Today I went out and tested my GS with traction control off.I EXPECTED MORE performance from a dead stop. Will not even chirp a tire from a dead stop.CAR was really a dog off the line. Im really having a problem understanding the A-6 Transmission. I thougt the car would tear the tires off with the control off. Does this trans have some sort of traction control its self? The car felt very slow today overall for some reason. THE CAR HAS RAN MUCH BETTER. SHOULD THE CAR TURN THE TIRES WITH TRACTION CONTROL OFF? Could the 90 degree humid weather kill the performance?

 

First of all did you have all the traction control off? Holding the button down for at least 5 secs. min. will turn everything off. My GS is still slow
off the line but i can turn the tires some, just not like with an M6. One thing i understand with them being slow is the throttle response from the electronic throttle body. It needs to be ported and then from what i have been reading we need to have Chuck from Cow to tune it, this really will wake these things up.
Oh! on the temp. Supposedly anything from 85 deg. and up it will pull timing due to the air intake temp it reads. You need
a way to get cooler air. I installed a halltech mf103 to get more cool air and keep the underhood hot air from coming to the intake.

 

That is definitely at least part of it, yes.
Warm/humid temps, hot road surface and warm tires do not make for good burnouts (actually a good thing when at the track though ).
Not that it's a huge factor but, you do use premium fuel from a name brand station I assume? Could've been a bad batch of gas but I doubt it, plus a full tank versus a only a half adds some more weight as well which could contribute to some of this.





True (and I'm sure you know this already) but he's certainly not the ONLY one that can properly tune these cars or transmissions.

 

IT wa off the light was on and it said traction control off.Another thing it was doing was going into the rev limiter on the 1sto 2nd shift. I hope it was the weather. It was very warm. Car felt like it lost 100 hp on take off.These A-6s are really something. Takes them time to figure what gear to go in. By that time someone has run over you.

 

I believe the A6 starts off in 2nd gear. I think the only way to launch from first gear is to put it in S mode and select 1st gear.

The programming for the shift speeds on the A6 transmission are absolutely rotten. GM should be shot for the way they programed it. It really is a great transmission if it is programmed properly, but the way it comes from the factory is terrible. ECS has a very good transmission tune that will help alot. I'd be careful with some of the other tuners transmission tunes on here through. In my opinion, some of them are far too aggressive. The ECS tune still provides a very drivable tune that isn't rough, but allows the engine to downshift easier and allows the transmission to properly compliment the power output and torque curve from the engine. Do your own research, but don't just buy a tune from the guy who posts the largest font sizes and boldest letters on his add. In my opinion, drivability is the most important aspect of a transmission tune, and some of them out there are far too aggressive.

Turning off the torque limits will also help tremendously, and this may be what you are feeling. The transmission calibration won't let the engine produce full power due to torque limits imposed on it. If you buy a tuner product like HP tune or EFI Live Flash Scan, you can learn how to turn these off yourself and then see what kind of change it makes.

 

Lots of good information!! Thanks. ONe thing I also noticed is that the gas peddle seemed harder to press like it was resisting or something. But even when pressed felt very lazy!!! If these cars fall off that much because of the heat then they will be dogs all summer in the south. I do remember a 75 degree day when the car hazed the tires all the way into second.Run like an ape then in every gear. Different car all together then. Guess its just part of the car and the A-6 Transmission not my favorite transmission. Just takes too long to get in the right geat when floored. Can anyone verify that the Transmission starts of in second gear in drive??

 

This is wrong, and it's been beaten to death many times before.

The A6 always starts in 1st unless you are in S, and have used the paddles, and don't paddle downshift as you come to a stop. In that case, the A6 will automatically downshift only to 2nd. It will then start in 2nd and stay in 2nd until you paddle it up or go back to D.

If you you haven't used the paddles and are driving moderately, the shift from 1st to 2nd comes so soon and so gently, many people fail to notice it. If you don't believe that, drive around without using the paddles and come to a complete stop. Then start out with moderate power and roll into the throttle as quickly as you can without getting wheelspin. You will definitely notice a 1st to 2nd shift.

 

In an indirect sort of way, yes it does.
Do a search on 'Torque Management', especially as it pertains to automatic C6s.

 

Thanks for clearing that up Jim!!!

 

I stand corrected. I looked up the shift speeds, and part throttle shift on the A6 for 1>2 occurs at 8mph. In pattern A it occurs at 9mph. Hot shift speed is 12mph, and WOT is 35mph.

 

You aren't the first to be fooled by that "stealth shift" from first to second.

 

I added a K@N air filter to my intake and everything else is stock. For 2012 Chevy did some tweaking to the A6 trans. It now shifts from 1st to 2nd in 120ms down from 350ms. I have no trouble spinning the tires here in Virginia. We haven't had any 90 degree days yet. I always put in manual mode and select 1st gear. From what I have heard and my experience is that if you don't use the paddles you are starting in 2nd even in sport mode. I ran the 1/8th of a mile at Old Dominion Speedway at an event (teen driving school), they didn't have the timers running but looking at my HUD and crossing under the sign I was at 100mph. I ran in Sport for suspension and competition mode (turns off the trac control, but leaves the stability control on), 1st to 2nd comes fast be ready or you'll bump the rev limiter. I spun the tires a little the first time, then after that the other two runs no spinning tires at all, the car hooked and we were gone, had a passenger in the car. Remember if you have a grand sport/zo6/zr1 you have huge sticky tires in the back, you don't want to spin them, you want your car to hook and go. Just my thoughts, and the tires are expensive.

 

You are correct that the car will start in second gear while in "S" mode from the factory if the paddles are not touched, but it is just one of the many things we address with our A6 tuning.

 

There's also one other factor to remember. How warm was your tranny fluid? Even if it was a hot day and your car had been sitting, if the trans fluid is cooler than 150 degrees it'll shift life a turd. You have to have the temp up, but, over 210 and it gets slugish again.

 

Also tuning related Mike. (to a point)

 

Your statment is about as clear as mud....

The A6 ALWAYS starts in 1st gear no matter what mode its in...

UNLESS you use the paddles. Then you must downshift to first or it will start in second gear.

 

Keep in mind the gears are really low in the A6s.

 

Along with IAT temps pulling timing, A6 TM, heavier car, stock tune,and the wider/sticker GS tires, he's rather handicapped.

 

Nothing wakes up an A6 like a tranny tune. I'll never understand why GM doesn't do that from the get go?

 

It's for the fuel economy, which is also why it has horrendous gearing.