Shift at will kit

Discussion in 'Non Technical' started by reyoh, Mar 21, 2010.

  1. reyoh

    reyoh Member

    Hey guys, just wondering if i could hear from the people who have driven a zed with the shift at will kit installed (http://www.ess-racing.com). I have an auto at the moment and instead of the usual manual conversion i was looking at doing something a little different. I've read a few older topics on it but I would like to know how quick the shifting is and is it worth the 1400 bucks? Oh and any other comments would be great as well.

    Cheers
     
  2. pmack

    pmack Member

    IPT has a version aswell
    http://www.importperformancetrans.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1871
     
  3. rishwin

    rishwin Mother Führer

    Only $90 is for the actual hardware, the rest is for the software lisence? o_O

    Sounds to me like someone with the know-how can make something similar extremely cheaply...
     
  4. Chrispy

    Chrispy Pretentious Upstart

    Could be some sort of thing to get around taxes. There is more than 90 bucks worth of gear there. And 70euro does not equal AUD$90...
     
  5. Sir_Spike

    Sir_Spike New Member

    You can make a switch that switches out the TPS input to the ECU and replaces it with a permanent 4.5v signal. That would trick the trans into thinking the throttle was fully depressed. It will instantly kick down to the lowest available gear and hold all gears until redline before shifting. I did this on my Honda Prelude. I called it "Gran Turismo" mode. Just switch it on when you need it, and off when you don't.

    - Mike
     
  6. ZedEx

    ZedEx Dr No

    what's the point though? Wouldn't you just actually put your foot all the way to full throttle and get the same effect?

     
  7. Sir_Spike

    Sir_Spike New Member

    The point is so you can actually drive it like a sports car; without having the auto trans shift up everytime you take your foot off the gas (which is bloody annoying when you're trying to drive quickly). You can also use it to shift down before overtaking; thus reducing lag, etc.

    It is quite useful and fun to drive with this system, but I concede that a proper tiptronic-style system would be much better. I've got a manual now so doesn't matter anyways...
     
  8. Chrispy

    Chrispy Pretentious Upstart

    Just buy a car with a real gearbox and it works great!

    :p
     
  9. AndyMac

    AndyMac Better than you

    yeah...not quite.

    Throttle position sensor information isn't only used to select shift points for an automatic. It's also used in the calculations for fuel delivery and timing, so by fooling the ecu into thinking it's on WOT the whole time, your retarding your timing and richening your fuel mixture which has a net result of LESS performance.




     
  10. black baz

    black baz black 'n blue Bazemy

    .. check thread/posts about 3 or so years back by "red dwarf" ... he went shift at will and loved it ... he also established a good relationship with the "ess-racing" guy ....
     
  11. Sir_Spike

    Sir_Spike New Member

    Sorry I meant the trans controller. The 300ZX has an independent transmission control unit, right? My Z is an ex-auto, and it has this big connector coming off the loom that doesn't connect to anything... I presumed it was for the auto trans computer?

    But yeah, switchover to the fake signal on the auto trans controller, not the ECU! Putting a false TPS signal to the ECU would probably not be recommended ;)

    My bad.

    - Mike
     
  12. Zedback

    Zedback Member

    Got SAW in the last group buy and think it's great.
    You do of course still have an auto: that means all the good and bad effects of a torque converter, you have the same auto ratios and it won't shift any quicker. So don't go thinking you have a manual. But...

    It does get you around what I think is the major drawback of an auto which is not being in the gear you want to be in, when you want to be in it. With SAW you can downshift before the corner or before the grade change instead of waiting for the auto to figure out what is going on. And when you are feeling lazy flick the switch and you are back in full auto.

    If you need (like me) or want to stick with an auto then I would highly recommend it. If you do go with SAW I would recommend you follow their advice and upgrade the auto cooler and if possible get your auto upgraded with a shift kit.

    Have fun.
     
  13. reyoh

    reyoh Member

    Thanks black baz :). Zedback, Yeh I do still have an auto. If I do take the saw kit path over a manual, which I leaning towards atm since I'll be doing a bit of traffic driving in it, i will definately be getting a trans cooler. Does the shift kit decrease shift time? Or just firm up the changes?

    Mark
     

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