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Power Shifting A Stock 4l60e

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Old Feb 7, 2005 | 02:52 AM
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Default Power Shifting A Stock 4l60e

HEY GUYS !!!! just wondering if anybody power shifts their A4....You know from 1st,to 2nd,to 3rd,to D...I do it all the time because i cant drive the 6-speed.My nephew has a 6-speed in his 97SS and ive done broke it once......He was really upset when that happened.When i do power shift it makes my exhaust sound really good.I told my nephew that i do POWER SHIFT and he said.."NO WAY JOSE'..YOUR GONNA SCREW IT UP AGAIN YOU DUMMY.I said then what am i suppossed to do...He said to leave it in D OR GET A SHIFT KIT!!!!!!!!!!So i was just wondering if somebody can help an old putts like me out???
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 04:20 AM
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This is a first (in 28 years), "power shifting" an automatic, are you talking about "manually" shifting a automatic transmission (4L60E) at WOT?, in the majority of cases it is ok. Power shifting a manual, but an automatic.......
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 05:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Pro Built Automatics
This is a first (in 28 years), "power shifting" an automatic, are you talking about "manually" shifting a automatic transmission (4L60E) at WOT?, in the majority of cases it is ok. Power shifting a manual, but an automatic.......
I was thinking the same.

I guess I power shift mine all the time...I never use my clutch (its an auto)
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 07:04 AM
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I have always been told NEVER manually shift the auto during WOT. The line pressure issue comes to mind, and rev limiter sometimes. Anyway, thats my take on it, besides the fact there I doubt you can shift it optimally like the computer does.
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 07:18 AM
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it is an electoinically controlled tranny for a reason! so you dont have to shift it! and you must be rowing a damn boat to break your nephews tranny.
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 08:57 AM
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There's a big difference from putting it in Overdrive, and locking it down into first. About a 5 (OD) to 12 (1-2-3) clutch of stronghold difference....Overdrive is intended to be a final drive gear, they give you the option of locking down and shifting through the other gears for a reason, in OD your riding on a five clutch pack (this varies), when your locked down and shifting, your anywhere from 10-12 clutches (this also varies). This is also why in trucks they shift from OD to D when towing. Yes its an electronic Trans and is only going to shift to its liking unless otherwise altered by the abuser (shift kit, programmer), but its much better to run through the gears rather than leave it in OD and go to work with it.
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 09:36 AM
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Just stick it in drive and go then. You get the added "luxury" of hte multiple clutches like studlybilly was saying but you dont get the abuse on the trans that you would if say u were manually shifting and shifting late and having the car hit teh rev limiter. The cars gonna shift faster than you anyways
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 11:16 AM
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I have been wondering this same question for a while now, is it ok to manually shift a stock 4L60E, there is so much debating on this one issue, could someone who has looked into it and knows a lot about Automatic transmisions please inform us if it is ok to do this without using what you think is the right way to do it. There is one guy saying it is ok then the next saying no. How does that help us out.
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Old Feb 7, 2005 | 12:02 PM
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I just really need some help on this issue here.I was told that if i buy a shift kit then it would be ok.I mean aint this why those 1.2.3 gears are there in the first place.If not then what are they there for.Yes i mean manually shift but i just call it power shifting.My nephew said that those were for when you drive in the snow,but i tried using those in the snow.And my cars back end had spun around on me,not once.not twice,BUT THRICE!!!!!!!!Another thing that happened was that i was going down the street at 45 when this MUSTANG 5.0 rolled next to me for about 4 mins.(I KNOW WHAT HE WAS FIXING TO DO)and he did it.He floored it(I COULD TELL HE HAD A STICK).All i could do was mash on the gas i tried to catch up but i couldnt.HE BEAT ME.I COULDNT BELIEVE IT.MY POWERFUL LS1 GOT BEAT BUY A SHITTY 5.0 FOXBODY!!!!!!!Now tell me exactly what does a SHIFT KIT do?Will i be able to manually shift down to 1st or 2nd with this thing.Will it help on racing?Help me out guys!!!!!
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 12:21 PM
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A shift kit can speed up your shifts a bit, but your problem may be in tuning if the car isn't downshifting when you want (assuming your fluid and filter are fine), or that you need a high stall torque converter to make the car faster from a roll (45 mph probably left you at the bottom of second gear).
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by 1FASTZ28
I have been wondering this same question for a while now, is it ok to manually shift a stock 4L60E, there is so much debating on this one issue, could someone who has looked into it and knows a lot about Automatic transmisions please inform us if it is ok to do this without using what you think is the right way to do it. There is one guy saying it is ok then the next saying no. How does that help us out.
There is nothing wrong with manually shifting, I know the tranny is going to shift faster then me in plain D rather than OD, but throughout building/experimenting with trannies I've found a luxury in manually shifting. Its a luxury for me because when something craps out or feels funny I'll know exactly where I was when it started (this is only in launching/racing). Other then that there really is no difference between putting it into D or Shifting, just personal preference at this point. An electronic transmission is only going to shift as fast or adequately as the computer allows it to, not much like the older hydraulic tranmissions (4l60e is a replica of the 700R4 with an electronic valve body). You can get programmers that not only shift the car when you want (down the milli second between gears), but ones that allow full manual control and back to automatic control within the flip of a switch.

Last edited by studlybilly; Feb 7, 2005 at 03:02 PM.
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 01:16 PM
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the 5.0 had beat me from a rolling.What is the closest way to make it similair to a 6-speed without converting it?What is the programmer called where you can fully manually shift the auto without screwing it up?Is it the TRANS GO KIT or something else.Where can i buy one and how much will it cost?
Old Feb 7, 2005 | 01:24 PM
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Well research it a little bit, it would take me entirely to much time to sit here and break everything down to the T of programming a shift. But for starters you can look on a website that I do most of my trans shopping off of (cant post direct link because they'll just remove it), go to excite and type in Makco tranmission parts. They have programmers including the automatic/manual programmers and the shift kits that you need to go with them. For hindsight, you'll never make an automatic perform like a stick from a roll, you will have your own drop zones for your powerband, but 6 speeds are 6 seperate gears to choose from, automatics are more based around stop and go performance although with enough HP you can pull freight trains on any stick shift even way out of your powerband (a secret to this is flash freezing your engine), but if your the underdog sometimes the car doesnt make the driver the driver has to make the car.

Where's the guy who in his sig I read him pulling 1.7 60's on Kum-Ho's?
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 01:02 AM
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I highly doubt anyone in this thread can 'power' shift any better then tranny with a tune. Bottom line. Just get it tuned and be done with it.
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 05:43 AM
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... seen a lot of challenges from people here asking certified mechanics to explain why it's hard on an A4 to powershift. I still haven't seen a reply that made sense. I'm 47 and I've done it all my life. Now, I only do it when I launch because I'm simply a little more mellow driver in my older age, so, I down constantly do it anymore.

When I launch, I launch in 1st, but, IMMEDIATELY shift to 1st to give the computer contol of the shift point. The very second I hit 2nd gear, I gently slide it up to 3rd, then, Drive and let the PCM continue to control the shifts. It works best for me.
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 10:48 AM
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Originally Posted by JEB99TA
... seen a lot of challenges from people here asking certified mechanics to explain why it's hard on an A4 to powershift. I still haven't seen a reply that made sense. I'm 47 and I've done it all my life. Now, I only do it when I launch because I'm simply a little more mellow driver in my older age, so, I down constantly do it anymore.

When I launch, I launch in 1st, but, IMMEDIATELY shift to 1st to give the computer contol of the shift point. The very second I hit 2nd gear, I gently slide it up to 3rd, then, Drive and let the PCM continue to control the shifts. It works best for me.
NOW THATS WHAT IM TALKIN ABOUT!!!!!!!Finally somebody that does the samething i do....I was beginning to think that i was crazy or something..........By the way this wont screw up the tranny will it because everybody on here talks about the 4l60e being weak.Would a shift kit make manual shifting an a4 better.
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by 4l60e POWER SHIFTER
NOW THATS WHAT IM TALKIN ABOUT!!!!!!!Finally somebody that does the samething i do....I was beginning to think that i was crazy or something..........By the way this wont screw up the tranny will it because everybody on here talks about the 4l60e being weak.Would a shift kit make manual shifting an a4 better.
So you're just moving the shifter around under WOT before the shift should even happen? So you're "manually shifting" but still letting the PCM do the actual shift? that's a waste of.....well it's a waste of nothing.....it's just retarded. It's a 4L60E for a reason. Let the computer do the shifting.
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 05:25 PM
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Originally Posted by BlueSix
So you're just moving the shifter around under WOT before the shift should even happen? So you're "manually shifting" but still letting the PCM do the actual shift? that's a waste of.....well it's a waste of nothing.....it's just retarded. It's a 4L60E for a reason. Let the computer do the shifting.

So what are you really sayin man and i dont know what WOT means because im new to this.....sorry man!
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 08:27 PM
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You can be quicker at WOT if you let the PCM shift the trans for you.
Old Feb 8, 2005 | 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by 4l60e POWER SHIFTER
So what are you really sayin man and i dont know what WOT means because im new to this.....sorry man!
WOT = wide open throttle



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