Automatic Transmission

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takumi64

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I know the Automatic Transmission can never beat the Manual Transmission but there are some things I don't understand about it.

P -> Park
R -> Reverse
D -> Drive
N -> Neutral
1 -> ?
2 -> ?
3 -> ?

Just want to know what these extra numbers on the gearbox are for...
 
1= 1st gear or low gear. And it will remain in that gear and will not upshift.
2= Second gear. The car will use all gears up to second gear.
3= Third gear. The car will use all gears up to third gear.
 
My dad's BMW has a kind of cool system with the auto box. By hitting a switch, ou can change from auto to a sort of manual gearbox, but to shift gears, you move 1-2-3-D. I've never tried it.
 
Boom, atleast in older Mazdas, putting an auto in 2 will force the car in 2nd gear, and it won't use first, only 2nd...which is kinda cool, though I haven't had the want to put my 323 in 2nd and take off.

Most 4 speed autos(well, older Mazdas :) ) also have a button on the shifter that is for OD, or Over Drive, which effectively won't let the car shift into 4th. For the 323, I can go 95+(95 is the fastest I've been so far, hey it's an 82hp 16 year old car) in 3rd gear flat out, and it will shift once I let off ofcourse. Also, when the trans is cold(like just after starting), it won't shift into 4th untill it warms up...so driving on the main road here, going 40, it's humming nicely in 3rd and then will eventually make a shift into 4th.

So to sum it up, the 323's shifter goes, from the forward position:
Park
Reverse
Nuetral
Drive
2
1

Yup.
 
ok, basically boom said all of it.. but on.. 'most' cars

3 - uses all gears up to 3
4 - uses all gears up to 4
d - overdrive, your standard auto tranny
2 - uses ONLY 2, usually in cases of going uphill or downhill. doens't use one because of risk of over revving.
 
My IS300 goes like this:

P = Park
R = Reverse
N = Neutral
D-M = Drive or Manual (Push to the side for manual shifting.)
3 = All gears up to 3rd.
2 = All gears up to 2nd.
1 = Just first gear.


It's a 5 speed automatic that I can shift manually without a clutch. Lexus, E-Shift.
 
Hondas have (D5), (D4), (D3), 2 and 1, but you can drive it just like a manual, without all the hesitations because the clutch work is done automatically. One nice thing about autos is that they're programmed in such a way where they will never downshift to redline, therefore making the engine very hard to break :D. In other words, if you drive at 140mph at 4th gear where it limits at 6000rpm, the engine will not downshift to third even if you switch to third gear unless you slow down to something like 90mph.
 
Originally posted by 19xx
Hondas have (D5), (D4), (D3), 2 and 1, but you can drive it just like a manual, without all the hesitations because the clutch work is done automatically. One nice thing about autos is that they're programmed in such a way where they will never downshift to redline, therefore making the engine very hard to break :D. In other words, if you drive at 140mph at 4th gear where it limits at 6000rpm, the engine will not downshift to third even if you switch to third gear unless you slow down to something like 90mph.
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Automatics don't drive like manuals. I had to drive my mom's minivan for a couple days and it was totally different. I would find myself reaching for a shifter on the floor, or going after the automatic shifter. Besides, theres one less pedal. A lot of the times it's short a gear, and has lower numerical gear ratios, so less torque. The torque converter doesn't seem to make it jump as fast. Finally, probably the biggest point for me, the sporty feel is gone.
 
Originally posted by VG30DETT
The torque converter doesn't seem to make it jump as fast. Finally, probably the biggest point for me, the sporty feel is gone.
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I agree 100%. I've been thinking of replacing my torque converter with one of a different stall speed. I've heard Swift Racing put their torque converter on a GS400 and that car dropped .5 seconds off it's 0-60 times. :eek:
I want that! And to not have that hesitation when you mash the gas pedal. Auto's kinda suck, but they didn't make an manual when I bought my car. :(
 
Originally posted by quicksilver1122
What happens if you put an automatic car into nuetral and press gas?
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It will just rev, like what happens when you put a manual in neutral and "press gas".
 
Originally posted by Takumi Fujiwara
My dad's BMW has a kind of cool system with the auto box. By hitting a switch, ou can change from auto to a sort of manual gearbox, but to shift gears, you move 1-2-3-D. I've never tried it.
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auto box eh? i call it the AutoStick-Shift-Thingy havent got the time to look at the manual yet for it's technical name. NEwayz My car's automatic BUT you can also shift it into Sports Mode which holds each gear till redline and it also learns how hard you drive so it can adjust when to switch gears and stuff. Then there is manual mode you can switch gears by moving the stick up or down and go through all 5 gears. automatic aint so bad in my ride :D but there is a 1 second lag between gear shifting.
 
Any auto drivers here ever have thier car do a shift down shift up shift down really fast? I've noticed several times in the 323, I'll be going flat out, then I'll let up around 45mph, and it'll make like a false shift. Sounds really goofy.

Also, you aren't supposed to drive an auto by starting in 1 then shifting to 2 and then to drive. You can cause clutch problems and, like my bro's 626, you can break a clutch plate and it'll gouge a hole in the transmission case, then you are screwed. But then you can put a manuel in! :)

I like the trans in my 323, the gear ratios really do well with the car, and the shift to 2nd is so hard you can break the fronts loose on dry pavement. Wet pavement flat out makes for either slight wheel spin in 1st then the shift to 2nd breaking them loose for a bit, or complete burnage in first, then the shift to 2nd while the car is going 5mph, and I can almost get it to 3rd while spinning, but usually it's just high RPM in 2nd. Also, when I'm going around a corner while on wet pavement, and I slam on the gas depending on the surface, I can get the inside wheel doing a loner spin and make the turn with the other wheel going the correct speed. Or I just start heading straight towards a curb. ;)

Fun stuff.
 
Originally posted by I6-4-eva
but there is a 1 second lag between gear shifting.
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I soooooooooo hated that... It's like c'mon, change to third gear already. The shifting sync time also suck, and there's no upgrade for either of those.
 
i've heared that auto trans. have their advantages. for example in a FI motor you maintain boost through out the gears.

a friend of mine has a 95' TTsupra auto and his brother just bought the same model but its a MT. both cars were completely stock when they ran the strip and the auto always won. i thought this was cause one car has more wear on it, but in a few supra forums they've agreed that the auto is quicker than the MT when stock.
 
Originally posted by TRUEBOOGALOO
i've heared that auto trans. have their advantages. for example in a FI motor you maintain boost through out the gears.

a friend of mine has a 95' TTsupra auto and his brother just bought the same model but its a MT. both cars were completely stock when they ran the strip and the auto always won. i thought this was cause one car has more wear on it, but in a few supra forums they've agreed that the auto is quicker than the MT when stock.
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Well, if your not very good at shifting, yes, Auto will win. But nothing replaces the control and fun you get out of changing your own gears. Personally, to me, the transmission I want depends on the car. Some times you can get performance auto's which are good...
 
Originally posted by boombexus
I agree 100%. I've been thinking of replacing my torque converter with one of a different stall speed. I've heard Swift Racing put their torque converter on a GS400 and that car dropped .5 seconds off it's 0-60 times. :eek:
I want that! And to not have that hesitation when you mash the gas pedal. Auto's kinda suck, but they didn't make an manual when I bought my car. :(
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I say put the turbo back a bit, and put that 6-speed in. DO IT!

Anyway!
It depends on what your racing. Little mass produced cars like Civics and such, the manuals will win. Lighter transmission, faster shifts, and an extra gear so you get more torque. But if you talk about those AMG Mercedes.... thats a whole 'nother story. Autos that will do burnouts, easy. Now theres something to strive for! Or, if you toss lots of cash into an auto tranny and it'll be faster than a manual. Less room for error, different stall RPMs or something.... They can get fast. But again.....

Sporty, shifting feel.........
GONE!!!
 

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