blu xe 825 Posted February 25, 2015 Hey guys I've recently bought a series 2 au xr8 with an auto. Everythings doing as it should and is healthy but I'm hating the sluggy/unresponsive and generally slow shifting of it. Even manually changing it , it tends to take ages for it to register that you've changed and will just rev its ring out before it shifts with the boot stuck in. 2nd to 3rd is probably the worst for it. I've heard mixed reviews with the electronic shift kits and one of the local trans shops say they can do a shift kit that will firm up and quicken the shifts for around $500 including a flush and fresh oil. Says it definitely isn't too harsh and still liveable for a daily driver. He also said not to bother with the electronic shift kits and there a waste of time. In saying that I've never really dicked around with late model auto stuff before so I'd like to know whats available. Just need it to shift quicker and give me the next gear when I want it to not when it feels like! The auto is probably the biggest let down of how the car goes and I think if you could actually get the thing working nicer it would make the car heaps snappier cause once its up and going it actually goes alright for an old Windsor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Polson 10,214 Posted February 25, 2015 A friend of mine has a EL (4L) with auto, always used to slowly shift, took it in and had just a trans service/flush, heaps better, nice firm quick shifts ever since. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SLO247 1,713 Posted February 25, 2015 I'd service it for a start too. Au has the adjustable S5 solenoid so you can increase the line pressure. Go a quarter turn on that while you're there. I have exactly the same problem on mine and I'll adjust mine when I get around to it. 2 blu xe and slydog reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slydog 7,873 Posted February 25, 2015 Mmmmmm my ute seems OK and shifts as soon as you shift the lever buuuuuuuut stand on it and D and it takes about 7 lite years before it rev''s up enough and selects it's chossen gear which by then your the loudest thing around and you have gotten out of it LOL 1 blu xe reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRO250 1,506 Posted February 25, 2015 commodore pressure solenoid will fix that issue back it off a turn or 2 or it will chirp the tyres LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRO250 1,506 Posted February 25, 2015 Nope slo has it covered already Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blu xe 825 Posted February 25, 2015 Yeah I read about changing the s5 to one from a commodore firms em up. Just comparing the way the AU xr8 shifts to the way my BA xr6t shifts. The Ba manually shifts when you want it to up and down gears and while its not a firm shift it is more responsive than the Au's mushy slow shift and will change while its still making decent power not where its about to hit the rev limiter and the power has gone away. I mean they are basicly the same box and if I could get the Au one working like the Ba one I'd be happy with that for a daily driver. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted February 25, 2015 My brother-in-law's BA XR6T had the auto gearbox drop its shit only months after buying it (second hand). The gearbox bloke who rebuilt it afterwards reckons AU and series 1 BA had big problems with 1st gear planetary. BTR went to a sharper helical cut on the gears to cut down the noise in 1st and 2nd but this increased the end thrust which shagged out the planetary hub and bearings. He reckoned some BA turbos wouldn't last 6 months before coming back with the same problem. Series 2 BA went back to the old noisier EL planetary and no more problems. So what I'm getting at is don't go leaning on it too much in the lower gears, particularly behind a V8. 1 gregaust reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blu xe 825 Posted February 25, 2015 My xr6t has done 2600000km on its original auto and only started playing up maybe in the last 5-7000km's so maybe they are a bit hit and miss. I think just by firming and speeding up the shifts would have to help rather than hinder reliability because of less slip between gears I would assume would mean less heat? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted February 25, 2015 Yeah shift firming is one thing and is a win-win for driving and clutch life but the planetary problem is related to the gear design, not clutch engagement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPArKy_Dave 8,875 Posted February 25, 2015 My xr6t has done 2600000km on its original auto and only started playing up Wow! Taxi mileage right there! Over 2.5million km's from a BTR.......... must've been all highway driving, in 4th. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blu xe 825 Posted February 25, 2015 LOL. Sorry my bad 260 000km!!! Not 2.5 million!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord_fahrquhar 2,580 Posted February 27, 2015 J3 and tunerpro - can adjust line pressure, converter lockup and shift points. Yeah I know an electronic solution. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted February 27, 2015 I love this J3 chip thing... I think i might marry one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jiminy Kriket 133 Posted February 28, 2015 Quickest way to sharpen up my BTR in my au was to take the 350k old filter and oil out of it and put some nice red stuff in instead of the black tar that came out of it. Gonna have to refresh the oil a few more times though, took it for a run and the oil in the converter turned everything black again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregaust 319 Posted February 28, 2015 Nice info Gerg. Thee are some differences in the gearsets but hard to find all the variations Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Polson 10,214 Posted February 28, 2015 Quickest way to sharpen up my BTR in my au was to take the 350k old filter and oil out of it and put some nice red stuff in instead of the black tar that came out of it. Gonna have to refresh the oil a few more times though, took it for a run and the oil in the converter turned everything black again. Best way to fix that, take it to a decent mechanic and have it properly flushed. They plumb a pump with ATF up to the trans cooler outlet lines, run the car until they see fresh ATF coming out. That way the converter and lines get flushed as well as the oil in the box as well. 2 gerg and blu xe reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blu xe 825 Posted March 1, 2015 Yeah I've heard that's the best way. You use a lot of trans fluid before its coming out clean but is the best way to guarantee your not just contaminating your fresh fluid with left over old crusty one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites