If I do a 5spd swap, will that magic button still work?

[BrooklynMW]

You know the one under the gas pedal? Will it still work in a 5 spd?

[Danny]

... That's not a button.

[jlevie]

That "thing under the gas pedal" is a simple over center spring assembly that serves as the accelerator stop and kick down indicator. It has no connection to the transmission or engine.

[NC325iC]

not it wont downshift for you...

[F34R]

Don't listen to them, they don't know a fucking thing. If you swap and don't get the right gas button you will not be able to start it.
Trust me, I got a modded button that when pressed to the floor it engages my mini turbo.

[BrooklynMW]

So I'm getting two answers here, and I'm trying to figure out what's what.

(oh, and excuse me for not knowing more about my car, but me being on this forum, I'm trying to remedy that)

So from what I'm told, this "button" comes stock on automatic cars, and not on manuals, correct? Or incorrect?

One of you says it's merely a spring that preventse from flooring it, but when pushed, I do floor it and the car goes into top gear.

Somebody else tells me that it does in fact kick in some sort of overdrive.

So which is it? And will it still work the same once a 5 spd manual transmission is installed?

[Farbin Kaiber]

The intrinsic concept of a Manual is that it is operated Manually. I don't think we could be any more clear.

[NC325iC]

the button you are speaking of doesnt kick in an overdrive or put you in top gear, it infact does the opposite of this. it is a kickdown switch. when you push it it tells the computer that you want to go fast and the transmission will downshift to the lowest gear possible (giving the highest revs/most power). The button doesnt do anything with the engine.

with a manual transmission it will be up to you to decide what gear you want to shift into.

and as another lesson overdrive refers to gearing in which the input turns less than the output, thus allowing the engine to turn at a lower speed allowing for lower revs at higher speeds. this improves mileage greatly and provided enough power increases top speed. with a getrag 260 (the manual youre swapping to) 4th gear is a 1:1 drive meaning that for every turn of the input shaft the output turns once. 5th gear is an overdrive with ratio .81:1 meaning that when the input shaft turns only 81% of a rotation the output shaft has turned a full rotation.

[george graves]

^these guys are messing with you. You remove the button, and add it to your shit lever. When you want to go faster with the 5-speed, you just press it when you are shifting or what ever. That's what every one does. No one is sure how it works. It's magic.

[BrooklynMW]

Thanks NC325,

that's the first clear and concise answer I've received on this whole thread. And now I know...and I'm that much the wiser.

The rest of you smartasses can suggit.

the button you are speaking of doesnt kick in an overdrive or put you in top gear, it infact does the opposite of this. it is a kickdown switch. when you push it it tells the computer that you want to go fast and the transmission will downshift to the lowest gear possible (giving the highest revs/most power). The button doesnt do anything with the engine.

with a manual transmission it will be up to you to decide what gear you want to shift into.

and as another lesson overdrive refers to gearing in which the input turns less than the output, thus allowing the engine to turn at a lower speed allowing for lower revs at higher speeds. this improves mileage greatly and provided enough power increases top speed. with a getrag 260 (the manual youre swapping to) 4th gear is a 1:1 drive meaning that for every turn of the input shaft the output turns once. 5th gear is an overdrive with ratio .81:1 meaning that when the input shaft turns only 81% of a rotation the output shaft has turned a full rotation.

[george graves]

:giggle:

[BrooklynMW]

Well, I won't be doing my swap for quite a while anyway. Trying to get everything else on the car straightened out first. Then gotta save up for the big job.

In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the effortless cruising of my automatic. Compared to any other automatic car I've driven, the e30 is the absolute best, and I still feel very connected to the car, and very much in control.

[SpecM]

the button you are speaking of doesnt kick in an overdrive or put you in top gear, it infact does the opposite of this. it is a kickdown switch. when you push it it tells the computer that you want to go fast and the transmission will downshift to the lowest gear possible (giving the highest revs/most power). The button doesnt do anything with the engine.

with a manual transmission it will be up to you to decide what gear you want to shift into.

correct, except that the "button" is not a switch at all. No connection to the computer. Its just a tactile notch to provide feedback. The kickdown operation comes from the cable attached to the throttle.

[Danny]

In all my time on r3v... Wow.

[jlevie]

the button you are speaking of doesnt kick in an overdrive or put you in top gear, it infact does the opposite of this. it is a kickdown switch. when you push it it tells the computer that you want to go fast and the transmission will downshift to the lowest gear possible (giving the highest revs/most power). The button doesnt do anything with the engine.

Sorry, but that is wrong. As far as I know, none of the US E30's had the electronic controlled transmission, thus there is nothing for the kick-down to control. And if you remove the kick-down you'll discover that it has no connections to anything. The auto transmission on an E30 responds to torque input and and engine speed in deciding whether to down shift.

The kick-down assembly is there to provide feed back to the driver and thus avoid inadvertent down shifts. Manual transmission cars have a simple throttle stop in place of the kick-down assembly.