power button vs commodore ?

[muzza]

hi guys i own a 97 vs series 2 v6 ,and was wondering if any1 noes xactly what the power button does on the auto i beleive it drops and holds the gearbox into 3rd gear ?and also i kinda remeber years ago when i owned a auto vl that a gearbox guy told me its better to drive around town with the power button on [ thus being in 3rd ] for anywhere i think up 2 about 60 km an hour . anyway if anybody noes anything bout this please drop a reply cheers muzza

[MattK]

Locks out the overdrive and holds the gear to higher RPM ....

I dont know why , but if I activate the power button and floor it [ pedal to metal ] it will not change up from 1st ... It will just red line it .... and hold 1st till I back off ....

[Harvs82]

Locks out the overdrive and holds the gear to higher RPM ....

I dont know why , but if I activate the power button and floor it [ pedal to metal ] it will not change up from 1st ... It will just red line it .... and hold 1st till I back off ....

What happens if you don't back off? I think you will find if you floor it in either economy or power it makes no difference. My VS will upshift into 2nd at just under 5900 rpm, which is well into the red, but its only for a second.

The power mode is generally used for towing, as it makes the auto hold each gear out longer, so that you don't get bogged down with an early shift. It also holds 3rd gear until nearly 100 km/h, you basically have to back right off the throttle to make it change into overdrive. You get no more power with it on, and its not quicker than economy if you have your foot flat to the floor. The other thing it does is changes the kickdown points, so you need much less throttle to make the trans go from 3rd to 2nd for example.

[savage1987]

Yeah, Mattk you might like to get that checked out. It really isn't right and probably not too good for your box either. Checked your fault codes?

Also can anyone confirm exactly what the power button does? I'm not convinced it 'locks out the overdrive', I use it in the country and it'll have no problem dropping into 4th for 110km/h... Does it change the spark advance at all?

Any info appreciated, I'm curious
Sam

edit: sorry Harvs82, your post wasn't showing yet when I started mine. Got sidetracked halfway so it took ages Thanks for the info!

[sganro]

I saw someone selling a VR/VS on ebay and had in the description that the car had a power button that gave the car a huge power boost haha

I just hope that he didnt suck anyone in with that one

[HoldenMan7]

Hey Mate

I think it just holds the gear longer, like some others have said

[Harvs82]

Yeah, Mattk you might like to get that checked out. It really isn't right and probably not too good for your box either. Checked your fault codes?

Also can anyone confirm exactly what the power button does? I'm not convinced it 'locks out the overdrive', I use it in the country and it'll have no problem dropping into 4th for 110km/h... Does it change the spark advance at all?

Any info appreciated, I'm curious
Sam

edit: sorry Harvs82, your post wasn't showing yet when I started mine. Got sidetracked halfway so it took ages Thanks for the info!

Yeah Sam, just to clarify, it only changes the shift points, ie holds the gears out longer, and also changes the kickdown points, so you need less throttle to make the change. Only really used if you are towing a trailer or moreso a caravan or horsefloat as such.... Makes no difference to how the engine makes its power, or how much power it makes. At WOT, it makes no difference as to whether you are in econ or power, as you can just keep your foot to the floor and the auto will change up at the redline or just into it, in each gear.

One way of testing how it works is to be accelerating in 3rd gear, say up a small hill, with about half throttle or so, just enough to make it NOT kick down to 2nd, in econ, and then whilst keeping your foot on the same amount of throttle, flick the power button, and you will notice the trans immediately shift into 2nd... that just shows how the power mode reacts differently to the amount of throttle input for kick down.

[muzza]

cheers for all the respones guys

[savage1987]

Yeah I knew it changed the shift and kickdown points, I was just hoping it did something cooler too

Another way: cruising at 60kph, power on runs completely different RPM to power off.

[Joey_21]

to be honest i used 2 think it gave u a tiny lil bit boost but then i just realised it over revs and doesnt really do anything apart from waste more petrol during noprmal day driving

[Joey_21]

ur better off chukin it in 3rd lil bit better then drive

[Harvs82]

Yeah I knew it changed the shift and kickdown points, I was just hoping it did something cooler too

Another way: cruising at 60kph, power on runs completely different RPM to power off.

Yes, as it is holding third gear instead of slipping into overdrive. The same effect can be had leaving the stick in 3rd... if you want to do that around town at slower speeds. No point in using the power mode as it just revs out too much and wastes fuel as others have mentioned.

[VTS5]

97 vs series 2 v6 ,and was wondering if any1 noes xactly what the power button does on the auto

Phew,i hope this answers ur question.

[savage1987]

I sometimes use power mode in the hills, save my motor from labouring at the bottom of gears too much . . . I know Dad does this in our V6s as well. I never use it in the suburbs, I think the 5L sounds great at low revs anyway like it doesn't even have to work to stay with traffic.

[PsYko]

its for racing at traffic lights.. but none of us should do that because hooning is wrong

[savage1987]

For racing at lights? Well unless you race at less than 80% throttle I don't think so

Shifts and general behaviour are identical to Economy mode when throttle goes above 80%, according to the article posted above.

[1991_Vn2nV]

its for racing at traffic lights.. but none of us should do that because hooning is wrong

rofl hell yeah uleh, it adds like a full 50rwkw maaate

[jesterofseven]

On Auto Eco if i floor it the gear changes at 3500RPM with alot of groan, if i got it on Auto power the RPMs are unlimited up to redline for gearchanges. So yea longer RPMs = faster gear changes and does give you power.

I use it for showing up the little 4 cylinder turbo manual boys up at red lights, and its uselfull for uphills etc. Also stationary the RPMs at idle will increase by around 500 RPM ive noticed. Taking mine from around 900-1100 RPM idle to 1500RPM idle.

[Deimos7382]

I use the power button when using cruise control in my v6 statesman on the freeway, when i hit a decent hill the auto goes down a gear to 3rd, speeds up then drops back into 4th, if it's a long hill I put in power mode so it doesn't go 3rd/4th/3rd/4th etc, it stays in 3rd and the fuel consumption leans off so it's not chewing a lot of fuel doing the 3rd/4th dance, especially on a run from Newcastle to Canberra where there are a lot of hills, i do notice that if i leave it in power mode my fuel consumption is higher.

[ephect]

On Auto Eco if i floor it the gear changes at 3500RPM with alot of groan, if i got it on Auto power the RPMs are unlimited up to redline for gearchanges. So yea longer RPMs = faster gear changes and does give you power.

I use it for showing up the little 4 cylinder turbo manual boys up at red lights, and its uselfull for uphills etc. Also stationary the RPMs at idle will increase by around 500 RPM ive noticed. Taking mine from around 900-1100 RPM idle to 1500RPM idle.

The power button doesnt effect idle, sounds like u have a problem or tuning issue.. and with power on, it doesnt effect the speed of the gear changes! i think ur cars on meth

all it does its prolong changing into the next gear.

[savage1987]

On Auto Eco if i floor it the gear changes at 3500RPM with alot of groan, if i got it on Auto power the RPMs are unlimited up to redline for gearchanges. So yea longer RPMs = faster gear changes and does give you power.

I use it for showing up the little 4 cylinder turbo manual boys up at red lights, and its uselfull for uphills etc. Also stationary the RPMs at idle will increase by around 500 RPM ive noticed. Taking mine from around 900-1100 RPM idle to 1500RPM idle.

Yeah it sounds like your machine might have a few issues there mate, and not small ones...

I'd love to get a memcal made up with a better tune in it, like your average custom one, but with an enhanced tune for power mode, that relies on 98RON fuel for the spark advance etc.... and with more hardcore gear shifts but at the SAME RPM. That way when I'm on a tank of 98 I could run better economy and enjoy my shift kit but not worry about wasting fuel in power mode. Economy would be for when I don't want neck-snapping shifts, like taking people to work in the morning. I reckon that'd be about the perfect setup for me

So.... can this be done with a memcal or am I dreaming? Also, can the cold start be altered with a memcal so it doesn't throw so much fuel through, or is that not really safe for the motor. I guess I'm asking Dr. Bob mainly, here...

Cheers
Sam

[Doctor Bob]

the power button activates a different shift pattern, nothing more, its only the shift speeds that change.
the cold start can be altered but theres really no reason to as its pretty good as it is.

Rob

[savage1987]

Yes but is the power button's map contained in the memcal or can it not be changed with a custom one?

[Doctor Bob]

yes the shift patterns are contained in the memcal

[=Calais v8=]

i towed another car with a car trailer the other day, and tried with the power button on and off. with it off in the streets, you can really feel the weight you're towing, and it was using a lot of Litres/100ks. just felt like it was a gear higher all the time than it should have been. with the button on, it just felt like its controlling the revs and gear changes better for the weight, and hills etc. it also held it in 3rd on the freeway at 90kp/h so i turned it off at that point so overdrive would kick in.