks it into which ever gear you select so you can shift it manually.

With 3 forward gear selections L, S, and D available

at WOT max speeds for each gear are:

1st = 33mph
2nd = 70mph
3rd = 117mph
OD = 160+mph

Using tranny without HOLD yields:

L = 1st -> 2nd
S = 1st -> 2nd -> 3rd
D = 1st -> 2nd -> 3rd -> OD

With HOLD:

L+HOLD = 1st
S+HOLD = 2nd
D+HOLD = 3rd

So what most auto owners end up doing is a combination of using the hold button and gear selector like sort of a clumsy manual-matic.

For street racing under 75mph, most just start in L+Hold till ~6000rpm then blip the Hold button for a nice quick shift.

Problem is its kinda boring for that first couple seconds, 20mph, or 4500rpm until the car figures out you actually want to go somewhere

 

i had an 94 auto and i loved it! I have a 93 stick and i must say it feels so mush faster. If i were u i would look around for a stick because this car was made for that sole purpouse, pure sports car! But if u can find a auto that has been treated right i would not hesitate to buy it.

 

ALSO:
The HOLD button engages the torque converter lock-up so you get engine braking as well.

 

I have to agree that in rush hour traffic I wish so so so badly I had an auto. However my main gripe with autos in general is they can't see whats ahead of them. Upshifting they're fine, but downshifting they get really confused. If I'm driving on a moutain road and I see a hairpin ahead, I can tell what gear I want before I actually get to the turn, so I can brake, then shift from 4th into neutral and then into second, while still braking into the turn, and then accelerate out of the turn already in 2nd gear. Traditional autos don't allow this kind of control. The newer autos with pushbutton control seem to address this pretty well though.

 

Again, on the auto FDs, the 'Hold' button allows you to hold each gear, and up shift or downsift manually. It will hold whatever gear you're in whether you are bouncing off the rev limiter or lugging it. The only time that the auto ecu intervenes is when you are in 3rd gear and go below 10-15 mph - it will downshift to 2nd so that you do not stall. Once up to speed, it will upshift back to 3rd gear (assuming you don't get a hint from the engine lugging and decide to downshift hehe).

Since this topic is current again, I can add that my 5 speed swap went w/o a hitch, and is muy fun! Got caught in notorious Houston traffic not too long ago though, and was cursing - light weight flywheel, brand new ACT clutch, and a new,stiff B&M short shifter (now nicely broken in) makes for no fun in stop and go traffic.

Am I glad I did it? Absolutely - now that my 'needs' have changed. It's striclty a weekend car (at the rate I'm getting to drive it, monthly or quarterly car might be a better description). I probably would do it again, though sometimes I wish I had pursued the route Viper jr took and see how far I could take the auto performance wise.

The auto tranny is capable of much more, but it does need to be beefed up with a better torque converter/etc. Ask Rotary Extreme... he has a T51 Kai spinnning in his auto.

 

Haha, just found this smilie -

 

Wow, can't believe this thread is still around.

Glad to hear your switchover went well Daniel.

Next mod for mine is the torque converter, only complaint I've ever had is that the car wont get up off its *** from a dead stop unless its torque-braked.

 

Yeah, weaklink says that the Level 10 TC helped immensely with take off from a dead stop. We need to contact another company that specializes in trannies for an alternative though, what with the mixed feelings of Level 10's workmanship/quality. Checking out to see who the Supra guys go to might be a good idea, and then rally the auto guys here, on the big list and on Yahoo groups to lobby for the companies service/support hehe.

 

As soon as my car is back up and running I'll let everyone know how my JMO torque converter works, but that will probably be 2 to 3 months.

Matt

 

JMO? Dude, what ever happen to the electronic shift controller kit of yours?! If you had gotten it done, I would probably not have gone to all the trouble I went thru to get the tranny swapped out, hehe.

 

ive never heard of JMO. im intereted in getting mine upgraded. can someone give me some info on JMO. do they have a website?
-brad

 

http://www.jmousa.com

I havn't used my converter yet so I can't comment on how it works, but the shop was fast and professional. As far as what they reccomend, upgraded stall, and increase your cooling.

When my car is finally up and runnign I'll give a full writeup of what I did and how it works.

As for the shift kit... I'm still working on it, I've changed the design so many times that it isn't even funny. At the moment I'm working on a full replacement for the AT ecu that controlls the lockup without having to manually turn it on/off. I have a simple circuit that I can use to hold gears and such but it uses buttons, next is to integrate it to use the gear selector, and then add the lockup control ( which will require some sort of CPU). I finish school (for good) in 2 weeks and then I get to spend an *** load of time putting my car back together.

Matt

 

Here are a couple auto FD related links I have:

http://www.protechtransmissions.com/...rformance.html

http://www.phoenixhardparts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

But I think the best bet would be Art Carr....VERY respected in the auto performance world. Im sure they could do something...

http://www.artcarr.com/

 

Hey UnixPilot, those are great links, thanks. Daniel, soon Chuck will not be the only one running a single with the auto. So far I have not had any trouble with my level 10 parts, though I did have trouble getting them to complete the order. We'll see after the rx6 goes on.

 

Anyone have any 1/4 mile times on high performance autos. I'm talking about sub 13 second times and a list of mods.

Thanx

Ken

 

No prob... I got some more, but I gotta dig em up.

I heard good things about em and they look the THE best for a stock/ slightly modded tranny rebuild.

They charge $895 for a complete rebuild including a rebuilt Torque Conv. and they offer a shift kit too. All with a 6month standard warranty.

Im about 75% sure I'll use them if my tranny blows up.

 

I'd like to see em too!

I might be on crack, but I would think a properly built auto FD (Im talking Shift kit, TransBrake, Upgraded Stall Conv., 4.33 gears, etc) with all the normal FD bolt ons could lay down some serious numbers.

No wheel hop, and keeping on boost during shifts would be nice.

 

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but just like 3rd is the "money gear" in the manual, 2nd is the "money gear (or more correctly 'money ratio')" for an automatic.

Here's a pic of my cockpit:
(56K friendly thumbnail )



-jon

 

Long time since anyone has been in here, but thought id post something just in case someone comes looking like i did.

I own a 1994 fd auto and its great and as everyone else said, i wish it was manual. When i bought the car is only had 32k miles and everything, interior, exterior, engine, everything was in great condition so over all it was a great deal. I have modded it since and now it runs even better and has more power. Everyone under estimates the capablities of an auto fd, which is a shame but they'll learn. People see the auto shifter and after that they just loose interest....... untill they go for a ride in it. I guess thats about it. Dont want to repeat to much stuff!!!

 

So if a sports car with an Automatic isn't a true sports car, then I guess an open wheel formula car or Champ car with the paddle shifters and a sequential transmission isn't a real race car. I've had both and with the hold button I could input my driving skills with just as much entusiaim as I do with the manual and usually fewer mistakes. If your going to road race or road course the car, then launch's aren't an issue. If your going to drag race the launch can be fixed with the same products used on other auto's and your car will beat a manual most everytime. Shift kits and trans brakes are a great thing. Real drag racers even try to get rid of gears. Most are either two speed auto's or even direct drive. So you need to figure out what you want to with the car and realisticly look at how the car will spend most of it's life. Daily driver with stop and go trafic ???? Drag racing ? ? ? ? Road racing/auto crossing ? ? ? ?? It's all in what you want and what you want to do with it. I got a manual now and if I could find an Auto in great shape for the price I paid for mine I'd have another Auto.