[65ffr]

Originally Posted by ZED SLED

never crossed my mind to learn new driving habits in order to avoid spending $12 after buying a $65k car, lol.

This. I want to shift when I want, how I want, into what gear I want.

[speedyink1]

Originally Posted by Evergreen6

No way was I getting my hands between the trans and tunnel to reach up to grab the solenoid harness and unclip it. I was able to do it with two long screwdrivers though, easy peasy.

I didn't mind CAGS too much and mostly drove so it wouldn't lock me out of 2nd. Now I don't have to worry about it, or have to explain it to someone if they drive the car (over my dead body, of course).

Exactly, it certainly isn't the price of entry. It's the pain the ass to install. Had the thing sitting around since last year. I should just get off my ass and try, but it sure looks like a tight spot! (For some reason I picture myself getting it unplugged and then spending like an hour trying to get the facker plugged back in. I'm sure the car isn't driveable with it just unplugged, so once I'm in it I'm in it)

(Also agreed on letting someone drive my car... fat freakin chance!!)

[olrocker]

Originally Posted by speedyink1

Exactly, it certainly isn't the price of entry. It's the pain the ass to install. Had the thing sitting around since last year. I should just get off my ass and try, but it sure looks like a tight spot! (For some reason I picture myself getting it unplugged and then spending like an hour trying to get the facker plugged back in. I'm sure the car isn't driveable with it just unplugged, so once I'm in it I'm in it)

(Also agreed on letting someone drive my car... fat freakin chance!!)

Long needle nose pliers does the trick. Makes installation a piece of cake. If you have one with a 90 degree tip even better.

[speedyink1]

Originally Posted by olrocker

Long needle nose pliers does the trick. Makes installation a piece of cake. If you have one with a 90 degree tip even better.

Ok.. that's a good tip and confidence boost. I think I'm gonna just do next free day I have.

Thanks!

[olrocker]

Originally Posted by speedyink1

Ok.. that's a good tip and confidence boost. I think I'm gonna just do next free day I have.

Thanks!

No problem! Glad to help!

[paradigm]

I need to install mine, but I heard its a pain to install.

However many days I like to cruise and the damn car forces me 1-4 which causes the engine to bog which is really bad..

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by Texas1ss

I agree. I never got a skip shift eliminator. And I do the same things. At first it bugged me, but now rarely comes up. And I've been driving stick for almost 40 years.

Lot of times on purpose I go from 1st to 3rd and 5th anyway when I get lazy.

Also, if you just pause for a split second in neutral when the lockout comes up, then it will go into 2nd gear without a hitch.

With this much torque, to drive "normally", you have to skip gears IME. You can theoretically go from 1st to 6th, since 1st will get you up to 55mph. That's the extreme example, but going up to whatever mph normally, without accelerating like a mad-man, you will skip gears...or you'll spend forever rowing through gears for no reason, because the torque means you'll get up to speed a little faster, due to not having to row through all those gears.

[olrocker]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

With this much torque, to drive "normally", you have to skip gears IME. You can theoretically go from 1st to 6th, since 1st will get you up to 55mph. That's the extreme example, but going up to whatever mph normally, without accelerating like a mad-man, you will skip gears...or you'll spend forever rowing through gears for no reason, because the torque means you'll get up to speed a little faster, due to not having to row through all those gears.

I can assure you you do NOT want to engage 6th before 60 mph. I’ve tried. The RPMs drop dangerously low below 1300 below 60 in 6th which causes engine chatter or some refer to it as “dieseling” - that’s a quick way to destroy your bearings.

It’s best to keep the engine in the sweet spot when shifting anyways - 2000-3000 in normal driving, 5,000-6,000 when having fun.

[Texas1ss]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

With this much torque, to drive "normally", you have to skip gears IME. You can theoretically go from 1st to 6th, since 1st will get you up to 55mph. That's the extreme example, but going up to whatever mph normally, without accelerating like a mad-man, you will skip gears...or you'll spend forever rowing through gears for no reason, because the torque means you'll get up to speed a little faster, due to not having to row through all those gears.

Exactly. Great torque on the LT1. I row all the gears in casual driving just to hear the engine at times. Other than that I'm usually going 1-3-5.

I do know the skip shift when it engages and wants a 4th gear change, the RPM is way too low. They might have done that for the gas guzzler tax. No telling. But it could use some more RPM not to bog the motor. Never got why that was, but I rarely see that indicator.

[NjaTrtl]

I knew before i bought my car that I was going to want to install the CAGS delete after putting one in my '00 Z28. But it sat in the envelope it came in for 6 month before i finally got around to it. Mainly because I had to get a jack and stands to do it. On the Z28 I was able to get under the car by parking it at the end of my driveway with the rear end in the street. But there was no way that was happening with this one. It took a while to a little bit of work with a long flathead screwdriver to get the plug out, but it wasn't too bad. The new plug went in pretty easily, but the biggest pain was getting the zip-ties that came with it secured. it was tough enough getting one hand up near the tranny in that position, but having to use both in that tiny space was brutal. But i got it done and it's great to not have to worry about the lock-out anymore.

[olrocker]

Even the guys at MotorWeek hated the CAGS when it debuted in the ‘89 Corvette - John talks about it at the 1:55 mark and again at the end:

https://youtu.be/mAJXDh-TMHQ?si=1xBovJUbYZ7o6nVa

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by olrocker

I can assure you you do NOT want to engage 6th before 60 mph. I’ve tried. The RPMs drop dangerously low below 1300 below 60 in 6th which causes engine chatter or some refer to it as “dieseling” - that’s a quick way to destroy your bearings.

It’s best to keep the engine in the sweet spot when shifting anyways - 2000-3000 in normal driving, 5,000-6,000 when having fun.

It does just fine at 50mph as long as you aren't headed up a big grade at the same time. For the record, that's pretty close to 1300.

I had plenty of time to experiment with this with my G5 LS3 and the G6 LT1. For whatever reason, the LT1 will lug a little more if I short shift it too much, compared to the LS3, so while I could nudge the LS3 into 6th even a little slower, the LT1 does want a few more revs, so yeah, you don't drive it at 1000rpm, nor am I advocating that. Where I notice another difference between the two is the 1-4 skip. The lighter weight and increased power of the G6 with LT1 is absolutely noticeable and it was a lot more sketchy in the G5 LS3, as in it would bog much worse.

But back to the RPMs, you will not bog at all going into 6th at 50mph, unless you are going up a hill. If you give it gas and it's not accelerating, sure, you are bogging, but this engine makes around 300lb/ft at ~1000rpm, it handles it just fine. It's not hurting anything. You obviously aren't doing that to get on a highway, then it makes more sense to hold on to a lower gear for longer, but if the speed limit calls for 50, it's plenty happy to cruise in 6th gear, again as long as you aren't hitting a big up.

Besides, when the engine is cold, you want to keep RPMs low, until it's warmed up a bit more and the engine oil temp is showing some life. But on the highway or on a parkway, you can be cruising all day long below 2000rpms. This ain't a 4cyl or v6. You are absolutely right, for those engines 4 and 6cyl as far as RPM range. This one is perfectly happy to turn at 1700 on the highway. I mean, you are literally telling me, from your RPM, that you're driving in 5th or 4th gear on the highway. I assure you they designed 6th gear for the highway, even when the limit is only 55.

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by Texas1ss

Exactly. Great torque on the LT1. I row all the gears in casual driving just to hear the engine at times. Other than that I'm usually going 1-3-5.

I do know the skip shift when it engages and wants a 4th gear change, the RPM is way too low. They might have done that for the gas guzzler tax. No telling. But it could use some more RPM not to bog the motor. Never got why that was, but I rarely see that indicator.

It's 100% the gas guzzler tax.

That said, I can get some pretty amazing mileage out of it. A month ago I did a 2hr drive, with tires on my cargo rack, to AutoX, then back on the same drive. I eeked out 26mpg total, including the race. I remember my best-ever with the Gen 5 going cross country and this Gen 6 gets about 2mpg better than that, which is pretty damn amazing running 305 section tires and having the aerodynamics of a brick.

As I said above, I felt the 1-4 was worse in the Gen 5. It seemed like weight/power just wasn't enough to push it over the edge as practical and this one does much better, much better pickup in 4th when doing it.

[olrocker]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

It does just fine at 50mph as long as you aren't headed up a big grade at the same time. For the record, that's pretty close to 1300.

I had plenty of time to experiment with this with my G5 LS3 and the G6 LT1. For whatever reason, the LT1 will lug a little more if I short shift it too much, compared to the LS3, so while I could nudge the LS3 into 6th even a little slower, the LT1 does want a few more revs, so yeah, you don't drive it at 1000rpm, nor am I advocating that. Where I notice another difference between the two is the 1-4 skip. The lighter weight and increased power of the G6 with LT1 is absolutely noticeable and it was a lot more sketchy in the G5 LS3, as in it would bog much worse.

But back to the RPMs, you will not bog at all going into 6th at 50mph, unless you are going up a hill. If you give it gas and it's not accelerating, sure, you are bogging, but this engine makes around 300lb/ft at ~1000rpm, it handles it just fine. It's not hurting anything. You obviously aren't doing that to get on a highway, then it makes more sense to hold on to a lower gear for longer, but if the speed limit calls for 50, it's plenty happy to cruise in 6th gear, again as long as you aren't hitting a big up.

Besides, when the engine is cold, you want to keep RPMs low, until it's warmed up a bit more and the engine oil temp is showing some life. But on the highway or on a parkway, you can be cruising all day long below 2000rpms. This ain't a 4cyl or v6. You are absolutely right, for those engines 4 and 6cyl as far as RPM range. This one is perfectly happy to turn at 1700 on the highway. I mean, you are literally telling me, from your RPM, that you're driving in 5th or 4th gear on the highway. I assure you they designed 6th gear for the highway, even when the limit is only 55.

I know the engine is a torque monster but there’s no need to put that kind of stress on it.

Of course I know to gently warm it up when it’s cold, I have about two minutes of side streets to drive through no faster than 30 before I hit the freeway anyway.

Well, it’s your car….. I never use 5th or 6th in the city. 5th over 50 and 6th over 60. They’re overdrive gears anyway so why even bother with 5th at 40?

50 is definitely too low for 6th (you absolutely can feel the bog start at that speed in anything but downhill if you’re paying close attention with the radio off and you’re the only one in the car) but it’s your bearings.