A4 shifting
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
In regular traffic thats moving I leave it in D. If the traffic slows I'll use 2 to stop it hunting.
Wanted to check out acceleration and braking with my new PS2s yesterday. Entered the local stretch of freeway which is quiet out of town. Left it in 2 and accelerated hard to the speed limit before slowing right down. I forgot just how awesome this car is
Wanted to check out acceleration and braking with my new PS2s yesterday. Entered the local stretch of freeway which is quiet out of town. Left it in 2 and accelerated hard to the speed limit before slowing right down. I forgot just how awesome this car is
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 47
From: Indianapolis IN
Originally Posted by VET IT B
I often have mine in 2nd gear going light to light. From a stop with A4 in 2nd, doesn't it start in 1st ? 
Mark
Mark
"If you manually select SECOND (2) when you start the
vehicle, the transmission will drive (and stay) in second
gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to
the rear wheels when you are trying to start your vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces, or for preventing
the transmission from downshifting into FIRST (1) in
situations where a downshift would be undesirable."
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 953
Likes: 4
From: Guelph Ontario
Originally Posted by EnglandGreen
To show people like you a clean set of taillights, of course.
I have spanked many a MN6/MN12 driver that assumed (just like you) that your car was way faster than mine - or even better yet - naturally assumed that you were a much better driver than I am.
I have spanked many a MN6/MN12 driver that assumed (just like you) that your car was way faster than mine - or even better yet - naturally assumed that you were a much better driver than I am.
Supporting Tuner
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 51,896
Likes: 39
From: ================== Houston, Texas www.englandgreen.com ================== Necessary Evil™ __________
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
Originally Posted by WTC5
No Offence to anyone with an A4. When asked why I have a MN6, My responce is simple." I wanted an automatic, I would have purcheased a Caddilac"
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,675
Likes: 58
From: Hayward (Bay Area) CA
Originally Posted by EnglandGreen
But does your real man's manual look like this????
One day I'll be able to afford one too.... 
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,675
Likes: 58
From: Hayward (Bay Area) CA
Originally Posted by Mike McCoy
As with any mechanical device the transmission has only so many duty cycles in it. It may be 10 million or 20 million, or whatever, so manually shifting when it's not necessary simply uses more of these finite cycles. So, if you want to play, be prepared to pay. The engineers have designed automatic transmissions to be AUTOMATIC. The computer figures out the best gear to be in, and uses sensors to find the best combination on modern cars.
I know, nobody wants to hear this (including Me). Nobody wants to really know the negative sides of shifting in Auto cars (including Me), cuz we all like to do that. So, WHY DO we even bother asking such questions ? Cuz deep down inside, we know better. But we're just looking for "others" opinions & approval, to help us steer our own. Bottom line - Your tranny will go bad if you shift it manually a lot. I've done it in the past, after which I did research, and was told by professionals to not do it. So, I stay away from shifting all the time. As someone here said they changed their gears and stall TC, and leaving it in D gives them enough power "All the time", with some Dyno tune help.Having said that, I do shift sometimes in traffic to 2nd to just pass up some cars quickly, or change lanes. Either way, hope that helps...
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 47
From: Indianapolis IN
Originally Posted by Vette_Fan
I know, nobody wants to hear this (including Me). Nobody wants to really know the negative sides of shifting in Auto cars (including Me), cuz we all like to do that. So, WHY DO we even bother asking such questions ? Cuz deep down inside, we know better. But we're just looking for "others" opinions & approval, to help us steer our own. Bottom line - Your tranny will go bad if you shift it manually a lot. I've done it in the past, after which I did research, and was told by professionals to not do it. So, I stay away from shifting all the time. As someone here said they changed their gears and stall TC, and leaving it in D gives them enough power "All the time", with some Dyno tune help.Having said that, I do shift sometimes in traffic to 2nd to just pass up some cars quickly, or change lanes. Either way, hope that helps...
I might agree if someone is just cruising down the highway, and shifting up and down the gears just for the heck of it. But usually I'll downshift/upshift manually in those situations where the tranny would have done it anyway, but I wanted it to shift now, rather than a few moments from now. Under those circumstances, the tranny isn't being put through any more duty cycles than having it in "D".
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Supporting Tuner
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 51,896
Likes: 39
From: ================== Houston, Texas www.englandgreen.com ================== Necessary Evil™ __________
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
Originally Posted by Bill Baird
I don't agree with you. Do you have any links/articles to back that up?
I might agree if someone is just cruising down the highway, and shifting up and down the gears just for the heck of it. But usually I'll downshift/upshift manually in those situations where the tranny would have done it anyway, but I wanted it to shift now, rather than a few moments from now. Under those circumstances, the tranny isn't being put through any more duty cycles than having it in "D".
I might agree if someone is just cruising down the highway, and shifting up and down the gears just for the heck of it. But usually I'll downshift/upshift manually in those situations where the tranny would have done it anyway, but I wanted it to shift now, rather than a few moments from now. Under those circumstances, the tranny isn't being put through any more duty cycles than having it in "D".
Correct.Everyone seems to forget - it's a transmission.
Whether "automatic" or manual - gears still have to be selected and torque multiplication still has to take place. I love hearing the "if I shift it, I will break it" mantra.
So here's what we can do. For the timid, please leave your automatic in OD and I'll continue to shift my "automatic" like a ****. How's that?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 301
From: Bonita CA
Hot Rod the A4 and you will burn clutches sooner. Ok if you don't mind a premature tranny wear out. An unmodified A4 is a marginal tranny at best for manual shifting. Shift out of OD for around town, otherwise leave it in drive. If that is not a low enough gear, change the rear end and don't mess with the A4 unless you plan to rebuild and modify it early.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,038
Likes: 3
From: Charlotte North Carolina
You know...as much as people like to argue back and forth about this topic, whether it is harmful to shift the A4 manually; however, there is a concrete answer. You might find that the correct answer lies somethere in between "perfectly fine" and "should never do it". I suspect the correct answer will have much to do with frequency and circumstance.
We need someone with actual mechanical knowledge who can speak on this subject with authority, not anecdotal evidence, but actual authority based on scientific type mechanical training to respond to this question.
We need someone with actual mechanical knowledge who can speak on this subject with authority, not anecdotal evidence, but actual authority based on scientific type mechanical training to respond to this question.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 47
From: Indianapolis IN
Originally Posted by 2KREDVert
Hot Rod the A4 and you will burn clutches sooner. Ok if you don't mind a premature tranny wear out. An unmodified A4 is a marginal tranny at best for manual shifting. Shift out of OD for around town, otherwise leave it in drive. If that is not a low enough gear, change the rear end and don't mess with the A4 unless you plan to rebuild and modify it early.
As another point, there are times when I want to downshift to pass, without necessarily flooring the accelerator. It would seem that I'm being easier on the car by manually downshifting and accelerating mildly, rather than going *****-to-the-wall and letting the tranny finally catch on that a downshift would be appropriate.
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
From: "Second place is just the first loser" Edmond, Oklahoma
Originally Posted by Bill Baird
I don't know if you are being serious about that question, but the answer is "No." If you start off with the selector in "2", then you will start off in 2nd gear. The 2002 Owner Manual states (p. 2-30):
"If you manually select SECOND (2) when you start the
vehicle, the transmission will drive (and stay) in second
gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to
the rear wheels when you are trying to start your vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces, or for preventing
the transmission from downshifting into FIRST (1) in
situations where a downshift would be undesirable."
"If you manually select SECOND (2) when you start the
vehicle, the transmission will drive (and stay) in second
gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to
the rear wheels when you are trying to start your vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces, or for preventing
the transmission from downshifting into FIRST (1) in
situations where a downshift would be undesirable."
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,675
Likes: 58
From: Hayward (Bay Area) CA
Originally Posted by Bill Baird
"Hot Rodding" is always harder on the parts involved, there's no question about that. But what is the difference if I manually downshift it, or if I just floor the accelerator and the tranny then downshifts? The same speeds are involved, and the same gear is selected.
Circumstances and frequency are surely a key thing here... There's a line in between "NEVER do it, and ALWAYS do it". I guess, "sometimes", under certain circumstances won't hurt it. But as I mentioned earlier, I used to do it "all the time", and in about less than a year, I messed up my Tranny and needed a rebuild. Now if you don't mind rebuilding, or upgrading... then there's not problem. BUT just keep that in mind, you're gonna need to visit a rebuild/repair shop sooner than later...