I've been searching and can't find the info I need. When starting from a stop in D if I give the vehicle even moderate gas the car seems to **** really hard into the next gear, but if I let off the gas before it shifts its smooth. Does anyone know if this is normal?

 

Perfectly normal. These cars shift HARD. Hell, in my teenage years we paid good money for 'shift kits' to put on our Turbohydramatic 350 and 400 trannies to shift that hard...lol!

 

Yeah... mine kicks like a mule... lol!! But I had it checked out and serviced. Everything is good.

 

maybe it's because your tranny is the same one found in mazda MPV minivans

 

Always one idiot has to bring that up. Like we havn't heard it in every other auto thread. I could care less if it has an auto.



Mine does the same thing by the way.

 

heh, i just learned that the other day

 

...another place for Mazda to cut corners.

 

And certain years of the Mazda 929 as well.

Nothing defines nausea like walking up to a ragged out old MPV in a used car lot and seeing that exact same shifter sticking outa that center console.

But the MPV still hauls a$$ if you powerbrake it and use HOLD!

Plus it builds boost of the line and shifts m@d qwik

 

The Good Ole Days.. I remember breaking a few u-joints (on more than one ocasion) as my 69 Camaro shifted from 1st to second gear. I hope I can make my FD do the same one day

 

Except for off the line, the automatic pulls just as hard as a manual.


Do any of you guys get a lurch in the car when you take it from neutral to "D"???

 

I am very surprised that no Company has designed/manufactured a high stall "hole-shot" type torque converter for our Auto FD's. That would solve all "our" sluggish launches and perhaps add at the least a full second to our 1/4 mile ET.

 

Fumanchu:
The automatics that I've drove do not compare to the stick that I own....

I don't see that you can validate that statement, or maybe the one you drove was "special"

 

The ONLY difference in "performance" and ONLY advantage, although slight, is that the stick FD comes eqipped with lower gears in the rear (our Auto FDs come with 3.90),thus accelerates quicker, AND that a stick FD (or any other vehicle with a manual tranny) can be launched at ANY given RPM, which works out great with our turbo set-up. BUT in defense of Fumanchu, I can vouch that the Auto FD DOES pull very hard !!

 

It gives it more of a sports car feel

 

Ive driven both auto and manual FD's and I agree the auto puts you back in your seat a little more then the manual. and BTW go to www.levelten.com they sell everything you can imagine for our auto's including a torque converter.

 

Yeah, I'll easily stay with a manual tranny car anywhere past 20 mph, and venture to say that due to the fact we can just plant the right foot and hold it down, the boost NEVER falls off and there isn't a human alive capable as shifting as fast as the automatic can, that there is a GOOD chance the auto tranny car is actually quicker.
Look, my friend's 400 hp '71 Camaro is documented quicker running a Turbo 400 over the 4 speed that was in it, and he hasn't broken a u-joint yet....something that happened all the time with the 4 speed.

 

Thanks for the info. Seems like these guys specialize in stock Converter rebuilds. I just e-mailed them to get the cost of rebuilding my converter to hold a 3000-3500 rpm stall speed and NOT lose our "hold" feature. I'll PM you or post on this thread as soon as I receive a reply. Thanks.

 

Here's the reply I just received from levelten.com:

Dear Jimmy,
We do offer a pts torque converter upgrade that will get rid of all the
lag and the hesitation off the start and shaving off 1/2-1 second off 1/4
mile times. It will also be a good daily driver or weekend warrior. You will
not lose the "hold" feature. It is required that you ship us the core for
upgrading. Now it takes 2-3 business days and costs $498 + s&h ($20 or
so)here is how to order.

Not a bad deal at all. This is a "performance upgrade" that needs to be considered. What do you guys think??

 

HAHA, maybe your problem is bc, your car '*****' instead of 'shifts'

sorry

 

i think with any engine mods a higher stall converter will result in a "MY TRANS BLEW UP DAMNIT!!" thread

 

ive got an auto as well and I like the performance it offers for an auto.But from a upgrading standpoint once you make 2 to three performance mods you need an engine management system.The popular one seems to be the apex power fc which will not work with automatics.So thats where we auto owners hit a brick wall.Thats why im going to convert to a stick.

 

Yes, the lack of a true "stand alone" aftermarket ECU that supports the HOLD feature of the tranny IS kind of a bitch, but....I have to inquire: How many mods are enough? Meaning, I feel the "stage 1 mods" such as intake and exhaust improvements are adequate enough call it good. Done properly one has a car with what....around 230 or so rwhp, even on the automatics?
That my friends is PLENTY enough to take an already exciting high performance car to even greater performance.
Don't get me wrong, it would be a blast to have a big-*** T-78 single turbo with all the goodies making over 400 hp, but.....would it be really useful, except at a track? Hell....I have to watch my right foot EVERY time I drive my car, I really can't imagine the temptations one would have with a 150% increase or more in hp!

 

Hrm, that's not a bad price at all for the High Speed Torque converter. The other shops that wanted to do mine were asking between 1500 - 2kish. I think I'll try the torque converter... sounds fun. All of a sudden a friend rides in the car who has always ridden in it and then the car screams out of the hole... drool.

From my understanding is that in the quarter besides the 60 ft times sucking the auto is faster than the manual with the same mods within the quarter mile but after the quarter the 5 speed just starts pulling.

 

First of all the stock stall speed on the converter is 3K. Second I have the level 10 torque converter and I can tell you that this man's claims are false. The converter will not get rid of ALL lag and hesitation off the start. Now in their defense I also had my tranny rebuilt with their rebuild kit and it has held so far with an apex single turbo pushing 19psi. Third, the highest stall they recommended was 3500 to maintain streetability. I don't think it's worth the R & R labor and part cost for 500 more rpm stall speed.

You'd be better served by getting a new 4.10 rearend.

 

Not on mine. I only get about 2100 rpm stall on mine. As for a 4.10 ring and pinion, that's not much of an improvement over the 3.90 rear, ...4.30's would be a better choice.