That plate is likely causing the hard shifts you don't like. When you load a tune in any level, the shift firmness is automatically increased and becomes a new "0" setting. Ever since I got my programmer, I thought the firmness was about right at this new point and I never wanted to set it higher. (I did try it once and didn't like the feel). But, if your plate adds it's own "firmness increment", then the "0" point is possibly too hard for you.
I say all this without having any clear knowledge of what a factory tech separator plate really does, but I can sort of guess that it possibly acts something like a clutch plate?
I don't think you can hurt anything by reducing the shift firmness more. It sounds like you're happy with settings of -5 and -6 for the 2-3 and 3-4 upshifts, but still don't like the feel at 1-2 at high RPM. The gear change is not too high at that point, so the engine gets back to a high RPM fairly quickly. I'd have no hesitation in reducing the firmness to -10 on the 1-2 upshift and even more than that if it's still not quite enough.
The effect of reducing firmness is to prolong the slip in the transmission that occurs as the speeds on both sides are equalizing. Some slip is both normal and desired. It would be damaging if no slip at all occurred.
You do not have to go back to stock tune between changing tunes. You can even reprogram at the same level without changing anything, or you could change just one thing, like the 1-2 upshift firmness.
I just had another thought: I wonder how you'd like it if you left the firmness settings alone and reduced the WOT RPM shift point(s)? Again, this should not hurt anything, but might "tame" things a bit without really hurting performance.
Any computer running XP is fine for Pegasus. There have been some problems with Vista, and Bill has added instructions in the Pegasus manual for Vista users.
Anyone else with better thoughts?
- Jack
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