Saturn Employee

[Dave@ddmworks]

Originally Posted by ChiliSky

Yep Dave said that the left rear was turned and angled toward the front right.

It was about 4 hours of hand work on the ground,,, amazing work he did, You can FEEL the difference. The specs are not true specs for the car, YOU know how it should feel......

I would suggest you call Dave and ask him for exact info. They are usually a little late getting in Monday mornings....sometime you should take a trip to the shop,,,,

I will send him a PM and see if he can add here for me......

Sorry for taking a little time to get over to post, we have had some big things going on at the shop keeping me busy.

Anyway, Chilisky's car showed up with nothing drastically out of shape, and although I do not know what the factory specs for a sky are, I would think that her car showed up within the factory specs. However, factory specs usually can have a pretty wide range. Now, I would have to go back and find the paperwork on Chilisky's car, but with her car it was really a combination of her rear toe, camber and thrust angles all being off a little, but all being off in the wrong way that was really causing what she was feeling. Like I said before she was not way off when she came in, but it took longer than I thought to get it back to where I wanted it because everything was off in the wrong direction and compounding the problem.

We ALWAYS recommend one of the first performance mods anyone should do is get a GREAT alignment. It does wonders for any performance car, and although the car may be within specs, where the car is within those specs can make a big difference in tire wear and handling.

Hope that helps!

Thanks!
Dave

[saf0775]

I may put my Sky on the rack when I get back to work on Tuesday. I'm curious about it now that there have been so many posts about it.

Just took a rock to my windshield yesterday. I'm a little upset, need to call and see if insurance will cover it.

Damn Washington freeways.

[MRSSKY]

safo775,
Welcome, my question is this can you explain basically in laymens terms....what happens when the dust shield on the pinion seal slightly comes in contact with the yolk splash shield?..in reference to the rear diff

M.

[ChiliSky]

Experience at the Dragon this weekend with a much improved alignment.

Last year when I did the Dragon I felt the car was just not up to snuff. Then after the repair place did my alignment and it left me with 3 tires that had very bad wear from the outside of the tire in about 1 1/2 inches and I knew it just did not hug the road or handle well at all.

This weekend I drove the Dragon and Hellbender (Hellbender 6 times) 3 of those times by myself with no one in front of me. I was able to run it most times between 50-75, faster than I did last year for sure. It felt so much better this time with the work Dave did on it.
Granted being a automatic I would run up behind a standard and have to brake before a corner or run into them but I am so very happy with the work he did.

Now my new problem. I was running down Hwy 19 into Cherokee, very steep, very twisty, decline. The car stuck in low and even once I got on a straight flat surface it would not pop back out of it. I turned it off and started out again 2 X before it went back into normal drive. Now SouthernSky's told me that that was normal and to increase my speed to make it come back out of low but it only worked once that way. After owning the car for 18 months and running many of these events, it is the first time it has done this. Suggestions?

[saf0775]

Originally Posted by ChiliSky

Experience at the Dragon this weekend with a much improved alignment.

Last year when I did the Dragon I felt the car was just not up to snuff. Then after the repair place did my alignment and it left me with 3 tires that had very bad wear from the outside of the tire in about 1 1/2 inches and I knew it just did not hug the road or handle well at all.

This weekend I drove the Dragon and Hellbender (Hellbender 6 times) 3 of those times by myself with no one in front of me. I was able to run it most times between 50-75, faster than I did last year for sure. It felt so much better this time with the work Dave did on it.
Granted being a automatic I would run up behind a standard and have to brake before a corner or run into them but I am so very happy with the work he did.

Now my new problem. I was running down Hwy 19 into Cherokee, very steep, very twisty, decline. The car stuck in low and even once I got on a straight flat surface it would not pop back out of it. I turned it off and started out again 2 X before it went back into normal drive. Now SouthernSky's told me that that was normal and to increase my speed to make it come back out of low but it only worked once that way. After owning the car for 18 months and running many of these events, it is the first time it has done this. Suggestions?

When you say "stuck in low", what exactly are you referring to? I know, it's probably a dumb question on my part, but I'm still learning the "non-factory" driving style of people here. LOL

[ChiliSky]

This is some of the elevation we were at this weekend. When coming down some of the longer declines, you could hear the car (automatic) drop down in the gears, light on the brake. This weekend I was going down a very unprepared decline, I used no gas but tried to only brake on the straight decline not on a curve. The car naturally shifted to low gear as it sensed that it was going down, however once at the bottom of the declining mountain I drove for 1/2 mile on a flat road and the car would not shift out of the low gear. I finally pulled off and turned it off. I started it up again and continued driving but it was still in low (car was in D) (sounded like it was in L). Stopped again, turned it off and started again, this time I accelerated enough that it bumped itself back into D.
I understand that it will downshift as needed but it should return to D when you are no longer going down a steep decline. Mine stayed in L gear. This happened many times over the weekend. I will note that having the car for 18 months it has never done this before.

[NCRedLine]

Originally Posted by ChiliSky

This is some of the elevation we were at this weekend. When coming down some of the longer declines, you could hear the car (automatic) drop down in the gears, light on the brake. This weekend I was going down a very unprepared decline, I used no gas but tried to only brake on the straight decline not on a curve. The car naturally shifted to low gear as it sensed that it was going down, however once at the bottom of the declining mountain I drove for 1/2 mile on a flat road and the car would not shift out of the low gear. I finally pulled off and turned it off. I started it up again and continued driving but it was still in low (car was in D) (sounded like it was in L). Stopped again, turned it off and started again, this time I accelerated enough that it bumped itself back into D.
I understand that it will downshift as needed but it should return to D when you are no longer going down a steep decline. Mine stayed in L gear. This happened many times over the weekend. I will note that having the car for 18 months it has never done this before.

Hey Chili....mine's an automatic and did that a few times too this weekend. All I did was shift it into neutral and back into drive again and that fixed it.

[ChiliSky]

Yep Lucas I tried to do that and it worked a few times and the other times it just would not budge out of that Low gear .

[SKYMAN-CT]

ChiliSky,

I'm no expert like saf0775 but here's my

It's possible a change in the way your driving, ie.. spirited and with constant torque is messing up the transmission shift pattern or rapid altitude changes (ie.. pressure) are affecting sensors, maybe even one-way roller clutch is sticking?

GM Media Online: English

shift patterns adapt to driving conditions and driver style, traction control capability, engine torque management during shifts

All upshifts and downshifts are accomplished with one-way roller clutches (which lock if rotated in one direction and run free if spun in the other) and are therefore “free-wheeling.”

2008 Hydra-Matic 5L40 (M82, MX5)
Hydra-Matic 5L40 five-speed electronically controlled automatic Car / Truck transmission (M82 rear wheel drive, MX5 all wheel drive )

SUMMARY OF NEW OR CHANGED FEATURES
Carryover content and features from 2007 model year

2008 APPLICATIONS: SATURN SKY AND SKY RED LINE, PONTIAC SOLSTICE GXP
The Saturn Sky and Sky Red Line roadsters, and the Pontiac Solstice GXP, use a unique adapter ring to adapt the driveshaft to the 5L40.

LOW MAINTENANCE

The unique assembly procedure aids the long-term durability of the Hydra-Matic 5L40. No maintenance is required and there is an elimination of any potential contaminants entering the transmission since it is assembled in a “clean room,” which was the first of its kind for transmission assembly. In addition, the components are not inserted into the case, which is conventional assembly practice, but the case is slid over the assembled components with visual sensors monitoring parts alignments and component quality. The Hydra-Matic 5L40 uses the new DEXRON® VI fluid and is filled for life, requiring no maintenance. The fluid is added at the transmission plant eliminating the chance of contamination at the vehicle assembly sites.

OVERVIEW

Part way through the 2006 model year the Solstice roadster was available with the 5L40 with a unique drive flange to adapt the transmission to the driveshaft.


The 5L40 is designed with a three-piece case. All upshifts and downshifts are accomplished with one-way roller clutches (which lock if rotated in one direction and run free if spun in the other) and are therefore “free-wheeling.” This eliminates the need to synchronize the applying and releasing of clutches or bands and provides superb built-in shift quality. The 5L40 uses a single electrical connector to minimize potential leak paths for fluid, and all electrical sensors and switches are internal or are connected internally to simplify vehicle assembly.

The 5L40 uses GM’s Electronic Controlled Capacity Clutch (ECCC) technology, which dampens engine torque pulses. Other sophisticated electronic controls enable shift mode selection, shift patterns that adapt to driving conditions and driver style, traction control capability, engine torque management during shifts, and powertrain protection capabilities. There is also a reverse lockout safety feature, which inhibits the transmission from engaging the reverse gear when the shift lever has been inadvertently moved to reverse while the vehicle is still moving forward above a certain speed.

The Hydra-Matic 5L40 is produced in Strasbourg, France.

Automatic Transmissions A Short Course on How They Work

[ChiliSky]

Skyman-CT, I do drive it more aggressively than I use to, having the alignment done made a huge difference. I know that this tranny is suppose to FEEL you driving and gear accordingly. The first time it happened was when a pickup truck was in front of me going down the mountain, I had to keep braking to stop from running into him. The downshift I understand the only thing I am worried about it is staying in that very Low gear when it should be back into the regular D gear. Do you think that manual downshifting the automatic would be better? I think I am going to go back to the dragon and run it again through the week when not many people are out there, see if I can play with it some. I just want to avert a problem if I am getting one with this transmission.

[SKYMAN-CT]

ChiliSky,

Maybe saf0775 will jump in here on this one.

I've not played around much with the new Computerized Transmissions of late, but in the old days I would have said a bad modulator valve?

Because of my instrumentation engineering background I'm leaning more toward a bad shift solenoid on this one although I would think you'd get an indicator code on the DIC as stated in this excerpt from the other link I included above. So it may just be your change in driving stlye is confusing the computer.

If it keeps doing it I'd have someone check it out just to be sure as over-revving the engine is not going to help it's life either!

"The computer uses sensors on the engine and transmission to detect such things as throttle position, vehicle speed, engine speed, engine load, brake pedal position, etc. to control exact shift points as well as how soft or firm the shift should be. Once the computer receives this information, it then sends signals to a solenoid pack inside the transmission. The solenoid pack contains several electrically controlled solenoids that redirect the fluid to the appropriate clutch pack or servo in order to control shifting. Computerized transmissions even learn your driving style and constantly adapt to it so that every shift is timed precisely when you would need it.

....

Another advantage to these "smart" transmissions is that they have a self diagnostic mode which can detect a problem early on and warn you with an indicator light on the dash. A technician can then plug test equipment in and retrieve a list of trouble codes that will help pinpoint where the problem is."

[saf0775]

Originally Posted by SKYMAN-CT

ChiliSky,

Maybe saf0775 will jump in here on this one.

I've not played around much with the new Computerized Transmissions of late, but in the old days I would have said a bad modulator valve?

Because of my instrumentation engineering background I'm leaning more toward a bad shift solenoid on this one although I would think you'd get an indicator code on the DIC as stated in this excerpt from the other link I included above. So it may just be your change in driving stlye is confusing the computer.

If it keeps doing it I'd have someone check it out just to be sure as over-revving the engine is not going to help it's life either!

"The computer uses sensors on the engine and transmission to detect such things as throttle position, vehicle speed, engine speed, engine load, brake pedal position, etc. to control exact shift points as well as how soft or firm the shift should be. Once the computer receives this information, it then sends signals to a solenoid pack inside the transmission. The solenoid pack contains several electrically controlled solenoids that redirect the fluid to the appropriate clutch pack or servo in order to control shifting. Computerized transmissions even learn your driving style and constantly adapt to it so that every shift is timed precisely when you would need it.

....

Another advantage to these "smart" transmissions is that they have a self diagnostic mode which can detect a problem early on and warn you with an indicator light on the dash. A technician can then plug test equipment in and retrieve a list of trouble codes that will help pinpoint where the problem is."

I agree with everything. Thats the easiest thing to say The transmission will 'learn" your driving style and adapat itself to your needs. If you drive it soft all the time, then ask it to do some hard driving, it will perform differently then if you drive it hard all the time. You can try to take the car to the dealer and see if there are any updates for the TCM calibration. You can also have them "reset the adaptives". This puts the transmission in a "factory state" of learning. You can then drive it a few times in between a normal and hard driving style and have it learn the adaptives that way. It should then perform moderatly well for both driving styles.

[ChiliSky]

OAKY DOKY that is what I will do. Thanks to the 2 of u.

[MidniteBlues]

Originally Posted by saf0775

I may put my Sky on the rack when I get back to work on Tuesday. I'm curious about it now that there have been so many posts about it.

Just took a rock to my windshield yesterday. I'm a little upset, need to call and see if insurance will cover it.

Damn Washington freeways.

Not only should it be covered, hopefully in your state it is like here in Florida and other states, by law, you don't have to pay the deductible..
Did your impact cause it to crack? or a bullet type mark?

[Smokin' U]

Hi,

I am a new member who just picked up the Carbon Flash special edition last night. I am so pumped about this car. This forum is great. It is the icing on a really great cake.

The posts in this thread are great.

Thanks.

[GoThunda]

Stephen, you've been a very busy person lately. Back on post [# 10 ]I asked about number of Sky's produced in 07. Where you able to find out for us? Thanks ED

[ParrotHeadNation]

i feel sorry for this guy, he got on here and has gotten pounded with questions, heres a welcome, glad to have your knowledge on board