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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 07:58 PM
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Default 1 to 4 shift light

Im still getting used to driving my recent purchase (1999 standard vette). What puzzles me is the 1 to 4 light coming on once in awhile. Am i waiting to long to upshift ( driving to slow or to fast,before shifting to second)Can someone shed some light on this (manual book has explaination,that I dont really get still. Am i in danger of damaging tranny or engine. Thanks for any feedback (I am a average novice at driving standard still)
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 08:10 PM
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if i'm correct it's the CAGS (computer assisted gear select) meaning the computer says between such and such speed/coolant temp, you WILL shift from 1st to 4th. 2nd and 3rd are locked out (but only temperarily) and this was done to save on the "gas guzzler" tax for cars like ours.

Head to...crap don't know the rules just yet, i'll hit you up with a PM (if interested) for the CAGS Skip Shift Eliminator. Simple plug and play and it's taken care of.
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by nvusgt
if i'm correct it's the CAGS (computer assisted gear select) meaning the computer says between such and such speed/coolant temp, you WILL shift from 1st to 4th. 2nd and 3rd are locked out (but only temperarily) and this was done to save on the "gas guzzler" tax for cars like ours.

Head to...crap don't know the rules just yet, i'll hit you up with a PM (if interested) for the CAGS Skip Shift Eliminator. Simple plug and play and it's taken care of.
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 09:11 PM
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I learned real quickly to go from 1st to 4th and then quickly to 2nd, I bought the shift eliminator but haven’t put it in yet
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 09:27 PM
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A tune, eleminator or an extra second pause when you shift out of 1st and you wont have a problem.
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 09:46 PM
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Anyone that has ANY problem with this CAGS thing in your Corvette just isn't driving the car like a Corvette.

Stop shifting so early and it will never affect you AT ALL. I can't imagine why anyone would be shifting out of first gear at 1200 RPM's which is probably about 15 MPH..

DRIVE THE CAR LIKE IT SHOULD BE DRIVEN and you'll never have that thing act upon your driving
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 09:47 PM
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Originally Posted by vette.mix
I learned real quickly to go from 1st to 4th and then quickly to 2nd, I bought the shift eliminator but haven’t put it in yet
Don't shift so soon. TRY IT, stay in first a little longer....
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Glennm27
Anyone that has ANY problem with this CAGS thing in your Corvette just isn't driving the car like a Corvette.

Stop shifting so early and it will never affect you AT ALL. I can't imagine why anyone would be shifting out of first gear at 1200 RPM's which is probably about 15 MPH..

DRIVE THE CAR LIKE IT SHOULD BE DRIVEN and you'll never have that thing act upon your driving



Sorry Glenn, I agree with and appreciate a lot of your posts but not this one.
There are plenty of local/traffic/low speed applications where the CAGS eliminator comes in handy.
Get one and you don't have to worry about the light/lockout.
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 10:11 PM
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Originally Posted by steve8
Sorry Glenn, I agree with and appreciate a lot of your posts but not this one.
There are plenty of local/traffic/low speed applications where the CAGS eliminator comes in handy.
Get one and you don't have to worry about the light/lockout.
If you add that stupid thing and shift your car at 1200 RPM's you are doing your engine injustice..

Do you really need to drive this car in 2nd gear at 800-1000 rpm'S? That's what you will be doing if you inastall a CAGS eliminator resistor AND shift when that 1-4 light is lit.

I've driven cars with CAGS for 8 years and never once had that thing intervene.

I just can't imagine why you'd think you need to shift that soon.... BUT then again, whatever pleases you guys, go right ahead and do it. I'm just offering these newbies how to get around this thing the easy way, DRIVE THE CAR..

By the way steve8, I appreciate your kind words.. Thanks
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 10:15 PM
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sounds to me like he might already have had the eliminator installed by the previous owner and he is just getting the light when he shifts. if this is the case and you not getting kicked to 4th gear when the light comes on then everything is fine and your not going to hurt anything
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by nvusgt
if i'm correct it's the CAGS (computer assisted gear select) meaning the computer says between such and such speed/coolant temp, you WILL shift from 1st to 4th. 2nd and 3rd are locked out (but only temperarily) and this was done to save on the "gas guzzler" tax for cars like ours.

Head to...crap don't know the rules just yet, i'll hit you up with a PM (if interested) for the CAGS Skip Shift Eliminator. Simple plug and play and it's taken care of.
That pretty much sums it up - and if you don't want to put in a CAGS eliminator device, just press down on the gas pedal a bit more and the CAGS feature will be defeated.
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Old Aug 6, 2009 | 11:34 PM
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That silly thing is dangerous...Remember several traffic situations that caused me to immediately install a CAGS defeat.......If you can shift to 2nd when lite flashes, the defeat has already been installed by a previous owner....
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 10:04 AM
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Thanks for the feedback everyone.When light comes on ,i have to go to fourth so I dont think the device is on car. I will check.This site is a excellent for learning more and finding options.
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 10:13 AM
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We run into higher rpms in first (esp. since we installed Corsa pace car, got to hear the sound) so only get a CAGs problem if traffic ahead does not let us run up the rpms so we go ahead and shift to 2nd (or try to anyway). I have seen on a few posts that a CAG eliminator might throw a code so we just make do by ignoring it 95% of the time.
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 10:24 AM
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I too installed an eliminator,,around $20 buck,,on the drivers side of the tranny,,just unplug the connection,,and plug in the eliminator. In the interim just step on the gas a bit more,,it does not take much to have the computer override the cags parameters.I learned,if you are just driving easy, you can also do a quick fake towards 4th and quickly go up int 3rd,,which gives quicker acceleration than 4th. Still driving somewhat economical,,but easier on the car than 4th!! I ljust like picking MY gears!!
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 10:33 AM
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You could also have a local tuner tune it out. That would probably be easier than installing the skip shift eliminator, and more than likely cheaper. It takes a tuner about 5 mins (most of it uploading) to fix.

I would think a tuner would do it for you between $25-50 bucks.... if not free.
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 10:40 AM
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I believe I read somewhere that the CAGS comes into play only if you're traveling between 13 and 19 mph when shifting out of first gear. Shift at 12 mph or less, or better yet 20 mph + and you'll get your second gear. Works for me (the latter, more often than not).

Damn the gas prices, full speed ahead!
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 10:51 AM
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Yeah.. It is best to shift out of 1st somewhere around or above 30 MPH.. But, there are lots of times, when in traffic (especially if it's a DD) where that is not an option.

You do have a few choices

1. Put in the CAGS bypass - takes a whole 15 minutes (including jacking up car time) if you have a low profile jack AND jack stands.

2. Have it tuned out.

3. Shift at greater then 19 MPH whenever possible and live with it when your in traffic and can't.
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 11:14 AM
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The vehicle speed is between 24-31 km/h (15-19 mph).
The engine coolant temperature (ECT) is greater than 77°C (171°F).
The BARO is greater than 76 kPa.
The accelerator pedal position (APP) is less than 26 percent.

I have no problem with people adding the CAG eliminator, no biggie either way (I don’t have it).

Just remember, there is no law requiring you to up shift when the message tells you to!
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Old Aug 7, 2009 | 11:19 AM
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I hate that 1-4 thing. I have learned to just accelerate a bit more when that light goes on. Then I can shift the way I want.

Dan
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