Double tapping the gas?

[Fleetw00d]

Accrdwgnguy
What about older American Transmissions? I always thought the TV or "passing gear" cable was to upshift the tranny when the throttle is mashed
I am wrong?

Yes, you are wrong. As mentioned earlier, the transmission is designed to shift to a higher gear as soon as reasonably possible for fuel economy. For power, the engine needs to turn faster. When you mash on the accelerator, the transmission will downshift to allow the engine to turn faster for more power, until it approaches redline, then the transmission will upshift.

The OP's transmission throttle cable may be misadjusted. Nominal setting is with the transmission throttle lever held down, there should be no slack in the cable.

[RedFalcoln]

I read this as well once? I believe it was on here in some dudes post that was asking about shifting his car with 1-2-D3-D4 & downshifting an Automatic car in that same form sort of manually? When I had an auto transmission I would notice a downshift before entering the highway as I pressed the gas a little more than usual.

[harrisso1]

Well I must be dumb or living in the matrix. not to say you guys are wrong but I had a Crossfire that was an automatic or could also be shifted manually with a step tronic style tranny. There was an indicator on the dash that showed the gear you were in. anytime I "mashed" on the gas to enter a highway or pass someone i could see it visually go from 3-4 etc... it would almost redline in whatever current gear I was in then shift out.

[Fleetw00d]

it would almost redline in whatever current gear I was in then shift out.

Isn't this what I described for the most part? Find some place to do this legally (deserted highway on ramp). Get to about 45 mph, ease off the throttle to allow the tranmission to shift to 4th (the TC may even lock up), then floor it. If the TC locked up, it will likely unlock first, then it should downshft to at least 3rd (possibly even 2nd). If it actually drops to 2nd, it will quickly reach ~6000 rpm, then upshift to 3rd, and if you hold it long enough (~95 mph), shift to 4th as the engine again reaches about 6000 rpm (in this case, the TC may lock up before it shifts from 3-4). When you back off the throttle, if it hasn't shifted to 4th, it will, then the TC will lock up. The chart below shows the nominal upshift points for the transmission vs throttle position sensor voltage. It will vary somewhat around these points (a bit different for LX vs EX, and throttle cable adjustment).

[SeaHook]

The term for what happens when you accelerate harder is called kickdown. It has been in automatic cars for a long time. On older transmissions such as the TH350 and other models both foreign and domestic. It used to be operated by a cable that was connected to the carburetor or TB and would adjust pressure inside the transmission to downshift and allow for more torque. Kickdown is now operated by the TCU in modern cars but operates almost exactly the same.

Double tapping the gas pedal would not speed this up as the transmissiin needs to build its pressure. And flooring it isnt needed to operate it.

[Eicher]

Maybe whatever he read is talking about downshifting to say slow down. Like say you're going 40 mph and it's in 3rd, and you were to double tap the gas it would go down to 2nd. Since that would compensate for flooring and make it shift down. Still seems pointless though as it'll most likely shift right back up.

[Nyne521]

ok lets try to consolidate this and clear some things up... in an auto tragic car the with non electric shift which is not like our cars as they use a tcu and solenoids, it works like this.

There is a T.V. or throttle valve, a detent valve, and the other factor is governor pressure. these forces act on spool valves. when a spool valve is forced open mainline pressure flows to a clutch pack and engages the clutch pack.

governor pressure= road speed
T.V.= is the throttle demand
detent= uses a combination of mainline pressure and either T.V. pressure or governor pressure

these pressures fight for control of the spool valves.

if your are driving at 40 mph in third gear your governor pressure would be 40psi this pressure is pushing on one side of the spool valve on the other side is T.V. pressure and a spring to assist in closing the valve.
light on the throttle the valve for third gear is open and your just cruising.
slam the gas and the detent valve opens directing more pressure to assist t.v. the spool valve for third slams closed forcing a down shift to second the trans will now stay in this gear until governor pressure overcomes throttle demand.

whether it be letting up on the throttle or reaching a vehicle speed high enough to overcome the t.v. pressure.

long story short slamming the gas ONE TIME should cause a DOWN Shift in a properly working automatic transmission.

I believe what maybe happening for you is if you press the pedal to the floor from half throttle already may not open the detent valve to force the down shift so it may take longer for pressure to build. however if you are cruising and take your foot off the gas then slam it to the floor you'll find it will down shift as you command.

fyi... even though our transmissions use shift solinoids the tcu uses sensor inputs to accomplish the same goals as the old style tarns.

[Accrdwgnguy]

The CB7's auto trans is much like domestic auto trans of the same era, in that it still had a TV cable connected to the throttle, even tho it has electronic controls.

[harrisso1]

Thanks for clearing it up. Has anyone heard the TV being referred to as a "passing gear"?

[GhostAccord]

You can adjust the throttle control cable to suite your driving characteristics as well. Maybe that is where you need to look at.

IMO the easiest fix for better transmission control would be to get yourself a car with a manual trans.

[Fleetw00d]

Thanks for clearing it up. Has anyone heard the TV being referred to as a "passing gear"?

The term "passing gear" simply refers to the transmission down shifting a gear (or two) when you press hard on the accelerator to pass (think two lane road when you want/need to get around as quickly as possible). It is not a separate gear used only for passing. With my old automatics, I would sometimes manually downshift in anticipation of starting a pass to preempt the short delay that happened between flooring the pedal and the transmission shifting on its own - just like I do with a manual transmission in the same situation. Mostly these days I just take it easy.

[harrisso1]

Is it possible for the vehicle to feel like its upshifting? I understand the process now i just thought it was shifting into the next gear the whole time. .

[Fleetw00d]

Is it possible for the vehicle to feel like its upshifting? I understand the process now i just thought it was shifting into the next gear the whole time. .

Upshifting under what circumstances?

At constant heavy or wide open throttle, a downshift will be evident when engine rpm increases suddenly.

When you release the throttle, the engine rpm will drop suddenly when the transmission upshifts.

[Gotz Cb7]

I'm pretty sure the OP is talking about lets say, you're floored.. hit 100+mph, car shifts into 4th/OD at say, 5800rpms, whereas from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd at 6400'ish, if you take your foot off the gas and floor it again.. it may possibly downshift back into 3rd. A stock cb7 will very very rarely gain more speed in OD unless going downhill, so it will slow down a tad but continue to stay in 4th/OD.. when it's back into 3rd gear territory.