Shifting your Automatic Tranny? 2nd Gen.

I've never thought of it this way , but , it makes sense

 

Well it can't be good for the trans. I have no need to shift it manually so I don't.

 

BINGO.

I'll give you one everyday example for me ... My street has a 6% grade so everytime I pull out of the drive, I drop it into 2nd, and it maintains a steady 25mph down the hill .. no brakes required. If I kept it in D, I'd be riding brakes all the way down. Also on the big mountain passes, I'll drop it into 4th on the way up to keep the tranny from hunting.

 

i down shift hard to not have a cop see me hit my brakes when hes doing radar. maybe i've just been lucky but it seems to work

 

Can't hurt it

 

I'll occasionally pop it in to the next lower gear when going down hill, to help stay close to the speed limit. Otherwise I just leave it in D. Some members complain about lack of control with an automatic, but I don't know what they're talking about. One pedal makes it go, the other pedal makes it stop. Where's the lack of control?

 

If they have you on radar tapping your brake lights is a bit of "too little too late" ... just my opinion .

 

I live on a plateau and go down a half mile steep hill every day at least once. I drop it to 3 so I can maintain 45 mph without riding the brakes all the way down the hill. When driving in snow/ice I also use lower gears to keep the speed in check and the engine in the power band.

 

On some hills, if the speed is slow and I can feel it bogging down and the hill goes on for a bit, I know as I get on the gas more it'll finally kick down on it's own. But sometimes I'll just bump it to 4th myself and the transition is much smoother than waiting on it to happen automatically. But that's it. I stay in D the rest of the time unless road conditions require otherwise.

As for you engine brakers and tailgating, if you don't tap your brakes, you're a fool. I can be at a safe distance and not notice you slowing to turn if those lights don't light up. Think of the point of brake lights - it's to alert people that you're slowing/stopping. I have a 5-spd car and if someone is behind me, I make sure to flash the brake lights. But then, if I'm gearing down that hard, I'm on the brakes anyway. Pads are cheaper than drive trains, IMO. But if you think stopping w/o using the brakes makes you cool, tell em not to bother with replacement brake lights when someone does rear end you.

 

Engine braking is very gradual. It's not like you come screeching to a halt. Anyone who is paying attention will have more then enough time to stop.