Yeah I think I'm a moron
12-14-2003, 09:22 PM
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Yeah I think I'm a moron 
Ok, I think I've been doing something very stupid to my car. It's an A4, stock, and for a while now, whenever I've got to get on to the highway, I put it in 3rd, get up to about 40-50 mph, and then shift to 4th. Just how bad is it to do this?? I'm just worried I might have f'd up the car. Any input would be very appreciated! Thanks! 
12-14-2003, 09:46 PM
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The A4 does not have a manual valve body, so you could eventually mess something within the tranny. You have to have a special valve body to be able to manually shift the 4L60E.
Someone back me up on this one. This is what a few A4 guys have told me, so am I right?
Ryan
Someone back me up on this one. This is what a few A4 guys have told me, so am I right?
Ryan
12-14-2003, 09:51 PM
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A manual valve body is not necessary to shift the 4L60E, but what you are doing is not wise, you can however purchase manual valve bodys for the 4L60E, I dont see why people do this, the only time I ever shift my car manually is when im in traffic and my converter is having trouble deciding weather to lock/unlock.
`s
Wes
`s
Wes
12-14-2003, 09:54 PM
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Thank God I joined this forum. I would've kept shifting over and over probably, without even thinking about it.
Ryan, I take it it's better that I wasn't doing it at WOT? Probably not much better, but still?
Ryan, I take it it's better that I wasn't doing it at WOT? Probably not much better, but still?
12-14-2003, 09:58 PM
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Thanks for the advice Wes. I would do it when merging because the car wouldn't go into the overdrive gear so soon, and I'd get be able to get more power (if that makes any sense) without having to floor the pedal all the way. But f--k that, won't be doing that anymore!!
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12-14-2003, 10:06 PM
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Originally Posted by onebadz
Get a different Torque Converter and you wont have to worry about that at all...
Wes
Wes
12-15-2003, 08:15 PM
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There is no advantage to manually shifting an auto trans anyway.
Do this:
Buy yourself a nice stall (at least a 3500, ) and throw a transgo shift kit in, don't forget the tranny cooler.
You'll thank me later. :yup:
Do this:
Buy yourself a nice stall (at least a 3500, ) and throw a transgo shift kit in, don't forget the tranny cooler.
You'll thank me later. :yup:
12-16-2003, 02:18 PM
#14
If you really like to hold it up in the revs in third gear - go for it. The 4L60 E is an Electronic controlled transmission. It fixes your f* ups for you. Basically, by shifting what your telling the tranny's computer logic is: Dont shift past 3rd unless necessary (past 6000 RPM). Just like if you were doing 5000 RPM in 3rd gear and you shifted down to second. The tranny wouldnt actually shift until you slowed down enough that second gear would keep your revs under 6000 RPM. By shifting the shifter your only giving the computer guidelines as to when to shift. The computer still decides if its safe / possible to make the shift of hold the gear. As for the question on wether or not its worth shifting it manually - I cast my vote as "Not a chance".
-T
-T
12-16-2003, 02:46 PM
#15
Whats the big deal?????? By leaving the car in third or (DRIVE) you are just avoiding OVERDRIVE. Thats all. I guess just poorer fuel economy.
Actually IF one ever read their owners manual on the 700R4 and 200R4, they ADVISED you to drive around town in 3rd. Caused more harm to the tranny "hunting" for the right gear.
No harm in it what so ever . . . .
Actually IF one ever read their owners manual on the 700R4 and 200R4, they ADVISED you to drive around town in 3rd. Caused more harm to the tranny "hunting" for the right gear.
No harm in it what so ever . . . .
12-16-2003, 08:56 PM
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The problems come when you start throwing it down in 1 and drive it like its a M4. I was under the impression this was what you were doing, guess I need to pay better attention. I put my car down in 3(D) in heavy traffic all the time to avoid repeated converter lockup/unlock.
Wes
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12-16-2003, 09:14 PM
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I shift the car manualy when I feel like having some fun. 
And I was told some good info by a local highly know LS1 tunner. He said the only draw back to shifting manualy is that you cant shift faster then the computer. It does no harm to the tranny at all other then regular wear and tear. He said that shifting manualy is only bad when you shift down in turns, shift down while breaking, and keeping your foot on the gas as you shift down. He said shifting up is fine. He recomended to me to keep it in drive as I come to a stop. Let the computer decide when it will down shift. Although bringing the car to a stop with its own power in 2nd sounds nice, and is cool, he said it can be harmful, and shouldn't be done regularly with a tranny that can be notorious for heat. If you run a Trans Cooler it's cool, but aside from that it isn't the best.
~Kevin DiOssi
And I was told some good info by a local highly know LS1 tunner. He said the only draw back to shifting manualy is that you cant shift faster then the computer. It does no harm to the tranny at all other then regular wear and tear. He said that shifting manualy is only bad when you shift down in turns, shift down while breaking, and keeping your foot on the gas as you shift down. He said shifting up is fine. He recomended to me to keep it in drive as I come to a stop. Let the computer decide when it will down shift. Although bringing the car to a stop with its own power in 2nd sounds nice, and is cool, he said it can be harmful, and shouldn't be done regularly with a tranny that can be notorious for heat. If you run a Trans Cooler it's cool, but aside from that it isn't the best. ~Kevin DiOssi
12-17-2003, 07:50 AM
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i have just kinda skimmed through here, but what about @ the track? Is it an advantage to shift an A4 manually? I always have shifted Manually. Of course 6 months after having my car I had to get the rearend rebuilt also. So what is some advice about shifting @ the track?
12-17-2003, 10:13 AM
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See what I used to do was put the car in 3rd, get onto the highway, wait till it got to about 3000-4000 rpms, and then shift to D (overdrive). I've never done it at WOT. But like some of you guys have said, if this is going to f--k up the car, then forget about it!