Power Mode Switch Installed, Very Pleased

[svxistentialist]

My UK owners manual says that Manual mode is used " for driving on slippery surfaces such as snowy roads or mud, or for smooth driving at a constant speed when going up slopes."

One of the technical manuals goes further than this. It says Manual mode is for driving up slopes and down slopes.

This last bit is interesting. They are not talking about steep hills here, where the torque converter might be needed to assist. The clue is in the first description, "smooth driving".

With Manual mode engaged it will mean the lock-up can be on if driving at steady speed. This in turn will mean better engine braking going down the slope with lock-up connecting the engine directly to the transmission.

It should also imply that there will be less heating up of the oil in these conditions, as the torque converter would be locked out at the constant speed.

Joe

[b3lha]

Now, if I may continue the thread hijack.

As you say Joe, there are only two shift modes, normal and power. But then it gets a bit more complicated:

The TCU has a table of values. Each row in this table contains a pointer to a set of (presumably) control parameters for the shift solenoids. In normal mode it chooses row 1 to 4, dependant on the stick position. In power mode it chooses row 5 to 8 dependant on the stick position. If cruise is engaged, it chooses row 9 of the table, regardless of the stick position. If the fluid is too hot, it chooses row 10 to 13 dependant on the stick position.

I can't say much more than that because I haven't analysed it yet.

PS. Have any of those legacy guys tried grounding this pin on their TCU?

[immortal_suby]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

With Manual mode engaged it will mean the lock-up can be on if driving at steady speed. This in turn will mean better engine braking going down the slope with lock-up connecting the engine directly to the transmission.

It should also imply that there will be less heating up of the oil in these conditions, as the torque converter would be locked out at the constant speed.

Joe

Does this mean that with manual mode on, that lockup can occur in 3 or 2? I have to test this. If that is correct, it would mean that on a long stretch of 45mph speed limit we could really lower the tranny temp by achieving lockup through manual mode in 3rd gear.

That would be excellent for those 100 degree summer days where the tranny temp can really spike going from stop and go traffic to long stretches of low speed limit.

Or on a long low speed hill climb you could drop it into 2 or 3 and lockup the converter to avoid cooking the tranny.

[JLHollowX13]

i installed the switch last night, took it for a little ride and then today as i drove into town i really didnt notice any change at all. what am i supposed to notice? i should probably point out that my speedo doesnt work, so is it possible my limp home mode is engaging and preventing it to do what its supposed to do? is it such a big difference that i should easily notice? im not sure why i dont notice the difference, but if something can be done abut it i would like to know.
thanks for any help!

[immortal_suby]

Originally Posted by JLHollowX13

i installed the switch last night, took it for a little ride and then today as i drove into town i really didnt notice any change at all. what am i supposed to notice? i should probably point out that my speedo doesnt work, so is it possible my limp home mode is engaging and preventing it to do what its supposed to do? is it such a big difference that i should easily notice? im not sure why i dont notice the difference, but if something can be done abut it i would like to know.
thanks for any help!

It is a big enough difference that you would definitely notice it. Is your power light on?

[SubaruSVXCrazy]

Does anybody have any pictures of a jdm auto shift assembly w/ power button?
While we're on the subject of wiring things. Is it possible to wire the power lock switch on a 92?

[SubaruSVXCrazy]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

Phil, I have disagreed with this view before, with Harvey if I remember correctly.

From reading all the information available in the WSMs and in different articles published it is my opinion that there are only TWO different shift reference maps in the TCU software, Power map and Normal map. Other driving "modes" that we know about use variants of the two primary shift maps.

This is how I see the differences:

1)Normal Shift Map:
This map is tuned for economy and quietness. Shifts happen at low revs to take advantage of the high torque engine and to get the car as soon as possible into D4 range for quiet and economical low revs driving.

Lock-up is available, for economy reasons.

Kick down is available, but reluctantly; the map is tuned to hold higher gears, even for overtaking, unless it sees very fast movement from the TPS or WOT.

2)Power Shift Map:
Power shift map is tuned for overtaking and hill climbing.

It holds lower gears for longer.

It will kick-down more readily for less throttle movement.

Lock-up of the torque convertor is not available.

Power Mode on-demand:
This mode does actually use a reference map to measure variables such as road speed, range engaged and throttle opening speed, but is not a shift map per se.

It uses the data to toggle the shift maps between Normal and Power.

Standard running mode will be with the economy tuned Normal shift patterns engaged.

At lower speeds and higher throttle demands the higher-revving and torque convertor aided Power shift map will be engaged.

Once fast throttle change or WOT condition has ended, i.e. steady throttle is used, the gearbox drops back from Power to Normal inside 3 seconds.

Economy Mode:
This mode is a variant of the Normal shift map. It switches off Power-on-demand and does not allow any access to the Power shift map.

Driving with ECON engaged will always use the Normal shift map, which is economy tuned.

Manual Mode:
This mode is a variant of the Normal shift map also. It uses the same shift parameters as the economy tuned Normal map.

The only difference is it locks out 1 Range and will always start in 2 Range. This is to avoid wheelspin in muddy or slippery conditions. Manual applies to 2, 3 and D.

Cruise Control:
This mode uses the Normal shift map so that the lock-up feature is available while cruise is engaged. For this reason it can't use the Power map.

It is erroneous to be thinking of shift maps for Cruise anyway, as it is a steady speed control device and will not use shifts. However, for the sake of completeness, while cruise is engaged the TCU is operating the Normal map so that Lock-up is available.

----------------------------

As I said, this is my opinion, but it's based on reading anything I could find available in the technical manuals. If anybody thinks there are other factors at play, other shift maps, please fell free to contradict.

But do explain why, and where the information came from.

Joe

Would it be safe to say, most of this crap is basically an early SI Drive?

Another question. Is the usdm instrument cluster the identical one used for the jdm cluster? (Besides the KPM and odometers, etc.) Another words does it still have stuff like 4WS letters in it, if it could be aluminated?

[JLHollowX13]

yes my power light is coming on. it only comes on in D, 3, and 2, not in 1, P, or N, but im sure that is normal and how its supposed to be. this is what is confusing me. my power light comes on, and everything seems to be how it should except i am not seeing any difference. i even had someone ride with me when i first did it to see if they felt a difference or noticed any change and they didnt either. any help would be appreciated, i want to experience this awesome mod for myself, but cant seem to. thanks again

[Nomake Wan]

Originally Posted by SubaruSVXCrazy

Does anybody have any pictures of a jdm auto shift assembly w/ power button?
While we're on the subject of wiring things. Is it possible to wire the power lock switch on a 92?

It's on the bottom, opposite of where the "shift lock" button is (and looks the same).

Originally Posted by SubaruSVXCrazy

Another question. Is the usdm instrument cluster the identical one used for the jdm cluster? (Besides the KPM and odometers, etc.) Another words does it still have stuff like 4WS letters in it, if it could be aluminated?

Negative. The Japanese cluster is totally different. Besides the fact that it reads in km/h, the lights are different (we don't have 4WS, and their warning lights are in Japanese).

JLHollowX13, how did your car drive prior to the mod? I can't imagine that this would improve things on a car that wasn't running well to begin with.

[b3lha]

Originally Posted by JLHollowX13

i installed the switch last night, took it for a little ride and then today as i drove into town i really didnt notice any change at all. what am i supposed to notice? i should probably point out that my speedo doesnt work, so is it possible my limp home mode is engaging and preventing it to do what its supposed to do? is it such a big difference that i should easily notice? im not sure why i dont notice the difference, but if something can be done abut it i would like to know.
thanks for any help!

Power mode WILL NOT engage if your speed sensor is faulty. Even if the power light is on. You should really get it fixed before you start looking for performance mods. Then your ECU and TCU will start to work properly. That in itself will probably help your performance a little.

[b3lha]

Originally Posted by SubaruSVXCrazy

While we're on the subject of wiring things. Is it possible to wire the power lock switch on a 92?

Yes it is. I don't have the wiring diagram to hand right now. But it has been posted on this site before, so you may find it if you search.

[JLHollowX13]

its not that my car has ever driven bad. it has always driven very nicely, power when i need it, smooth driving on the highway, etc. i just dont notice anything with this mod, but if the ecu is over riding the power mode then that is probably what is going on. on the subject of my faulty speedo, its not actually my speedo sensor. there are a few posts ive done about this trying to figure out what was going on (i went through about 2 or 3 sensors). come to find out its the speedometer gears within my differential that need to be replaced. ill have to pull the tranny and take out the differential to fix it. there are a few problems with that, one is ill have to wait until spring/summer because of all the snow around here and we dont have a shop. 2 im not exactly sure of everything ill need such as exact parts for the diff, a tranny rebuild kit or maybe gaskets, etc. and 3 i dont know the procedure for doing this as i have never done it before, id really like to get a shop manual on the whole thing but i cant seem to find a used one. or if i can find somehwere online with a walkthrough. i dont want to take it to a shop, they tell me itll be 600 labor (at least) plus the parts. if i can just do it myself i think i would be saving a whole lotta money. i thought about just replacing the tranny, but mine is still great, and i really like the gearing in the original transmission. plus i cant find a tranny i can use thats close and im afraid im gonna get one with problems. it would be the easiest way just to replace the whole trans, but i dont think i can bring myself to do that. i guess we will see.

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by JLHollowX13

its not that my car has ever driven bad. it has always driven very nicely, power when i need it, smooth driving on the highway, etc. i just dont notice anything with this mod, but if the ecu is over riding the power mode then that is probably what is going on. on the subject of my faulty speedo, its not actually my speedo sensor. there are a few posts ive done about this trying to figure out what was going on (i went through about 2 or 3 sensors). come to find out its the speedometer gears within my differential that need to be replaced. ill have to pull the tranny and take out the differential to fix it. there are a few problems with that, one is ill have to wait until spring/summer because of all the snow around here and we dont have a shop. 2 im not exactly sure of everything ill need such as exact parts for the diff, a tranny rebuild kit or maybe gaskets, etc. and 3 i dont know the procedure for doing this as i have never done it before, id really like to get a shop manual on the whole thing but i cant seem to find a used one. or if i can find somehwere online with a walkthrough. i dont want to take it to a shop, they tell me itll be 600 labor (at least) plus the parts. if i can just do it myself i think i would be saving a whole lotta money. i thought about just replacing the tranny, but mine is still great, and i really like the gearing in the original transmission. plus i cant find a tranny i can use thats close and im afraid im gonna get one with problems. it would be the easiest way just to replace the whole trans, but i dont think i can bring myself to do that. i guess we will see.

JHollow, there isn't a walkthrough, but you can find information about the speedometer in the How To section above. Click on the first folder, A Link to Threads on Fixes, and read the speedo one.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12278

This particular thread you should read, start to finish. There are diagrams you need and good information.

Joe

[Zandar]

That sucks that you can't use it, Jeremy, because this mod is awesome. Your car should be holding revs a bit longer and downshifting more aggressively with less throttle input (not abruptly or jarringly; it's just more aggressive with how it picks gears). Good luck with the fix.

[immortal_suby]

I can confirm that with power mode engaged, the converter will not lock in 3 or 2 using either the cruise control, manual mode, or both.
Like has been said earlier, it will lockup and bypass power mode in D with cruise on.