Question for A4 owners

[breakking]

I have an A4 trans am and sometimes when I race my friends I like to down shift from D to 3, or 3 to 2 depending on how fast im going. My question is if anyone else does this on their A4, and could this potentially damage my transmission??? I dont do if often, but when I do it shifts great and feels smooth.

[sirenformula350]

ha ha I did that all the time in my 89 formula. I have no idea if it hurts the tranny but it definitely made it seem like you are down shifting in a manual. Also if I was sitting at a light I would put the car in neutral so I could let off the brake. Wow, back in the day I wanted a manual so bad :) Sorry I wasn't any help though.

[Justin23454]

I do it alot hope it dont, lol

[nhraformula]

theres zero reason to shift an auto. you cannot out shift the ecu

[sirenformula350]

theres zero reason to shift an auto. you cannot out shift the ecu

Yeah, you can't out shift the ecu but he is talking about down shifting. correct me if i am wrong but It seems like he is just doing it to slow down faster after racing or what not.

[breakking]

I do it on the freeway, for example if im racing my friend, and were going around 60mph, i'll downshift from D to 3 and floor it for better acceleration rather than just flooring it on D which will accelerate much slower.

[breakking]

I do it on the freeway, for example if Im racing my friend going around 60mph, Ill downshift from D to 3 and punch the gas for better acceleration, rather than flooring it on D which accelerates slower. hope this makes sense

[Joez T/A]

I have never tried it simply because I didn't want to mess anything up.

[breakking]

If im on the freeway with my friend going around 60mph, ill down shift from d to 3 for faster acceleration rather than flooring it on D which will accelerate slower.

[warpwr]

Say you are rolling start and the car has upshifted itself to overdrive or whatever.
Then you will for sure beat the ecu if you put it into the gear you want to race in before you nail it.
Or am I missing something here?

[third_shift|studios]

I have an A4 trans am and sometimes when I race my friends I like to down shift from D to 3, or 3 to 2 depending on how fast im going. My question is if anyone else does this on their A4, and could this potentially damage my transmission??? I dont do if often, but when I do it shifts great and feels smooth.

when you mash the gas, it'll do what you want with no problems. If you wanted to shift, they make m6 models

[Ed Blown Vert]

Let the tranny shift itself.

[JwMonE99]

Get a shift kit

[breakking]

Whats a shift kit??? ARe they for A4???

[Zboner]

yea dont down shift the only thing that can happen is BAD. leave in in OD(overdrive) and let it do everything for you. if you want harder and quicker shifts get a shiftkit, and a stall converter, go to a transmission shop and tell them what you want the car to do and they will make it happen

[02cetransam]

Whats a shift kit??? ARe they for A4???

you can only get a shift kit for an automatic, so yet they are for an A4. The purpose is to make the tranny shift alot firmer, crisper and harder. They are installed in the transmission valve body so the pan must be removed and holes must be drilled into the valve body. The kit will come with instructions. Its not rocket science but you do have to be careful.

[Heartbreak1]

I down shift only when I need to, I always feel like I have quicker response when accelerating by droping it down to the gear I want rather than mashing the gas. Plus I don't always like where the tranny is programmed to shift so I will purposely row the gears. Im sure my tranny is eventually gonna go but I could care less if it means I can do the conversion for the T56. Thats originally what I wanted for a tranny anyway.

[Zboner]

and IMO the 4L60 sucks

[VTR99]

Generally speaking automatic transmissions are pretty bullet proof. They are made shiftable for a reason, although racing isn't part of that reason. I have had automatics with manual valve bodies that had to be shifted just like a manual. The advantage being that they will outlast a manual clutch by about 4 to 1 or better. The disadvantage is that automatics are always a little slower than a manual with the same engine and gearing due to power loss. A shift kit will give you more solid shifts similar to a manual, but will also put more stress on the rear end.

[Zboner]

Generally speaking automatic transmissions are pretty bullet proof. They are made shiftable for a reason, although racing isn't part of that reason. I have had automatics with manual valve bodies that had to be shifted just like a manual. The advantage being that they will outlast a manual clutch by about 4 to 1 or better. The disadvantage is that automatics are always a little slower than a manual with the same engine and gearing due to power loss. A shift kit will give you more solid shifts similar to a manual, but will also put more stress on the rear end.



you have lost your mind :nono::nono::nono:


i agree with everything else except the first about them being bullet proof, i went through 6 of the shitty 4l60's and never beat on the car, and that was in a time period of 6,000 miles with a mild HP car, my chevelle had about the same amount of HP as my camaro did and i never once replaced or rebuilt the TH350.. sorry i just do not agree with that statement...one thing goes wrong with an auto its pretty much game over for the whole thing.

[JwMonE99]

is there a difference between the 4l60 and the 4l60E

[2000T/A Guru]

I had to maually shift my 79 malibu and that was a 3 speed column. Wit ha built 350turbo trans with a shift kit, god that car jumped, i shifted into second at 65 an spun thie tires like crazy when it did.

[Zboner]

is there a difference between the 4l60 and the 4l60E


no i just left the E part off all it means is Electronic shift

[VTR99]

you have lost your mind


i agree with everything else except the first about them being bullet proof, i went through 6 of the shitty 4l60's and never beat on the car, and that was in a time period of 6,000 miles with a mild HP car, my chevelle had about the same amount of HP as my camaro did and i never once replaced or rebuilt the TH350.. sorry i just do not agree with that statement...one thing goes wrong with an auto its pretty much game over for the whole thing.

My experience is with the beefy 727 Torqueflight. Just try tearing one of those up! You will rebuild the engine twice before the 727 starts to lose it's snap. Back in my Mopar days we always said GM products were weak, maybe there was some truth to it.

[JwMonE99]

Is there any cheap ways to upgrade your transmssion to keep it from breaking on you, I dont know much about shift kits and the coolers, does it help at all?

[Heartbreak1]

you have lost your mind :nono::nono::nono:


i agree with everything else except the first about them being bullet proof, i went through 6 of the shitty 4l60's and never beat on the car, and that was in a time period of 6,000 miles with a mild HP car, my chevelle had about the same amount of HP as my camaro did and i never once replaced or rebuilt the TH350.. sorry i just do not agree with that statement...one thing goes wrong with an auto its pretty much game over for the whole thing.

I think I would have gotten the hint after the first tranny that it was time to swap for a M6. :yup:

[t-rock]

if your rolling at 60 and you know your about to race yea you can speed match it in 2nd if you have 2.73 rears your in a sweet spot anyway. i did that in my ta but i left it in drive any other time. at 60 your in od and when you drop the hammer it has to drop 2 gears i thought it was just as quick.

[third_shift|studios]

I think I would have gotten the hint after the first tranny that it was time to swap for a M6. :yup:

warranty kept paying for zboner's other 5 trannys so he just kept on em.

[Heartbreak1]

warranty kept paying for zboner's other 5 trannys so he just kept on em.

I would probably still swap it tho. Hell, tell GM you want it swapped and to cover that under warranty. :lmao: :nana:

[SpeedAddict38]

racing- I keep it in o/d
fun- 1,2,3,4 lol

[slims00ls1z28]

It always worked better for me letting the computer decide the shift points. 40 MPH punch with 2.73 gear = sweetspot. That is the only MPH i would roll race from because 40 would drop into 1st. 75-80+ is the other sweetspot for second with 2.73's It would go into 2nd until 100 MPH or a little over. Last few roll races when I started from a gear and shifted myself I lost when I just nailed it and let it drop I won.

[lemons12]

no offense but i saw a bunch of stupid replys... you cannot outshift the computer... no matter what... perfect evertime... and as far as downshifting to second for more acc. the comp does it for you... ie. overdrive....o an btw... this topoic has been brought up plenty of times before.... do a correct search before asking a common question like this.. if you dont know how i suggest reading some stickies....just my .02 and many people said this... you want a manual get one... making people think you got a manual when you got an a4... RICER

[Justin23454]

did anyone say they want people to think they have an m6

[sirenformula350]

Maybe he was talking about how I said I wanted a manual so bad. yeah I did down shift in the auto but in no way was I trying to make people think I had a manual. I could give a s**t what people think of me. just so you know. Oh, and i do have my M6 now. :bat:

[lemons12]

no somebody said something about putting it ino nuetral or something... put a stall on it... acts a lot like a man. can even rev to people without going to N

[SpeedAddict38]

no offense but i saw a bunch of stupid replys... you cannot outshift the computer... no matter what... perfect evertime... and as far as downshifting to second for more acc. the comp does it for you... ie. overdrive....o an btw... this topoic has been brought up plenty of times before.... do a correct search before asking a common question like this.. if you dont know how i suggest reading some stickies....just my .02 and many people said this... you want a manual get one... making people think you got a manual when you got an a4... RICER


calm down newbie

[Heartbreak1]

calm down newbie

+1 :soapbox:

[lemons12]

just because i have low posts doesnt necessarily mean that im a noob dude.. you can open up an acc. and still know about cars before being a member here... and i usually dont post... i just read... o an do RESEARCH so i dont ask you professionals how to do something or where something is... or how to fix something that you were just asked in the post right below(like this one) it just gets annoying.. and you have to agree on that...

[SpeedAddict38]

just because i have low posts doesnt necessarily mean that im a noob dude.. you can open up an acc. and still know about cars before being a member here... and i usually dont post... i just read... o an do RESEARCH so i dont ask you professionals how to do something or where something is... or how to fix something that you were just asked in the post right below(like this one) it just gets annoying.. and you have to agree on that...


most of the time its easier to make a new thread other than looking through many pages of posts and some people like to chat and get to know other members.......yes the same ole questions might get old but they are new to somebody

[Heartbreak1]

just because i have low posts doesnt necessarily mean that im a noob dude.. you can open up an acc. and still know about cars before being a member here... and i usually dont post... i just read... o an do RESEARCH so i dont ask you professionals how to do something or where something is... or how to fix something that you were just asked in the post right below(like this one) it just gets annoying.. and you have to agree on that...

:shitstorm:

[lemons12]

ill start a thread then... this way we dont have to fake wanting to know people... ill call it... im not going to ask a stupid repetitive ? so i can get to know everyone on here im just going to talk to you guys... lol calm down dude.. was just saying.. and yes there was a thread DIRECTLY under this one that had the same ?.... im all for talkin... but damn lol

[SpurSS]

theres zero reason to shift an auto. you cannot out shift the ecu

After at least 1000 shifts of my A4 I have noted several things; 1) the ecu shifts it's own way, not mine, 2) the trans shifts with greater pressure if allowed to shift in 3 as opposed to OD, 3) no matter how much I've tried there is no engine braking if left in OD, 4) there are time when I want to control my RPM's such as on a winding road like West Virginia Rt. 250 in OD forget it. 5) left in OD the trans slips into gear, and set much harder if in 3.

Now in a straight line I use 3 instead of OD if running 1/4 mile.

PS: I wondered if it would shift into OD under WOT, yep it does! Can you say some where near 140.

[Heartbreak1]

After at least 1000 shifts of my A4 I have noted several things; 1) the ecu shifts it's own way, not mine, 2) the trans shifts with greater pressure if allowed to shift in 3 as opposed to OD, 3) no matter how much I've tried there is no engine braking if left in OD, 4) there are time when I want to control my RPM's such as on a winding road like West Virginia Rt. 250 in OD forget it. 5) left in OD the trans slips into gear, and set much harder if in 3.

Now in a straight line I use 3 instead of OD if running 1/4 mile.

PS: I wondered if it would shift into OD under WOT, yep it does! Can you say some where near 140.

I raised my line pressure 50% on my hypertech and leave it in OD when running 1/4's. Works just fine. I do however notice that at low speeds or lightly tapping the gas to crawl around the tranny tends to slip and jerk when the stock converter catches. Makes me think more and more about getting a shift kit and 3000 stall. :yup:

[Z ROADSTER]

Seems like I read somewhere that the 2002 Z/28 / SS models got the upgraded A4 which included several improvements to make the tranny much stronger and last longer under heavy abuse .

[Heartbreak1]

Seems like I read somewhere that the 2002 Z/28 / SS models got the upgraded A4 which included several improvements to make the tranny much stronger and last longer under heavy abuse .

:haha: Say that to Ed.

[setexascustoms@gt.rr]

you have lost your mind :nono::nono::nono:


i agree with everything else except the first about them being bullet proof, i went through 6 of the shitty 4l60's and never beat on the car, and that was in a time period of 6,000 miles with a mild HP car, my chevelle had about the same amount of HP as my camaro did and i never once replaced or rebuilt the TH350.. sorry i just do not agree with that statement...one thing goes wrong with an auto its pretty much game over for the whole thing.

sounds like you just needed a reputable builder, 4l60's fine when built right

[nhraformula]

After at least 1000 shifts of my A4 I have noted several things; 1) the ecu shifts it's own way, not mine, 2) the trans shifts with greater pressure if allowed to shift in 3 as opposed to OD, 3) no matter how much I've tried there is no engine braking if left in OD, 4) there are time when I want to control my RPM's such as on a winding road like West Virginia Rt. 250 in OD forget it. 5) left in OD the trans slips into gear, and set much harder if in 3.

Now in a straight line I use 3 instead of OD if running 1/4 mile.

PS: I wondered if it would shift into OD under WOT, yep it does! Can you say some where near 140.

hook car up to hp tuners and it will shift and whatnot at what you set it .

[Heartbreak1]

hook car up to hp tuners and it will shift and whatnot at what you set it .

I just had my car dyno tuned today by Hugger Orange SS (Rocky Mountain section). Shifts alot better without that shitty hypertech on there. Can't beat Hptuners in the hands of a skilled tuner thats for damn sure.:woot2:

[nhraformula]

I just had my car dyno tuned today by Hugger Orange SS (Rocky Mountain section). Shifts alot better without that shitty hypertech on there. Can't beat Hptuners in the hands of a skilled tuner thats for damn sure.:woot2:

hp tuners or ls1edit makes a world of difference, thats for sure!