[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by NCSD

For HPDE:
Anyone feel like the car should upshift more in auto shift mode at the track instead of just revving the piss out of the car? I put it in full auto / track mode to make it easier to drive, but it seemed like the car wanted to stay above 5000 rpm and would only shift at redline. I felt like I was abusing the car. Id rather short shift and keep the revs in check. What is the normal rpm range the car should operate in at the track? What does everyone elses car do in auto mode? I kept wanting it to upshift but it would just hold a gear until I hit redline, then upshift. Sometimes I'd hit the paddle to upshift because it wouldn't upshift on its own. it just buzzed along at 5500 rpm. Is that normal?

Did you suddenly lift for any reason? The below quote comes straight out of the 2016 Owner Manual and sounds exactly like what you described. If so, then it was normal transmission logic/operation . . . and maybe a really good reason for choosing to shift it manually when the preprogrammed logic may not agree with your 'pace' or level of intensity of the moment.

Originally Posted by 2016 O.M. pg 210

While driving in Sport Mode (V6),
or Sport Mode and Track Mode
(V8), if Tap Shift has not been
activated, the transmission
determines when the vehicle is
being driven in a competitive
manner. The transmission may
remain in a gear longer than it
would in the normal driving mode
based on throttle input and vehicle
lateral acceleration. If there is a
rapid reduction in throttle from a
heavy throttle position at high rpm,
the transmission will maintain the
current gear up to near redline rpm.

Norm

[1LE801]

Originally Posted by NCSD

For HPDE:
Anyone feel like the car should upshift more in auto shift mode at the track instead of just revving the piss out of the car? I put it in full auto / track mode to make it easier to drive, but it seemed like the car wanted to stay above 5000 rpm and would only shift at redline. I felt like I was abusing the car. Id rather short shift and keep the revs in check. What is the normal rpm range the car should operate in at the track? What does everyone elses car do in auto mode? I kept wanting it to upshift but it would just hold a gear until I hit redline, then upshift. Sometimes I'd hit the paddle to upshift because it wouldn't upshift on its own. it just buzzed along at 5500 rpm. Is that normal?

It's working perfectly. The car is smarter than you ;/)

[Norm Peterson]

Smarter in some respects, probably.

But it's no better at reading NCSD's mind from a couple of feet away than I am from the other side of the continent.


Norm

[pullthatwigback]

I find it tough to believe that your asking this question while having experience racing at one of the highest levels of any motorsport. If you are trying to be fast, you want the engine to be making the most possible power and that requires rpms of that order.

[Thor142]

Originally Posted by NCSD

Like I said , I'm a rookie with track days and yes, I'm pretty slow at this point. I cant believe I'm asking it either. I must sound like a total idiot. It just seems like it should upshift. That's all. I've never really driven an automatic at the track and didn't know if my car was working right . I understand shifting at redline, but it is staying at redline everywhere and not upshifting and I'm wondering if something is wrong. Its like it is driving on the freeway in first gear or second gear at 6000 rpm and its not upshifting.

I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about trackdays and where an automatic car should be revving at around the track. That's what forums are for.

I really did race.

You don't sound like an idiot at all. At first it's somewhat counter intuitive to keep a passenger car at near redline levels for so long. The point has already been touched on. You want to keep your car in it's peak powerband at all times. I'm actually impressed the auto trans is so good at it.

[Norm Peterson]

The A8 gear ratios are pretty closely spaced once you're up to 3rd (which is probably the case nearly all of the time at most tracks), so the revs aren't going to drop very far even after an upshift. Plus, if the torque converter is not locked up, the revs will run a little higher due to rpm loss across the TC.

Gear ratios, with the 1LE gears shown for comparison. The adjacent gear spacing in the 8A is closer everywhere. This brings the minimum revs used up, where you'd rather be short-shifting and dropping the max revs instead.

8A - - - - 1LE
4.56
2.97 - - - 2.66
2.08 - - -
1.69 - - - 1.78
1.27 - - - 1.30
1.00 - - - 1.00
0.85 - - - 0.74
0.65 - - - 0.50

Apparently, track mode assumes something like a 9/10ths or better level of driver seriousness is in place all the time, and it can't comprehend a driver wanting to dial it back from that. IOW, right now it expects you to be driving your Camaro harder than you want to.


Norm

[ggaites]

The car performed perfectly. Transmission kept the rpm's where I needed them all of the time in auto mode.

Michelin Pilot Super Sports, Raybestos ST43 pads on the front, cooling kit installed, Mobil 1 10w40 High Mileage full synthetic, mixed the fuel 50/50 with high octane unleaded

[ggaites]

Originally Posted by NCSD

Looks like a fun track. What does it take to do a track day there? Membership? Did you notice what your oil temps were showing? My main issue with the car revving alot in full auto mode was that my oil temps seemed overly high.

I was a guest at the track. I had no problem chasing down a Z28...

Oil temps got high but well below the red lines. I did not count the increments or record the values.

I visited the dealer prior to going and expressed my concern about tracking the car and having it prepped properly, warranty etc... I was told to go have fun and if the tranny broke they would put in a new one.

REV IT UP!