3...2...1....A4, GO! (A quick question)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 0
From: Oceanside New York
3...2...1....A4, GO! (A quick question)
Hey all!
So i'm cruising in my A4 and I look at the gears...I see "D", "3", "2", "1". So I read in the manual that:
"D": Overdrive gear option.
"3": More power than Overdrive option.
"2": More power than "3" option.
"1": More power than "2" option.
Now, in my history of driving automatics, you don't really use "lower" gears for normal driving. Primarily, they were used for things like snow and not for daily driving....however, we're talking Corvettes...am I wrong? Should I drop it down to "2" or "1" and expect to blast off harder and drive faster?
Someone educate me here...I've used "3" and noticed obvious power increases...
So i'm cruising in my A4 and I look at the gears...I see "D", "3", "2", "1". So I read in the manual that:
"D": Overdrive gear option.
"3": More power than Overdrive option.
"2": More power than "3" option.
"1": More power than "2" option.
Now, in my history of driving automatics, you don't really use "lower" gears for normal driving. Primarily, they were used for things like snow and not for daily driving....however, we're talking Corvettes...am I wrong? Should I drop it down to "2" or "1" and expect to blast off harder and drive faster?
Someone educate me here...I've used "3" and noticed obvious power increases...
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 740
Likes: 149
From: Eastside WA
It may be a technical point, but the power is the same in all four gears, just the ratio is changing (think of riding a ten-speed bike). The lower gears will have a better throttle response at the expense of a more limited top end. Thats why A4s start in first and end up in 4th and then kick down a gear or two when you stand on it.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
If you start from a stand still then there will not be a difference.
If you start at, let's say 50 MPH and go from D to 3 or 2 then you will feel more "power."
The engine won't make any more power but being in a lower gear increases the torque multiplication via gear ratios.
You can get the same effect by flooring the throttle and letting the trans downshift itself.
If you start at, let's say 50 MPH and go from D to 3 or 2 then you will feel more "power."
The engine won't make any more power but being in a lower gear increases the torque multiplication via gear ratios.
You can get the same effect by flooring the throttle and letting the trans downshift itself.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 6
From: Los Angeles
Typically, if you select 1. You will start in first and it will possibly shift to second near redline. If you start in 2, you will start in second and it will stay in second (on every other auto I've owned anyway) If you start in 3, it possibly starts in second and goes to 3rd. D uses all the gears and selects the best gear based on speed and throttle position.
I really don't see any other reason to shift out of D on the street unless you are hot ******* in the parking lot in 1 or 2 and want to hear the car rev down on decel.
No shifter position will create any more power than the other. But it may put you in a lower gear than D would in the same circumstances, making it seem like more power. But it's just a lower gear, same as a downshift in a manual.
I really don't see any other reason to shift out of D on the street unless you are hot ******* in the parking lot in 1 or 2 and want to hear the car rev down on decel.
No shifter position will create any more power than the other. But it may put you in a lower gear than D would in the same circumstances, making it seem like more power. But it's just a lower gear, same as a downshift in a manual.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 0
From: Oceanside New York
Thanks guys, but just to clarify, I won't be killing my engine if I decide to drive around in "1", even if doing so with the intent to speed around pretty hard? I'm just abit confused still...maybe i'm just not catching it. I understand that i'm not "making any more power"...I have the 3.15 ratio, i'm wondering if perhaps that has something more to do with it?
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 589
Likes: 1
From: Alberta
Thanks guys, but just to clarify, I won't be killing my engine if I decide to drive around in "1", even if doing so with the intent to speed around pretty hard? I'm just abit confused still...maybe i'm just not catching it. I understand that i'm not "making any more power"...I have the 3.15 ratio, i'm wondering if perhaps that has something more to do with it?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
What's not to get, this statement explains it all:
"The engine won't make any more power but being in a lower gear increases the torque multiplication via gear ratios."
You can definitely fry your gears from down-shifting and letting your car run at high RPM's. Try it and you'll notice a smell of something burning
"The engine won't make any more power but being in a lower gear increases the torque multiplication via gear ratios."
You can definitely fry your gears from down-shifting and letting your car run at high RPM's. Try it and you'll notice a smell of something burning
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
What's not to get, this statement explains it all:
"The engine won't make any more power but being in a lower gear increases the torque multiplication via gear ratios."
You can definitely fry your gears from down-shifting and letting your car run at high RPM's. Try it and you'll notice a smell of something burning
"The engine won't make any more power but being in a lower gear increases the torque multiplication via gear ratios."
You can definitely fry your gears from down-shifting and letting your car run at high RPM's. Try it and you'll notice a smell of something burning
For the record, never just drive around in 1 or 1st gear unless you're trying to burn up the transmission. Ask me how I know these things. I don't have a kick down cable in my muscle car so when I want to scream past someone, I drop from drive into second and punch the throttle hard at the same time. The whole front end tries to come off the ground. At the same time my RPM's are climbing fast so I don't stay there long. When I go back to drive, I'm really rolling.
The Vette does this automatically in an A4. I wouldn't try this unless you have a ratchet shifter or you could accidentally hit the wrong gear and blow the transmission up. Ask me how I know, and now you know why I have a ratchet shifter.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 0
From: Oceanside New York
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
If you want to move a shifter around while you drive, get a stickshift!
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 0
From: You can't get there from here NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
putting the car in third locks out the overdrive, and gives better seat of the pants feel.You can downshift into 2nd as long as you stay within the limits by watching your tach. I usually drive around town in 3rd, because it seems to perform a little better. You can drive on the highway, and shift between gears ( 3 and D) with no problem.Try this: put the car in 3rd, and get up to about 60 on the highway.Look at your instant mpg on the cars computer readout.Then shift the car into D, and see the difference. Your instant mpg will go up about 1 or 2 mpg, because overdrive will kick in.
Overall, 3rd in town, D on the highway, and you are safe.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I use 2 for some of the backroads around here. With the twists and turns I'm limited in the speed I can reach in any case. The only other time I use 3 or even 2 is if I want instant pick up, say when overtaking. That way you avoid the dreaded kickdown hesitation.
If you push too hard the rev limiter kicks in and you'll see the shift cue in the HUD.
Other than that I let D do the work.
If you push too hard the rev limiter kicks in and you'll see the shift cue in the HUD.
Other than that I let D do the work.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
I would recommend you leave the shifter in D for ALL driving. Let the car do the work, you have an automatic. By shifting yourself, 9 times out of 10 you will miss a shift or have it in the wrong gear anyways. Not to mention the increased wear on your drivetrain people have already mentioned. The trans will automatically go to 3 when you punch the gas.
If you want to move a shifter around while you drive, get a stickshift!
If you want to move a shifter around while you drive, get a stickshift!
For almost all situations, put it in D and forget it. Putting it in 1 locks out all the gears above it, 2 locks out 3 & 4, etc. It's not that bad on the tranny shifting up when WOT. Just watch the downshifts!
putting the car in third locks out the overdrive, and gives better seat of the pants feel.You can downshift into 2nd as long as you stay within the limits by watching your tach. I usually drive around town in 3rd, because it seems to perform a little better. You can drive on the highway, and shift between gears ( 3 and D) with no problem.Try this: put the car in 3rd, and get up to about 60 on the highway.Look at your instant mpg on the cars computer readout.Then shift the car into D, and see the difference. Your instant mpg will go up about 1 or 2 mpg, because overdrive will kick in.
Overall, 3rd in town, D on the highway, and you are safe.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 222
Likes: 1
From: South OC CA
auto shifting
Went on a test drive with the seller of a C5 I'm looking at buying. I have heard let the seller drive and see the way he treats the car. Well he shifted every gear and hot rodded, does it hurt these cars or are they made to do that? It is only a fun car for him so I guess that is just the way he drives the vette. The car has 48K on it and I'm concerned about premature wear on the drivetrain or tranny?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
Went on a test drive with the seller of a C5 I'm looking at buying. I have heard let the seller drive and see the way he treats the car. Well he shifted every gear and hot rodded, does it hurt these cars or are they made to do that? It is only a fun car for him so I guess that is just the way he drives the vette. The car has 48K on it and I'm concerned about premature wear on the drivetrain or tranny?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,181
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
You left out the other info in the manual and picked the word you wanted to hear: "power"
For everyday driving, put it in D and leave it. The computer will pick the correct gear for the circumstances. That's why they call it automatic.
Here's a copy and paste from the owner's manual:
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (Overdrive)
This position is for normal driving.
THIRD (3)
This position is also used for normal driving. However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (Overdrive).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (Overdrive):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2)
This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on.
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.
FIRST (1)
This position gives you even more power, but lower fuel economy, than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transmission will not shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice
Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline components from improper operation
For everyday driving, put it in D and leave it. The computer will pick the correct gear for the circumstances. That's why they call it automatic.
Here's a copy and paste from the owner's manual:
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (Overdrive)
This position is for normal driving.
THIRD (3)
This position is also used for normal driving. However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (Overdrive).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (Overdrive):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2)
This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on.
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.
FIRST (1)
This position gives you even more power, but lower fuel economy, than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transmission will not shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice
Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline components from improper operation
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,577
Likes: 5
From: Portage Mi
3 vs. D, maybe
But, why do people want to turn the A4 into a manual that doesn't require the left foot?
It is simple to me. You make the decision to shift or not to shift when you buy the car.
It is simple to me. You make the decision to shift or not to shift when you buy the car.