shifting to neutrel
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From: Chicago, IL
Originally Posted by BonneMeMN
The transmission isn't "pushing" the wheels when you get off the gas. The engine isn't being pushed anymore, but because of an automatic'* nature, it has a much more gradual slow down over a manual. When you get off of a manual, and the clutch is fully engaged, you know it.
Conversely using the Transmission on steep down grades will help save your brakes from early death.
Conversely using the Transmission on steep down grades will help save your brakes from early death.
I once saw an old GM X-body (a FWD Skylark) slide right past me at a stoplight in winter and do a great 180 right in the middle of the intersection. Those were the cars with proportioning valve problems that could end up doing too much braking on the front wheels, not enough on the rears, and were prone to spinouts as a result.
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From: New Jersey - Most of Our Elected Officials Have Not Been Indicted
Originally Posted by glorkar
Anything that makes the tranny last is good in my books.
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Originally Posted by acg_ssei
Originally Posted by Sol
The only time I shift to slow down is when I'm sliding on ice and there is traffic in front of me.
I will downshift to first and apply the brakes. It seems to help me stop better. I only use it in emergency cases because it is not good for the car.
I will downshift to first and apply the brakes. It seems to help me stop better. I only use it in emergency cases because it is not good for the car.
In a rear-wheel drive car you're throwing out the anchor on the back end of the car instead of the front, which will help keep the nose pointed in the right direction.
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<answer from guy who works at gm powertrain> 
(i really like that title sometimes) 
your tranny is designed to handle you taking in it and out of gear - the only time you're putting more stress on your tranny that what it'* designed to do is when you:
drop it in gear while revving the engine - kinda hard on clutch pads
go back and forth between the clutch convertor engaged and disengaged or intentionally wear down the band a little bit so that the shift is smoother
hold your car on a hill simply by holding down the gas - not worse on the gears than what it can handle, but the torque convertor in essence becomes a heat convertor, cause it'* sitting there trying to build torque (below stall speeds, fluid is passing between a stator in the middle of the torque convertor and is creating heat) but not getting any cooling from the radiator (not moving) or any air moving below the vehicle (not moving).
after i say all of that, you can take it out of gear, but you're doing yourself no good. wouldn't say you're doing yourself any bad, but if it makes you feel more comfy, then go ahead and leave it in gear.
oh, and a tip: keep it in 3rd unless you're doing steady speeds above say 50 mph (Based on my vehicle anyways) - keeps the tcc from trying to lock up all the time, and when you kick it down from OD to 3rd (at least in the 4L60, not positive on the 4T65, but i'd assume it'* very similar), it ups the line pressure and gives you better shifts...
whew. that was a long post to say you're better off leaving it in gear, huh?
matt
(i really like that title sometimes) your tranny is designed to handle you taking in it and out of gear - the only time you're putting more stress on your tranny that what it'* designed to do is when you:
drop it in gear while revving the engine - kinda hard on clutch pads
go back and forth between the clutch convertor engaged and disengaged or intentionally wear down the band a little bit so that the shift is smoother
hold your car on a hill simply by holding down the gas - not worse on the gears than what it can handle, but the torque convertor in essence becomes a heat convertor, cause it'* sitting there trying to build torque (below stall speeds, fluid is passing between a stator in the middle of the torque convertor and is creating heat) but not getting any cooling from the radiator (not moving) or any air moving below the vehicle (not moving).
after i say all of that, you can take it out of gear, but you're doing yourself no good. wouldn't say you're doing yourself any bad, but if it makes you feel more comfy, then go ahead and leave it in gear.
oh, and a tip: keep it in 3rd unless you're doing steady speeds above say 50 mph (Based on my vehicle anyways) - keeps the tcc from trying to lock up all the time, and when you kick it down from OD to 3rd (at least in the 4L60, not positive on the 4T65, but i'd assume it'* very similar), it ups the line pressure and gives you better shifts...
whew. that was a long post to say you're better off leaving it in gear, huh?
matt
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p.*.
for those who aren't too familiar with auto trannies, the only real wear you have to worry about (assuming you have enough lube in there) is wtih clutch bands and clutch plates, which are both designed, when unaltered, to last a good long time. all of the gears in the tranny are in constant contact with each other, and a fair amount of them are constantly moving. the clutches (very simplified of course) just sort of turn on and off different parts of the tranny
matt
for those who aren't too familiar with auto trannies, the only real wear you have to worry about (assuming you have enough lube in there) is wtih clutch bands and clutch plates, which are both designed, when unaltered, to last a good long time. all of the gears in the tranny are in constant contact with each other, and a fair amount of them are constantly moving. the clutches (very simplified of course) just sort of turn on and off different parts of the tranny
matt
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From: Chicago, IL
Originally Posted by mkaake
<answer from guy who works at gm powertrain> (i really like that title sometimes)
your tranny is designed to handle you taking in it and out of gear - the only time you're putting more stress on your tranny that what it'* designed to do is when you:
[...]
(i really like that title sometimes) your tranny is designed to handle you taking in it and out of gear - the only time you're putting more stress on your tranny that what it'* designed to do is when you:
[...]
I was visiting there one day in 1980, and to show me around they handed me off to one of the test drivers to give me a tour of the track. (Not all 123 miles of it but we covered a lot.) We were in a new, gold turbo 1980 Monte Carlo (yes, they did have turbo models, but you didn't even get a boost gauge). In addition to just driving flat-out around the banked curves (banked enough that I could look straight _up_ through the windshield and see the grass going by) and the 5-mile straightaway, I remember him coming over the top of a steep hill, roaring down the other side, slamming on the brakes at the bottom, putting it in reverse and gunning it backwards right up the hill again. (No doubt they're a lot harder on the cars when they don't have a guest riding shotgun.) Anyone needing Dramamine should not go for tours in that place.
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