Auto tranny operation techniques

[David.Dunbar]

I am starting to gear up for a 5 speed conversion but in the mean time I want to learn how to get the most out of my slushbox. I have a 95' 325 vert with the sports package and 84k miles.

I have read the manual on the A/M switch and it apparently increases upshift rpm and holds you in the next lower gear than where the shifter is. It does not seem to do me any good when I am in slow highway traffic and I have it in Drive and on M. I have to shift down to 3 or 2 and upshift as needed.

Does that sound right?

How do you guys who have autos drive them?

What is the best way to flog the dog piss out of the car with the auto?

Having operated aircraft, I am quite comfortable running an engine a couple of hundred revs below red line. I can't wait for the 5 speed!

Thanks,
Dunbar

[nascam]

What is the best way to flog the dog piss out of the car with the auto?




Well.. u can do what i have done by accident a few times.. If you want to chirp gears.. put it in 1st... floor it., 1500 before redline push the selector into neutral while ur still on the gas, then slam into 2nd.


try it.. it should work..

i have done that accidentally a few times when going from first into d..

let me know how things go.

[bostongreen18]

its not desinged to be used as a manual. It's designed for driving down mountains. With that said, i like to pretend i have a manual a lot and shift it like one. And i live near the ocean, which is far from the mountains.

Even though it is a 4 speed automatic, with the manual shift program selected, you can only get in gears 1, 2, and 3. Having the gear selector in "D" while in manual mode will just put you in third gear.

For off the line speed you may want to leave the transmission in automatic mode and put the gear selector on "3" which is sports mode. It comes with higher shift points and 4th gear is not used. This is better for off the line because there is a 1-2 second delay between moving the gear lever and the actual shift occuring.

I will switch between manual and automatic modes quite frequently.For example:

Coming up on a ~40 mph corner turning onto a rode perpendicular the one i'm on, i'll press "M" and down shift to 2nd. Press down on the gas pedal a little bit here to "rev match" and then foot off the gas to engine break for the corner. Give it gas as you come off the apex and accelerate to 45. Press "A" and shift back to "D".

This is a corner that i go through several times a day, and this is the fastest way through it, i gain a lot of car lenghts on the people behind me (its not a race) but the car feels as stable as crusing in a straight line.


Thats just a taste of how i enjoy my slushbox^^^^

[David.Dunbar]

Thanks Bostongreen! Thats exactly the kind of input I was looking for. I plan on lots of experimentation but those basic tips are essential.

Dunbar

[Don Nguyen]

You can down shift in the auto tranny while in M mode? Cause once i did that when i was coming to a stop while i was experimenting and my gears sounded like they were grinding so i never really tried or downshifted while in M mode ever till i came to a complete stop.

[lovesm3s]

I don't think that being in D and in manual mode means that you're actually in third. i've went out and tried this by shifting it manually on manual mode all the way up the fourth gear and the revs drop when i shift from 3-4 which probalby means i'm in fourth. I've also tried going in sports mode first, then pushing on the M button and shifting into D and my revs drop as if i was in fourth. So I don't think the whole deal about being in D during manual mode only goes up to third. Maybe i'm doing it wrong or maybe it's just my car

[JRK]

I don't think that being in D and in manual mode means that you're actually in third. i've went out and tried this by shifting it manually on manual mode all the way up the fourth gear and the revs drop when i shift from 3-4 which probalby means i'm in fourth. I've also tried going in sports mode first, then pushing on the M button and shifting into D and my revs drop as if i was in fourth. So I don't think the whole deal about being in D during manual mode only goes up to third. Maybe i'm doing it wrong or maybe it's just my car

Nope, you're right. Same situation with my car; you still have four gears in M "Manual program."

Nascam, i cringed for your tranny when i read what you did! OUCH! :devillook

[Dnz]

Do you guys also have sports mode? I think i got a different tranny, and thats why i dont see this M mode.

I got economy, snow, and sport. And i got 5 spd auto tranny.. Sport mode raises the shift points and keeps it in the powerband when i drive (no effort required).

[Don Nguyen]

i think it might be different for the 328 thing? :dunno because in my car it is as describe before, where if i go from 3 to D it will not have a change in RPMs.

[bluebimmer]

same here, only have E, S and snow swithces on the tranny. so i guess there are different auto trannies in our cars?

[Dnz]

theres a 4spd ZF and a 5spd Getrag (i think)

[lovesm3s]

yea i think it may be just for the 328's that you have all four gears in manual mode.

[nascam]

Nascam, i cringed for your tranny when i read what you did! OUCH! :devillook

I cringed when i heard the tires chirp.... lol


but i might have figured something out. I believe that i am going to attempt to see if you can retro fit a 1995 M3 5speed auto into my car. I have access to one w/ linkage and wiring harness and surround and stuff... and computer too..


anyone know if this is possible? sorry to thread jack David.Dunbar