Automatic transmission
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,754
Likes: 89
From: arvada co
I read this once written by a trans technician.
If you are driving in the city, keep it in D. Going between stoplights, running through the gears and the trans shifting into OD at the bottom of OD range, and driving near the bottom of OD range puts a strain on the trans. In city driving that cycle gets repeated time & again.
City driving ‘D’; extended periods of 40mph+ driving use ‘OD’.
He may be wrong. I’m just relaying the message, but it made sense to me.
If you are driving in the city, keep it in D. Going between stoplights, running through the gears and the trans shifting into OD at the bottom of OD range, and driving near the bottom of OD range puts a strain on the trans. In city driving that cycle gets repeated time & again.
City driving ‘D’; extended periods of 40mph+ driving use ‘OD’.
He may be wrong. I’m just relaying the message, but it made sense to me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,451
Likes: 336
From: Greater Cincinnati Area.
Very few people realize this ^^
I know there's line pressure increase in D1 and D2, and of course a BUNCH in Reverse, but I don't believe there is an increase in D3.
But yeah, if your honking it on, being in other than D4 will shunt some of the torque around the sprag during the 1-2 upshift.
I know there's line pressure increase in D1 and D2, and of course a BUNCH in Reverse, but I don't believe there is an increase in D3.
But yeah, if your honking it on, being in other than D4 will shunt some of the torque around the sprag during the 1-2 upshift.
And yeah, very few people do realize that. If they saw the sprag they would never, ever believe that little piece of metal bears the entire weight of their vehicle.
I used to keep one in here to show customers who complained because "the kit" is only 300 bucks or so. What they're missing is the importance of hard parts like that sprag.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 761
Likes: 66
From: Fitzwilliam New Hampshire
I stay in D unless at least 48 mph as that's when it will shift into OD on its own, I usually shift into OD at 50 mph or above. Converter lockup occurs when at that speed in my 94 LT1 Coupe. I do not like to create alot of trans temp with converter slipping at low speeds when trans is hunting for correct gear. When slowing down I drop to D at about 40 mph and 2 at about 28 mph, same on upshift and have had no problems. Fuel mileage is not a big concern to me.
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