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The Upshift Delay Dilemma
The Upshift Delay Dilemma
The Upshift Delay Dilemma
By Wayne Colonna
Technical Editor
S
everal 1989-1995 Mercedes vehicles using the length of time the vacuum is supplied is dependent
722.3 or 722.4 transmission employ a device on engine temperature, vehicle speed and computer-
called the “upshift-delay vacuum actuator.” For controlled timing. The range of each input is depen-
this article, I will refer to it as the UDVA. dent on the year, model and the type of control
Figure 1 is a cutaway view of a single-diaphragm system with which the vehicle is equipped.
design. The throttle cable enters the UDVA at the In general, the various computer systems com-
upper-right corner and is attached to a plastic actua- mand vacuum to be supplied to the green diaphragm
tor piston inside the assembly. This actuator piston when the engine-coolant temperature is in the range
then operates a linkage mechanism inside the trans- of 32° F to 104° F or less (0° C to 50° C or less) and the
mission that depresses the throttle valve in propor- vehicle speed is between 6 and 34 mph (10 km/h to
tion to throttle opening (see Figure 2). 52 km/h). Once these conditions are met, vacuum
may be supplied to the UDVA from as little as 15 sec-
Figure 1 onds to as long as 21⁄2 minutes.
With various vehicles equipped with a
Vacuum Line Sport/Economy Mode select switch (see Figure 5), a
Throttle Cable
second-design UDVA incorporates an additional di-
aphragm that is red (see Figure 6). It, too, overrides
the throttle cable and delays upshifts when the sport
mode is selected. (Other vehicles that have this mode
select switch are designed to use the same green sin-
gle diaphragm instead of having and using the addi-
Internal Levers
tional red diaphragm.)
In some instances, these diaphragms are fitted
The Green Single with color-coded vacuum lines as shown in Figure 7.
Diaphragm Design Plastic
Actuator The pink line goes to the red diaphragm, the green
Piston goes to the green diaphragm and the white line is for
Figure 2
Upshift Delay
Throttle Valve Vacuum Actuator
Linkage Mechanism
At the left side of the actuator assembly is a single
green diaphragm. This diaphragm is attached to a
vacuum-supply line. When vacuum is present, it op-
erates internal levers within the assembly that over-
ride the throttle-cable signal by pulling on the plastic
actuator piston. Figure 3 illustrates the assembly
when vacuum is not present, and Figure 4 illustrates
what occurs when vacuum is present.
Vacuum is supplied to the assembly to delay up-
shifts when the vehicle is cold in order to provide
more-rapid heating of the catalytic converter. The
length of time that the shifts are delayed depends on
how long vacuum is supplied to the UDVA. The
continues page 22
20 Transmission Digest
®
Figure 3
NO VACUUM
TO THROTTLE
xxxxx xxx x
PEDAL
VACUUM LINE
E
E/S MODE SELECT
SWITCH
S
x x x x x xx x x
Figure 4
WITH VACUUM Upshift Delay
Vacuum Actuator
TO THROTTLE (Dual Diaphragm)
xx xxx xx x x
PEDAL
VACUUM LINE
Figure 7
x x x x x x x x x x x xxxx xx xx xx xx xx x x
SHIFT DELAY
ADJUSTMENT PLASTIC
ACTUATOR
PISTON
VACUUM DIAPHRAGM
PULLING LEVER Color Coded
Vacuum Lines
TO THROTTLE
VALVE LEVER
continues page 24
22 Transmission Digest
®
BLACK/GRAY
VACUUM
RESERVOIR
BLACK/GRAY
GRAY
UPSHIFT DELAY
SWITCH OVER
VALVE
B+ POWER FROM
SWITCH OVER
VALVE RELAY
THROTTLE
GROUND SIGNAL BODY
FROM COMPUTER
GREEN
UPSHIFT DELAY
VACUUM ACTUATOR
THROTTLE THROTTLE
CABLE
PEDAL
Figure 9 UPSHIFT DELAY SYSTEM WITH MODE SELECT SWITCH & TWC
BLACK/GRAY
BLACK/GRAY
VACUUM RESERVOIR
GRAY
UPSHIFT DELAY
B+ POWER FROM SWITCH OVER
SWITCH OVER VALVE
TRANSMISSION MODE VALVE RELAY
SWITCH OVER VALVE
GREEN
PINK
GROUND
SIGNAL FROM
COMPUTER
B+ E/S MODE
SELECT GROUND SIGNAL
SWITCH THROTTLE BODY
FROM COMPUTER
THROTTLE CABLE
KICKDOWN
THROTTLE
SOLENOID PEDAL
UPSHIFT DELAY
VACUUM
ACTUATOR
CONTROL
PRESSURE
VALVE (T.V.)
B+ KICKDOWN SWITCH
continues page 26
24 Transmission Digest
®
um is supplied to either one or both of these di- Figure 8 shows a simple diagram for vehicles
aphragms. Vacuum is supplied to these diaphragms using one switch-over valve and one vacuum-hose
through “upshift-delay switch-over valves” that the connection, and Figure 9 shows a simple diagram for
computer turns on and off via the ground side of the vehicles using two switch-over valves. Figure 10
switch. shows a simple diagram for select vehicles with one
BLACK/GRAY
BLACK/GRAY
VACUUM RESERVOIR
UPSHIFT DELAY SWITCH
GRAY
OVERVALVE
GROUND SIGNAL
FROM COMPUTER
B+
E/S MODE
SELECT
SWITCH THROTTLE BODY
GREEN
KICKDOWN THROTTLE
SOLENOID CABLE THROTTLE
PEDAL
UPSHIFT
DELAY VACUUM
ACTUATOR
CONTROL
PRESSURE VALVE (T.V.)
B+ KICKDOWN SWITCH
Figure 12 Figure 13
Ground side of switch being grounded by the computer Ground side of switch released by the computer
Figure 14 Figure 15
28 Transmission Digest