Why are we not suppose to go wot in 4th? I've seen it said again and again but never why not to do it. What parts wear out because of this or does it just make more heat? Just wondering.

 

i am courious about that, I have never heard that before

 

I would like to kno that as well because I do that all the time.

 

Do it all the time and never had a problem.

 

I heard it was bad too, i also heard that it doesnt actually shift into 4th in OD until 120+ mph, there were a bunch of people saying why, i wonder where they are now.

 

hahah prob cause its bs but if it aint someone please let us know before we all kill our cars.

 

here is a link where i learned about it.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...hlight=spy2520

 

This is asserted over and over again. I've been involved in several threads trying to find a convincing technical explanation for why this would be harmful to the tranny. So far, none have materialized. Until further notification, I'm categorizing this as an urban transmission legend.

 

well.. the previous owner of my car always drove it in D... i bought the car with a healthy tranny..

I did not know that.. so i always drove and run at the track in OD...

1 month later.. the tranny is toasted..

why?

on OD runs on the street.. tranny is in 4th.. usally going to 2nd.. as i understand.. that heavy hit wears the clutch packs or something like that...

anyway.. my tranny wont shift into 3rd without hiting the limiter 300 times..

urban legend or not.. just drive in D.. and OD only while highway..

 

You see now thta is what I love about having a converter....I can keep my car in D around town and get better gas mileage than if I would with the car in OD. This is becasue of my lockup points. I could be flashing it to 2800 or higher just keeping up with steady traffic in OD, but pop it in D the converter locks up and I can cast along nicely.

I drive the car like a 3 speed, becasue that is what it really is once you get a converter, you just happen to have a nice gear to be in on the highway....

Not to mention you will get into the habbit of putting it into drive, and you will never be caught in OD at the track again. :yup:

~Kevin

 

camaroSS Where do you lock your third?

i feel that maybe there is a difference between WOT shifts from 4th (OD) and WOT in 4th (OD). THe question that i have, i 8nderstand the 4-2 downshift sucks on the 4l'z, but why are we not suppose to do any WOT in 4th?

 

As I would see it a 3-4 shift at WOT doesn't happen until as mentioned until a very high mph. Now if you were doing that everyday I could see harm to the 3-4 clutchpak, but if you're at the track leaving it in OD or D is not going to matter, because the trans should not be shifting into OD unless trapping a high mph

Matt

 

This isn't an issue I'd lose any sleep over.

Car/transmission manufacturers don't expect the average driver to keep their transmissions in 3rd/Drive just so they can go WOT to make a pass.

When you go WOT, you're going to put greater stress, wear and tear on your transmission components (not to mention the rest of your drivetrain) and this is going to happen no matter what gear you happen to be in when you do it.

 

In the firebirds, Drive is equal to OD in Camaro's???? And 3rd in a firebird is equal to drive in a camaro??? Someone please help me with that lol. Also, is it more efficient to drive in Drive or 3rd gear? ALso while racing, which gear is it better to be in? Thanks!

 

I was about to say, my TA doesn't have D and OD..its got 1.2.3.D does it hurt it if i drive around town in 3rd all the time and just put it in D when im on highway.

 

Exactly what I would like to know as well. Also does driving in 3rd chew more gas than driving in OD around town and such?

 

3rd isz the same thing as Drive

There should be a ring ariund the D signifying Overdive.

D/3 is all I drive in.....

 

i think you would loose more gas milage driving in 3rd in firebirds or d in camaros's around town because at about 45 my tranny switches to over drive which is the lower 4th gear. ive heard 4th is made with weaker clutches and have always heard the car is more or less a 3 speed tranny, 4th gear being gas milage saving gear. but i heard someone was going 4.56's in an a4 on here to test how much the 4th gear shift will take before it craps out. maybe search for 4.56's and A4 in same search. i dont know everything but i'm sure OD(D in firebirds) in town is ok.

 

I just drive in OD in town to save on gas mileage but what yall are saying is that i realy shouldnt be drivin in OD but D ?? (milage is about 13mpg right now with very conservative driving trying to keep the rpm's under 2500)

 

The 3-4 clutch packs are THE weakest clutch packs in the transmission. Doing a WOT blast and staying in it through the 3-4 shift is far worse on your transmission than a 4-2 downshift is. When people lose gears, which gears go first? Thats right, 4th and 3rd. The clutch packs for your OVERDRIVE gear aren't built to handle WOT power. Thats a good way to toast your transmission.

FWIW, in my programming my WOT 3-4 shift occurs at 255mph aka never. I dont even want to give myself the temptation after blowing my first transmission out and being nearly stranded over two hours away from home (it was a bitch limping the car home with a 3500 stall with no 3rd or 4th gear, a two hour trip took me five hours).

Also FWIW, everyone I know with an auto runs better at the track leaving the car in 4th. Once you let out the danger on the 3-4 clutch packs is relieved basically, just WOT through the shift is a good way to kill the trans.

Maybe a trans builder can come in here and back this up. This is what I've heard from two different trans builders as well as from people here on Tech.