Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerolla
Hiya folks. Does anybody know of a good way to detect shift points on a E100 series Toyota Corolla? Mine is a 3-spd, (A131L transmission) but the damn thing shifts so smooth I can't tell when I'm in third, and I can't tell what RPM I'm at to try to guestimate what my highway speed should be. And please don't tell me to buy a Scangauge II or something. I paid $150 for the entire car, which I bought to save money, and $150 is a lot of fuel in such a small car (over 1666 miles at current gas prices and my current tank average with the few mods I've done). Thanks for your input.
|
I won't tell you to buy a ScanGauge. Others will, but I'm not here to sell you one.
I'm assuming you have an automatic transmission, and that your car has a tachometer in the dash.
Accelerate moderately briskly and look at the tach. You will notice a drop in RPM's every time the transmission does an upshift. Typically such shifts occur at approximately 10, 20 and 30 MPH on a four speed tranny. On a three speed it might be that 0-10 is first gear, 10-25 is second gear. and 25-35 is third gear. You may notice a fourth "shift" occurring around 35-40 MPH. That's the torque converter locking up,
which will feel and act just like a shift, even though it's only a three speed transmission.
Any and all automatic transmissions achieve their best fuel economy by entering torque converter lockup and staying at that speed or above the speed of entry into it without falling below it. All you need do is to recognize that and try to keep it at or above that speed, if possible. Watching the tachometer and feeling for the shift points (especially the final one into TC lockup) will tell you that.