Smarty observation, can anyting be done about this?

[Mr. C]

I have an issue that has come up regarding the Smarty on an automatic transmission. I never noticed it untill I replaced my slipping torque converter with the 5-Star converter ( that baby doesnt slip a bit! ). The issue I am having and wonder if anyone else has noticed is that the shift points are not where they should be and the shift into overdrive lock-up is very harsh and too early, you know it's locked up when the coffee is all over the floor. I will assume that the problem is related to the compressed acceleration curve in the ECM and the transmission shift timing is controlled by the mechanical throttle cable. If I load the stock software back in the ECM the problem is greatly diminished. I am left wondering if the Smarty is changing the shift points or if the reworked throttle progression is at fault and what could the solution for this be?

Has anyone else with an automatic noticed this or is it just me? I know Marco is a very busy guy but would it be possible to have a software version optimized for an automatic maybe less agressive on the first 1/3 of the acceleration curve so the shift cable could command the transmission pressures and shift sequence to be closer to optimal? Or maybe someone with better fabrication skills than I could make a box with offset eccentric cams that would move the throttle valve cable at an accelerated rate to better match the Smarty curves, kind of like the way a compound bow works.



I would not trade my smarty for all the tea in China but maybe it could be tweeked a little bit for the auto crowd. This is something I have been pondering for a while now, what do you think? Any ideas?



Regards, Mike

 

[RobertP]

I have an issue that has come up regarding the Smarty on an automatic transmission. I never noticed it untill I replaced my slipping torque converter with the 5-Star converter ( that baby doesnt slip a bit! ). The issue I am having and wonder if anyone else has noticed is that the shift points are not where they should be and the shift into overdrive lock-up is very harsh and too early, you know it's locked up when the coffee is all over the floor. I will assume that the problem is related to the compressed acceleration curve in the ECM and the transmission shift timing is controlled by the mechanical throttle cable. If I load the stock software back in the ECM the problem is greatly diminished. I am left wondering if the Smarty is changing the shift points or if the reworked throttle progression is at fault and what could the solution for this be?

Has anyone else with an automatic noticed this or is it just me? I know Marco is a very busy guy but would it be possible to have a software version optimized for an automatic maybe less agressive on the first 1/3 of the acceleration curve so the shift cable could command the transmission pressures and shift sequence to be closer to optimal? Or maybe someone with better fabrication skills than I could make a box with offset eccentric cams that would move the throttle valve cable at an accelerated rate to better match the Smarty curves, kind of like the way a compound bow works.



I would not trade my smarty for all the tea in China but maybe it could be tweeked a little bit for the auto crowd. This is something I have been pondering for a while now, what do you think? Any ideas?



Regards, Mike

it's all in the way marco modifies load and fueling, when the transmission sees X amount of load it shifts or delays shifts, marco is modifiying for power not shift strategy, but this is where beta testing comes into play, i dont think enough testing on the road, dyno or labtop has been done yet as many are having very simple to fix problems. hopefully it will get better as he gets everything back in gear and his dsl running.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Mr C,

May be overlooking the obvious here, but have you tried turning off the Commander? Same results or no?



Godspeed,

Trent

 

[DMcPherson]

I had the same problem. thought i had trans problems, go to stock and its fine. its just the lack of throttle posistion

 

[Giachino]

My 05 and now my 06 both display the indecisevness between 1st, 2nd, 3rd at very light throttle (with or without the smarty)... . most noticible in heavy stop and go traffic... . so it does happen stock... . maybe the aftermarket trans enhances the issue + smarty (and other power adders, seem similiar comments on the BDDL)...



With the smarty (level 3 mild tqm) on my 06 (stock transmission), the issue is about the same as w/o smarty... .

 

[Mr. C]

Mr C,

May be overlooking the obvious here, but have you tried turning off the Commander? Same results or no?



Godspeed,

Trent

Well, I can assure that's not it because it is still in the box waiting for me to get the time to install it.

it's all in the way marco modifies load and fueling, when the transmission sees X amount of load it shifts or delays shifts, marco is modifiying for power not shift strategy

I believe Marco only modified the ECM software and not the PCM on the 2nd generation programers so I still think that it is a problem with the acceleration progression rate not matching the progression rate of the mechanical control cable that directs the valve body and I'm thinking that the only way to solve this would be to re-map the PCM or change the progression rate on the ECM so that it is more similar to the original rate durring the first say 1/3 of the travel then get agressive. I don't know if that is even possible with out opening another can of worms. At any rate it is good discussion fodder and I am no expert at what goes on in the computers on these things. I expect little problems to pop up when monkeying around with the controllers of these complex machines so it is not that big of a deal to me. Sooner or later someone will figure it out. When he gets time Marco could kick this around a little ... or not

 

[ProspectorTim]

Install the Commander.
Higher shift point = less harsh.
Lower shift point, hang on!

 

[FTwardoch]

This has been brought up numerous times, described as 'flat spot/stacked shift' or whatever, here and on NWBombers. To date, no attempt has been made at a fix. Bob/Marco are aware of the concern.