russianDude

I've started a new job that requires a drive through a section of the road that is 100% guaranteed to be congested, and the most you will go is 20MPH or so. I've noticed that I was right at the border line most of the time, and my transmission keep shifting from 2-3, and then I had to hit the brakes, so it would go back to 2nd and so on.... so I put it in D2, and it seemed perfect, no annoying shifting back and forth, RMPs where never higher than 2500, most of the time 2000.

Do you think this will help to reduce 3rd gear clutch pack wear down that we have? I am on 2nd transmission put about 4 month ago.
This is my daily commute, so I want to do it every time.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

can't hurt, the only things is that you will use more gas then, also allow it to start out in first if you do happen to slow down alot or basically stop (might be easier to put it in sportshift)

also by what you are describing is that it is hunting for the correct gear like when you are cruising on the highway and it is hunting for etheir 4th or 5th

russianDude

I am talking about D2, which means it will use gears 1-2 automatically as needed. (not the SS 2nd gear). Its not hunting for gears, its just that I noticed I start to go faster and faster, so transmission correctly decides to go to 3rd, and then I hit the breaks because of traffic, so like 4 seconds latter it has to get out of 3, and this is repeated again and again. Its all nice and smooth, but I am worried that this will wear out transmission problematic 3rd gear clutch pack.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

in d2 it will not downshift to 1st automatically, cause you can put it in d2 to help start out in snow (due to lower torque being available,
and anyways it may not be "hunting for a gear", but it is proably is doing the exact same thing by doing unnessacarry shifts and heating the fluid up, so keeping it out of 3rd is helpful during that part of your commute

just have to argue to put it in D2 or SS

russianDude

I am pretty sure while in complete stop and in D2 it was shifting to first, I felt a shift when accelerating from 1-2. Even in SS mode, when I keep it in 2nd, it automatically goes to 1st when you get really slow.

yeah, can't hurt I figure, hell with gas saving, better than paying another 4K for tranny.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

yeah in ss mode, i figure it will automatically shift it for, so you can't forget to shift , also maybe you should try starting out in D2 again to see if it really does start out in 1st

and 4K buys you ALOT of gas, so it would take YEARS to pay yourself back

YeuEmMaiMai

OK like the others stated

1. putting the car into D2 = car starts in second gear. Where I live it is needed.

2. a better choice for the op would be leave the car in SS mode and D3 or D4 depending upon speed. the ECM will try to keep the car in the gear selected unless one of the following happens
a. you are going slow enough to lug the engine
b. you bouce of the rev limiter 2 times

russianDude

If you are in heavy traffic, is it bad to start in 2nd gear? Could be more work, but we know that 2nd gear never goes wrong, besides its a gentle start, not like I am flooring it or something.
If you are in SS mode and leave it in 2nd gear, then you get 1-2 automatically?

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

wtf??? when ur in D2 u only use UP to 2nd gear. Ie 1st and 2nd gear

so d3 is 1,2,3

d4 is 1,2,3,4

and d5... is 1,2,3,4,5.

every time u come to a stop

I'm like 99.9% positive.

I'd be .1 % more sure if i drove my car right now and tested it. but i'm lazy

russianDude

thats what I thought... but just found this in the owner's manual:

Second (2) — This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It
does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing,
and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery
surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin



However, I am pretty sure when you are in 2nd and in SS mode, i've seen display changing from 2 to 1 when coming to a stop. So maybe its better to put it in SS mode and leave it there. From owner's manual.

When you accelerate away from a
stop, the transmission will start in
first gear and then automatically
upshift to second gear. You have to
manually upshift between second
and fifth gears. Make sure you
upshift before the engine speed
reaches the tachometer's red zone.


So this is a good way to save 3rd gear clutch pack?

niju321

i use d2 (if not coming to a complete stop) or SS (if complete stops are frequent) and it works pretty well

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

OK then i stand corrected

yea, but dude... it's not using it that kills it... it's all the clogged shit inside ur tranny that leaves no fluid left ON 3rd gear's parts. The pressure switches and lines get gummed up from lack of trans changes and that leads to premature failure of many other parts.

If it's going to happen then it's gonna happen either way. If it makes u feel better than do it for the tranny, but that wouldn't me my concern at all.

I had my tranny rebuilt by a guy who's seen it alll the time. and he told me exactly why it happens and why certain things are always the same, just in variation.

So, just change the ATF filter and fluid every 30K and that's all u can rally do... aside from not RIP it all the time

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

I use D2 for 1-3 gear hunts but only in long period of stop-go traffic. Its pretty flexible. I go easy on the accelerator because it lugs if you let off the gas quick and stepping on the gas quick.

D2 means 2nd gear only, it wont go to 1st or 3rd. In SS mode, it will go between 1-2 but never 3rd unless you manually shift it.

russianDude

When the fluid gets clogged up this is after the fact when 3rd gear starts to come apart.

Here is from NHTSA summary and comments from EricL, he is very knowledgeable. During the tests they proved that repetitive 2-3 and 3-2 shifts wear out clutches more and heat up the fluid.


P641 (IMPORTANT!!!!):

“Analysis by Repetition of Kickdown Shift/Upshift”

WOT 2-3 UP + 3-2 KD (Wide open throttle 2-3 upshift + 3-2 kickdown shift) 200-cycle repeat mode

EricL note: Notice that this is a different test with 200-cycles (more than previous tests); the conclusions are different and you can see more work is needed to get the trannies to be reliable under “normal” use. The graphs do show that the Japan made clutch plates don’t seem to help the facing wear (there is wear on each side of the clutch plate and the wear is different depending on position [OUT or IN facing side] and position in clutch pack [nos. 1 through 5] ).


* The amount of facing wear of US-made clutch plate was larger and more influenced by clutch roughness than that of the Japanese-made clutch plate. However, even the Japanese-made clutch plate, which was good in surface roughness, met with considerable amount of facing wear when tested in the “tricky” full-throttle kickdown shift/upshift repeat mode

CONCLUSION: -- > Countermeasure is required (EricL note: DOH!!!)



P642 (IMPORTANT AND SCARY):

EricL comment: I had mentioned “spot heating” in various contexts when the transmission cooler was being discussed and it is important to note that areas can create a lot of heat due to friction and not be able to transfer the heat out even if the “general fluid” temp is “normal.” The temps inside the third gear clutch pack are getting close to 400-degrees C (Man, that is way too hot). BTW, the test is run with the “NEW” clutch disks with better quality control made in the US.

EricL suggestion: Try and minimize the WOT (or even 80% WOT) upshift and downshift operation. If you think you are going to “hunt” for a gear in “maniac mode” during heavy traffic, try to stick with one gear (second or third gear using SS) and STAY OFF THE REPEATED UPSHIFT from 2-3. This is only a humble suggestion that will waste gas in traffic, but it seems rather clear from the graphs that the temps and clutch pack loads are getting a beating during shifts. (Only my opinion and YMMV)

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

tru.. soo don't RIP i all the time... and save your speed rage for the odd occassion. LIKE me.

my tranny will last for a WHILE... i take gooood care of her.

Oh and check ur fluid all the time and make sure it is nice redish. that way you know if u've been beating it up if you see a darkish color.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

i think the owner's manual answeared it for you to either put it into SS or D2 mode

but also how you say it is right on the edge of shifting when in traffic, i just relized i do the same thing when i am going up this hill, but i force it only into 4rd from 5th (sometimes 3rd even depending on speed and such), but i know when it is in 5th going up that hill, the engine seems to lug some, which is why i force it to stay out of 5th