Manual transmissions are identified by the number of forward
gears and the measured distance between the centerline of the output shaft
and the counter gear. The 6-speed, 85 mm manual transmission,
used in the Camaro/Firebird, incorporates the following features:
| • | Fully synchronized gears with an enhanced synchronizer cone arrangement: |
| - | Triple-cone: FIRST, SECOND |
| - | Double-cone: THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH |
| • | An internal shift rail mechanism |
| • | Tapered roller bearing supporting the mainshaft and countershaft |
| • | Caged roller bearings under all speed gears |
| • | Solenoid inhibit of SECOND and THIRD gears |
| • | Solenoid inhibit of REVERSE gear during predefined forward motion |
Gear Select - Skip Shift
To ensure good fuel economy and compliance with federal economy standards,
SECOND and THIRD gear are inhibited when shifting out of FIRST gear, under
the following conditions:
| • | Coolant temperature is above 50°C (122°F) |
| • | Vehicle speed is 20-29 km/h (12-19 mph) |
| • | Throttle is opened 35 percent or less |
Reverse Lockout
A reverse lockout system, consisting of a reverse lockout solenoid,
which operates a reverse lockout mechanism, is utilized to prevent shifting
into REVERSE gear when the vehicle is moving forward at a speed of 5 km/h
(3 mph) or more.
Vehicle Speed Sensor
The vehicle speed sensor (VSS) is a pulse type input that informs the
PCM how fast the vehicle is traveling. The VSS system uses an inductive sensor,
mounted in the tail housing of the transmission, and a toothed reluctor
wheel on the tail shaft. The teeth of the reluctor wheel alternately
interfere with the magnetic field of the sensor, creating an induced
voltage pulse as the reluctor rotates.
