oddwraith

iTrader: (1)

Just wondering. I've heard that one can manually shift the autos on the f-bodies. Is that so? Is it bad for the tranny? Also, what the hell is a "transbrake" and what is the point of it? I have read up and still don't get it? Sorry, newb here.

FastRidesOnly

i dont know either.

what is a trans brake
what is a shift kit

Bowtie Boy

trans brake is so you can launch a auto like a stick..i think
and shift kit just makes your tranny shift harder and faster

TXZ28LS1

iTrader: (5)

DO NOT MANUALLY SHIFT AN AUTO!!!!! ESPECIALLY IF ITS A STOCK TRANNY!!

T/A_GuS

iTrader: (4)

You can manually shift it if you have a shift kit like the Trans GO HD2... i always do that at the track because i can catch much traction in first and when the tires start to spin, the tranny will shift to 2nd and well..you can imagine...

Get a Trans Go HD2 and the biggest cooler that you can fit in there!

PontiacFan

iTrader: (104)

Goin' up, sometimes acceptable.
Goin' down, Not recommended.

But hat's the benefit of the Auto, ..., Punch it & Steer, ..., No fightin' for gears, ...

Z28/2002

iTrader: (27)

You can't shift faster than the computer.

therobman

iTrader: (39)

down shift noooo upshifting is ok i always do it in first from a stop cause it will spin and go into second if u have it in first u can pedal it and then click second

Nightrydass

I wouldn't recomend it unless the trans was upgraded to be able to support it. I shifted my '90 Honda Accord (when i was 17, shut ur pie-hole's), and yes, i kno it isn't a sports car but the potential for damage is still revelant...

i it. So bad in fact that i couldn't make left hand truns anymore and i also took out my motor. I did it occansionally in my '90 GTA () and toward sthe end of her life i noticed the tranny was slipping ever so slightly (91K origional miles tho).

They're right, you cant shift faster then the computer. Your best bet is to but a stall, shift kit, and tune the PCM for maximum effect.

oddwraith

iTrader: (1)

Ok, point taken. I guess it wouldn't make sense to try to "out-shift" the computer. Just wondering cuz I like to leave it in first and hammer it sometimes, y'know so it doesn't shift to second to quick and "kill my fun" lol. Anyways, thanks a bunch everyone.

Andrew@MarylandSpeed

If you want to be able to shift manually then you should really get an M6 car. Even with the TransGo HD2 kit I don't shift mine manually. Just have someone tune the transmission settings for you to make the transmission more aggressive. You can make the transmission downshift at into a lower gear at a higher MPH, just make sure you don't set the downshift into too low of a gear where it will almost immediately redline the engine at a given MPH. You can also make the transmission downshift with less throttle. If I give my car about 1/4 throttle it'll down-shift a gear. Give it about 3/4 throttle and if it's in 3rd or 4th gear it'll downshift 2 gears as long as I'm at a suitable MPH. Absolutely no need to manually shift!

That's one of the first things that I did on my Maggie'd GTO, and the car was a whole new monster of Jeremy Formato did that for me. I wouldn't recommend doing this tuning without a good shift kit and tranny cooler though. Do those things to make your transmission less prone to breakdown from heat and slipping first, then make it aggressive. Hope that helps.

oddwraith

iTrader: (1)

Indeed that helps. Thanks for the advice, but I think i'll just leave it alone and enjoy. Just a little curious and don't want to do anything stupid. Last car was an m6 95 TA and i'm a little new to the A4 scene. Thanks.

bobdec

oddwraith, ref your OP... For high powered cars, instead of using the brakes to hold the car at a power launch a Transbrake is used. It puts the automatic in forward and reverse at the same time thus locking the tranny. It can be wired to release automatically or manually with a switch by the driver.

02WS6FREEBIRD

iTrader: (4)

I had my 4l60e "built", the tranny shop had 2 setups to choose from, one really rebuilt the whole thing they said suitable for big cam, juice or super/turbo, second choice was it addressed the weak spots...I chose second choice and they replaced the shell, clutches, servo, the plastic junk to metal, etc., installed stall and its real nice, they tell me I can still leave the tranny sitting on the track, but it's much stronger and they said it's really a pretty good tranny and for tuning I manually shift it up and down and they told me it was not good for it but it should take it...and right after the re-built I was not used to it and was not sure it was right, the master tech put it in 1st gear run up to about 6000 rpm and manually shifted it in to 2nd and you could tell it was fine...and he said if it would not take that...they did something wrong and would have fixed it for free.
Get it built and a stall...and you will be happy

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

when you race put it in 3rd..

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

A lot of misconceptions come out on this issue whenever it comes up ... first of all, the computer and attendant solenoids, etc. always execute the shift regardless if it's in drive or you command it manually. Shifting with the lever doesn't affect shift time.

If you're racing, I agree it's better to leave it in 3rd or 4th for the sake of consistency.

No harm will come to your tranny by manually shifting it, other than by mistakes - overreving and hitting the limiter, failing to rev match on downshifts. I upshift manually on the street from time to time for various reasons - no worries.

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

Just get a line locker and you will be set. . . .

Smoky burn outs all day long. . . . . . . .

ChocoTaco369

It is my personal opinion that manually upshifting isn't all that terrible on the transmission. It is also my personal opinion that manually downshifting is terrible on the transmission. I only manually downshift occasionally, and that is when I am stuck at the bottom of OD with my TC locked up at ~40 mph, and I do it under very light throttle to get around the car because I believe the downshift will hurt less than the hard wear on the torque converter trying to get around the car or the hard throttle 4-3 shift to get the damn TC to unlock since it takes 50% throttle to unlock the damn thing!

I don't manually downshift to race, and I've heard from many people that a 3-2 WOT downshift is a lot worse than a 4-2 WOT downshift, so going from OD to 2 is actually better for the trans than D to 2. The trans just has to do a lot of work in the 2-3 or 3-2 shift while the 2-4 and 4-2 shift is a quick release. I've heard Gilbert say "a monkey could make the 1-2 and 3-4 shifts hit in these transmissions, it's the 2-3 shift that dictates whether a 4L60E lives or dies" or something along those lines.

I manually upshift occasionally. Obviously, it's always better to leave it in OD, but I don't see how manually UPSHIFTING the trans is all that worse besides keeping it in a higher overall rpm (and therefore adding much better responsiveness). The trans is still upshifting like normal, just at a higher average rpm. I believe it brings on the overrun clutches in the 1-2 shift, resulting in a much more positive feeling shift, but I don't know if that's bad or not.

ChocoTaco369

The computer still shifts when you manually upshift, so nothing is "manual" about it. Manually upshifting is better for daily driving responsiveness to keep you at a higher average rpm and it can often be better at the track to start out in first gear because if you lose traction, the car will shift into first, catch traction, downshift back into first and take off. That happened to me at the track and I ran a 14.3@106mph with like a 2.3x 60 foot. I was pissed off. From now on, I'm starting out in first gear at the track and as soon as I catch traction throwing it into overdrive.

macleod

iTrader: (2)

Here is an answer written by performabuilt in sticky. I try to drive around town in 3 vs D but I dont manual shift mine unless doing my burnout at the track.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic-transmission/728728-commonly-asked-stall-transmission-related-questions.html


3-Manual shifting of transmission. Contrary to popular thought, doing this occasionally will not hurt your unit. In fact, there are some instances where it can be beneficial. For example, when roll racing, bringing on the low clutch by manually putting the transmission into first helps support the low and input sprags. Another example would be burn outs, as again it will help to support the sprags by turning on the low clutch and the overrun clutch. Placing the transmission in D3 rather than the OD position is always a good idea when using nitrous or turbo/supercharger applications. Although we use the strongest sprag available, the BorgWarner dual cage input sprag it is still the weakest link in the transmission. Also, the overrun clutch being on to help support it is a good idea. Note however that on our level three unit (which is capable of downshifting to manual first at any speed) there is a risk of over revving the engine and causing damage to the engine.