Manually shifting the A4....is it ok?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 0
From: Ellicott City MD
St. Jude Donor '05
Manually shifting the A4....is it ok?
Hey,
Just wondering....if I started to manually shift my A4-are there any problems with doing this on a daily basis?
Using 1,2,3,and drive to about 3-4k RPM under normal condition and close to redline or redline when I need the extra power.
Im just used to driving stick and my last car was very very very loud :D
When I would be pulling into a parking lot just to park not intentionally trying to rev the car-just moving it foward little by little to fit in the space and the cars alarms around me started going off :lol:
And I love loud cars-so I got the XR1 but with the A4 I cant keep it in a gear and hear that nice loud exhaust without manually shifting it. So, can I manually shift my A4 daily????
By the way....what are some good headers to go with my 2000A4...I would like them to be a good mate with the XR1(sound wise). I dont care as much on power gains as sound but more power is always good :yesnod:
Just wondering....if I started to manually shift my A4-are there any problems with doing this on a daily basis?
Using 1,2,3,and drive to about 3-4k RPM under normal condition and close to redline or redline when I need the extra power.
Im just used to driving stick and my last car was very very very loud :D
When I would be pulling into a parking lot just to park not intentionally trying to rev the car-just moving it foward little by little to fit in the space and the cars alarms around me started going off :lol:
And I love loud cars-so I got the XR1 but with the A4 I cant keep it in a gear and hear that nice loud exhaust without manually shifting it. So, can I manually shift my A4 daily????
By the way....what are some good headers to go with my 2000A4...I would like them to be a good mate with the XR1(sound wise). I dont care as much on power gains as sound but more power is always good :yesnod:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,294
Likes: 1
From: Coral Springs Florida
Re: Manually shifting the A4....is it ok? (USMUSCL)
Go with the TPIS headers and the off road x-pipe. Check outy my homepage for the install pics...also heres a video of the sound......
http://www.badazcorvettes.com/~vstella/video/ARE226.mpg
http://www.badazcorvettes.com/~vstella/video/ARE226.mpg
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis MN
Re: Manually shifting the A4....is it ok? (USMUSCL)
I've manually shifted my 99 since I got it. Like you, my car has the XR-1 as well as heads/cam/headers. I love it loud. Besides shifting on the street, I track the car at a road course with a lot of 2-3 and 3-2 shifting, even between 3 and 4. I'm still using the stock tranny (I know it will give some time). This auto takes a lot of abuse - bringing the car down from 130 mph into a corner, braking and downshifting into 2nd at 75-80 so I can power through to the next straight. Have fun.
Paul
Paul
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From: Lackey, my own dragstrip VA.
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Re: Manually shifting the A4....is it ok? (USMUSCL)
We have both been doing it since we could drive....................
On our Vette, every chance we get!
18K and still going strong.
IMHO Manually shifting saves the clutch pack in 3rd & overdrive anyway when you stomp to romp. :D
On our Vette, every chance we get!
18K and still going strong.
IMHO Manually shifting saves the clutch pack in 3rd & overdrive anyway when you stomp to romp. :D
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,019
Likes: 2,714
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Re: Manually shifting the A4....is it ok? (ALLTHROTTLE&NOBOTTLE)
Unless you have some serious mods, you will not gain anything by manually holding a lower gear to prevent auto upshifts- the computer knows what it is doing. Just let it upshift when it wants to.
Manually downshifting to slow down merely trades brake wear for tranny wear, and brakes are cheaper. But manually downshifting to be in the proper gear for a corner, now that can be very useful. With my 3.15 ("Performance") rear axle, I will manually downshift from 3 to 2 at up to 55 mph but always while braking in a straight line. That gets the car in 2 so I can apply power coming out of the corner without getting that horrendous downshift which could spin the car.
Manually downshifting to slow down merely trades brake wear for tranny wear, and brakes are cheaper. But manually downshifting to be in the proper gear for a corner, now that can be very useful. With my 3.15 ("Performance") rear axle, I will manually downshift from 3 to 2 at up to 55 mph but always while braking in a straight line. That gets the car in 2 so I can apply power coming out of the corner without getting that horrendous downshift which could spin the car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta GA
Re: Manually shifting the A4....is it ok? (Gearhead Jim)
My car ran 2/10ths faster manually shifting. It would shift at 5700rpm stock, I would manually shift at 6000rpm.
I heard once that manually up-shifting is fine, but manually downshifting from 2-1 or 3-2 or 3-1 is hard on the transmission.
I heard once that manually up-shifting is fine, but manually downshifting from 2-1 or 3-2 or 3-1 is hard on the transmission.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,019
Likes: 2,714
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Re: Manually shifting the A4....is it ok? (cjones)
I just tested my car, sure enough it is shifting 1-2 at about 5600rpm, 2-3 at about 5700rpm. Last summer it would go to 6000 before shifting! I have seen posts that the PCM "learns" your driving techniques and adjusts the shift characteristics, in fact I think it says that in the Service Manual. Between crummy weather and traffic I've been a real featherfoot recently, perhaps I need to reeducate my computer. So my original statement needs to be modified somewhat. Thanks for pointing that out.
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