88 4+3 OD question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 152
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From: Walnut Creek CA
88 4+3 OD question
OK, I just recently noticed that the OD idiot light on the digidash is lit sometimes in first gear. It doesnt happen all the time, but I have noticed it twice now. I only drive the car 2 or 3 times a week, and maybe it has been happening for a while. Is it just the OD switch? A mechanic said that the tranny should never be in OD in first, and that the tranny will go, costing up to $6k to fix if it does. Should I get the switch fixed (he said about $100) immediately and panic, or is it something that I should do sooner rather than later?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,381
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Re: (scorp508)
Check out this page, http://gearzone.net/43table.htm
For OD to be available in 1st for 1988....
1. You must have OD engaged in 2, 3, or 4 and the shift into 1st.
2. You must keep the throttle consistent. ANY increase in throttle turns it off if you are under 3000 RPM.
3. OD kicks out on acceleration, if RPM <3000
You may notice sometimes the OD light will be on in 1st, and then turns off when the speedometer hits 0. This is by design. The designers didn't want the sudden shift in 1st while coming to a stop. It would be rather jerky/nasty. :) So they made it shift out when the car came to a stop so that you would never notice it.
For OD to be available in 1st for 1988....
1. You must have OD engaged in 2, 3, or 4 and the shift into 1st.
2. You must keep the throttle consistent. ANY increase in throttle turns it off if you are under 3000 RPM.
3. OD kicks out on acceleration, if RPM <3000
You may notice sometimes the OD light will be on in 1st, and then turns off when the speedometer hits 0. This is by design. The designers didn't want the sudden shift in 1st while coming to a stop. It would be rather jerky/nasty. :) So they made it shift out when the car came to a stop so that you would never notice it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,886
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From: Northern California
Re: 88 4+3 OD question (mt_789)
It's normal. On my 88 4+3, it would always go into 1st-OD if I shifted out of 1st into neutral, and back into 1st again. This feature had some usefulness when I encountered some temporary stop-and-go traffic on the freeway with the OD activated. Instead of switching off the OD when I needed 2nd, I would keep the OD on and use 1st-OD because the ratio is almost identical to straight-2nd. (If I remember correctly, I could also get 1st-OD by hitting the OD button on the shifter while still in 1st, but if I did that more than once, I would eventually forget whether the OD was on or off, which was annoying.)
I'm driving a 6-speed now, but I sometimes miss the 4+3. I kind of liked all the neat things that I could do with a 4+3 that I can't do with a "normal" transmisson . . . like flooring the gas pedal in 2nd-OD at 30mph and feeling my neck snap back and hearing the scream from an unsuspecting passenger!
I'm driving a 6-speed now, but I sometimes miss the 4+3. I kind of liked all the neat things that I could do with a 4+3 that I can't do with a "normal" transmisson . . . like flooring the gas pedal in 2nd-OD at 30mph and feeling my neck snap back and hearing the scream from an unsuspecting passenger!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,381
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Re: 88 4+3 OD question (SharkInShark)
. . . like flooring the gas pedal in 2nd-OD at 30mph and feeling my neck snap back and hearing the scream from an unsuspecting passenger!
That is the best kickdown! Even better when linging up with someone who SEES you have a stick, then has no friggen clue what hit them after you've stomped on it. :)
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 152
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From: Walnut Creek CA
Re: (scorp508)
Thanks scorp! I guess the mechanic I talked to was just trying to get more money out of me. I do see the OD light when coming to a stop at a light, but once I hit zero I think it did go off. I will pay more attention for the next few days. Tomorrow I get rid of the crappy Bose stereo so I will be driving it more often!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Walnut Creek CA
Re: 88 4+3 OD question (SharkInShark)
Thanks Shark. I feel better now. Had a friend in the car for the first time the other day, when I got on the gas in 2nd and the OD kicked off, he thought I had a turbo or something when he was pushed back into his seat. He actually bit his lip and got pissed that i did not warn him - what a rush! I am sure the 6-speed is smoother, but the 4-3 can really get the most out of the engine.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 1
From: Woodstock GA
Re: (mt_789)
Yes that's right it will stay in O/D when coming to a stop before coming out so you will not feel a driveling clunk, if you put it in first and give it just a little to much throttle it will come right out.
David Fulcher
David Fulcher
5th Gear
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5
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From: woodbridge va
Re: 88 4+3 OD question (mt_789)
I have a 88 also, I never noticed the OD light on in 1st that's not saying that it does not stay on. But I have another issue that you may have came across... sometimes my swith on the gear stick does not work, also I was told by chevy that my car was trying to revert back into OD at high RPM. I thought that it was loosing spark but they said it was the OD. I wanted a second opinion so I took it to a transmission tech and they found that the Vehicle Speed Sensor was disconected by a broken wire, he said that this should fix my problem, but could not promise me anything.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,381
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
The switch is busted? For a '88 momentary switch.
http://www.newark.com
Part #: 61F753
Price : $11.00
You can buy them from GM, but they are $80. The difference is that the GM one will have the 2 wire harness on it. The one from newark is the identical switch minus the harness. You can solder the one from your old switch onto the new switch easily. :)
http://www.newark.com
Part #: 61F753
Price : $11.00
You can buy them from GM, but they are $80. The difference is that the GM one will have the 2 wire harness on it. The one from newark is the identical switch minus the harness. You can solder the one from your old switch onto the new switch easily. :)