Help! Shift from 1st to 4th gears???
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Olympia WA
Help! Shift from 1st to 4th gears???
OK, when I'm (forced to) puttering around town in traffic, my 2001 C5, 6 speed manual shows a shift 1st to 4th light quite often. This is when slow traffic flow begins and I'm in 1st, going into 2nd but can't because the traffic speeds, stop & go, etc. do not allow for that shift.
I'm totally lost on this subject. I've read a lot but yet confused. My owner's manual says that when this indicator light comes on you must immediately shift from 1st to 4th. If not, you run the risk of damaging the engine. Damaging the engine??? Huh?
I DO NOT get locked out of 2nd and 3rd gears. I've read a lot about the CAGS eliminator option, but I don't believe it applies to my car.
So, under these driving conditions, do I just ignore the dash shift light and gear & brake as needed in traffic OR do I shift from 1st to 4th and heavily bog down the car? Of course, I DO NOT WANT TO DAMAGE MY CAR!
Thank you.
I'm totally lost on this subject. I've read a lot but yet confused. My owner's manual says that when this indicator light comes on you must immediately shift from 1st to 4th. If not, you run the risk of damaging the engine. Damaging the engine??? Huh?
I DO NOT get locked out of 2nd and 3rd gears. I've read a lot about the CAGS eliminator option, but I don't believe it applies to my car.
So, under these driving conditions, do I just ignore the dash shift light and gear & brake as needed in traffic OR do I shift from 1st to 4th and heavily bog down the car? Of course, I DO NOT WANT TO DAMAGE MY CAR!
Thank you.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 658
Likes: 12
From: Clearwater Fl
CAGS was an EPA thing to meet fuel economy standards.
If you have a light on the dash.... but can still go into 2nd,,,, someone has put the eliminator in it already.
worst you will do is stall if you bog down to much going from 1st to 4th,,,, I cant see a scenario where you would do damage.
I would ignore the light,,,, and do what is right for the conditions you are in
If you have a light on the dash.... but can still go into 2nd,,,, someone has put the eliminator in it already.
worst you will do is stall if you bog down to much going from 1st to 4th,,,, I cant see a scenario where you would do damage.
I would ignore the light,,,, and do what is right for the conditions you are in
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Back in 2004 when I got my Z06 mine did the same.
It only happened when I was just puttering around.
When I got on it hard it would not happen.
I got a CAGS eliminator and it allowed me to shift to any gear I wanted.
I think (not sure) that the tuners can tune this out of your car as well.
Toque
It only happened when I was just puttering around.
When I got on it hard it would not happen.
I got a CAGS eliminator and it allowed me to shift to any gear I wanted.
I think (not sure) that the tuners can tune this out of your car as well.
Toque
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Olympia WA
Tuners can indeed tune this out and a bit better than the CAGS resistor, the light will never come on again. If your going to get a tune done to the car, have it done. Otherwise install the CAGS resistor mod. Light will still come on but you can shift to any gear at any time.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Olympia WA
CAGS was an EPA thing to meet fuel economy standards.
If you have a light on the dash.... but can still go into 2nd,,,, someone has put the eliminator in it already.
worst you will do is stall if you bog down to much going from 1st to 4th,,,, I cant see a scenario where you would do damage.
I would ignore the light,,,, and do what is right for the conditions you are in
If you have a light on the dash.... but can still go into 2nd,,,, someone has put the eliminator in it already.
worst you will do is stall if you bog down to much going from 1st to 4th,,,, I cant see a scenario where you would do damage.
I would ignore the light,,,, and do what is right for the conditions you are in
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Olympia WA
Back in 2004 when I got my Z06 mine did the same.
It only happened when I was just puttering around.
When I got on it hard it would not happen.
I got a CAGS eliminator and it allowed me to shift to any gear I wanted.
I think (not sure) that the tuners can tune this out of your car as well.
Toque
It only happened when I was just puttering around.
When I got on it hard it would not happen.
I got a CAGS eliminator and it allowed me to shift to any gear I wanted.
I think (not sure) that the tuners can tune this out of your car as well.
Toque
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 161
From: PNW
============= Cut 'n Paste from OM ===============
One to Four Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
When this light comes on,
you can only shift from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4)
instead of FIRST (1)
to SECOND (2).
You must complete the shift into FOURTH (4) to turn
off this feature. This helps you get the best possible
fuel economy.
After shifting to FOURTH (4), you may downshift
to a lower gear if you prefer.
NOTICE:
Do not try to force the shift lever into SECOND (2)
or THIRD (3) when the 1 TO 4 SHIFT light
comes on. Do not try to re-engage FIRST (1)
after starting to shift into FOURTH (4). You will
damage your transmission. Shift only from
FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) when the light
comes on.
This light will come on when:
The engine coolant temperature is higher than
169F (76C), you are going 15 to 19 mph (24 to 31 km/h)
and you are at 21 percent throttle or less.
=======================================
It's easy to drive around the 1 to 4 shift light, but putting in a CAGS eliminator makes it so you don't have to worry about driving around it all the time.
Last edited by ZeeOSix; Nov 27, 2013 at 01:37 PM.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,872
Likes: 333
From: Olmsted Falls Ohio
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '24
Other possibilities are that the solenoid connector on the transmission's CAGS solenoid is disconnected. Some say that this will throw a code and others have had no issues. Just disconnecting the connector from the solenoid (the one on the driver's side of the trans) will eliminate the forced 1-4 shift.
Compliance parts also has a skip-shift eliminator that is installed in the underhood fuse box, and it can be additionally configured to eliminate the dash light entirely - no need to get under the car to disconnect the solenoid or install a resistor plug at that location.
Compliance parts also has a skip-shift eliminator that is installed in the underhood fuse box, and it can be additionally configured to eliminate the dash light entirely - no need to get under the car to disconnect the solenoid or install a resistor plug at that location.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Your PCM is a FLASH MEMORY and to change any parameter in the engine operating parameters, you have to use TUNING SOFTWARE like EFI Live or HP Tuners.
The entire set up cost around $800. so,,, most people go to shops that tune the PCMs on GM cars and trucks.
There are hand held tuning devices but they are limited in what they can tune or change.
BC
The entire set up cost around $800. so,,, most people go to shops that tune the PCMs on GM cars and trucks.
There are hand held tuning devices but they are limited in what they can tune or change.
BC
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 520
From: Da U.P.
If you wait a couple seconds, the light goes out and you can grab any gear you want. The 1-4 blows *** at altitude, not a huge deal at sea level. I tuned mine out because I prefer 1-3-5-6 when not driving like an ***.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 15
From: Richardson TX
Like everyone else already said, it was a feature built into the car. The owner's manual says not to shift to a gear other than 4th when the light is on so that you don't break the lockout solenoid, it doesn't actually do any damage to your engine or transmission.
It looks like somebody already disconnected your lockout solenoid, which is why you can freely shift even when your 1st to 4th dash light is on.
In that case, as long as you don't get any check engine lights, just ignore the 1st to 4th shift light on the dash. Just shift the car as you normally would.
It looks like somebody already disconnected your lockout solenoid, which is why you can freely shift even when your 1st to 4th dash light is on.
In that case, as long as you don't get any check engine lights, just ignore the 1st to 4th shift light on the dash. Just shift the car as you normally would.
... WTH does that mean?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,999
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
I just wind it up to 2500 rpm or so, and no problem. Sometimes behind a slowpoke, it will get me though and then going to 4th, then come back to try to slam it in 2nd takes so long, the slow poke has moved on, and the guy in the Corvette is the slow poke!
Pro
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 666
Likes: 11
From: Lafayette Louisiana
This is true for FBodies, I'd imagine the same principle applies here as well:
If the skip-shift light comes on, but allows you to go to 2, you have a CAGS eliminator.
If no light comes on, and you can go to 2 freely at will, she's been tuned.
If you unplug the CAGS, you an shift to two as well, but will play absolute HELL trying to get the car into reverse. It's not good for the Trans at all.
Just something to consider...
If the skip-shift light comes on, but allows you to go to 2, you have a CAGS eliminator.
If no light comes on, and you can go to 2 freely at will, she's been tuned.
If you unplug the CAGS, you an shift to two as well, but will play absolute HELL trying to get the car into reverse. It's not good for the Trans at all.
Just something to consider...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,190
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
This is true for FBodies, I'd imagine the same principle applies here as well:
If the skip-shift light comes on, but allows you to go to 2, you have a CAGS eliminator.
If no light comes on, and you can go to 2 freely at will, she's been tuned.
If you unplug the CAGS, you an shift to two as well, but will play absolute HELL trying to get the car into reverse. It's not good for the Trans at all.
Just something to consider...
If the skip-shift light comes on, but allows you to go to 2, you have a CAGS eliminator.
If no light comes on, and you can go to 2 freely at will, she's been tuned.
If you unplug the CAGS, you an shift to two as well, but will play absolute HELL trying to get the car into reverse. It's not good for the Trans at all.
Just something to consider...
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,872
Likes: 333
From: Olmsted Falls Ohio
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '24
This is true for FBodies, I'd imagine the same principle applies here as well:
If the skip-shift light comes on, but allows you to go to 2, you have a CAGS eliminator.
If no light comes on, and you can go to 2 freely at will, she's been tuned.
If you unplug the CAGS, you an shift to two as well, but will play absolute HELL trying to get the car into reverse. It's not good for the Trans at all.
Just something to consider...
If the skip-shift light comes on, but allows you to go to 2, you have a CAGS eliminator.
If no light comes on, and you can go to 2 freely at will, she's been tuned.
If you unplug the CAGS, you an shift to two as well, but will play absolute HELL trying to get the car into reverse. It's not good for the Trans at all.
Just something to consider...