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How to Manually Shift an Automatic

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Old 04-11-2005, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by jr's3800
The PCM, Cars computer controls the 4T60-E... All of the upshifts and down shifts are controled as so... If you left the trans in first and floored it the PCM would shift into second for you no matter what... If you don't wear out the trans first, you may wear out the Trans Range switch leaving the PCM wondering what gear you have selected... These transmissions are not built for abuse, they are intended to be a gennerally nice shifting trans that will do a good job over the course of its life, and tow a little behind you...

The only thing I can see happening is the trans wearing out early on...
Yes, but from my experience it will "hold" he gear longer before it shifts. When ou lighten up on the gas the transmission usually up shifts, but holding it in gear it will stay in that gear until either you shift it out of the PCM sences that the transmission has peaked and has to shift to keep accelerating.

Although the feeling was the car was quicker by doing this, I don't think it really was. I believe it was more wishful thinking than anything.
Old 04-11-2005, 01:18 PM
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I don't see any need to manual shift, even at the track. I know many of the fastest Bonnies just leave it in D and go.
Old 04-11-2005, 02:10 PM
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i agree when racing make sure that the car is in D so the car is not trying to lockup the TCC, and not manually shift the trans
Old 04-11-2005, 03:55 PM
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real manual transmission > fake manual transmission


in these parts, we call people that drive their automatics like they're manuals 'Ricers'
Old 04-11-2005, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by SSsuperchargedEi
real manual transmission > fake manual transmission


in these parts, we call people that drive their automatics like they're manuals 'Ricers'
Now you're just gettin' mean....
Old 04-11-2005, 04:02 PM
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Pontiac determined what the optimium shift points are for performance, reliability, and smoothness. The computer controls the shift and does it faster, and controlled.

Unless you've got lots of test equipment, a PCM ROM writer...
Old 04-11-2005, 05:19 PM
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Originally Posted by jr's3800
The PCM, Cars computer controls the 4T60-E... All of the upshifts and down shifts are controled as so... If you left the trans in first and floored it the PCM would shift into second for you no matter what...
That is true that the computer will actually "short shift" the car into 2nd gear if you hold it in 1st. (meaing it will actually shift at lower rpms than usual into 2nd) but try it with any other gear and the PCM will not tell it to shift and it will bang the limiter. I only manually shift when I'm not at WOT and I just want the tranny to not go above X gear because of certain circumstances that I feel the car doens't need to upshift for, but for most people I don't see a point. Most of my problems are from my vacuum controlled tranny anyways. I always just throw the SSEi into D and leave it at that when I drive it.

Shawn
Old 04-11-2005, 08:20 PM
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I don't have 1st gear [I am believing it to be because my vacuum modulator was malfunctioning], so if I want to accelerate, I have to put it into 1st. Otherwise it starts off in second, or some hybrid gear. Not quite sure, but I always thought the car was that slow accelerating, until the transmission kept shifting between 2nd and 3rd every 5sec [thanks to a loose coilpack], so I just manually shifted her, and discovered the amazing 1st gear torque of my baby. If I fix the 1st gear problem, I will probably just leave her in OD [D still has TCC lockup, but just no overdrive]. Not quite sure why it damages a tranny, or how? You guys say it can damage a tranny that has electronic shifting, well I have hydraulic shifting.. what about me?


-justin
Old 04-12-2005, 03:04 AM
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Did this one day also, until the next morning I got the feeling I should read up about it first, found the page where it said lower fuel economy, and never did it again. haha. And there'* no way it can be good for a tranny when you manually shift an automatic car. Just to reiterate that for the 40th time


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