Sport mode shifting-nothing in the manual?

[joejkd]

Hi all,

Just bought a Forte EX sedan with 4spd. A/T. I love this car. Only thing I found strange is that manual has absolutely no explanation of the ideal gearing for this car.

Of course, I have been messing about with the Sport stick feature of the tranny, but the manual has no information of what the recommended spead/RPM ranges are for economy or performance in any gear.

I notice downshifting from 4th to 3rd works as expected, but from 3rd to 2nd there is usually quite a jerk. I'm not sure what the best speed is for downshifting to 2nd is to allow for engine breaking without ripping my tranny apart is.

I'm really concerned with messing up the tranny on the car, but I want to have fun with this feature too. Does anybody know or know where I can get this info? Kind of wierd it isn't in the manual.

[kpkwangjuboi]

doesn't it just downshift on its own when the speed is too low?

[joejkd]

Yes, but if I wanted it to do that every time I would leave it in "D". This is basic information any manufacturer would include with their manual. It has to be somewhere. Nobody knows this?

[GMmon]

Might seem 'basic' to you,but it's not. With all the variables of load/temps/weather/grade/altitude/fuel quality/etc,you won't see mfr's trying to reccommend peak perf/mlg per speed/gear. Would be nice to see a 'max' speed to d-shift into next lower gear,but you'll figure it out & I'm sure it's 'overrev' protected anyway. It may downshift a bit rough in lower gears,many do. The plain truth is,while we CAN shift it ourselves,MOST owners won't & thus very little info about it from Kia.

[D113]

Hello Joejkd,

I understand your concern and here's my advice after driving for two months with the same package.

The engine will not let you upshift if the revs are too low. The engine will let you downshift to 2 through 3 from 4 at speeds of 65kph and up if you need to. It will perform similarly if you floor it at 65-70mph while in D. I think the best thing here is to get a feel for your car's abilities and where it wants to fight you. I always engine-break. If I'm driving 60MPH and want to slow down because I can see up-ahead traffic, I'll just drop it to 3 and let the engine begin the process. I feel a heavier resistance in second too. For example, driving 60PMH, dropping it into 3 will feel very smooth as for some reason the engine spins up and seems to slowly grab, and slowly decelerate until it hits 50-55MPH and then begins to decelerate much better after that point. Shifting to 2nd at 50 MPH will have a definite grab and growl and deceleration so I wouldn't recommend engaging it before 40-45MPH. As for first, don't try using it until your sitting at 1000RPMs in 2nd or it will be quite jerky. As for upshifting I practically never use upshifting and almost solely rely on D and a controlled push of the gas. The only time I've used +- upshifting is when I'm entering an incline curve on a highway on-ramp as I feel the engine wants to downshift. I enter the curve in 3 and continue the curve in 3 and exit in three. It's only one part of my daily commute that I do this and it's solely to prevent the engine from downshifting during the process.

Hope that helps,

D

[PLP]

Originally Posted by D113

Hello Joejkd,

.....For example, driving 60PMH, dropping it into 3 will feel very smooth as for some reason the engine spins up and seems to slowly grab, and slowly decelerate until it hits 50-55MPH and then begins to decelerate much better after that point. Shifting to 2nd at 50 MPH will have a definite grab and growl and deceleration so I wouldn't recommend engaging it before 40-45MPH.....

this deceleration is related to fuel cut off. It takes couple of seconds before ECU makes a decision to cut off fuel because RPM is more than 800-2500 (depends on gear, conditions (temp) and so on). Another thing you may noticed. O/D. Do you know when it engages? Probably around 40-45 MPH (when driving gently). If you let your foot of the pedal, it would keep the same RPM (keep O/D engaged) and at this point fuel is off. It will come back on below 1000 RPM when engine hot. Only one thing - you have to release gas gently while O/D is on. If you disengage it - because you accelerated harder, and then released gas - it will not keep it...

Originally Posted by joejkd

.....I'm really concerned with messing up the tranny on the car, but I want to have fun with this feature too. Does anybody know or know where I can get this info? Kind of wierd it isn't in the manual.

No, there is no one answer for it. If you want to find out how to drive - what gear, how much gas and so on - get a Scan Gauge II or similar device.
Look into forum (in Rondo forum it was discussed well) and you will find some info how to use it.
One more thing - it is not good to play with "manual" during break in period. For first 200-1000 miles ECU/PCM learn how you drive/what kind of driver you are. And shifting manually messes up in the system.
Also, read the above (for D113) because it will tell you HOW to safe gas.



And general comment.
I learned by using Scan Gauge how to perform engine braking. When shift to get best fuel economy.
Rondo (V6) has 5 speed gearbox, it is different than 4 speed, because O/D is also for 4th gear and it kicks on around 22 MPH. 5th comes in around 38 MPH and O/D right away too.
So, to safe fuel, let it shift as soon as possible to last gear and let O/D to kick in. While it is engaged you do not loose any fuel for torque converter. It locks up. And as you noticed RPM do not vary when you depress gas (gently... of course).
Last thing - when car is new it will behave sometimes weird, it may shift hard, it may jerk, O/D may not kick in right away, it may do some other things. Also, shifting points (speed) are different...

[Phiber]

Originally Posted by joejkd

Yes, but if I wanted it to do that every time I would leave it in "D". This is basic information any manufacturer would include with their manual. It has to be somewhere. Nobody knows this?

You must be new to cars. I am fairly certain none of my previous automatic vehicles I've owned have contained this information.

[joejkd]

Actually Mazda does provide you with this info. Every vehicle has a shift point, one best for economy, the other to maintain max performance.

[PLP]

Originally Posted by joejkd

Actually Mazda does provide you with this info. Every vehicle has a shift point, one best for economy, the other to maintain max performance.

so why did not you go with Mazda?

I told you. this is unique to a car and many other conditions.
It is stupid (IMO) to list when you should shift to get the best fuel economy... If you are driving downhill it will be different shifpoint, going uphill - another story and so on. Think about load, wind, temperature... this way you should have several tables.

This what could make it easy is a graph of power and torque vs. RPM. Characteristic if the engine.

[Phiber]

Originally Posted by joejkd

Actually Mazda does provide you with this info. Every vehicle has a shift point, one best for economy, the other to maintain max performance.

Most manufacturers provide shift points for their manual vehicles.