I've been driving manual shift cars since about 1963. I don't need to have my car tell me to shift from 1st to 4th, and none ever has tried to force me to do that until my 2007 C6.

But it only does it sometimes, when it feels like it. It's damn distracting and frustrating, especially in heavy stop and go traffic when I'm driving with the turkeys in their Saturns (have you all noticed how they are the stone-slowest drivers on the road, or is it just me?), elderly Camrys and minivans - and they can all beat me to the hole in the traffic. Even a Corvette has no torque at all at 22 mph in 4th gear. I know GM designed the transmission to do this to meet some CAFE standards, but I don't like it.

Before I ask my service manager to turn it off and he gives me a negative, does anyone out there know if it can, indeed, be defeated? It messes up a great car.

Mike from Allentown

 

Funny you should mention this. I too found it odd and asked the rep if it could be turned off. He seemed to believe that it couldn't. I then went from 1 to 3 or took off in second. Other than additional stress on the clutch, the car had plenty of torque.

 

No: the CAGS can not be turned off or the car would not qualify for the extra fuel economy credit it brings in government tests (it's worth about 1 mpg in the city).

You can buy something called an I-CAGS (Interrupt Computer Assisted Gear Shift) for around $29. It is a small wiring harness with a fitting and you install it easily: get under the car, find the CAGS wiring (goes into the side of the transmission) -- pull it out, insert the ICAGS into the transmission plug, then plug the CAGS wiring into the end of the ICAGS. The ICAGS now convinces the car's computer that the shifts are going as planned.

You can get an ICAGS easily, probably from any of several advertisers on this site, or Ecklers, or most any other corvette parts supplier, and some dealers in fact (I bought mine from the dealer when I bought the Corvtte, although legally, he could not also install it) I installed both of mine (there is one on the both my Corvette and Camaro) myself in about ten minutes -- most difficult part is just getting under the car to do it.

 

and there is your answer mcu643

 

Just keep the revs above about 18% (I believe) and you won't run into the 1-4. You don't have to be flooring it - just not crawling.

When I first starting driving this car it was annoying, but slightly modifying revs has eliminated the problem.

 

An I-CAGs is cheap and totally elminates the issue, so you can shift at low RPM and as lazy as you like. I often enjoy seeing how low I can keep the revs - using torque and not revs to move through traffic. I've actually made it all the way to work (20 miles, streets and highways) without ever going over 1400 RPM.

Regardless, the CAGS is a pain and it sometimes can surprise you, so just eliminate it -- $29 is cheap.

 

Good point - certainly doesn't sound like a PITA to do either.

 

$ 19.95 + tax at West Coast Corvette in cali.

 

Man I hate the CAGS. It always hits me when I'm turning left. Since left turns are usually a wider arc I try to stay off of the gas to avoid the dreaded power slide and I end up with that stupid 1-to-4 shift light on. You can find info about the eliminators all over the 'net. I plan to put one on very soon.

Oh yeah, about the Camry drivers: I have one as my daily driver. [8D]

 

what about the cags plugs sold on corvette central? i was told by other 6sp cehvy owners that its a matter of getting a $50 chip to turn it off. i too hate that skip shift crap.