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How do you shift your auto?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by verynearlypure, Mar 3, 2021.

  1. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:02 PM
    #21
    TireFire

    TireFire Superunknown Member

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    D is overdrive and R is race!!
     
  2. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:02 PM
    #22
    Knute

    Knute Well-Known Member

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    You don't even need to do that. Let the truck handle the shifting.

    If you are towing, then place it in "4" and let it work.
     
    TireFire likes this.
  3. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:04 PM
    #23
    verynearlypure

    verynearlypure [OP] Clean & Decent

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    It states nothing of this nature in the manual. See original post.
    :confused:
    I’m not trying to shift like a manual. I bought the whole truck I’ll use the whole truck.


    People don’t need to reply to threads without being constructive yet here we are.
     
  4. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:05 PM
    #24
    DarthPow

    DarthPow Well-Known Member

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    oh that makes sense. yea, I do pretty much what everyone else here is saying. Drive it "D" all the time, except when going up a steep hill, or a hill with loaded bed/a lot of weight in the truck, I'll go into 4th to keep RPMs and speed up a little bit.
     
    verynearlypure[OP] likes this.
  5. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:07 PM
    #25
    TireFire

    TireFire Superunknown Member

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    Sorry, I know what you mean but D is NOT overdrive. It’s “let the ECU decide and all gears are in play”. As others have said, if you’re not towing and your transmission is in normal working condition (ie, not broken) there is no reason at all to put it in 4 with normal driving, whether that’s hills, flats, the mall or BFE
     
  6. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:09 PM
    #26
    verynearlypure

    verynearlypure [OP] Clean & Decent

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    Thank you for providing your experience. Precisely what I was looking for! I’m around 2k RPM myself. I appreciate the response I’ll give that a go and see if the truck appreciates that a little more.

    Thank you for model info on the trans!
     
    TRDSport10 and TnShooter[QUOTED] like this.
  7. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:09 PM
    #27
    travis.diller

    travis.diller Well-Known Member

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    Let off the gas and shift down, if you want to up shift just do it the truck will shift up when it’s ready. Towing should be done in drive not over drive. Over drive is greater than 1:1. Drive locks the torque converter via a dog and drives the driveshaft 1:1. Also some trophy trucks are auto trannys and they have an electronic shifter to shift up or down on command. In Australia guys modify the tranny to be able to lock the torque converter in other gears as well. This is all based on experience, I’m not a mechanic just a 4x4 enthusiast. I shift my AT occasionally when going up steep stuff instead of mashing the pedal. Also, don’t coast in neutral. When in 4 low stick to L or 2. Don’t let the truck shift wherever it wants. Descending in 4H a lower gear is nice. Don’t drive it like manual but by all means use the other gears. Hard to explain I guess, I have been driving a long time, trucks, tractors, dirt bikes and submarines!
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2021
    verynearlypure[OP] likes this.
  8. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:09 PM
    #28
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

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    Basically, If the TQ wants to keep Locking/Unlocking in 5th, or the truck wants to keep shifting to 4th from 5th. I put it in 4th and stop it from shifting constantly.
    Constant shifting and Locking/Unlocking of the Torque Converter leads to heat and wear.

    Other than that, I keep it in D.
     
    12retire, Rick's 2012 and coopcooper like this.
  9. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:10 PM
    #29
    travis.diller

    travis.diller Well-Known Member

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    When in doubt ask Scotty!
     
  10. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:10 PM
    #30
    Musubi3

    Musubi3 Well-Known Member

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    Depending on the incline of the road, my truck will sometimes not upshift to 5th. So I'll move the lever to 4th then back to 5th quickly and then it'll shift. Normally from 4th to 5th I'm still on the throttle, but not much. I've never encountered slip with the stock ECM tune. I did a retune once with HPTuners and I was getting rev flares from 4th to 5th. I removed the tune and never had an issue since.
    Shifting from 3rd to 4th on the other hand I have been keeping on the throttle during the shift. Not sure if that helps any.
     
  11. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:17 PM
    #31
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

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    I’ll agree that D is not JUST over drive.
    But it is the only “gear” where over drive is available.
    I still prefer to limit my shifting. There for I’ll likely continue to use 4th when I fell like it need to.
    Others can do as they feel necessary, I have been taught to limit excessive shifting.
    EFD8848E-9A6B-41B7-9C56-37A9D317125C.jpg
     
  12. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:19 PM
    #32
    Gunshot-6A

    Gunshot-6A Prime Beef

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    Scotty doesn't know :D
     
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  13. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:22 PM
    #33
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

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    But he’s not going to take it any more, you’re stupid if you do this, and some one changes the “game” every other day.

    He is an intelligent man. But good grief, the click bait titles he has all the time.
    Plus, he tends to ramble on until the 10min mark. Which is my understanding, the “minimum” time to achieve the best Ad Revenue.
     
  14. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:23 PM
    #34
    verynearlypure

    verynearlypure [OP] Clean & Decent

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    This is exactly how I downshift and upshift. I just do it. But sometimes I get an audible noise, probably the converter when I do, and even a jolt. I’ve had the revs hang a couple of times too. I definitely don’t drive it like a manual but more or less like truck gears are intended.
     
  15. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:24 PM
    #35
    verynearlypure

    verynearlypure [OP] Clean & Decent

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    That is actually great advice.
     
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  16. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:24 PM
    #36
    TnShooter

    TnShooter The TacomaWorld Stray

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    I should say, I almost never use L,2 or 3.
    Unless I’m wanting maximum engine breaking (slick conditions mostly)
     
  17. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:26 PM
    #37
    rnish

    rnish Well-Known Member

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    Driving on the beach (deep sand) or OR hill climbing I’ll shift it into 3rd or even 2nd to lock up the converter. Keeps the transmission fluid cooler.
     
  18. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:26 PM
    #38
    travis.diller

    travis.diller Well-Known Member

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    upload_2021-3-3_15-26-11.jpg
    i stand corrected, looks like 4 is your D and 5 is O/d?
     
  19. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:28 PM
    #39
    verynearlypure

    verynearlypure [OP] Clean & Decent

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    Same here. I always use 2 to 3 for max engine breaking down this same hill everyday. This road has no shoulder, trees within inches of mirror with oncoming traffic and deer everywhere so I always creep. The truck downshifts perfectly. Other than that I don’t use unless off road and I don’t want to babysit the brake pedal the whole time.
     
  20. Mar 3, 2021 at 3:31 PM
    #40
    Gunshot-6A

    Gunshot-6A Prime Beef

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    I can't stand that Scotty at all, but I was making a quip about the song:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcEkS9tcIjg
     
    TnShooter[QUOTED] likes this.

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