Just had my 4l60-E tranny rebuilt and it is possible to take off in 2nd gear. When I hammer it in drive or OD and the car starts in 1st I get a fair amount of wheel spin and have to pedal it. If I take off in second the car does not spin at all and it almost actualy feels like it pulls better. I have a 4,000 stall so I guess that helps too. It's almost like having a glide. Anybody else able to do this?

 

Some 4L60E cars when put in manual second will start in second gear from a stand still some wont.

 

Is it bad for the tranny?

 

Does this help you launch better, getting you closer to your stall speed with out spinning the tires???

 

For a little clarification:
1998-99 - won't take off in second from a stand still even if the gear selector is placed in 2nd b/c of the pcm.
2000-02 - Will take off in second from a stand still b/c this part of the pcm was changed.


While taking off in second may seem faster b/c you don't brake traction, its not. Learn to launch your car using 1st gear...

 

Correct! Remember 1st gear is 3.06 while second gear is 1.63 ... which do you think will accelerate faster. 2nd gear start is intended for low traction, low speed conditions to get you moving ... not intended for racing.

 

Thanks for the clarification guys.

 

Take it from me...2nd gear is incredibly slow...I almost lost to a stock LT1 because of traction issues. After my car stopped spinning it went into 2nd gear at about 25mph, and the LT1 flew by as I waited for the RPM's to climb...had to take my foot out of it, and hit it again for it to downshift.

Anyway not the same situation but you get the idea.

 

It does not feel slower because it does not spin at all and with the 4,000 stall it seems to pull pretty strong. I hit the nitrous and it felt super strong. I think because the rpm's stayed lower longer and N20 makes more torque at lower engine revolutions it pulled really hard with zero tire slip. Seemed it got to the the 3rd gear shift way faster. Plus there is no way I can hit the N20 in 1st gear without spinning even when I have the DR's heated up. My car has 3.73's so the rear is steeper than stock.

If I can't break anything I am going to try it at the track.

 

I'd definetely do some 60' comparisons.

 

Yep on and off the bottle.

If it is slower, which it very well may be, then I am going back to the 3.23 gears as I did not seem to have traction issues with those gears and the 315-35-17 Nitto drag radials like I do now with the 3.73's. Plus my mph was higher on the nitrous with the 3.23's as I was going through the traps at 5,700 at 125 versus the 6,500 I am now.

 

launching in second is more strain on the unit however if its a well built unit there should be no issue , However as stated in reality by starting in in second you are just covering up he real issue which is traction rather than raising the gear ratio i would spend money on getting what I had to hook up and you will probably be much faster overall