98boxer

iTrader: (7)

I know the regular driving in my automatic 98 Z28 is (D) then for more power shift in D also my owners guide also says I can drive in 2 selector and I diffenetly get lots more power from the car in shift selector 2 drive but it says not to drive faster then 55mph in 2 shift selector. Is this true? I just tested driveing in the shift 2 and it is so much more responsive then either (D) or D. Will I kill my transmission if I go over 55mph in shift 2 selector and if so what modes can I make so my Z28 can respond like it does on shift 2 without hurting the transmission?

While driveing in shift 2 selector for a while I did drive past 55mph and seen no tempature change but was afraid of something breaking on long driveing in shift selector 2 past 55mph. Your comments.

blkZ28spt

I can't be of much help as far as whether or not it causes immediate damage or what you can do to get away with it, but why would you want to drive for long periods at or above 55mph in second gear? What kind of RPM's do you have to be turning to do that? IT is only more responsive because when you hit the gas it does not have to shift. At the very least it is unecessary extra wear and tear on your engine and drivetrain to run at that RPM constantly. I would never do nor recommend doing that. It does not make more power based on where the shifter is, it just may not have to shift down or only shift down one gear instead of two. Also, it is not recommended that you manually shift your transmission either. Just leave it in overdrive (the square enclosed D) and call it good. If you were, say, going to do a race from a roll you could put it in D to keep it in third and then push it up to overdrive once you got on it, but that is the only reason I would ever drive with it in anything but overdrive at any real speed.

Visionxorb

ummm, all ur doing is driving around in 2nd gear, ur not making more power. you wont hurt the trans but the really high rpm is gonna KILL ur mpg and shorten engine life.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

If your PCM transmission settings were
programmed properly, you could kick down
to powerband any old time you pleased.
Then you wouldn't have to do stuff like
slam-shifting an electronically controlled
transmission.

Neener, neener.

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

Thanks, I didn't know I was in 2nd gear even though I put it in 2 shift selector my bad it makes sense know.

The owners manuel does say as you guys mentioned if driven more then 25 miles in 2 selector it can damage the engine or driving past 55mph in 2.

I have heard forceing the car to downshift instead of the pcm doing it for me will hurt the transmission but why then does my owners manuel say for passing under 65 push the accelerator half way down for forced shift and to the floor when going over 65, of course I understand real world driving and wear and tear is the reality but I would like to know your comments.

jimmyblue-my camaro used to downshift without slam-shifting, Id step on the accelerater about half way down then it would downshift every 20mph but once I took it into a gneric mechanic shop for regular maintence it didn't do it no more, chevy dealer tells me the pcm must have been altered by the first owner even though the first owner said it was stock the guy i bought the car from was the original owner. How and where can i program my pcm to do as you described downshift any time without slam-shifting the pcm?

Colonel

"slam-shifting the pcm"....now that's a new one on me.

Put the owners manual back in the glovebox and put the selector in OD before you hurt something, ok?

Jpr5690

iTrader: (13)

its ok to put the selector in 2nd for more passing power as far ias ive heard (under 60ish)... this will rev up the engine putting you in your powerband for more power just dont drive round town in 2nd and dont manually bang it thru gears.. im sure theres some small wear involved but there always will be .... i usally drop in 2nd and floor it form 60rolls if i really want some passing power or am raceing form a roll it works much better but the realsolution is to get the pcm reprogramed beacouse from factory they wont do it at all speeds ie. i get down shofts form 50 rolls but am stuck in same gear form 60+rolls thats why i manually do it .. play round with it i my car i yusally drop to 1st for 25-40 rolls and 2nd for 45-65 rolls and 3rd for anythign else also in im lineing up for a race fron a roll ie 60 roll i just drop it in grar as im lineing up so the engine is ready in the powerband when things get movin

blkZ28spt

From a 50 or 60 roll you should be in second gear if you just leave it in OD and nail it. I could get second gear just by hitting the gas up to the low 70's. You drop it to first for a roll from 25-40??! I could get first gear up to almost 30, and it runs out barely past 40 anyway........so do you mean that you put the selector in first while going 40 mph and drive like that till you punch it, then immediately manually shift it up?? I wouldn't do that.......I'd take colonel's advice and what i said earlier, just put it in OD and be happy.....

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

If force downshifting is bad why does the Owners Manuel tell me to use it for passing. Like i have wrote the manuel says after 65mph floor it to pass but i say that is way to much power to pass one car maybe three, four cars yes, but for one is not neccesary to slam the pedal to the floor. One thing I can say about Camaros they take the abuse, and like i have always said Camaros are made to be driven fast.

CamaroSS_2002

iTrader: (4)

A 4l60e behind a motor making alot of power with a high stall it is easier on the trans to take your foot off the gas, downshift to second, then hit it. The reason why is there is no fluid pressure spike because of the stall, this fluid pressure spike is hard on the band and can eventually cause it to fail.

Happened to me.

The way my tune is my car will downshift into second at up to 79mph. If I leave it in OD and then hit it at 75mph, the car will downshift into 2 and then upshift to 3 real fast, this is hard on the trans. You reduce the pressure spike the trans has to encur by manually downshifting with your foot OFF the gas. and then hitting it, immeadiately putting selector back in OD so trans shifts normally.

This might be why GM is recommending it but personally on a stock trans and a car with just a cam I wouldn't worry about it unless you have a similar tune and a very high stall.

Ragtop 99

iTrader: (7)

What gears do you have? with 2.73s at 55mph the engine rpm isn't too far above 3000 rpm. I wouldn't do it for very long, but it is not the end of the world if you are in passing situations on 2 lane roads and need quick throttle response.

black 2001Vette,Nightmare

I understand from talking to a transmission shop, that driving extended periods in 2nd gear will burn up your clutch packs. I don't think your covertor locks in 2nd...only in 3rd and 4th. At least that's what I have been told. Therefore, the clutch pack burns up. Just passing on what I have heard about the 4l60e.

After I had my "Mega Raptor" tranny installed, the shop I used to do the install forgot to completely secure the external linkage. It held for a day or two, but then, as luck would have it, on a Sunday afternoon, while no shops were open, the thing gets stuck in 2nd gear. Couldn't get it out no matter what I tried. The linkage was too loose, and car has no clearance for me to look underneath.
Anyways, I decide, hey...it's a bullet proof tranny, right? I should be able to drive it home like this. I was 45 miles from where I lived, and I drove back in second gear, being careful not to exceed 3000 rpms, much to the dismay of the cars behind me.
When it was all said and done, the 3-4 clutch pack was gone. It actually shifted fine at commuter speeds, but at WOT it bounced off the rev limiter, everytime.

I read every post ever done on this type of slippage, and tried everything, but in the end, nothing would fix it short of another rebuild.

Just my experience. Good luck, if you decide to cruise around for extended periods on the STOCK tranny!!!

chief455

iTrader: (21)

Only 3 and od will alow the stock converter to utilize the electronic lock up feature and avoid burning up the transmission as mentioned above.
I have a disabled right arm and cannot downshift manually so have a vested interet in this topic.
Soulution= stall converter and 3.73 gears. Always in the powerband, almost no fuel economy loss, upshifts are awesome and even if the trans does not shift down, you'll passa car with the converter flashig to higher revs and making power.
Invest for the future

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

I don't know what gears I have, but I think If I do drive it on 2 I think it will be for 1 secound or 2 its not worth it if something could break.