gmrulz4u Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 I've never quite understood the whole aspect of manually shifting an automatic transmission. I mean, my car has the normal "P - N - R - D - 3 - 2 - 1", and whenever I shift into 3 - 2 or 1, I don't notice ANY difference at all?? I used to think that if I put the tranny into "1", that it would not shift into 2nd gear unless I did so first, but this is obviously not the case. Can some give me a clear and concise explanation of what difference it really makes when it comes to which forward gear I select? I think I've read that the lower gears will give more torque or power, but will shift later or something? But like I said, I can't feel any difference whether I'm in D, 3, 2 or 1!? As it is right now, I have NO clue why there's any thing other than "D" on my shifter... Anyone? THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 When I put my car in #1 it revs 500 rpm past redline before it shifts. It still shifts automaticly though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted September 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 Yeah...I think it's just SUPPOSED to hold whatever gear you select LONGER than normal...incase you're going up a steep hill, or towing something, you would need more RPMs for more power... Does it, or can it make any difference when accelerating though?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegeta Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 You dont get more power or torque by manual shifting an auto. You can't hold it in first, but you can second AFAIK. Its useful for driving down mountains or if you are for some reason towing something with your w body. Its pretty much an easy way to spot a newbie on forums if they say "there I was, at the light lined up with a moped. I threw it in 1st and revved...and the moped revved back. IT WAS ON! Once the light turned green, I smoked the tires...UNBELIEVABLE! The moped couldn't make it off the line fast enough and the driver fell off from breathing in so much white tire fumes:) Im glad I had it in 1st, cause the last time I raced a moped I was in OD and I lost" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 lol!! actually, if you have it set to 1 its suposed to stay in 1st gear, if you have it in 2, its supposed to go from first to second and noe other gears, if you have it in 3 it will say in 1st 2nd and 3rd gear and so on and so forth, so if you have it in 2 and you take off from a dead stop 1st gear will go just regular like if you were driving, just like if you had it in OD untill you hit 2nd gear and go through that, it shouldnt shift into 3rd. and so on and so forth. anyone correct me if im wrong but thats how it is in my car and all of the other automatic cars i have ever driven. lol i have a true story about that, a friend of mine has a monte carlo (97 i think) and whenever i ride with her she always puts it in D and not OD, so one day i asked her why, and she told me that its for racing and that a different guy she gave a ride told her to put it in OD when you want to spin the tires from a dead stop, i just laughed at her, lol! and she was dead serious too, she honestly thought that OD was for spinning the tires off the line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 I know that my dad's 1999 Surburban it won't shift if it's in #1, it just bounces off the rev limiter. Maybe it's unique for the 4T60-E? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 I know that in my dad's 1999 Surburban it won't shift if it's in #1, it just bounces of the rev limiter. Maybe it's a unique for the 4T60-E? Indeed, my dad's (read: my) Suburban does that as well... bouncy bouncy @ 40km/h or so (it's been awhile) same with every other auto I've driven.... kinda annoying sometimes, when you want it to stay in first, but shifts for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 I know that in my dad's 1999 Surburban it won't shift if it's in #1, it just bounces of the rev limiter. Maybe it's a unique for the 4T60-E? 4T60 and 4T60E's will shift out of first even if the shifter is held in 1st. RWD 700R4's (4L60E) will also. I believe the 4L80E can be held in 1st which is probably what the Suburban has in it. Some applications of the old TH400 would also shift to 2nd with the shifter held in 1st but most didn't.......fortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdelorie Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 y'know, I'm glad that I've never found out that my 4t60 will actually shift into second even if set in first, because I sure as hell would not want to rev my engine into that kind of RPM range. Thanks for screwing up yours so I don't have to screw mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 y'know, I'm glad that I've never found out that my 4t60 will actually shift into second even if set in first, because I sure as hell would not want to rev my engine into that kind of RPM range. Thanks for screwing up yours so I don't have to screw mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Power-Glide Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 If you really wanted to hold any gear for as long as you wanted, you'd need a full-manual valve-body. Most trannies do have that nagging quality of shifting outta 1-2- and 3 as a saftey precaution. :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutsup1996 Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 why would you put it in first and and leave it anyway. it does all change when the gears are changed. i notice very easily when i am in a slow D like 45 or 40 even 35mph and put it in 3rd, the tach climbs like 200rpm. i can say i have honestly noticed better off the line performance when in 3rd than D. every gear is different and has a purpose, why try to mess up a good tranny just to see what it can and cannot do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted September 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 why would you put it in first and and leave it anyway. it does all change when the gears are changed. i notice very easily when i am in a slow D like 45 or 40 even 35mph and put it in 3rd, the tach climbs like 200rpm. i can say i have honestly noticed better off the line performance when in 3rd than D. every gear is different and has a purpose, why try to mess up a good tranny just to see what it can and cannot do You're not talking to me are you?? All I fuckin' did was ask what the difference was, and why there were 4 gear choices on an automatic tranny...I never said I "tried" anything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 why would you put it in first and and leave it anyway. it does all change when the gears are changed. i notice very easily when i am in a slow D like 45 or 40 even 35mph and put it in 3rd, the tach climbs like 200rpm. i can say i have honestly noticed better off the line performance when in 3rd than D. every gear is different and has a purpose, why try to mess up a good tranny just to see what it can and cannot do it jumps up 200rpm's cause the act of taking it out of gear DISENGAGES LOCKUP for a short time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutsup1996 Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 ok damn not trying to ruffle any feathers here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted September 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Neither am I, I'm just wondering why people are sounding like they're questioning me for doing "stupid" things when all I did was ask a question!? I never said I was doing anything... I doubt it was even directed at me anyways, but I guess because I started the Thread, I just assumed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonsolo Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Some trannys are set up for second gear start on mostly RWD high torque applications. My 02 Z28 will start in 2 if it put it there. 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear in our cars will cause the car to 'downshift' into the lower gear when needed (within limits), and will hold the gear to a higher MPH than it would if you were cruising at a specific speed. So if you were doing 10-15MPH, and had it in OD, it would shift to probably 3rd and cruise at 1200RPM or so. Put it in first and it will stay there until you near 4000-4500 before shifting (not exact, just guestimate). Good for rolling start race (why anyone would race in a 140-200HP car is beyond me)... The OD vs. D for performance street driving is primarily a chrysler thing. It will change shift pressure and shift settings in there cars for better performance in D rather than OD. But that's only in specific cars too. Also, if I am not mistaken, it is better for town driving under 40MPH, to stay in D rather than OD to prevent the extra heat buildup of shifting between D and OD over and over, when the car would be just fine putzing along in 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrulz4u Posted September 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Good explanation! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Okay, a 4T60 or 4T60E will not go into 4th gear (overdrive) until about 47mph. That is dependent on engine load, but I think 47 is about the lowest mph the tranny will shift into overdrive. Also, the 4T60 will not go into 3rd til about 25mph where the rpm after shifting will be 1500 or so. Putting it in overdrive will not change when it shifts, nor will taking it out of overdrive, unless you are at WOT and hold it in 2nd or something. TC lockup is also dependent on engine load, as well as Vehicle Speed Sensor input. Theres really no tricks or special conditions with these trannies. Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1badtgp Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 The only chrysler trans that does anything special out of od is the autostick(like in the Prolwer and some Intrepids). If you pull it down to the manual shift setting, it changes the settings in the valve body to give you full manual control going up in gears, and mostly manual control downshifting(it wont let you downshift to gears that would put the engine over the rev limit). The rest are just normal, with the exceptino of the trucks, which have an electroincally controlled OD, and when that is off, it disengages the TC lockup capability. It's really there to save the trans while towing(never tow with any vehilce in OD). Also, as far as the W-body, taking it from OD to D is really only good for a few situations, such as high spped cruising(w-body transmissions dont like OD over 80, ask me, I have been through several, and didnt know what was happening until Jeff M explained it to me, thanks Jeff). Also, goinmg through the mountains, OD can overheat a tranny. Also leasrned from experience. Oh, and for the rare occasion when someone tows with a w-body, god knows why they would.. Actually, my TGP has a class 1 receiver under the car(no hitch or anything on it, nor will there ever be, its coming off). Other than that, the above explanations were dead on I believe. Oh, and shifting from 1-2-3-d or whatever wont do you any good unless the trans has full manual valve bodies. If the Kickdown cable is adjusted properly, the trans should shift just as it starts to leave its power band near the rev limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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