Smart transmission? How smart is it?

Can anyone give a detailed explanation of exactly how the late model Mustang "smart" auto transmission works? It supposedly and apparently "learns" and adapts based on certain feedback via the computer, etc. I'd like to know exactly what type of feedback and info it responds to. I do not understand how it can "adapt" based on previous operation cues. The car may be driven in very different situations and in a very different manner than usual at any given time. So how then can the transmission use prior info to adjust itself? Or am I missing something here? You may drive in a very gentle economical way all day, and then suddenly decide to drag race or go sporting about on some winding back roads... so then prior info would be useless... either that, or the tranny will not be ready for the new state of operation.

One note... some people here may remember my complaining about how the transmission in my brand new Stang shifted way too early, etc. Well, now that the car is broken in and I am driving it "harder", it seems to be shifting much better now. When the car was breaking in, I was driving it with a much lighter foot, and because of that, I am thinking that the tranny responded to my "granny" driving style by providing me with "granny" shifts... very early upshifts. Now that I am driving it more like a man, it is shifting better, more in the way that I'd like it to. But it has taken a while for this to come about. So does this mean that if one drives one of these cars in a gentle manner for a while, that in order to get the tranny to operate in more of a performance mode, you must beat on the car for a week?

I think I just need to understand exactly HOW the tranny and computer work together, and what elements the tranny responds to, and how fast it takes the tranny to "learn" and "adapt". Perhaps one would suggest that if and when the tranny is not shifting well, to just disconnect the battery for 15 minutes or so, and then drive the car somewhat hard. I don't know if I like this idea of a "smart" tranny so much... I think I'd prefer to be able to just set it up the way I want it to shift, and just have it operate that way all the time, period.

thanks

Reply to
GT-Vert-03
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It's kinda late now, but you can get the most custom transmission behavior by selecting a manual :-)

Dana

Reply to
Dana Myers

The adaptive strategy is in the PCM, not in the trans..... this will apply more to fuel trims and timing curves than anything else.

As for your earlier complaint of early shift points..... this goes hand in hand with light throttle settings. Since you were driving with a "light foot", less torque was required to accelerate the car...... since less torque was required, the transmission would shift at a lower rpm (just like an older car, BTW) saving gasoline and wear and tear on the motor. Doing it any other way would have you creep along at 20 mph or less with the motor churning some horrible rpm in first gear.... and wouldn't that look good in the lane at the drive-through..

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

Reply to
Jim Warman

driving it

Watch out, I think Kate may take offense at that "driving like a man " quote!

Reply to
Matt

Why should she? She drives like one from what I hear. ;)

Reply to
Greg B.

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