ok i drive a 94 ex auto.
and ok to be honest im not that auto savvy. just now getting into everything.
soo...i was wondering about the gears.
ok 1= ?.... for snow and hills?
2= ?...?
3= city driving less mpg but more torque and stuff.
4= interstate driving more mpg but slower to get up to speed?

any thing i need to really know about when driving it?
i read someones kill story where they said something about racing a guy in 1 one time, 2 another time , then 4 another time i didnt think it was good to drive around in 1 and 2 like that. esp. since the only times ive messed around and done it it was Loud! anyways some more info than what my parents offer me would be Great :D
Thanks in advance guys

 

shift 1 or 2 on highway, engine go boom.

 

ya i def. know better than to drive in 1 or 2 = i dont use them at all. but if thats the case what are they for? i hear snow and hill driving. blah blah blah i want some answers from some people that actually know hondas.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lunarone &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">shift 1 or 2 on highway, engine go boom.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wrong. The auto wouldn't downshift until the speed is low enough for the gear. Go 100 mph and downshift to 1st. Nothing will happen. The tranny would downshift one gear at a time (once the speed is low enough for each gear), until it would finally downshift to 1st around 30 mph.

To address the original question:

Just leave it in D4. If you do, the transmission automatically shifts through 1-4 gears. D3 is once again automatic, but only selects gears 1-3. If you put it in 1 or 2, the tranny actually holds that gear. When you're planning on going downhill, you can shift to 1, 2, or 3, depending on the speed, and use your engine for slowing the car down, so you don't hit 80 mph goin down the hill. This also saves your brakes, because the engine is helping slow the car down. 2nd gear is sometimes used in the snow. When it is very slippery (ice), you can put the tranny in 2nd, and take it easy on the gas. In 2nd, the tranny doesn't have enough torque to spin the wheels, and you will get your car moving. Once you get it going, shift to D3 or D4.

Spark notes:
D4 for everyday driving.
2 when you can't get your car moving due to spinning your wheels on snow/ice.
1, 2, 3 for engine braking, depending on the speed.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 02 accord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Wrong.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wrong?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HondaTech101 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> i want some answers from some people that actually know hondas </TD></TR></TABLE>

P is never coming back.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lunarone &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Wrong?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, wrong.

 

ok thanks alot.

what would be the best for a fast take off? 3rd? seems to me that 3rd has more torque due to it being more for stop go driving.
and its bad to mess with the gears when driving - correct. ?

oh and p.s. quick question - heat sheild over the header (stock) do i need to keep that on while driving? seems not to do anything to me because i hardly ever see cars with them on. i took mine off earlier because the previous owner had hit a bucket of tar (i think) and it was nasty lookin. lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HondaTech101 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what would be the best for a fast take off?</TD></TR></TABLE>

D4. the tranny only has 4 gears, so if you put it in 1st, D3 or D4, you will start out in first. Same acceleration.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">and its bad to mess with the gears when driving - correct. ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Upshifting is ok, but i would suggest you don't downshift while driving.

 

Remember when using lower gears more often to change the fluid accordingly. Fluid only lasts so long.

 

i've used all the gears before. depends on how you want to drive. me, i'll admit i like to have fun and i'll pop it into first and drive it like a stick when someone races me, and sometimes on the highway, its easier to just knock it down to 3rd to pick up speed fast, or going up a steep hill.

As for 2nd, when P_adams was around he told me to use it in the snow when it was bad. I did and its alot easier to start moving if your stuck in 2nd. If you put it into 1st or 2nd, remember to put it back into 4th because its not going to shift for you.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ludesrv &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Remember when using lower gears more often to change the fluid accordingly. Fluid only lasts so long.</TD></TR></TABLE>

what would you reccomend? Im just wondering because I engine brake and use 1st and second? but wouldn't it be the same because the trannys gunna put you into 1 to start off anyways.


Oh, and something else i just remembered, P_adams also told me not to start off in 2nd too much because i guess its not good for your clutch packs or something. I forgot what he said, but its not the best idea to do it everytime.





Modified by sony224422 at 12:50 AM 12/20/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sony224422 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

what would you reccomend? Im just wondering because I engine brake and use 1st and second? but wouldn't it be the same because the trannys gunna put you into 1 to start off anyways.


Oh, and something else i just remembered, P_adams also told me not to start off in 2nd too much because i guess its not good for your clutch plates or something. I forgot what he said, but its not the best idea to do it everytime.</TD></TR></TABLE>

you can't engine brake with an auto.


clutch pack, not clutch disc/plate, again you do not have that in auto.


seriously if you want to have fun shifting, should've gotten a stick, the auto trans on honda doesn't take alot of craps before it craps out.

 

Don't engine break with the auto. Its ok to go up from 1 to D4 but not ok to go down from D4 to 1. This messes up the tranny big time if you frequently do it. Its cheaper to buy breaks then a new tranny

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by iam7head &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

you can't engine brake with an auto.


clutch pack, not clutch disc/plate, again you do not have that in auto.


seriously if you want to have fun shifting, should've gotten a stick, the auto trans on honda doesn't take alot of craps before it craps out. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok, for one, you can engine brake with an auto very easily. what do you call it when you put it from d4 into d3 and the engine revvs and you slow down?

And two, i meant clutch pack.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by concept11253 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't engine break with the auto. Its ok to go up from 1 to D4 but not ok to go down from D4 to 1. This messes up the tranny big time if you frequently do it. Its cheaper to buy breaks then a new tranny</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've been going from d4 to 2 or 1 for more than 2 years and my tranny still shirts perfectly fine. Granted i don't do it all the time, it does help to slow down going down steep hills or if you need to stop fast. But its not going to harm it anymore than shifting at high RPMS. auto's won't engage unless they can, you could throw your car into 1st at 100 and nothing would happen. the auto computer wouldn't do it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sony224422 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've been going from d4 to 2 or 1 for more than 2 years and my tranny still shirts perfectly fine. Granted i don't do it all the time, it does help to slow down going down steep hills or if you need to stop fast. But its not going to harm it anymore than shifting at high RPMS. auto's won't engage unless they can, you could throw your car into 1st at 100 and nothing would happen. the auto computer wouldn't do it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, and no. If you floor it and the tranny downshifts, there's not anywhere near as much wear and tear as when you just drop the shifter down while decelerating. If you are downshifting your automatic at an already-low rpm, then it won't really hurt the tranny... but in any situation where you get any decent amount of engine braking, yes, it'll wear out your tranny a hell of a lot faster. Keep doing it, and you'll regret it when you have a $3000 bill for rebuilding your tranny.

Situations like this is why I constantly say that people don't realize just how much damage they're causing to their cars.

 

Sometimes D4 will start you off in 2nd gear(ex..parking lot cruse,stop sign stop) Never try to race starting in D4 you never know if your gonna start in 1st or not.

ever noticed when you gun it, and all you hear is the car downshifting then move, you already lost 3 seconds off your time.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sony224422 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've been going from d4 to 2 or 1 for more than 2 years and my tranny still shirts perfectly fine. Granted i don't do it all the time, it does help to slow down going down steep hills or if you need to stop fast. But its not going to harm it anymore than shifting at high RPMS. auto's won't engage unless they can, you could throw your car into 1st at 100 and nothing would happen. the auto computer wouldn't do it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i think you need to see this in another view point. brake pad and rotor is around 200 dollar and i don't think you could get much done if you blew your tranny.

i don't even engine brake on the street with a bulletproof manual tranny, it just not point doing to, if you rather change a tranny than brake pad, then i have nothing to offer.

it's not like you are driving a 4 tons semi thru a snowy graded hill with rear drum brake locked up and overheated, just use the brake for what they are designed to do.

the last fun stock auto i drove was LS powered

 

But when you are coming down that huge mountain riding your brakes the whole way and they get too hot and fail to slow you down properly, sending you into a tree or off the mountain... is it cheaper to replace your brakes or your car?

There is such a thing as engine braking in automatics.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shadow_ridge &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sometimes D4 will start you off in 2nd gear(ex..parking lot cruse,stop sign stop) Never try to race starting in D4 you never know if your gonna start in 1st or not.

ever noticed when you gun it, and all you hear is the car downshifting then move, you already lost 3 seconds off your time.</TD></TR></TABLE>

It'll only stay in 2nd if the car is still moving. If you come to a complete stop, the car will start in 1st.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philadd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It'll only stay in 2nd if the car is still moving.</TD></TR></TABLE>

It might even stay in 3rd if you get on the gas real easy. Never had it do that, but I can feel it downshifting to 2nd (when doing a rolling stop).

 

i've engine braked from 110 to 80 before, its just like downshifting in a manual. Why would i want to brake going down a steep hill an over heat my brakes when i could just down shift from d4 to d3. the only reason i don't do it alot is because it consumes more gas in my opinion. I really don't see any difference in performance or in the color of tranny fluid