I just installed mine last night. I'm a little disappointed, in that I've never encountered the CAGS feature (only a couple hundred miles of driving). I've seen the light, but by the time I was ready to shift, it was gone again. My wife did have a few unkind words to say about skip shift when I told her what came in the mail, so I didn't hesitate to install it.

It was dead simple to install. Including jacking time, I was probably under the car for ten minutes. I used these instructions to lift just the rear of the car, slid under, and installed the kit. The hardest thing was zip-tying the old plug and it's new protective shell to the transmission. When I say it took longer to jack up the rear of the car and put it on jackstands than to install the elminator, I'm being serious.

 

Normally, it is not a big deal,. You just drive right through the spot where it is activated, and after 20-22 mph you comfortably shift into 2nd gear. The problem lies, when I caught myself watching my HUD to make sure my speed was sufficient to by pass the 1-4. The times it caught me (Oh BTW, you won't know until you go to shift into 2nd and it makes you shift to 4th), was when I was paying attention to traffic with slow moving cars in front of me and turning left at a traffic signal. A good time to be mellow and then the dang thing makes you shift to 4th.

Not a problem anymore Done deal!

 

Thanks everyone for the comments. Again, I don't think anyone would debate the insignificance of the $20 investment and a few minutes of time. The question was more why people are actually running into the problem to begin with. Like I have said, I just stay in first, not because of CAGS, but because I would normally never shift out of 1st that slow anyway.

I appreciate the additional instructions and tips on how to get under the car. I am sure I will get around to doing this at some point because yeah, it's only $20 not because I ever actually had to shift from 1st to 4th.

 

I paid my $20 plus $8 for shipping before I took delivery on my Z51. I've had the car for over 1,400 miles and never had it force me from 1st to 4th. The CAGS eliminator is still sitting in the package in my dresser. I worried more about wasting $28.

Dana

 

The skip shift really doesn't come in to play much. I got used to it on a 97 Z-28 I had which seemed more intrusive than the one on c6. By the way S2K, I came from an S2000 to the c6 as well. The Honda was a fun and well engineered little car, but there's a whole lot more in the c6!

 

s2k,
1) Apparently you don't need the mod since you always shift at the right time even in the worst traffic area.
2) I have been driving a stick all my life and find the skip shift annoying. I like to choose my gear at any rpm. Further I am not looking for the light all the time so I find that I have shifted out of 1st and am then forced to go to 4th.
3) You do not need a lift to install. I installed mine yesterday by backing my rear left tire onto a curb. Then it is a cinch to get under there

 

What's funny is how these same threads ran their course on the C5 board. And you always get a small %age of people who will add their comments and insult people who wish to install the CAGS eliminator, saying things like they don't know how to drive or don't know how to shift a manual transmission. I would be more than happy to race those people on the dragstrip or a road course of their choice. I won't name names, but it's already happened in this thread. I always ask those people if they change their own oil, because usually, these are the people who lack the mechanical skills to install the simplest mod of all. So, in order to feel better about their lack of mechanical abilities, they insult people who choose to install this device.

If you don't want to put one in, then more power to you. It's your choice. If you don't want to be bothered with always accellerating past 2000 RPM and be able to shift into 2nd gear under any condition, then install the mod. It's as easy as unplugging a connector and sticking a cap on the end.

Hey S, how is that bad boy? I'll bet you're smiling

 

easy...dont shift until you have to..

 

I can't say I've experienced the skip shift in the C6 (yet ) but it hasn't been a problem in the C5. You don't have to stand on it, just keep it in 1st for an extra second or two, and you're all set.

 

I think you should name names because I went back and read every post and I have no idea what you are talking about. I have not seen one insult fly nor anyone suggesting that someone else does not know how to drive. In fact it has been a very civil discussion simply to try and ascertain the nature of the problem. Like I said, I am coming from a car with a 9k redline, so by nature I am not shifting out of first under 20 mph. Doesn't make me a better or worse driver. I am simply curious because it does seem pretty slow for people to shift out of first, but if that's what people want to do than great, that's the answer to my question and we move on. Hell, I posted on another thread how I killed the car twice on the way home from the dealer because of the non-linear clutch and my own ineptitude. Perhaps in the past these threads have gone in a negative direction, but I don't think that past threads should taint this one.

Yeah, I think pretty much everyone gets that. Remember, some of us are new to these forums and this car. You old timers might have had these discussions for years. I faced the same problem on S2000 boards where after a few years it was tiring to see the same sort of questions. But that's the way it works. New people come into the fold and ask questions that new people ask.

I am going to post a full review for the 3 people that care, this weekend.

 

Bought the CAGS eliminator, but haven't had the need to install it yet- never shift early enough or with a light enough right foot to be interrupted by it.

 

S, I think you may have misinterpreted the intent of my post. I have nothing against repeat posts. I don't think I've ever used the "dupe" icon. Re-hashing issues benefits those who have never seen the topic before. Not everyone is able to read every post and dupe happens. I'm just annoyed that these CAGS posts always result in someone saying something like "There are some people who just can't train themselves and repeatedly have problems shifting the car at the wrong time" which was said in this thread and to me is an insult to those who choose to install this mod. I still will not name names because I don't want to taint your thread and personally, I'd prefer to keep this Forum pleasant. I'll PM you.

There's nothing wrong with killing the car a few times. I've let others (a very few) drive my C5 and the clutch engagement is non linear as you say, and it caused them problems. Once you get used to it, you don't even notice it. I believe the non linear nature is a result of the clamping force required in a 400 lb-ft application.

Now, for an on topic discussion: Shifting into 2nd gear at 1700 rpm is appropriate in instances such as when I'm driving in my subdivision, keeping speeds below 25 mph, I have several blocks to go, and I want to shift to second. Under certain circumstances CAGS will prevent this. In this case, keeping it in first gear causes unneccesary wear and I don't want to leave it in first gear for 1/2 a mile. I prefer to have total control of my shiftpoints. That's why I bought a manual transmission. You will find that CAGS only kicks in very seldom. However, I prefer never. There are other instsances where it is preferable to shift from first to second at light throttle. Say you pull out onto a busy road from a side street, you're not tearing out onto this road, you are easing into traffic and choose not to accellerate hard, because someone might suddenly change lanes in front of you and slam on their brakes. I'm talking about the normal precautions you use to avoid rear ending people. So, In this instance, CAGS forces you into 4th. Then all of the sudden you have Billy redneck fly up behind you in his monster 4x4. Now you can't just punch it while in second because CAGS forced you into 4th gear (actually, I can since I have the CAGS eliminator). Now the non CAGS eliminator folks will tell you that they won't have a problem because they left their car in first gear to begin with since they didn't want to be forced into 4th gear, they just drive around at 4000 rpm in first gear to avoid the skip shift. What happens if there's just enough traffic to force you to constantly speed up and slow down between 20 mpg and 30 mph. Are you just going to leave it in first? No, without the CAGs elim you'll probably make sure that you allow enough room in front of you 1 time so that you can accellerate up to 2300 rpm or whatever the threshold is, shift into 2nd, and then you're o.k. Until traffic forces you to slow down to 8 mph, forcing you to shift back into first. Then you start all over agian, looking for room to accellerate to the point that you can bypass CAGSs and shift into 2nd. Or you can spend $20 and 20 minutes and elliminate all of that B.S. forever. Or you can choose not to install the elliminator and tell everyone what a great driver you are everytime you are asked about the CAGS eliminator.


Once again, duplicate posts do not bother me and this is the C6 board, not the C5 board. Topics are going to re-emerge. For people who don't read the board every day, this is the only way that everyone will keep up with the latest topics. I champion duplicate posts!

Can't wait for your review, especially since you will be able to comment on both means of achieving HP .....TQ vs. RPM and the benefits of each.

 

I may be the odd man out on this topic...But I like the skip shift feature. I have driven stick shift for 40 years, and for me this is modern technology that saves a little gasoline consumption and clutch use. It just took a little time for me to become familiar with it.

 

If it happens just one time in the next year, that's one time too many!

 

Speed,

Fair enough on the guy's quote. I didn't take it as harshly, but I am also not as close to the issue nor have I really discussed it before. For those that have, especially more than a few times, I can see why it may have rubbed some the wrong way. Regardless, I think the discussion has remained at a civil level which is positive.

Not saying you are calling out the dup icon. My point here was to say that some of us (okay me) may have thoughts, comments, or ideas that run the gamut from potential merit to flat out stupid. Especially since those of us new to this beast have never engaged in conversation on this topic. Others who have been around, will carry baggage over from those discussions. Believe me, I get this. Having spent 5-years on S2K boards, I've seen the same...er...stuff posted hundreds of times. I don't think this thread was in anyway meant to attack people or their driving skills based on CAGS. Some may see this thread and say "oh $%^& here we go again". Hopefully though, this thread is more about discovering the reasons and driving habits rather than chastising people. For the most part, I think we have been successful.

Now, back to the regularly scheduled program. Thanks for your write-up on the issue. Quite helpful especially since I have less than a week behind the wheel on this thing versus you guys who have driven Vettes for years. I spent quite a bit of time on my commute this morning watching the tach to see what I was doing. I really think for me it comes down to the habits I picked up from the S2000. Frankly, I leave the car in gear for a long time. This is probably the reason my gas mileage sucks. However, the 9k limit has created some habits for me that might be detrimental in the Vette. The C6 is simply too damn quiet! I found myself numerous times in 1st gear going 30 or so for a while. Why? There is not the audio cue from the engine that I am so used to. My automatic responses are not in tune with the Vette yet. The thought of switching out of 1st gear in an S2000 at 1.5-2k RPM is laughable. Hell, you might even stall the car switching out gears that low (not really, but it's funny to think about) !

Thanks for the PM as well.

 

Just BLIP the throttle. ...works just fine..

 

Yeah, you are right!

 

S,
Even in my C5 with the Corsa Touring (admittedly a fairly quiet system, but it's still louder than stock), I have to watch my tach because I can easily do the same as you described and leave it in a lower gear if I get distracted. The only time I use my ears to shift is if I'm running it up to redline in each gear.

All of that abundant torque allows you to shift at a very low engine speed if you want. It also allows you to slam your passenger's head back into the headrest if you wish. If I am driving my C5 "easy", I upshift at around 2300 rpm, unless I'm in traffic as described above. I do take mine to redline regularly though. That abundant torque allows you to shift just about anywhere you wish. That's why I'm such a big fan of torquey V-8's . It's also what gives the LS1 / LS2 engines such good fuel economy, contrary to the myths that many hold for V-8's.

Once again,there is nothing wrong with repeat topics. Not everyone reads the Forum every day. And there's nothing wrong with leaving CAGS intact if you want. It's your car.

 

Just install a CAGS and your problems are over forever. We sell them for $18.00 www.ssinserts.com
Barry

 

Yup, this is a change for me. The S2000 was not quiet in this respect and so my behavior is modeled around that. I am getting too intoxicated with that new car smell and I don't realize how many miles I just went in 1st gear....

I admit to having actually been momentarily scared by the torque a few times when I just meant to accelerate around a slower car!

I am actually getting worse fuel economy than my S2000 and I think the C6 is rated for better. Granted new engine that might need a bit of time, but I have also been taking it much easier during the break in than I would in my 5-year old S2000. I fill-up every other day due to my 90-mile round trip daily commute. My S2000 would take 7.3 gallons at the fill. The Vette is taking 10.3 gallons.