doug928

As I was driving today I noticed that under a more aggressive start from 3rd in my Auto, the shift point from 1 to 2 is around 3500 RPM and same for 2 - 3. I have the shift cable fairly snug for firmer shifts but was wondering how this compares to other auto's? Higher or lower? There was only one time that I noticed a shift at about 4100 RPM or so when I really floored it. Does this seem to be the normal range?

Garth S

~6200rpm on all three shifts - if you stay serious.

doug928

Garth

Are those from your 5 speed? I haven't ever nailed the gas and kept it there (in one gear)but I have started off the line from second and have gotten the rpm's up to 5500 before shifting to third and back to second but I have never noticed those numbers when keeping it in one gear.

BrianG

I get 6000+ when into the kickdown switch, and about 4500 when just off the switch.

Garth S

Doug,
Those are the '88 S4 auto shift points when you get into the throttle - and hold it there. That is true for whatever gear you happen to be in when hitting the gas - a downshift occurs to the appropiate gear based on car velocity and holds there until the ~6200rpm shift. You can control the upshifts to a lower rpm by a slight uplift.
Engagement of the installed kick down bypass has no effect on the upshift points on my car- only on the ease of activating down shifts.
Anyway, on flat out acceleration, your auto should hold gear to a near 'redline' shift.

doug928

Thanks,

I'm going to have to give this a try and see what the shift points are.

Doug

IcemanG17

My 88 auto does hold all the way to 6200+rpm's in all 3 shifts as long as you keep the throttle pinned to the floor (think 140mph shifting out of 3rd!). I haven't tried just off the kickdown throttle shifts, but my best guess would be in the 4K range.... I did notice in some other S4's I've driven that the kickdowns can be slow to react or take a serious push on the throttle to make them work & then don't hold to a high enough rpm....I've been told this is a combination of (possibly) a bad kickdown switch & vaccuum problems?
Brian

heinrich

My 87 auto shifts just before redline in all gears. My 85 used to shift at redline but since I tightened the kickdown cable (which improved the car's shifting dramatically) she does seem to short-shift quite a bit.

One interesting thing: Since tightening the cable, the car will auto-shift up and down in all gears. In other words, if I'm in second she goes to third or first, depending on revs and throttle. I had never seen that on other autos.

doug928

My 87 auto shifts just before redline in all gears.

Heinrich

Is this when you're nailing the throttle? I can't see this shifting at these rpm's during moderate/heavy acceleration (not foot to the floor)? Or have you adjusted the throttle linkage so that this is possible?

heinrich

Doug yes that is WOT.

Joe Dyer

My 93 GTS shfits at 5800 at WOT 1st to 2nd, autocrossing.

blau928

My 87 Auto shifts at redline in all 3 gears. I usually lift just before, as I have pegged the limiter a few times. I found that if you keep your foot in it, it will do just that.. Anyway, I had a similar problem, and the car felt a bit sluggish as well. It turned out that the MAF was bad. After changing the MAF, things were fine again.

I have also adjusted my trans cable so it will kickdown at about 40% or less throttle, depending on speed, and the modulator pressure is turned up a bit for firmer shifts.