Simple 5EAT question

So I bought a 05 GT a couple weeks ago, and this is my first automatic transmission with manual capability. I had a manual Mitsu Eclipse before. My question is, when using the manual mode, should you let off the gas between shifts like a manual? Or stay on the gas like an automatic? Or does it really matter either way? The first thing I noticed when I tried it for the first time was the shift delay. So I was wondering if what one does with the gas pedal during shifts can affect that delay positively or negatively.

 

Thanks

Stay on the gas as you shift while keeping your foot as steady as possible on the gas. Yes it's boring that way but it's the only way it works with causing damage. I hope this helps!

Cool, I imagine it will become second nature with some practice. Thanks!

i have a 05 5eat stage 2 with avo tmic and a built motor going vf52 650 injectors and avo fuel pump. when i mash on it just put it to the floor and shift close to redline no boost delay in between shifts if your to the floor

i have a 05 5eat stage 2 with avo tmic and a built motor going vf52 650 injectors and avo fuel pump. when i mash on it just put it to the floor and shift close to redline no boost delay in between shifts if your to the floor

 

For those with a stock turbo, shifting near redline is futile, unless you just like wringing out your engine, as the VF40 starts to sputter and and severely tapers boost anywhere above 5500rpm.

 

To the OP, in order to keep your torque converter happy, or as happy as our lame torque converter can be, keep your pedal pressure steady in between shifts, and by no means lift off as you upshift.

For those with a stock turbo, shifting near redline is futile, unless you just like wringing out your engine, as the VF40 starts to sputter and and severely tapers boost anywhere above 5500rpm.

 

To the OP, in order to keep your torque converter happy, or as happy as our lame torque converter can be, keep your pedal pressure steady in between shifts, and by no means lift off as you upshift.

 

Cool. Will do.

More importantly, though, get out and enjoy the car! Good luck with your ownership, I suspect you will feel yourself falling for this car the longer you own it.

 

There are modifications to the valve body that can be done by a shop in New Jersey by the name of IPT, but it can be a little costly, although it does increase our shift times for the 5EAT considerably.

 

I have found that flicking an upshift at around 5500rpm factors in the delay in responsiveness and the upshift will usually occur right around 5800rpm, which is in the upper reaches of our stock powerband.

if youre gonna mod your vb, look into this:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/5eat-valve-body-upgrades-finally-164484.html

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/valve-body-mods-giant-leaps-forward-160101.html

I agree that shifting that late in the rpms from a power standpoind doesn't give you anything but AT operates differently than MT. If you upshift manually earlier than 5K or so, you will notice that the tranny rides the gear(s) between shifts. With a MT this is a non-issue because you're not doing flat-foot shifting, but on the AT you've got the gas pedal nailed.

They are autos for a reason. Mash the pedal, let it do the rest.

And no, there is no difference between D and Sport when it comes to upshifting. Sport will hold lower gears for longer and will not lock up the torque converter as quick/easy.

IMHO, letting off between shifts is overall better for the tranny. why you say? Because torque converter heat production and fluid heat/wear is easier to replace than slipped clutch disks inside the tranny. K

In theory yes but in practice .... good luck synchronizing everything. With my IPT VB, if I do a quick pull and let off and upshift, it bangs that gear so damn hard the whole dashboard shudders like somebody just gave it a kick with a steel-toed boot from underneath.

Any abrupt changes aren't healthy for it and I have not managed so far to successfully overlap the upshift request with the actual upshift and then nailing it again. When you let off at WOT sometimes there is an extra delay between the shift request to the actual shift precisely because the tranny doesn't want to shift too harsh and scare grandma.

It is my opinion that you either mod an automatic to keep up, or ditch it. What is the point of an auto if you have to let off between shifts and lose time.

the paddle shifters make synchronizing very easy, I use the paddles in manual mode and the tranny shifts and sounds identical to an MT car. I wait until I feel it in the next gear until I WOT again. Key is to trigger the shift while in WOT, wait 1 second, let off, then on again after a split second. Timing is key to smooth operation. You'll learn from listening to the exhaust when the tranny is slipping gears between shifts, just don't be WOT when that happens....you'll begin to know when it happens to know when to let off ahead of time

bmx - are you saying you let off completely between shifts like driving a manual, or let off partially just to reduce stress on the clutches?

I let off nearly all the way

Last few times I did that, aside the problem mentioned above with violent shifting, the ECU also registered FBKC and pulled about 6 degrees of timing. A phenomenon akin to what our MT counterparts are seeing on, IIRC, abrupt shifts, letting off without upshifting or when clutching in. So now not only have I lost momentum and linear acceleration because I lifted and vented boost, when my foot is to the floor I've lost power too because FBKC is still decaying back up to zero. So these experiences are the reason I personally took the stance of drive it like an auto or get something else. I leave it in D and pin the pedal to the floor. That about covers it. That's what I wanted from an auto, that's why I got an auto.

There are also differences in the functionality and design of the valve body between 05-06 and everything else, so each person should make a judgment call and find their own best approach to this. Since my experience has been vastly different, I don't think we can universally say letting off between shifts is good/healthy/better/etc. Keep in mind line pressure also depends on many things, some beeing pedal position, engine speed, engine load. What are you telling the ECU when the pedal is up?

i can't wait to stay WOT once I get the vb mod

^ Ditto. Saving my pennies. I wish Santa would listen better and bring me a VB.

 

I really want to start doing some track days but I'm nervous without VB mod and trans cooler.

I'm in for the VB mob too... already have the trans cooler, but long for the day where i can just keep the pedal to the ground!

I have such a desire for it that I was briefly considering IPT vb mod simply for the sake of time

I think part of it depends on what you're trying to drive for. If you're going for the fastest acceleration definitely pin the pedal, the beauty of an automatic is that you can maintain full boost during shifts. If you want good acceleration with minimal wear and tear your best bet is to back off to ~50-75% throttle between shifts.

 

If you let off completely, you'll dump boost and the RPMs will drop far enough that when it goes to engage its slamming into a giant engine brake. The main thing is to minimize the torque load on the transmission during the shift. That means you need to maintain decent boost.

 

This also depends on your transmission modded vs unmodded. I suspect unmodded transmissions will respond better to letting off just because the gear engagement is so slow. You want to get a nice smooth shift. If it feels like something is slamming into place, chances are its not good.

Don't worry, the VF40/46 is definitely adept at dropping torque like a rock at high RPMs

Long story... short...

 

engine rod issue, so I got it rebuilt. While the engine was being built, I decided to get the trans rebuilt and also get IPT VB.. haven't been able to test it out full throttle (break-in time of the engine), but the shifts are good.. 3500 to 4000k shifts.

 

I will update soon.