911tracker85

I recently bought an 84 928 auto.

from past experience with a few 928 auto, the 4 sp auto would start in 2nd gear unless you gave a lot of throttle.

my 84 starts in 1st gear and shifts up through the gears nicely. if I put the shifter in 2, it start and STAYS in 1st gear until I shift up to 3.

I had driven a friends 83 auto who had the tranny WOT switch installed to trigger a start in 1st.

anyone know if my tranny shifting is normal for an 84? I have read you can have a tranny modified to alter the 'stock' shifting pattern.

I am very pleased my tranny shifts the way it does, coming off the line nicely without excessive throttle.

joejoe

!st gear start is normal. In '87 (for better fuel economy) the trans was adjusted to a 3nd gear start.

Glenn Evans

As far as I know (I don't have my WSM here), the four speed should start in second (to aid fuel economy, like other Mercedes autos) unless you select "2" when you are stationary, when it should work just as you have described.

porsche928guy

You might look around a bit. I think I saw something out here about "rowing" the shifter. Starting off with the shifter in 2nd (should get you 1st) then go to 3rd then back to 2nd quickly should shift you to 2nd. From there shift to 3rd then D.

Never tried it this way so can't speak from experience.

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

My 84 starts in first. Because of that, I never used 2 or 3, only D.

PorKen

It's on my 'list' to someday figure out a way to make a normal first to second shift when [2] is selected, instead of having to rev it out.

Right now, if I want it to shift quickly, I just floor it. Then it shifts in a couple of seconds.

Landseer

I also have a recently acquired 84 Auto. Have driven it enough to confirm it shifts like yours, 911Tracker85.

911tracker85

thanks for replies. as stated, in the few 928s I had driven they all started in 2nd unless you gave it a lot of gas. dont' recall now what years they were.

I found a tranny WOT downshift wiring kit on Jager engineering http://www.jageng.com/shift_tip.htm

but since my 84 starts in 1st, don't need it. one 928 I drove with this WOT switch made it a lot more fun to drive.

PS. to Porsche928guy's note. yes, if I start in 2 the tranny stays in 1st until I move the shft lever. and as he noted, a quick shift from 2 up to 3, then back down into 2 lets the tranny hold 2nd until you are ready to move up to 3.

anonymousagain

rowing the AT shifter (2-3-2, 2-3, 3-4) is actually outlined in the User Manual that came with my '86, I suspect with all 4sp AT's.

Many row the shifter the majority of the time, including downshifts (I personally cross-foot throtle blip when at speed) to be in the correct gear for corner exit and utilize engine breaking.

Tough transmission.

SeanR

This is how I drive mine daily, and have for a couple of years. When I'm down shifting I'll blip the gas to mach revs, sorta like double clutching but no clutch. Makes for very smooth shifts.


I showed this to another '88 owner here and now he does the same, says he can't believe the difference in usable power and the way the car responds now.

Glenn Evans

Yep, that's the way the Euro 4-speed, in which I received my "secret auto handshake" instruction, drove.

911tracker85

thanks, I'll have to try the throttle blip on downshift.

a new learning experience from my 85 911 track car.

928SS

if you goto neutral while at a stop, then 2nd it'll start in 1st easily everytime. it's in the manual too.

you can just wire in a toggle switch and mount it whereever to force 1st gear starts and to keep all gears to redline too. works great and it's easy to do. lots of writeups here about that.

there is also a revalving that can be done to make it start in 1st everytime. iirc, steve cattano does that.

ebs

My '84 starts in first. Think the 5 litre cars start in 2nd.