ECT Button on Dash

To whom it may concern:
I have an GXL 1994 80 Series cruiser, that has on the dash a button
labeled "ECT" I have tried selecting this button under different
driving conditions but can't determine what it is actually achieving.
There is no dashboard light indicators when selected either.
I also have started to experience a loud clunk in the rear when after
first start of the vehicle and motor is at running temp, selecting
either forward or reverse gear (auto trans) will result in a fairly
brutal nudge in the rear. Suspecting drive shaft, I don't see any
slack in the drive shaft, but not being completely mechanically minded
other than where to fill up with gas is this something I should be
concerned about and rush my vehicle of to a mechanic. This noise
disappears when out on the road.

On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 18:45:59 -0800, glenmcd wrote:
[color=blue]
> To whom it may concern:
> I have an GXL 1994 80 Series cruiser, that has on the dash a button
> labeled "ECT" I have tried selecting this button under different
> driving conditions but can't determine what it is actually achieving.
> There is no dashboard light indicators when selected either.
> I also have started to experience a loud clunk in the rear when after
> first start of the vehicle and motor is at running temp, selecting
> either forward or reverse gear (auto trans) will result in a fairly
> brutal nudge in the rear. Suspecting drive shaft, I don't see any
> slack in the drive shaft, but not being completely mechanically minded
> other than where to fill up with gas is this something I should be
> concerned about and rush my vehicle of to a mechanic. This noise
> disappears when out on the road.[/color]

The ECT is an Electronically Controlled Transmission. There shoud be 2
settings: Power and Normal. There SHOULD be a light somewhere.

What this does is change the shift points of the tranny. In Norm (or Econ)
the shift points are shorter and closer together, making the car get into
top gear asap. The Power setting moves the points further apart, keeping
it in the lower gears longer. As for your clunk, if you're lucky it's a
U-Joint. If not the Differential is on it's way to the junkyard.

ECT is a button that changes the shift points. The variance is often
difficult to detect, and you can perform much of the same function if you
are in the habit of driving with the gas pedal fully depressed.

The ECT (Electronic Controlled Transmission) has a Normal setting and a
Power setting. Normally, only the Power setting is denoted by a light on the
dash because the goal is to get drivers to keep the Normal setting selected.
(If Normal has no light, and Power has a light, and people prefer to have
the lights out, then people will drive in the Normal setting.)

In the Power setting, the engine will shift into the next gear later, that
is the engine will rev higher in the Power setting before it shifts to the
next gear. It will also downshift sooner if you press the gas pedal. For
example, if you get to the end of the onramp and realize you need more power
to get up to speed, in Normal the pedal must be fully mashed into the carpet
to force the downshift, but in Power the trans will downshift quicker.

Of course, your button might not work anymore ...





<glenmcd@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:1110163559.225958.66650@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> To whom it may concern:
> I have an GXL 1994 80 Series cruiser, that has on the dash a button
> labeled "ECT" I have tried selecting this button under different
> driving conditions but can't determine what it is actually achieving.
> There is no dashboard light indicators when selected either.
> I also have started to experience a loud clunk in the rear when after
> first start of the vehicle and motor is at running temp, selecting
> either forward or reverse gear (auto trans) will result in a fairly
> brutal nudge in the rear. Suspecting drive shaft, I don't see any
> slack in the drive shaft, but not being completely mechanically minded
> other than where to fill up with gas is this something I should be
> concerned about and rush my vehicle of to a mechanic. This noise
> disappears when out on the road.
>[/color]