Normal/Performace Switch

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brad Allison
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Brad Allison

I recently bought a 93 SL2 as a second car and it did not come with an
owner's manual. What exactly does the normal/performance switch do? I
can't seem to notice any difference. On some other cars I have noticed a
switch to disable overdrive but it does not seem like that is what this
switch does.
 
The switch is supposed to change the shift points to allow the engine to rev
to higher RPM in the "performance" mode thereby generating more base HP. In
"economy" mode, the engine will shift to higher gears sooner generating
improved fuel economy. To see if it is working properly you could start
from a dead stop and watch the tachometer to see where it goes from first to
second, second to third, etc. and then do the same with the switch changed.

Bob
 
Brad said:
I recently bought a 93 SL2 as a second car and it did not come with an
owner's manual. What exactly does the normal/performance switch do? I
can't seem to notice any difference. On some other cars I have noticed a
switch to disable overdrive but it does not seem like that is what this
switch does.
Click to expand...

It changes the shift points. In performance mode, it will stay in a
lower gear longer while accelerating. Expect performance mode to
reduce gas mileage as a result.
 
What exactly does the normal/performance switch do? I
can't seem to notice any difference.


When turned on it also will kick the tranny into the lower gears with
less down gas pedal travel.
 
What exactly does the normal/performance switch do?

It changes the shift points to let the engine spin out to higher RPM
before shifting gears. The resulting "PERF" shift feels a little
harsher. No real increase in performance, it just makes the sound
different.
On some other cars I have noticed a
switch to disable overdrive
Click to expand...

Shifting to "3" will disable overdrive (but leave the first three gears
unaffected otherwise). When driving on hills around 30-35MPH it's
sometimes nice to disable overdrive to stop the transmission from
shifting in and out of OD all the time.

Tim.
 
What exactly does the normal/performance switch do?

Wakes up the extra hamster in the engine.
 
Gerbils in the Civics....that's why so many "ricers" have that funny/loud
exhaust sound.
 
Brad Allison said:
I recently bought a 93 SL2 as a second car and it did not come with an
owner's manual. What exactly does the normal/performance switch do? I
can't seem to notice any difference. On some other cars I have noticed a
switch to disable overdrive but it does not seem like that is what this
switch does.
Click to expand...

They really should have labled this switch "Normal/EPA". It changes the
shift points to increase fuel economy very slightly, at the expense of
acceleration.

Most newer vehicles have dropped this switch. Some older vehicles had both a
Normal/Performance switch, as well as another switch to disable overdrive.
 
Steven M. Scharf said:
Some older vehicles had both a
Normal/Performance switch, as well as another switch to disable overdrive.
Click to expand...

Most cars still have O/D disable. My friend's Nissan did, and it
'forgot' I wanted O/D off whenever you shut the engine. Very annoying.
I'm sure it makes the EPA happy, though.
 
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