Shifting an auto
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Westminster, MD
Shifting an auto Ok so I've read through many threads concerning manually shifting an A4. Basically the conclusions I have come to are:
-Downshifting is bad
-Upshifting is alright as long as you don't over-rev the engine
-Don't manually shift the auto while racing.
I've never manually shifted my car ever. I'd never do it while racing, I'd leave it in 3 and be done with it (for the camaro guys, I know you have D and OD seperate, on the firebirds it only has 3 and D on the shifter console). Anyway I would be interested in occasionally upshifting it from 1 to 2 to 3 to D if the mood struck, as far as I'm aware that isn't a problem. However I recently read a post in a thread in the racers lounge where the poster recommended engine braking to slow down going down a hill by shifting the auto into a lower gear...wouldn't that be bad? I know my dad shifts his automatic cars into neutral going down hills if the roads are snowy/icey and then puts it back into D/OD but I never feel comfortable doing that so I don't.
My trans is a stock 4L60E btw, no shift kit or anything, I don't recall if we changed any trans settings in the tune, if we did it may have been raising the rev limiter by 100rpm and possibly reducing tq management a little. Don't think line pressure was touched.
-Downshifting is bad
-Upshifting is alright as long as you don't over-rev the engine
-Don't manually shift the auto while racing.
I've never manually shifted my car ever. I'd never do it while racing, I'd leave it in 3 and be done with it (for the camaro guys, I know you have D and OD seperate, on the firebirds it only has 3 and D on the shifter console). Anyway I would be interested in occasionally upshifting it from 1 to 2 to 3 to D if the mood struck, as far as I'm aware that isn't a problem. However I recently read a post in a thread in the racers lounge where the poster recommended engine braking to slow down going down a hill by shifting the auto into a lower gear...wouldn't that be bad? I know my dad shifts his automatic cars into neutral going down hills if the roads are snowy/icey and then puts it back into D/OD but I never feel comfortable doing that so I don't.
My trans is a stock 4L60E btw, no shift kit or anything, I don't recall if we changed any trans settings in the tune, if we did it may have been raising the rev limiter by 100rpm and possibly reducing tq management a little. Don't think line pressure was touched.
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,062
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From: Westminster, MD
Do you know what the standard speeds are (generally) per gear on a stock 4L60E with 2.73 gears?
I know upshifting from a lower gear is fine when I am ready to accelerate again but if I was to put it in neutral, what speed would be ok to pop it back into D/OD? I'd only do that in the winter with snow/ice on the ground so I'd be going pretty slow I'd assume.
Note: I don't plan on driving the Formula in the snow/ice ever lol but it could be useful to know for my other vehicle.
I know upshifting from a lower gear is fine when I am ready to accelerate again but if I was to put it in neutral, what speed would be ok to pop it back into D/OD? I'd only do that in the winter with snow/ice on the ground so I'd be going pretty slow I'd assume.
Note: I don't plan on driving the Formula in the snow/ice ever lol but it could be useful to know for my other vehicle.
Sometimes (not too often) ill downshift to 2nd if im gunna do a 40 roll so it won't downshift when I hit the gas but ill up shift to 3rd as soon as I hit it so I don't risk over revving or forgetting to shift. I'm not sure if it makes a difference on abuse because I have a built transmission not a stock one.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Wichita KS / Rancho San Diego
There's nothing inherently wrong with it, you just have to rev match when downshifting or going into gear from neutral - just like you would with a manual trans.
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
Sometimes (not too often) ill downshift to 2nd if im gunna do a 40 roll so it won't downshift when I hit the gas but ill up shift to 3rd as soon as I hit it so I don't risk over revving or forgetting to shift. I'm not sure if it makes a difference on abuse because I have a built transmission not a stock one.
This. Understand, the single hardest thing on your transmission clutches during normal operation is forcing them to gear change under full throttle. By doing the above, you have eliminated the 4>2 shift under throttle and have allowed the clutches to fully bite before apply power therefor giving them a better chance of biting and not slipping. Also, you seem to think the shifter is directly connected to the trans operation. It's not. The computer has complete control. Operations are as follows based on your input: 1 or L= 1st gear only with increased holding capacity due to a low roller sprag (or something like that), 2 = 2nd gear only regardless of speed, 3 or D = 1,2,3, Lock-up shifting automatically. 4 or OD = 1,2,3,4, Lockup, full transmission functions. The point of this explanation is simply this.....when you shift from 2 to 3/D you have not shifted, you have simply commanded the computer to run a different set of parameters of going from one gear function to 3 gears and lock-up based on auto shifting tables. The auto is not a manual and never will be, but you two can live in harmony once an understanding has been made.
