I got a friend who knows a lot about cars (does his own mods). One day, he was riding around with me. He says that I'm going to kill my tranny because of three things:

1. We stop at a stop red light and I see that there are a lot of bumps and pot holes ahead. So I take it down to first gear and drive over the pot holes. After the bumpy part is over and the RPMS increase, I take it through 2nd, D3 and then to D4.

2. During an uphill, I take it down from D4 to D3.

3. Also on that same trip, I pull up to another red light and a riced up Integra pulls up next to me and revs his engine (damn fart cans are so annoying) and looks at me as he wants to race. So I put it into neutral (it was flat road), let go of the brake and hold it at 4000 RPM (as that's where I seem to get the best starts). When the light turns green and I throw it to D4 and sprint forward and as hard as he is trying to catch up, he just keeps falling behind on my rear view mirror.

Now, can anyone tell me for sure if doing those things can mess up the tranny or any other part of the car? Or even cases in which those things can mess up something? I do both of those things for a good while now... so he's got me kinda worried.

 

Well, street racing is dumb anyway...but as long as you aren't "abusing" the tranny, you should be ok. Like don't rev the car in neutral and then throw it into drive before the RPMs come down...that shit'll break for sure...but seriously...theres no need to shift through the gears...these cars are tough enough that you shouldn't need to do that...

 

Just to be clear, it was a freeway and pretty empty. It was around 6AM, I was bringing him back as he had to drop off his Honda for the maintenance check up. Why so early, he had to get ready to leave for a trip. I've only done it when the roads are clear.

Woops... better stop that then. How do they do it for car tests in mags (like for 0-60 times)?

I always seem to have a hard time accelerating up hill. Shifting to D3 seems to make it better... that or flooring it (which I don't like doing).

 

1. and 2. are not bad for our transmissions.

3. is a big no no for an automatic. Most likely you will NOT break the tires, that means that the drivetrain takes all that stress, very bad.

 

Question: if your friend is such a car guy and does his own modding, why is he bringing the car into someone just for a maintenance check-up? I don't consider myself a hardcore mechanic by any means, and I've decided I should be able to do all my filters/fluids/brake change and checks myself. Just curious......

 

The Honda is his mom's but since his mom only uses it for shopping, he uses it the most as his daily driver (to school and to work). His dad doesn't want him to mess with it for fear of voiding the warrenty.

 

Like the others said, avoid number 3 at ALL costs! Nothing kills your transmission faster than dropping it out of neutral at high RPM's, except for reversing outta your driveway and then shifting into drive while you're still moving backwards.
Oh, and when they do 0-60 times for car mags, you notice how the auto is always slower (unless it's a CVT)? It's because with an auto they just stomp on the gas and let the car go.

 

The way that they test cars 0-60 in car magazines is that they are at a stop and have their foot on the brake, or they have the e brake on and have their foot on the gas. Thats why hen you watch the tapes their wheels are spinning, or hopping around before they get traction. Thats what I do when Im at a stop light or something like that, I put my foot on the brake and put the accelerator down all the way, then when the light turns green I let go of the brake.

 

Alright, looks like I won't be doing number 3 anymore. Thanks for the help guys.

Joes723, I thought our cars didn't allow that, like if your foot is applied on the brake the car won't rev very high. Plus, doesn't that heat up/damage the brakes? Never tried that but I'll give it a shot unless someone says otherwise.

 

Well all cars will allow it, at you will rev to about 3000 with the brake applied, and of course its going to put a lot of stress onto the brakes. But when you are doing any sort of performance driving its going to put stress on the car, which is bad.