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Worst time to go WOT

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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 07:41 AM
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Default Worst time to go WOT

So is it true that WOT should be avoided on the highway (say over 60 mph) because the 4L60e cannot really handle too much of the downshifting involved? And is it safe to say that if you do like to mash the petal it is better to do at lower speeds (say 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 mph)??? I have a 98 Z w/ 2.73 gears and 80,000 on the clock and a 3400 stall 2.1 and I really don't want to buy a new tranny right away. Thanks.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 07:55 AM
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Manual down shifts kill these transmissions. Just let the computer do it's job. If tuned properly and the tps reads right it should down shift within it's own.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 08:08 AM
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Sorry for any confusion, but I actually was referring to leaving the car in overdrive the entire time with no manual downshifting. I have heard that even when leaving the car in OD, going WOT on the highway can kill a 4l60e pretty quickly. I was just wondering if that is true???
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 09:32 AM
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I do it all the time, just try not to do it when its locked up !
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 11:22 AM
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Why is a "manual" downshift different from a "computer commanded" downshift? All shifts are still computer controlled, it's not like we have a manual valve body.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 02:48 PM
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Going to WOT at any speed and allowing the transmission to downshift in order to acellerate will not hurt your 4L60E, period.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Transguy
Going to WOT at any speed and allowing the transmission to downshift in order to acellerate will not hurt your 4L60E, period.
I guess this is what everyone would like to think but...where are the facts to back it up? Not saying you are wrong but that was a pretty short statement.

Also is it better to tap the brakes first to unlock the converter, or is this necessary?
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 03:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Transguy
Going to WOT at any speed and allowing the transmission to downshift in order to acellerate will not hurt your 4L60E, period.

HA i wish....if im gion 60-70 and floor it...my downshifts dont catch and it will redline until i get off the gas and then it catches... i need to fix it....any other time it shifts very firm...any ideas of what to do to fix it...im plannin on a tranny cooler next week
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 03:31 PM
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He asked for an opinion, and I gave him one, not looking to get into and argument with you or anyone else. If you want facts come to my shop and I will pull a few hundred repair orders form 4L60Es that I have built and given my customers the same advice.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 04:58 PM
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hey man im not tryin to argue...point is downshifting at wot CAN be harmful to your tranny... period
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 05:15 PM
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Seems to me if you go ahead and select the gear before you go wot, you would not hurt your transmission as bad.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by transam02
Seems to me if you go ahead and select the gear before you go wot, you would not hurt your transmission as bad.
I don't think that gets you anywhere...because then you are out of D or OD and you will have to shift it back up again...
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 06:18 PM
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If GM did all the torque management BS to help the trans live I would think they would address this issue as well.

I'll drive my car anyway I want. I blows my mind that people are so uptight they want to unlock the converter with the brakes, then go wot? You might as well get out of performance cars if you're going to make driving that difficult.

I beat the hell out of my transmissions (amature built) (by me).
Nothing unusual from driving this way.

Want to save your trans? Drive like your grandmother.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 07:20 PM
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I talked to Carl Rossler and Rodney at RPM, and they both told me one of the worst things you can do to the 4l60e is to floor it on the highway while in OD. They said that if you're going to roll with someone on the highway, drop it down to D first and then punch it.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 07:22 PM
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If I had an application chart loaded on my computer I would show you very clearly what is on and what is off in every gear, It is pretty simple when you see it on a chart. Basically [ without getting into a tremendously long reply ], going from 4th {OD} to 3Rd is as simple as releasing the 2/4 band, enlighten me, and explain how this hurts the transmission?
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 07:37 PM
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I'm by no means any kind of tranny expert, so I couldn't begin to give you specifics.

I just know that when I asked them things to avoid doing with their built 4l60e's, both of them responded with the same answer. When they explained why, it got a little too technical for me.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Gary98Z
I'm by no means any kind of tranny expert, so I couldn't begin to give you specifics.

I just know that when I asked them things to avoid doing with their built 4l60e's, both of them responded with the same answer. When they explained why, it got a little too technical for me.
The same answer was posted on here a while back by a builder. I was unable to uncover it with the search. Basically going 4-2 was bad, and they explained what happened internally.

From what i've read the answer seems to be going INTO, or OUT OF an overdriven gear at WOT is really hard on the 4L60E. Why, I can't say because i'm not an expert on this subject.

At the same time, they also recommend using the "OD" selection when drag racing from a stop.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 08:01 PM
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I hate running inot these topics. You can't run into any 2 'experts' that have the same opinion on WOT shifting. I've seen several threads, each several pages long, and none have made any progress to answering any of the specific questions outlined in the first post. And naturally I force myself to read every single post of redundancy, because I don't want to spend several thousand $$ on a new tranny anymore than anyone else does.

I wish someone that knew what they were talking about would just enlighten everyone, this confusion has been going on for way too long.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 08:04 PM
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I'll post one good one I can find...I know there were more but I can't find them now...

Originally Posted by Pro Built Automatics
With the 4L60E, and you are going to "drag race" it, leave it in OD. This will prevent the overrun clutch assembly from coming on, especially on the 2-3 shift where you need all the oil going to the 3-4 clutches on a WOT shift, and not to the overrun setup also. Dyno tests have shown this to be the best way of doing this with the least amount of problems. A 2-3 flare at WOT in the "D" position, and the flare is not happening in the OD position is indicative of not enough oil going to the 3-4 clutches. This is only "one" of the good reasons why the 3-4 clutch pack will live longer when you leave it in the OD position when drag racing it.
I believe this mostly applies to racing from a stop, so long as you do not go fast enough to shift into 4th (OD)...i'll keep looking...
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 08:25 PM
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doesnt OD have the weakest clutches? i heard going WOT(actually shifting from 3rd to 4th) either manual or automatic into OD is the worst possible thing, and it also happens at a pretty high speed with stock gears.
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