Shift point?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: Southfield Michigan
Shift point?
Ok so today at lunch with a friend I figured I would show the car off a little. I also wanted to see where my 1-2 shift point was. I read here it should be around 4800? I think. Been so long since I drove hard I forgot where it shifted.
My shift point with the pedal to the floor was 5200 RPM. It is a 86 L98 and as far as I can tell totally stock. Now if it shifts this high does it mean that someone put a shift kit in it? Or is my TV cable bad? I didn't think it used the TV cable at WOT.
On the same note the car 'feels' like my other car did when it had a 3500 stall converter. Yah I know that is overkill but it came with the trans in my other car. So between the high shift point and the strange mushy ness of the trans under 2200 RPM I wonder if someone put in a shift kit + stall converted.
On a side note as long as it shifts up in the R's say 3000+ or so it will snap your head back. I do not think the trans is wore out. Today it did manage to squeel the tires a little bit between gears when shifting at 5200RPM.
Any thought? Should I not worry? Or should I get it checked out? :confused:
My shift point with the pedal to the floor was 5200 RPM. It is a 86 L98 and as far as I can tell totally stock. Now if it shifts this high does it mean that someone put a shift kit in it? Or is my TV cable bad? I didn't think it used the TV cable at WOT.
On the same note the car 'feels' like my other car did when it had a 3500 stall converter. Yah I know that is overkill but it came with the trans in my other car. So between the high shift point and the strange mushy ness of the trans under 2200 RPM I wonder if someone put in a shift kit + stall converted.
On a side note as long as it shifts up in the R's say 3000+ or so it will snap your head back. I do not think the trans is wore out. Today it did manage to squeel the tires a little bit between gears when shifting at 5200RPM.
Any thought? Should I not worry? Or should I get it checked out? :confused:
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Shift point? (BookSmart)
Do a realy hard brake stand and note where the tires brake loose; roll along in 1st gear and pop the throttle and note where the tack jumps to. Both of these will give you some idea of the TC setup. I believe the stock '86 TC had around a 1,500rpm stall.
Since the shift is fast and crisp it sounds like it has a shift kit installed.
The 5,200rpm shift point isn't likely a function of a shift kit; it's mostly controlled by the springs & weights in the governor.
For a stock L98 that shift point is a little high but if you do some air movement mods that 5,200rpm will be about right.
Since the shift is fast and crisp it sounds like it has a shift kit installed.
The 5,200rpm shift point isn't likely a function of a shift kit; it's mostly controlled by the springs & weights in the governor.
For a stock L98 that shift point is a little high but if you do some air movement mods that 5,200rpm will be about right.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 179
Likes: 1
From: Oxford AL
Re: Shift point? (BookSmart)
I am glad you asked because I also have an '86 and was wondering the same thing. Mine shifts at a very high RPM- I set the fuel cut off in the ECM to 6100 and it will hit that limit before it shifts at full throttle. I don't like it shifting that high and was wondering if I swapped governers if it would bring the shift points down.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Whittier CA
Re: Shift point? (BookSmart)
I don't know if it is different on an 89, but mine shifts at ~5200 when at WOT. Had this car since it was new, so it has not had any aftermarket items added.
Perhaps the trans cable is out of adjustment?
Perhaps the trans cable is out of adjustment?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 4,763
Likes: 2
From: Connectivette
Re: Shift point? (vetteguy216)
I'm not so sure that the rpm reading on the digital dish is 100% accurate. I've read where they could be off a couple hunders rpm's.
After my tranny rebuild my WOT shift point was 5400. Then, after I installed my SuperRam it dropped down to 5000 :confused: This is perplexing because I always thought the TV cable controlls shift point at partial throttle and the tranny (weights/springs) contols shift points at WOT.
After my tranny rebuild my WOT shift point was 5400. Then, after I installed my SuperRam it dropped down to 5000 :confused: This is perplexing because I always thought the TV cable controlls shift point at partial throttle and the tranny (weights/springs) contols shift points at WOT.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: Southfield Michigan
Re: Shift point? (chucks88)
I will take note of the stall RPM next time I find some good road that the tires will stick to. MY impala's was about 2500 :yesnod:
On the shift sometimes it will go higher I think... Least that shift now light sometimes lights up. Maybe it was lower on trans fluid back then. Anyway it feels like a good shift and is about right in the power band.
BTW great forum :cool:
On the shift sometimes it will go higher I think... Least that shift now light sometimes lights up. Maybe it was lower on trans fluid back then. Anyway it feels like a good shift and is about right in the power band.
BTW great forum :cool:
