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I can't get my head around how this works on even why I would need it. The only thing I've been trying to "fix" is the hard shifting of my 6 spd manual transmission. I installed the detente upgrade and changed my tranny fluid to the Amsoil stuff which I can't think of the name of right now. So now IF this skip shift eliminator can make shifting through the gears easier I'm totally on board with doing it. I read somewhere that you get fault codes and reverse doesn't work the same. I'm not sure if the latter is true but I could put up with the former.
From the factory, manual-transmission C5s have a solenoid that locks out 2nd and 3rd gear when you're accelerating in first gear, which forces you to shift from first to fourth.
The skip-shift eliminator basically just disables that solenoid. You'll still see a light on the dashboard about shifting 1-to-4 but you'll be free to go into 2nd or 3rd if you like.
Given that you seem unclear on what it is, I'm guessing that you might have a car whose previous owner already disabled it. It's a common modification; many of the people who drive manual transmissions get annoyed by being locked out of 2nd and 3rd.
For 2001-2004 C5s, you can probably just make a small change to the settings in the PCM to disable the solenoid, using free software (PCM Hammer and Tuner Pro) and cheap hardware (ObdLink Scantool SX or LX). I used that approach on my 2002 when testing early versions of PCM Hammer (I wrote a lot of it), but I don't know whether all versions of the PCM firmware have yet been sufficiently reverse-engineered yet.
From the factory, manual-transmission C5s have a solenoid that locks out 2nd and 3rd gear when you're accelerating in first gear, which forces you to shift from first to fourth.
The skip-shift eliminator basically just disables that solenoid. You'll still see a light on the dashboard about shifting 1-to-4 but you'll be free to go into 2nd or 3rd if you like.
Given that you seem unclear on what it is, I'm guessing that you might have a car whose previous owner already disabled it. It's a common modification; many of the people who drive manual transmissions get annoyed by being locked out of 2nd and 3rd.
For 2001-2004 C5s, you can probably just make a small change to the settings in the PCM to disable the solenoid, using free software (PCM Hammer and Tuner Pro) and cheap hardware (ObdLink Scantool SX or LX). I used that approach on my 2002 when testing early versions of PCM Hammer (I wrote a lot of it), but I don't know whether all versions of the PCM firmware have yet been sufficiently reverse-engineered yet.
You could be right because I'm getting no message. Are you saying the car just tells you to shift to fourth from first? So it's just the indicator light that guys get tired of?
No it is not an indicator light, but there is one that illuminates when the 1-4 skip conditions are satisfied and the system in engaged. As explained previously, there is a solenoid that prohibits shifting to 2nd or 3rd under minimal/light acceleration. It was done to help the EPA mileage numbers forcing the 1-4 skip during testing. To eliminate it the wires to the solenoid are disconnected so the solenoid no longer inhibits shifting but the light still lights. When disconnecting the wires a resistor is put in place so the computer still thinks the solenoid is there and everything is happy, no error codes, no having to skip shifts.
If your shifting is difficult you might try changing the fluid. Maybe look into a rebuilt lower shift box. Lookup TMOD on this forum.
The skip shift does stop you from selecting 2nd gear when shifting under light load and low RPM and can make the shifter feel notchy. The reverse solinoid can also caiuse shifting issues if it's sticking. On my car the 4th to 5th shift was very balky sometimes. Replacing the reverse lockout solinoid fixed that issue. My car also shifts much better when the RPMs are over 2k RPM. When I am driving easy I shift from 1st to 3rd to 5th and it works great even with the skip shift active. When I don't want skip shift to activate I just accelerate a little hard and shift to 2nd. I'll probably deactivate the skip shift feature just because it's so easy and cheap.
You could be right because I'm getting no message. Are you saying the car just tells you to shift to fourth from first? So it's just the indicator light that guys get tired of?
My bitch is the shifting is so difficult.
The computer activates the solenoid in low speed/low rpm situations when shifting from 1st. Can't recall the exact mph but something along the lines of driving very slow, easy in 1st, the computer detects this and prevents you from going to 2nd, as it was deemed more fuel efficient to force you to shift to 4th.
I installed the eliminator and as advertised, the light still lights on the dash, but I can shift to any gear I want.