I drive a 96 auto. I know it to have only 4 gears...

Yet... when I drive it on the highway... it seems like there is a 5th.

Let me explain myself.
Now, I'm writing this by memory so my rpms and speed might be off... but you should get the picture.


So generally, we can determine how many gears we have by counting how many times the transmission shifts gears will accelerating...
There is 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th(OD).
Lets say that I'm crusing at around 75mph.
The rpm stays steady at 2600ish...
I press the accelerator slightly and it feels like it shifted gears.
As a matter of fact, it did!
Tachometer now reads 3000 rpm...
No, it didn't climb to 3000, it jumped to 3000. You can feel it too!
An ever so slight hesistation while shifting gears.

So naturally, I'm thinking I'm in 3rd gear now, even though it doesn't really feel like it... 3rd gear should be the same as OD off.
Just to check, I turn off OD, and BAM! It really jumped! Tacho reads about 4500 rpms. I am now definately in 3rd gear.

Question... what the heck was the first mini jump?????????
It was definately there. I saw the tacho move. I felt the car change.
What was that????

Anybody else notice this too???

 

I definitely notice it..... not sure what it is though...

 

I feel this too. The first small jump is not a shift but the TC actually engaging. Try it in first. Get a nice long stretch of road and let it idle to speed in first without pressing the gas. Blip the throttle the same as on the highway and the same result can be produced.

 

The Torque Converter is kicking in.

 

Here is your extra gear

LOCK-UP CONTROL
NFAT0015S03
The torque converter clutch piston in the torque converter is locked
to eliminate torque converter slip to increase power transmission
efficiency. The solenoid valve is controlled by an ON-OFF duty
signal sent from the TCM. The signal is converted to an oil pressure
signal which controls the lock-up piston.
Conditions for Lock-up Operation
NFAT0015S0301
When vehicle is driven in 3rd or 4th gear position, vehicle speed
and throttle opening are detected. If the detected values fall within
the lock-up zone memorized in the TCM, lock-up is performed.

 

TC... I never thought of that....

 

Whatever you are smokin I want some!

 

Jime --- how come your WWW link doesn't work?

 

It works I just don't have anything there except my picture directory and there are a couple of other goodies located there if anyone cares to look and knows what the files contain.

Gotta get busy and do up a home page again but too much stuff I have to do with the car first. Gonna put the hotshot headers on tomorrow I hope if its not too cold.

Our two closest tracks open in 2 weeks so gotta get busy doing mechanical stuff not nerd stuff.

My plan though is to have my site up with a bunch of pics and videos but mostly howto's on just basic inexpensive performance mods. Most of which I have dreamed up on my own. Nothing dramatic just stuff like, modifying your thermostat to any temp you want, manual hi and lo radiator fan switch, drop resistor mod, etc etc