Is it good or bad to manually shift these transmissions? I hate the low end in second so I've been manually shifting lately but wonder how bad it is.
Also why is it so goofy if you start out in 2...it's like you're in 4th on a manual or something?
Thanks

 

I use to do this in my old accord

until i went to the track and realized that it doesnt matter/or makes the time worse, I say worse cuz 17.7 is pretty bad, lol

 

if you want to downshift then just floor it, the AT should realise you want to move somewhere and will downshift after like 3 seconds of being stupid

 

Bummer, but that's pretty much what I was expecting, thanks for the replies guys.

 

from my experience it dosen't mess it up. I mean i bought my car at 13k miles i got the tranny replaced under warranty cause it started messin up around 15k. I then started shifting manually in my opion its better. i have 40k on it and it hasn't done anything to mess it up. the reason i think its better is cause you can make it redline in every gear. Just my .02

 

my focus is an A/T
I often downshift(4th to 3rd, O/D on or off) to use engine braking and so far 31K miles have had no problmes

however I don't do this at ultra high speeds(no higher then 45mph, 99%of the time) if you were to say drop it in to 2nd at 45mph that can't be good

manually shifting, for upshifting does nothing good, from being at the track my car ran a full second slower when I shifted(17.7 when I shifted, 16.7 when the car shifted)


I would let your car do it's own shifting just to be on the safe side

 

My Mustang had an AOD automatic. If you plan on manually shifting it I would recommend a B&M Transpack or at the least a shift kit. Re-valves the shift points, changes pressure to minimize slipping, and firmer quicker shifts.

Don

 

Isn't the transmission subjected to the same mechanical forces whether you shift it or when it shifts itself?! I thought that's what happens with E-ATs! I think problem comes when you downshift and the engine overrevs.

 

Back in the day you could get good gains from an automatic by going throug the gears yourself. The newer automatics are smart enough that they can do pretty much as good or a better job than you can.

By the way I used the O/D button all the time in one of my past cars in order to get engine braking. I never ran into any problems. I think the controller handling the automatic is smart enough to do this without causing the tranny any damage other than normal wear and tear.