Auto Shifts at Low rpm

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 2:37 pm

I just got an 01 Outback with 107k on it. The problem is it wont rev over over 5000rpm before it grabs another. Kickback to first rarely happens unless your doing around 30.

Its a replacement on a 99 liberty 2.5 I just wrecked, everything torque wise feels similar but the liberty snapped back to first and reved to 6200rpm in every gear. The outbacks trans shits me.

What can i do?

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:00 pm

There is a switch to the right of the shift lever, it has POWER A/T HOLD written on it.

Push the power side, it will make it shift at higher rpm and will make it kick back easier.

I usually drive with mine in Power mode

Hold mode is designed to make starts in slippery conditions like mud and snow. It makes the Torque converter slip a little more, it almost locks the centre diff and forces the transmission to start in 2nd gear.

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 5:14 pm

Suparoo wrote:There is a switch to the right of the shift lever, it has POWER A/T HOLD written on it.

Push the power side, it will make it shift at higher rpm and will make it kick back easier.

I usually drive with mine in Power mode

Hold mode is designed to make starts in slippery conditions like mud and snow. It makes the Torque converter slip a little more, it almost locks the centre diff and forces the transmission to start in 2nd gear.

This is in power mode, I had it on the liberty & tapped it down. The outback behaves like its in A/T mode(the middle mode forward from hold*) but when i switch it into the A/T mode its even more of a slug.

I got told disconnecting the battery for a few hours, reconecting and driving hard would reset the ECU or trans computer but after doing this there is no difference.

Do 01 outbacks rev to reddline without manualy shifting?

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 5:33 pm

Do 01 outbacks rev to reddline without manualy shifting?

Yeah mine does in power mode, but you have to push your foot right down quickly. You can hear a switch click when you push the accy pedal right down.

What fuel are you using? If you are using 91 unleaded, try some 95 or 98. If the engine is pinging/knocking in higher rev ranges, this could make the tranny change sooner.

Try this..... Find a straight of road where you cant test it. With the car stationary and in power mode, push your foot right down and hold it there till you get to 100kmh

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 5:51 pm

Suparoo wrote:Yeah mine does in power mode, but you have to push your foot right down quickly. You can hear a switch click when you push the accy pedal right down.

What fuel are you using? If you are using 91 unleaded, try some 95 or 98. If the engine is pinging/knocking in higher rev ranges, this could make the tranny change sooner.

Try this..... Find a straight of road where you cant test it. With the car stationary and in power mode, push your foot right down and hold it there till you get to 100kmh

I'm Running Premium. You might have something with the mashing the throttle. I use hand controls and they just dont feel like they did in the liberty. It may be a case of not getting 100% trottle as I havnt noticed the Air Con cut out as the RX would do at full open. (no I dont run Air when I'm testing it)

Tonight I will give it a squirt,

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:15 pm

I just went for a drive and recorded what happens

0-100km/h
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8JtCBRhIJ8

50-100km/h
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM95x-Uicsc

70-100km/h uphill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP73CPxynMQ

I found that if you dont 'mash the pedal' and hold it all the way to the floor, it changes at about 5000rpm

If i need to get up to 100km/h in a hurry, i 'mash it' so first gear changes at 6000rpm, but as i near 90km/h i back off the pedal a little to make it change into 3rd cos peak power is at 5600rpm and torque drops away substantially after this point.

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:39 pm

Suparoo wrote:I just went for a drive and recorded what happens

I found that if you dont 'mash the pedal' and hold it all the way to the floor, it changes at about 5000rpm

If i need to get up to 100km/h in a hurry, i 'mash it' so first gear changes at 6000rpm, but as i near 90km/h i back off the pedal a little to make it change into 3rd cos peak power is at 5600rpm and torque drops away substantially after this point.

Thanks for putting in all the effort. Mine must not be getting full throttle, first changes a shade under 5000rpm in first. Second a smidge over 5000rpm.

Yours seems like a good runner, consistant power. My Liberty had a definite torque curve between 3200 and 5500 but pulled pretty hard up to about 6000.
I wasnt sure if they had tuned the Outbacks auto shift points to suit grannys. At least now I know there is hope.

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 5:41 pm

Latest results but no fix.

The trottle is getting depressed all the way, I hear a click just before its mashed to floor. (hav'nt been able to check throttle body to see if linkages are at max)

Results in A/T with standing start full throttle
shifted to 2nd at 4300rpm
shifted to 3rd at 4800rpm
Cruising at 50kph Full throttle resulted in 2500rpm (kicked to 3rd)
Cruising at 70kph Full throttle resulted in 3000rpm (kicked to 3rd again)

Results in Power mode:rolleyes: with standing start full throttle
shifted to 2nd at 4800rpm
shifted to 3rd at 5100rpm
Cruising at 50kph Full throttle resulted in 3100rpm (kicked to 2nd)
Cruising at 70kph Full throttle resulted in 3000rpm (kicked to 3rd again)

All the tests were with the aircon off, running premium.
With the aircon on it keeps pumping cold even under full throttle.

Pretty piss poor I reckon. Any more suggestions?

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 7:40 pm

How often do you need over 5000 revs? I've always thought auto Subarus were too eager to change down. Maybe I'm just a nanna.

Anyhow, is it throwing any codes?

2003 Lib factory service manual suggests there may be a TPS fault if the shift points are wrong. It does not, however, say what the shift points should be. Handy.

Dane.

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 8:15 pm

GOD wrote:How often do you need over 5000 revs? I've always thought auto Subarus were too eager to change down. Maybe I'm just a nanna.

Anyhow, is it throwing any codes?

2003 Lib factory service manual suggests there may be a TPS fault if the shift points are wrong. It does not, however, say what the shift points should be. Handy.

Dane.

I like revs. The kickdown is the worst part.

It doesn give any codes warnings etc.

You could be onto something with the TPS, this might even be effecting how the Air -con cutout doesnt work.

One thing I was told was the TCU holds a memory regrdless of how long the battery was disconected. And it will take a long time for it to readjust to a harder driving style.

cheapassparts · Post by **cheapassparts** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 3:53 pm

It help when you get 100% throttle.

The combination of my hand-controls and the slack cable at the throttle body was the issue. Its one of those things that should be easy to diagnose but when your 3.5' high and working on your own its difficult.

Not as quick as the Lib but I do like it now

Thanks for the advice everyone.