Do you shift your automatic?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 20
From: Back in San Diego Ca
Do you shift your automatic?
My friends think I am strange for shifting my vette which is an automatic when I race or do performance driving. I have been driving like this for a while now but, recently I got wondering how many other people shift their automatics. Since the only way I have of finding out is through here. How many of you shift your automatics?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,122
Likes: 1,725
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (OrangeC4)
i dont, let it shift by itself, it does it better than i would.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,631
Likes: 1
From: Stoplight City IN
S. Indiana Events Coordinator
Cruise-In I Veteran
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (OrangeC4)
I spend a lot of time in 2nd gear when driving particularly curvy roads.
And here's a vid of what it sounds like :D
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c4/sav...sgap_brian.mpg
[Modified by SaveTheWave, 8:40 AM 1/6/2002]
And here's a vid of what it sounds like :D
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c4/sav...sgap_brian.mpg
[Modified by SaveTheWave, 8:40 AM 1/6/2002]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (OrangeC4)
Depends on what type of driving I'm doing.
Commute - keep it in D until the rare 55mph then OD
Hard Launch - D
Twistie turnie road with few straights - 2, occasionaly up shift to D and back down to 2. Depends on the length of straights. Keeps it in the power and tourqe band.
Jist my $0.02
Commute - keep it in D until the rare 55mph then OD
Hard Launch - D
Twistie turnie road with few straights - 2, occasionaly up shift to D and back down to 2. Depends on the length of straights. Keeps it in the power and tourqe band.
Jist my $0.02
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 179
Likes: 1
From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (OrangeC4)
Usually just leave it in OD and let it shift by itself.
If I am trying to show off, I sometimes put it in second. I like the sound and the instant response when I hit the gas pedal.
If I am trying to show off, I sometimes put it in second. I like the sound and the instant response when I hit the gas pedal.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (Ezgoin721)
It's usually best to let it shift since the computer knows when it should shift.. and you usually don't. I am going to be reprogramming my computer's shift points though so I won't have to worry about manually shifting for "sport mode". I'm going to extend shifts with over 50% throttle up into the higher rpm's.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 0
From: Bucks county Pa
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (Glock'94)
I just put it in OD and leave it. The only manual shifting ive done was down shifting to keep from riding the brakes on big hills or when the radar went nuts.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,095
Likes: 1
From: modland CT
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (OrangeC4)
i let the car shift. i had a shift kit installed. now the car automatically chirps 2nd! :D my mechanic is always telling me i can shift the car manually but i just dont want 2 break anything. :smash: :eek:
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 27,818
Likes: 8
From: CT
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (yoslambo1@cs.com)
To each their own.... some like to leave it in "D", some like to shift themselves. To control wheelspin on street tires I manually shift. On slicks... next time out, I am holding it down while leaving it in "D". Just for comparison, I'll do two runs in the same lane in "D" then run manually shift and see if there are differences. I'd always wanted to know if one's better than the other.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 20
From: Back in San Diego Ca
Re: Do you shift your automatic? (MardiGrasMan)
The tranny will up-shift at the right time most of the time, but what I have found is that it doesn't down-shift when you want it to and sometime it is too high of a gear. If you leave the car in D and you want to be in 2nd, like for going through s-turns and such it will up-shift when it doesn't like to be in 2nd anymore but when it should be. Times like this is when I shift it manually to get better performance out of the car.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,381
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
From what I've seen manual shifting slows the car down at the strip. You have no control on how fast it shifts like a manual, so you are at the mercy of your tranny for how long it will or won't take depending on your setup.
If you have your cables adjusted right (or computer programmed right for later years), shouldn't it shift at optimal points anyways?
If you have your cables adjusted right (or computer programmed right for later years), shouldn't it shift at optimal points anyways?