Transmission staying out of overdrive

**SteveCZ28** · 09-29-2009, 05:16 PM

Recently my camaro has been doing this in the mornings. i will go for a normal drive of about 15+ miles a day or what not. but when i first get going get the car up to about 55-60mph, i can feel the car isnt in its 2nd stage of overdrive until the temp gauge comes up about quarter of the way then itll go into the 2nd part of overdrive. i checked my fluid and it is still good and red, and doesnt smell burnt. the transmission doesnt act up other than this. no slipping, or missing gears or anything or even weird noises. just slow to go into overdrive. and only in the mornings when its cool outside. any ideas guys??

**thearborbarber** · 09-29-2009, 05:51 PM

The pcm is programmed to not lock the torque converter until the tranny reaches a predetermined temp. So your transmission is acting normal.

**SteveCZ28** · 09-29-2009, 05:59 PM

well its only just started doing this.....

**JaycenK** · 09-30-2009, 04:27 AM

Did you add a trans cooler? Change to a synthetic trans fluid?

**SteveCZ28** · 09-30-2009, 05:22 AM

i made no changes to the car at all, and it only just started doing this last week. granted the outside temp is a bit cooler in the mornings now than it has been

**fieropope** · 09-30-2009, 05:40 AM

completely normal you may have just now noticed it or it has been warm enough not to do this but the gm programmers do this so the engine gets warm as fast as possible lowering emissions compared to a cold engine. no problem here as long as it still locks up when you drive it to operating temp.

**SteveCZ28** · 09-30-2009, 05:46 AM

well i added an e cutout about 2 months ago. so i notice alot more than i did before. so i guess its just because its getting cooler outside, and i notice it alot more/easier due to the car staying louder for a lil bit longer now. thanks for the input guys...i dont have to worry about it now

**T/A Addicted** · 09-30-2009, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by thearborbarber

The pcm is programmed to not lock the torque converter until the tranny reaches a predetermined temp. So your transmission is acting normal.

I was unaware of this. Recently I added a trans-go shift kit into my A4 and have a perma cool trans cooler sitting in the garage I was planning to put in soon. (Ive read alot of places "a cool tranny is a happy long life tranny") My cars just a bolt on summer DD but I thought hell it cant hurt so I ordered it.

Now I read your reply and am wondering if I'd be making a mistake. What temp does the tranny have to reach before the PCM allows lock up? and could the permacool 2 pass keep it too cool and never allow it to kick in? Thanks in advance.

**fieropope** · 10-01-2009, 03:57 PM

i believe the pcm determines when to lock up based on engine temp not trans temp.because the engine runs more efficiently when warm, so for emmissions the quicker that engine warms up the less emissions put out.

**JaycenK** · 10-01-2009, 08:21 PM

I have a reworked valve body in my 97 but mine locks up when it is still cold. Was this started after the lt1 cars in the ls1 program?

**Cutlass** · 10-03-2009, 01:01 PM

My '95 S-10 Blazer did that so its been out there for a while.

**fieropope** · 10-04-2009, 06:02 PM

im unsure when they started this type of programming but i believe it is on obd2 and up for sure.

**JaycenK** · 10-06-2009, 11:18 AM

Anyone know what temp range it has to be in? I live in Florida so I may never get cool enought to have that happen. Could mine not be doing that because of the reworked valve body?

**fieropope** · 10-07-2009, 05:41 AM

well i believe that the op temp is what it looks for so less than 210 is supposed to make it delay the lock up sol. but if you modified the valve body to bypass the electrical sol. it might do it.