After installing the interceptor X, my RPM range is wide open. I found that elusive extra "get up and go" that going beyond original A/T limit will allow. When in auto/manual mode I'm having the problem that the AT will not shift at 9000 RPM and waits for me to get off the accelerator. On June 9th I will have the Pettit s/c installed (courtesy of Charles R. Hill) and expect the problem to get worse. A custom torque converter is already on my list of "will need" items. I prefer not doing this piece meal so I am asking for suggestions as to transmission upgrades (any of you suggesting trading for a manual, do not bother to post).

 

Wow, lucky guy!
Are you doing any trans mods?

 

Not yet. I'm trying to get some ideas from the guys on the forum. I know that I need to do something but I do not want to go at this piece meal. I do not want something that will break all the time.

 

I think what your describing is happening to me and several others every so often when we "Floor it" and attempt to shift. It usualy happens to me when I'm in 1st trying to shift into second, it will shift but only after I release "some" pressure on the pedal. Why it happens I have no clue I'm sure someone more technical than me could chime in but it does happen even at the 7.5k rpm limit.

I was going to suggest a tranny cooler but you already have one. Since no one on the boards have done a tranny swap (yet!) this will be new territory for us and I'd definatly be keeping a eye out for any details on what you choose. Should possibly ask RG or MM if its even possible and from there ask Mr. Hill there on his advice for a tranny, he made mention he used to drag race so I'm sure he knows a few shops and a few bullet proof trannies you could possibly use.

 

The PCM locks you out of the shift if you are still at full load when you reach the rev limit.

 

What is the fix? I'm not planning on racing but we have a little track in a small town near by that I have been wanting to pay & play after Ray gets thru with the s/c & tune but now I'm a little hesitant.

 

Gotta let of the throttle to shift.

 

I guess you mean off the throttle but that means that I have to let the RPMs drop to about 8000 RPM before I shift. Hell that does not make me happy as I am loosing that lower gear higher RPM resonse. You are mostlikely correct and I am saddled with 8000 RPM shifting but I can always hope otherwise. I have seen A/T dragsters shifting at insane RPM but I guess they are not really a true A/T.

 

Hey Phil's 8, great job!

Have you know any diffrence after the inter-x, it seems that after dyno was 150 whp... Some said is not right! <Can you clarify that> The dyno result was in the AT->"inter x thread". I think u can push it to 8500rpm easy. I can even go to 8100rpm with my stock setup but is kinda of rough to the engine. Plus there is some delay repsonse from the tranny.

Can you confirm that your rpm shift?

Any updates after the inter-x will be greatly appreicated!

P.S I even now use GTX oil 5w-20 for top up. It feels smooth now. I strongly believe this car needs to update something little here and there to make it stronger.

 

I had the car dynoed after the installation of the interceptor x but with it turned off first and then again with the interceptor x on during and after tuning. The tuning was done by Steve Kan. There was 18 additional hp with the interceptor x. If I had it to do over again I would pass on the dyno tune and do a street tune. My low end torque(?)got worse (seems less power below 2000 RPM) but above 2000 there was substantial increase in the power. I guess that is where the 18hp showed up. I've been trying different shift points and have found that 8000 is currently the best and smoothest place to shift but I am getting a "slipping" or delay occasionally. When the s/c is done on 6/9, my next mod will be in the trans. I have a feeling if I don't do some thing I'll be towing the 8 instead of driving it. I'm hoping that Charles R. Hill (Ray) has some suggestions or answers for me.

 

Does the Rx-8 share it's auto with any other car? Or maybe just the torque converter? Maybe, with some custom machining, there is a way to fit a torque converter intended for a different car in there. If not, I'd hate to be the one paying for a one-off custom torque converter. Does the rx-8 employ a fuel cut during shifts? I know Mazda has done that in the past. Is there a tranny control computer? Does the tranny control computer know what to do that far over stock redline?

 

i have to say MM, your current avatar may be my favorite out of all the ones you've had.

 

I'm trying to find out if the 8 shares the a/t as that will make the "custom" torque converter easier to acquire. I'm told that if the torque converter is common enough the "custom" part will not be that bad price wise. Yes the stock 8 does employ a fuel cutoff at the stock maximum RPM setting but does not seem to cut off fuel during shifting. With the interceptor x installed, the fuel cutoff at Stock RPM is gone. There very well may me a separate tranny control computer or at the very least a section of the stock computer that controls it, but that's a question for the electronic brains like MM or RG. I have seen a couple of threads where members have talked about "I think that it's the same tranny" but have not yet seen a thread where anyone knows for sure.

 

I encountered this no-shift at high RPMs for the first time today.

Not sure why today was the first time though, I often red-line, but to be honest, I may never had attempted as high a shift as today.

Anyways, I too was unable to shift and it freaked me out. I was around 7500 and not letting up at all, and I pulled the stick to go into 2nd......nothing!!

Not a good feeling I'll tell ya.

I popped it into Auto, and it shifted into 2nd no problem. I thought perhaps something was wrong, so I popped it back into manual, downshifted to 2, and floored it. Shifted to 3 at maybe 7000 and it was fine.

Until I read this thread I thought it was either an anomoly, or the start of something bad.

Back on topic though: G/L with getting info for a diff TC, and please keep us aprised of your findings

Cheers,

Ed

 

Good. You'll be here on the 9th and after the s/c install I'll show you my dilemma. I've been trying to do my home work so I'll know what you are talking about when we address my "problem". MM answered this thread and while he may be correct it does not make me real happy as I wanted that extra (torque - HP) that is available to manual cars above 7800 rpm and while I now have it (or at least what the 4 port can gather) I'm told you can't use it. Of course you have to be talented when reading MMs & RGs posts cuz they assume the reader knows something and that makes me feel brain deprived.

I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU GET HERE.

 

I am fortunate in having made the long distance acquaintance of Charles R. Hill. He will be coming to Vegas to install my Pettit s/c and street tune my 8. As you can see by the earlier post he will look into our problem when here. You did not say but I must assume that you have an emanage that allows you to exceed the stock settings. I'll post any findings.

 

I love this thread.

In the 0-60 and 1/4 mile, usually around 8,000 is best on my AT. A little more may do it, might depend on which gear. I never got anything "extra" by going to 9,000 and past 8,500 is debatable. The sweet spot is somewhere around that 8,000.

Another point is I question if Mazda was playing games with our tachometer. Meaning that it reads higher than what the engine is doing.

Now, just all out top speed, where you push the hell out of everything to make 150mph as soon as you can... It seems to follow the same rules.... Though I could see having a supercharger and pushing to 8,500 or so if its still boosting to get to the top possible speed.

I've not experienced shifting problems at around 8,000 to 8,500 rpms. But, I'm not using the Int-X and have the Re-Amemiya ECU flash, ATF cooler, and Red Line AT fluid.

I did notice that you have to use a faster shift and release technique at the higher RPMs in manual mode. If I tried to shift slowly, it would appear to get stuck and keep going up in RPMs. I've had it go to near 9,000rpm, which freaks me out and I think I let off the gas. I've also seen "in between states" where I did not shift fast enough, so there was a delay (thus going past my shift point of around 8,000 and into 8,500 or so) before it shifted gear.

If I shift and release really fast, than it appears not to happen. I don't know if I'm doing anything subconsciously like lightening up on the gas. I don't think I'm doing that and just shifting and releasing faster.

Also I'm a 4AT, so I only have to shift once (in manual mode) for 0-60 and pretty much can leave it in 2nd for the 1/4 mile too. This appears to give a slight advantage as you are less likely to mis-shift. I've actually seen guys next to me screw up a shift.

I would love to know if various things could be done to the AT tranny through the ECU. I'm curious if this is a solution or if we have to go to transbrakes and custom torque converters.

This is an area that should be explored for the RX-8 ATs. It would be great if we could push the tranny harder for better short distance performance. Of course we would have to find out what the Auto tranny could take and at what RPM would be the best stall limit.

 

Another point is I question if Mazda was playing games with our tachometer. Meaning that it reads higher than what the engine is doing.
"Quote Sosonic"

I have a ScanGauge hook into the system and yes there is a slight difference in RPM on the dash and on the gauge about a thousand RPM with the dash showing higher.

I've not experienced shifting problems at around 8,000 to 8,500 rpms. But, I'm not using the Int-X and have the Re-Amemiya ECU flash, ATF cooler, and Red Line AT fluid.
"Quote Sosonic"

While shifts are fairly positive at RPMs below 7800, all shifts seem to "slip" at higher RPMS and when I get to 8500 it's 50/50 if it will even shift at all. That's why I started this thread to see if I was alone and if anyone had a fix. Yes I have a trans cooler as it was one of the first mods I did living in the desert. I use Royal Purple as it seems to work better for me. Shifting faster with the paddles?? As soon as you press the paddle you should shift but just out of habit I do shift fast. Letting up on the gas is defeating the intent of the whole thing but does not really help unless the RPMs go below 7800. If I am understanding Mazda Maniac correctly, shifting an AT under full power may not be attainable under current configuration.

I to am a 4AT, and while I have not run mine on a 1/4 measured mile or track, I am currently very close to having to shift (or in the process of shifting) at that marker. After Saturday I had better figure that I will be shifting with the new s/c. I'm not sure how accurate the road paddles and mile markers are on rural Nevada roads but do know that they are very close. Now the time to get to that point is why I'm doing the s/c and it will also increase the speed.

Charles R. Hill will be here Saturday and I'll see what he says. I know that something will have to be done just do not know what yet.

 

You better be taking TONS of photos of him doing the install when your not helping him out hehe. Charles is a awsome guy in person and ask him to do his pink impersonation he claims he has improved it haha.

As MM said I think the computer wont allow a "quick" shift when the gas peddle is under a certain load, say to the floor is 100% it wont allow it till you let off till about 60-70%. I know it does suck and all and as you said defeats the point of that extra power but keep in mind your one of the few who have altered their rev range in a AT so we have no idea what type of damage in the long run it could be doing to the tranny. It not allowing these quick shifts could be a saftey measure Mazda made to make sure our tranny's dont explode. Most cars I've driven I see a redline of 5-6k only and shift points tend to be at 2-4k so their tranny's dont see the high rev's our do. Again I'd suggest talking to Charles about this when he shows up and ask him for suggestions on trannies if its something you'd like to do in the future.

 

We are taking a load of photos of various points of the install and it will continue when he returns as we were unable to complete the install. I was not sure which Pink impersonation you were referring to, the singer or the show - he does well with both. Your right he is an awsome guy and his attention to details should serve him well with his new shop. So far my only contrubutions are "go-fer", lots of dumb questions and of course the finance

We had our talk about the tranny and he has some great ideas on the fix. Ray is not sure that MM is correct about the shifting but does agree that 9000 rpm is something that may require extensive changes. You may be correct and once I get that lower end power with the s/c (I hope) then I may not need the higher RPM shift. -------- Then again what is the name of the game?

 

Awesome. Looking forward to this one.

 

Pictures?!?!?!?! lol..

 

I have heard that the FD's auto is the same as the one in the RX8 but with a paddle shifting module. So it could be possible that the auto RX8 could take a '93-'95 FD torque converter, and I bet there are a bunch out there for racing or dragging.

 

This is an avenue that I will have to look into. I might even go over to the 7 forum and ask if anyone knows. If you don't hear from me for a while, I will be recovering from burns (flamed).

 

haha.. should send RotoryGod ova in your place. But it is a valid question since they've had more years with the tranny and most likely experimented with it also. Be nice if they said "Oh yeah we've had this for awhile surprised none of you guys knew about it!" lol