Hi. I have a 2000 4.3 4WD Blazer and I'm wondering if there is any way to alter the kick-down so the transmission downshifts with a lighter press of the throttle. Maybe it's because the roads here in the UK are smaller and busier, but I find that I have to drive with the transmission in "3" unless I'm on the freeway, because otherwise the transmission will shift into top and I'm always having to put my foot down hard to make it change down when I want to accelerate.

I'm not sure how the kick-down (do you call it this in the States?) mechanism operates, but at the moment the gas pedal has to be pushed quite a way down before the transmission will shift. Can be adjusted to shift on part-throttle? I suppose I'm looking to reproduce the "sport" mode that some cars have.

Any advice would be useful, thanks.

All the best
Lee

 

It is all electronic on your truck. The only way to alter the down shift scheduling is through a PCM tune.

 

I was hoping you weren't going to say that, but thanks for the info anyway :-) Whatever happened to mechanical things that you could adjust?

If I can't adjust the kick-down, am I likely to wear the auto transmission out quicker if I use the gear lever to downshift manually rather than waiting for the auto box to do it?

While I'm here, (and this is a long shot that I wouldn't contemplate unless I could get hold of a scrap Blazer that I could use for parts), is it possible to swap the auto box for a manual gearbox from a manual Blazer. I know I'd have to rig up a clutch pedal,etc.

Cheers
Lee

 

You could swap the transmission for a manual gearbox. But you would have to have the PCM tuned for the manual transmission. It will complain a lot about not having the transmission to control.

You will not wear out the transmission more quickly by manually selecting your drive range. When you find it hunting for the proper gear, simply drop it down into the next lower gear manually and hold it until conditions change allowing for it to operate in the higher gear. The hunting; constant shifting back and forth between gears or having the torque converter lock/unlock frequently, produces more heat and wear than anything else.

 

Thanks for your help, Kyle - much appreciated.

Cheers
Lee