auto trans)race in 3rd or OD???

**greatwhiteZ28** · 03-09-2007, 02:49 PM

someone told me today that to never race in OD and alwasy stay in 3rd isnt the same thing on the track since it wont hit OD any ways.

**silent101** · 03-09-2007, 04:59 PM

yes I would also like to know this even though I have heard people on this site say stay in overdrive all the time. The reason is somthing like in drive the over run clutches will be applied and it will decrease line presure. Were do you race I also live in Michigan?

**67CamaroRSSS** · 03-09-2007, 05:13 PM

Well I've raced both my old 96 and my 02. Both were A4's. I leave it in drive (not overdrive). Never had a problem. As to why I couldn't tell you. If I had to guess I'd think it has to do with engine braking in 3rd (1:1 gear) vs OD (.74:1).

**silent101** · 03-09-2007, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

Well I've raced both my old 96 and my 02. Both were A4's. I leave it in drive (not overdrive). Never had a problem. As to why I couldn't tell you. If I had to guess I'd think it has to do with engine braking in 3rd (1:1 gear) vs OD (.74:1).

It's not going into 4th or OD going full throtle tell its good and ready witch is like 135 with 3.23 gears so I dont think you need to worry about that.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 03-09-2007, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by silent101

It's not going into 4th or OD going full throtle tell its good and ready witch is like 135 with 3.23 gears so I dont think you need to worry about that.

What I meant was you lift at the end of the quarter with it in OD and it'll go into OD. Leaving it in 3rd allows the engine to assist in slowing the car down.

**ATCharming** · 03-09-2007, 09:21 PM

hey guys i think i have the answer you're looking for!

an automatic car, (every one that ive ever known) always starts in second. completely skips first, doesnt use it ever.

starting it in first is alright, but id rather let the transmission do the work still... the way to do that is by going into 2nd or maybe 3rd (not sure about third, but second for sure) and then manually shift from there, then into OD.

**bluefields88** · 03-09-2007, 10:10 PM

well, I usually drive around town in OD, but when i wanna go fast I put it in normal D. LS1's have more horsepower up in the higher revs, and the OD keeps it low. I just turn off the traction control, pop the shifter back another click and let're go. : D. LS1s have a killer high end, and the OD's don't let it get there until you're up to speed. but I've never raced, so maybe I'm wrong. just what I've noticed.

**silent101** · 03-10-2007, 06:58 AM

What you guy's don't understand is that the ls1 will rev up and acelerate just as fast in D or OD. When in 3rd you will have engine breaking but because of that the tranny has to keep the overrun clutch on for engine breaking and this decreases the avaibile line presure witch alows the trans to slip more and wear more so it's best to leave it in OD. I would want my breaks to stop the car and not the trans.

**Speedy_Gonzales** · 03-10-2007, 07:22 AM

after drive comes more power........

**nhraformula** · 03-10-2007, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by bluefields88

well, I usually drive around town in OD, but when i wanna go fast I put it in normal D. LS1's have more horsepower up in the higher revs, and the OD keeps it low. I just turn off the traction control, pop the shifter back another click and let're go. : D. LS1s have a killer high end, and the OD's don't let it get there until you're up to speed. but I've never raced, so maybe I'm wrong. just what I've noticed.

i have raced in drive and overdrive just to see if leaving it in one or the other makes it faster, well no difference.
my best time was in OD and time is below.

**nhraformula** · 03-10-2007, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

What I meant was you lift at the end of the quarter with it in OD and it'll go into OD. Leaving it in 3rd allows the engine to assist in slowing the car down.

why even bother doing that?
why stress the car more than need be.

**00maroz28** · 03-10-2007, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by ATCharming

hey guys i think i have the answer you're looking for!

an automatic car, (every one that ive ever known) always starts in second. completely skips first, doesnt use it ever.

starting it in first is alright, but id rather let the transmission do the work still... the way to do that is by going into 2nd or maybe 3rd (not sure about third, but second for sure) and then manually shift from there, then into OD.

im not so sure of that...i have a 2000 a4 and if i put my car in "2" it actually starts in second gear, completely skipping first.. not a good idea at the track...this option may have started in 2000... i dont know how your car is, but not such good advice for all a4's

**bevenue** · 03-10-2007, 10:37 AM

At the track I leave it in O/D. If you have it to the floor it won't shift into O/D until like 130mph. So I never hit O/D. Starting out in second, I think puts to much strain on the second gear cluch band, and I run a slower time with the car being bogged down out of the hole.

On the street I drop it down into second, to save time when it downshifts and keep it from downshifting so hard. Then shift up to O/D after I get into the throttle.

**LS1MuNkY** · 03-10-2007, 11:05 AM

so manually shifting an A4 is a no no.....

**ATCharming** · 03-10-2007, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by 00maroz28

im not so sure of that...i have a 2000 a4 and if i put my car in "2" it actually starts in second gear, completely skipping first.. not a good idea at the track...this option may have started in 2000... i dont know how your car is, but not such good advice for all a4's

hey sorry i should have exlained better.

what i drive is a 05 cobalt.. (no flaming, i dont race it lol)
when you downshift to second, it will start in second, thats correct. but, if u floor it, the auto tranny downshifts to first... just like in OD. but OD downshifts to second from whatever its in, and if its already in second gear in OD, it wont downshift at all

srry if it was confusing, but does that make sense? and your right, maybe not all a4 cars are like that, but every one ive ever been in is... ive never been in an fbody tho, so maybe theyre different

**MSP01SS** · 03-10-2007, 02:21 PM

I never race in OD. I was told if I did and it crapped out that I would have to rebuild. If I raced in D and something happened then I would be able to limp around until I could get it fixed. DOn't know if it's true or not. But I got the same times regardless when I ran in both gears so better to be safe than sorry.

**bluefields88** · 03-10-2007, 03:09 PM

can you shift from D into OD while moving? I've always wondered but been too scared to try it. : /. I don't know much about transmissions.

**bevenue** · 03-10-2007, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by bluefields88

can you shift from D into OD while moving? I've always wondered but been too scared to try it. : /. I don't know much about transmissions.

Yes.

**got-a-ls1** · 03-10-2007, 04:27 PM

to the guy who says autos start out in second.....

Dont know why you think that, its simply not true. I have never seen an auto that was working correctly start out in second gear from a dead stop. From a slow roll that *should* be in first some may engage second gear, but thats only while moving...

**ATCharming** · 03-10-2007, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by got-a-ls1

to the guy who says autos start out in second.....

Dont know why you think that, its simply not true. I have never seen an auto that was working correctly start out in second gear from a dead stop. From a slow roll that *should* be in first some may engage second gear, but thats only while moving...

maybe ls1 is different, as ive never driven one.

or, maybe its a new thing. i know that the cars ive been in start in second for a fact, because if you are going about 5 or less mph, and you floor it, you will accelerate like shit. if you shift your car into first, it accelerates like hell. if you shift into second, it accelerates the same, until you floor it, when you feel it shift (into first) then accelerates like crazy.