cdynaco

What happens when you want to pass a slow car and you give your car some gas pedal so it downshifts?

(Some used to call that passing gear)

jerseygirl

STOP IT!

ohhh.....i seriously feel like such an idiot now..........

11SHELBYGT500

sorry

cdynaco

So.... you don't want to slam it from OD down to 1st - NOT good.
And its best to give the car some gas pedal so it auto downshifts on its own - just 1 gear - while at the same time manually moving the gear select lever into that lower gear (4th to 3rd) so it holds there.
Otherwise if you give it gas and it downshifts, as soon as you let up on the gas pedal, it then upshifts again, right? So instead of your trans going crazy back and forth - YOU tell it to stay in that lower gear until you're at the top of the hill.
After a bit you'll know just how much gas pedal to give and just when to move the gear select lever to the next lower gear.

My Cruiser I know to give it about 2" of gas pedal right as it enters the hill, and right when I hear it down shifting and the rpm's climbing, I downshift the gear select lever. Its smooth as silk. Then at the top of the hill I move the gear select lever back to OD and it upshifts and the rpm's drop back down.

Get it?

jerseygirl

holy information Charlie, you are awesome! lol!

when i used to go from lets say 45mph to 70mph it wouldnt shift so what i did was slow down a little bit and then speed up a little slower until it kicked into gear, it was as if it struggled to kick in, so if i bring it down a notch it will be better and help the transmission?

why couldnt anyone else tell me all of this........

cdynaco

Yes! They have preset shifting ranges to match the engine.
And sometimes you are going too fast for it to downshift. Frustrating cause you want to pass right?
If I'm at 55+, my Cruiser won't down shift when I give it gas pedal so it bogs - even if I floor it. But if I slow down to 50, floor it, it downshifts and flies!
So you did correct. Learn and memorize that shift speed for your car. Then you know to slow down just a tad before passing so you know it will downshift, then floor it and it will downshift and you will fly past that slow dog!


EDIT: Yes but that's a bit different from above. What I described before is where you only want it to downshift 1 gear for climbing a hill/grade. So they are two different circumstances that you do different things for.

jerseygirl

well it wasn't for passing either it was lets say getting unto the highway and trying to go from 45mph to 65mph and to merge with traffic, sometimes it was passing and those were the times that it did frustrate me by not switching gears even on a flat road, and when there was a curve in the road it would not switch gears so it would slow down and also as if manually switch to another gear and the RPMs would stay the same...still the biggest issue is when it goes up a hill, 30mph the RPMs hit 3k and it would slow down and not speed up...but i will definitly next time try to downshift when it is a hill and see if that helps, and then shift back to normal when it is not a hill...

thanks for all the help, so greatly appreciated and the best information i have gotten

cdynaco

With an auto you have to learn the cars shift points and deal with them. But by learning them, you'll know what speeds it will downshift for passing and what speeds it won't downshift - so you either better not pass or make sure you have a much longer passing lane.

But I learn my shift points in my 5spd manual too and how it matches/mixes with my power band/redline. So I know if I'm at 55-60 in my Bullitt, its useless to downshift to 2nd. Because it redline's at 65 and I'll have to shift to 3rd right away.
So in a way its similar to my Cruiser. If Bullitt is 50-45, I'll downshift to 2nd and fly around and shift to 3rd as I pass the guy.
If I'm at 55-60+ and want to pass, I only downshift to 3rd so I have plenty of power band before hitting redline. Next thing I know I'm at 100 and that car is waaay behind me.

So auto or manual, learning your shift points shows you're a good driver, know your engine/trans ability, and how to take care and not abuse or harm either the engine or trans.

I kept a note pad at first as I was playing and learning and then memorized certain shift points and redline speeds in each gear. Now I really know my machine. And that really comes in handy on two lane twisties too!

Rather B.Blown

I was thinking Hondas around that time frame had an OD on/off button on or next to the shifter. May have been a couple years later though.

cdynaco

Might want to re-read my previous post. I just edited it to better match your reply.

You're pretty safe going back and forth between 4 and 3 with your gear select lever. Just give it that bit of gas pedal so the engine will adjust rpm to match that lower gear you are putting it in that's all.

08GTCandyApple

Meanie!
Don't feel like an idiot. You will learn more in time.

11SHELBYGT500

I said sorry.

cdynaco

Ohhh - right. Seems like that's how the 90's OD's were in many makes. But that would be easier yet.

jerseygirl

Charlie that is exactly what i am trying to learn, making sure everything is working properly and knowing the speeds and ways to drive it more efficiently ...i did not know that to change the gears you could slow down and then slowly speed up to let the car get accustomed to the speed and shift, i guess it is all easier done in a manual where you learn the shifts and can control the car yourself right?

i may despise this car but it has to last me a little while longer until i can afford an 08-10 ford focus coupe

Jill, trying my best to learn

08GTCandyApple

But you laughed twice so you owe her one more apology

11SHELBYGT500

I did

jerseygirl

it's ok i sometimes can ask the stupidest things

but appreciate all the help

11SHELBYGT500

There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

08GTCandyApple

Sorry, I only saw one apology and I felt bad for her because you were laughing.

jerseygirl

no worries Jill, i will pick on him for being an old man so it will be ok lol!