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Mechanics of the 2.3

D Fresh

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I normally do drive but will put in s mode if it's sluggish but even this morning it didn't feel better. Maybe it wasn't at full temperature? I already drove for 12 minutes and the temperature gauge was at the usual spot.
Do you have a scanner or ForScan to check for any stored codes?

It's possible that winter gas is to blame. But for me the cooler ambient temps seem to offset the effects of poorer quality winter gas.

If there are no stored codes, or you can't read them, and you are sure yhat something is off, I'd get it into the dealership.

Is it possible you've gotten accustomed to the power level and it's just not as impressive anymore?

Just read that you are tuned. Maybe revert to stock, and reinstall the tune?
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Doc

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i bet the things you described are from the "smart transmission" and what gear and rpm its in vs what you actually need. #1 thing i dislike is the transmission. sometimes its awesome but half the time its bull nipples... even tuned i still dont like it.
Bull Nipples !
Get an Unleashed Tune ..:)
 
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Do you have a scanner or ForScan to check for any stored codes?

It's possible that winter gas is to blame. But for me the cooler ambient temps seem to offset the effects of poorer quality winter gas.

If there are no stored codes, or you can't read them, and you are sure yhat something is off, I'd get it into the dealership.

Is it possible you've gotten accustomed to the power level and it's just not as impressive anymore?

Just read that you are tuned. Maybe revert to stock, and reinstall the tune?
I don't think the case as of yet because it does get better the longer I'm driving around. I've already retuned it. Maybe it's still in the relearn phase.
 


bobobama

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Personally ,I think we should all just drive the damn things and quit complaining about the shifting characteristics. You've got three drive modes so just pick one you like and go with it. You'll learn soon enough how to optimize your driving experience. There's also a variety of tuning options so you can always try one out and see what you think.

If you get too hung up on all the discussions here and elsewhere then you'll never be able to enjoy your truck.
 
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Personally ,I think we should all just drive the damn things and quit complaining about the shifting characteristics. You've got three drive modes so just pick one you like and go with it. You'll learn soon enough how to optimize your driving experience. There's also a variety of tuning options so you can always try one out and see what you think.

If you get too hung up on all the discussions here and elsewhere then you'll never be able to enjoy your truck.
It's not the shifting I'm complaining about, it's the variety of performance. Sometimes it's perfect and turboish and sometimes it's not as responsive. Feels like the engine is working harder. It's like it has multiple personalities. I'm just wondering if that's normal.
 
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Big Blue

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Personally ,I think we should all just drive the damn things and quit complaining about the shifting characteristics. You've got three drive modes so just pick one you like and go with it. You'll learn soon enough how to optimize your driving experience. There's also a variety of tuning options so you can always try one out and see what you think.

If you get too hung up on all the discussions here and elsewhere then you'll never be able to enjoy your truck.
X1 on this. People need to realize this drivetrain is like nothing they have probably driven before. It is a turbo-charged 4 cylinder engine with a high performance liniage. It has a torque/power curve entirely different from any "V" engine they've ever driven in a truck. Then through the 10 speed automatic in the mix. This transmission is an animal like no other out there. They need to stop looking for little nuances that are not like they a= use to, and just drive it. Let it teach you how it wants to be driven, instead of trying make it what you think it should be. And please let it get through it's learning curve before deciding you hate it, you'll never enjoy your truck that way. Every vehicle has it's own quirks, get use to your trucks.

I love my truck, think the transmission is great, smoothest automatic I've ever had. Would rather drive my truck thany wifes Mazda 3 hatch. It dors everything I need it to, including pulling my TT. Going on three years, 25K, no issues.
 

Wytchdctr

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Good trans yes, smooth... Uhhhh maybe mine needs a few more miles to learn my driving style; just hit 2400. Everything else in my driveway to include the 2007 Cobalt has smoother shifting on average.

But it's a truck so I don't hate it for it. Just smooth is not what I am seeing from mine.
 

Big Blue

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It's not the shifting I'm complaining about, it's the variety of performance. Sometimes it's perfect and turboish and sometimes it's not as responsive. Feels like the engine is working harder. It's like it has multiple personalities. I'm just wondering if that's normal.
Sounds like you have something going on with the ECU, bad or intermittent sensor feedback or something like that. If you can duplicate it you need to setup an appointment with the dealer to take a tech for a test ride and show them, and get them to understand and admit there is a issue.

Sorry about the rant on the transmission, but it seems any performance issue get blamed on it.
 

Big Blue

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Good trans yes, smooth... Uhhhh maybe mine needs a few more miles to learn my driving style; just hit 2400. Everything else in my driveway to include the 2007 Cobalt has smoother shifting on average.

But it's a truck so I don't hate it for it. Just smooth is not what I am seeing from mine.
Check back on the smoothness after your second oil change or Approx 10K. It really does take that much time to get enough corrections in the shift tables (see below) to make a difference.

I really hate it when people say it learns your driving style. What it does is adjust/correct various parameters in the shift tables based on the situations you put the truck in. The more varied of situations you put the truck in the more corrected entries will be in the table and the smoother transitions will be. If you really want to call that learning your "style", I think your giving the transmission credit for too much intelligence.
 

Wytchdctr

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I used "driving style" instead of a paragraph to describe it adjusting to what I do with it. I can see how that would be annoying. Like I hate the term "stage" followed by a number for a modification. That means nothing?!?

And/or.. you don't see the sick as hell suits I wear when driving it. You dont know my life!! J/k
 

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Good trans yes, smooth... Uhhhh maybe mine needs a few more miles to learn my driving style; just hit 2400. Everything else in my driveway to include the 2007 Cobalt has smoother shifting on average.

But it's a truck so I don't hate it for it. Just smooth is not what I am seeing from mine.
[/QUOTE
I underestimated the ability of the relearn process and sort of dismissed the replies about letting the truck learn and adapt to driving patterns. Within the 1st 3000 miles I had it tuned, installed ram air intake, and got a throttle controller thinking it was turbo lag. There came a time around 5000 mile mark where the truck just seemed to perform much better almost overnight. Now I have no need for throttle controller as the truck seems to have sorted itself out. Still sounds crazy to me
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