Exactly what it says....is anyone planning on making paddle shifters for the automatic Solstice and GXP?
Im kind of jealous of the paddle shifters right now. Havent driven a real one but the $150 steering wheel for the Xbox 360 was nice with them. I would say from a speed standpoint it is definately faster to use paddels, but the stick gives you more of an andrenaline rush. But the selling point is all that matters. Sorry to say, but I think the stick shift will be dead in a short number of years.
What would it take to add some type of manumatic controld to the automatic transmission?
Ive seen the factory installed auto sticks at certain dealerships. As far as getting it done away from the factory, I dont think any company has done any.
I lived with paddle shifting when I rented a Mazda MX-5 on a thousand mile journey to San Diego and back. That thing is fun to shift, tap tap tap, to shift up. Tap to shift down. Slight delay (tiny fraction of a second) compared to an actual manual stick shift, but zooming in and out of traffic paddle shifting is fun.
If Pontiac incorporates this into a later model Solstice, I will definitely get one! Still nothing is as macho as gunning your GXP, clutching and declutching...
Interesting....can the parts for the wiring harness and shifter be ordered? This sounds very doable...and I have no idea why GM did not incorporate this into the Solstice. I would definitely try and make the transfer if someone helped me out with the information on how to do it and what I needed.
Short answer; the tranny can be controlled in such a manner.
LOng answer; it takes some parts.
Early (1997-98) previous gen GPs had a sport shift button on the shifter that changed shift points. Later (2000-2003 for sure) did not, BUT, depending on year, all have the light in the dash, an dsom ehave the harness already under the shifter, just need teh button and new knob, some need new or reflashed ecu. (can't find it right now)
An ecu, I believe , would have to be set to allow manual control, but other than that it would be harness only and shifter. Because of the liability involved I would be very hesitant to replace the steering wheel and harness of teh column with teh air bag in the way. That would definitely take a professional. I would not be above replacing a stick and brackets along with its additional mounted switches that are what give you the manual control.
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I am very interested in this if some one has the time to investigate. I know this is a bit off topic, but has anyone managed to blow up an auto trans yet? I only ask because I am looking for a trans for a RWD Ecotec project that I am shooting for ~400RWHP. I could do a manual, but I would prefer a paddle shifting auto.
Here is a pdf I found that tells a bit more about the 5L40E. Perhaps I'll have to scrounge the junk yards for a harness for the CTS version and the Solstice version and see what is different and what can be done.
Does anyone know if HP Tuners has unlocked the TCM controls for it yet?
I am very interested in this if some one has the time to investigate. I know this is a bit off topic, but has anyone managed to blow up an auto trans yet? I only ask because I am looking for a trans for a RWD Ecotec project that I am shooting for ~400RWHP. I could do a manual, but I would prefer a paddle shifting auto.
You might want to look at the 6-speed auto 6L80 underpinning at least the new G8 and probably same as in CTS, DTS, etc.
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Here's the deal on the paddle shifters we see in cars today, they are still an automatic transmission, they are not a true paddle shift that you would see in say a Formula 1 car. Most people want a manual transmission to get the extra performance and control. If you have these paddle shifters its no different than shifting your automatic from 1 2 3 D. And if you push it to hard the tranny will take over and shift for you.
At least that's my understanding of what is out there now.
My 2 cents.
Wade
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Ordered 1/2006 Picked Up 5/2006
Loaded minus OnStar plus Stubby Antenna, Kappashphere lil'chromies & racing pedals.
My GP has Tap Shift (paddles on the steering wheel). It's gimmicky I think. I hardly ever use it. You put the car in manual rather than drive and you can shift it up and down from 1st to 4th with the paddles. You get a similar feel as if you had a manual (it will throw you back in the seat and the engine will slow you down in the low gears), but I don't really use it that often. Only when I'm in the mood to really make the thing fly from a dead stop. Then it's 100 times better than if the car is just in automatic! That's good fun!
It can be a little jerky on the shifts up and down. Also, if you don't downshift the car will do it for you when you are almost to a stop and you can feel it jerk a bit. I still like my manual in the Sol better.
Adding to the previous post, it is a little different than the car shifting in automatic. If you let up on the gas in a low gear...you know it just like you would with a true manual. The car will not shift up for you. If you hit the redline, the rev limiter kicks in and that's all you get...you're stuck there until you shift. As I stated before, it will downshift for you. But only when you are almost stopped. It stays in whatever gear you were in, then will shift into first as you come to a stop and this is jerky. You can go pretty slow, for sure 10 mph, and it won't downshift. So if you hit the gas again at 10 mph, you're gonna be taking off in 3rd or 4th unless you downshift it.
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Paddle shifters or tapshifters ARE different than simply moving the lever from D to 3 to 2 to 1 as the tapshifters will more quickly move the transmission into the gear you select, and will keep it there until you select another gear. For example in a 4-speed auto with 4 being OD, if you shift into 3 all you are doing is shutting off OD and the tranny will still start at 1 or 2 from a stop and upshift when it deems necessary, not when you desire. And if you have ever downshifted manually a traditional automatic transmission you know there is a big delay between shifts and the engine rpms have to drop considerably before engagement. Some older trans with vacuum operated components could be tricked into early shifting by blipping the throttle which would change the vacuum to teh tranny and trick it.
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BTW... my Grand Prix doesn't even have D-3-2-1. I only have D & M.
And you are right Achieftain, it is different than manually shifting an Auto from 1-2-3-D. It doesn't hesitate and that may be why it feels a bit jerky at times.
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AKA "Gang Warfare Girl". GWG for short.
And Yak Queen...and Gargoyle...and Twinkie...and...
Team Save the Ta-Tas 2008
Root for Soup!!!
"Cookie" or "Bumble Bee in a Bottle"
VIN 3866 - Delivered 11/30/05
