poohlikeshunny

I was wondering if it were bad to gate shift during normal driving. Normally, If I am in stop and go traffic, I will put it in D4 or D3 to keep it from hunting gears. But then once traffic starts to move, and I need to get into fifth gear, I'll wait until 4th is about 2800 rpms and then just plop the shifter into D5...is this a bad idea for the tranny? Should I just stick to D5 for all driving? The reason I like to keep the gears as low as possible while driving is because I hate when people cut me off when there's barely any room, and that happens a lot down my way...so I like to keep the car as close to an exact distance fro theone ahead of me as possible...hopefully that helps...

SatinSilverTypS

iTrader: (1)

personally, i've never seen anyone say it's good for the car to gate shift. i would say just pick d4 or d5 and leave it depending on the level of traffic you're in or use the tiptronic (which i also personally think isn't the best invention either for an auto tranny). but this is just my 2 cents. let's see what the others think.

SSTS

SONNYS99TL

I agree tiptronic shifting doesn't seem like it would be a good thing to use all the time, so with that in mind I wouldn't think gate shifting is to good on a tranny either.

nayyarn

Leave it isn D5 when in traffic, you are gona wear down your transmission, the Automatic tranny will keep the best gear selection for you. As far as people jumping in front of you and cutting you off let it go. Smoke them once traffic starts to move if you like. Some one cutting you off or jumping infront of you won't make much of difference in traffic with your commute time. Rearing ending someone because for following too closely will be costly and a pain in the ass with your insurance when its time for renewel. The choice is yours.

poohlikeshunny

I agree with just about all you said, except inthis overtly wealthy and arrogant area called King of prussia, people tend to not use signals or courtesy, so it can actually end up being more dangerous if you just let these asses cut you off. And when I follow people, I don't ride an ass, I just stay close enough to not let anyone jump in, and far enough to not get in an accident. but sometimes these asses still find a way to cut you off with practically no room, with no signal, and proceed to give YOU the finger when THEY just cut you off.

But as far as what everyone says, I guess I should justleave it in D5 and leave it at that...I'd try tiptronic, but you guys really think it would wear the tranny downjust as bad?

Mothergoose45

The auto stick was put in the car to use, therfore I use it all of the time. If it breaks something I expect Acura to fix it.

poohlikeshunny

i thought like this for awhile too...if it were THAT bad for the tranny...would they have put SS on it?

BiggyMcWang

If you want more power.. use D4. Also when my car is fully loaded with passengers.. I use D4. D3 for mountains and D5 to save gas. Tiptronic is aight but being a manual driver... I really despise it since there is no clutch. Gate shifting is bad... and at worst i will literally break your engine and stall it(seen high school example ). In traffic, I'd prefer tiptronic cuz I'm a downshifter, though much smoother than the auto tranny!! Hence why i want a clutch... but yeah.

BTW, I don't believe in signaling unless I'm obligated to ask you(you are within one car length)

BiggyMcWang

Oh yeah... downshifting in traffic, make sure you are at low RPM or you might screw yourself a new tranny. For each car it's a bit different but you'll figure it out.

Faizalstar

I doubt very much that King of Prussia is worse or even close to the traffic here in NYC with all the yellow cabs changing lanes and turning w/o any signals or indications and coming to sudden stops to pick up passengers!! In any case the SEQUENTIAL SPORTSHIFT is perfect for me in the city instead of changing from D5/D4 since changing that way don't exactly shift quick enough since the computer has to read it as well. just my $.03

bigman

When i had my TL. Leaving it in d had the tranny break 3 times. Leaving it in ss and shifting myself had the tranny lasting longer. The reason the ss can be used is because of line pressure increased in between each shift. Gate shifting is not a good idea, because you dont get as much line pressure between each shift. Your tranny will die faster.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Search A-CL about this issue.

Gate shifting and/or SS mode is actually BETTER for the transmission than leaving it in D5 or D4

nayyarn

I used live in PA as a kid growing up. Lived in Phoenixville, PA right next to Valley Forge, PA. King of Prussia was like that even then.

JPritch

From everything I've read in my two years on this forum, is that D5 in the city is not good on the tranny. Therefore I always drive D4 in the city and pop it into D5 when I am on the highway.

poohlikeshunny

Funny you mention it..I actually JUST moved to Phoenixville a few weeks ago...right down the street from the hospital on Nutt road...KoP has been bad for as long as I have grown up in the area...sad...

But as far as everyone else, thanx for all the info...I'm actually VERY surprised to hear that SS is supposed to be BETTER than D5...I figured if the compouter did all the shifting, it would be WAY more accurate and perfect...guess not

SatinSilverTypS

iTrader: (1)

i'll search for this but i have to say i have never seen *any* automaker or individual who really knows transmissions say that gate shifting is better. gateshifting can easily trash your valvebody. i have seen it myself.

i personally don't like the tiptronic because it's slow to shift on the acceleration. the computer can pick a better shiftpoint then i can 98% of the time. plus like i said, it definitely has a lag between when you move the shifter and when the tranny actually throws to the next gear. in the snow though i think it's awesome. i just throw it in second/third and drive wherever i please.

SSTS

jayhawk815

This is what I do and haven't had a problem yet.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Yes but in our transmissions with our weak clutch packs and poor fluid delivery to said clutch packs, the strain caused by staying in 5th gear and/or constant up and downshifts wears the clutch packs out rapidly and causes the documented failure.

reloaded

I was told by the dealer that I was to drive in D5 unless I wanted to drive "SS." I've been doing that ever since. But yea..now that this thread is up..i'm kinda wondering if i should drive D4 more often. So driving in SS is better in city? When do you drive in D5 then?

thanks in advance.

BiggyMcWang

D5 is for cruising on the freeway(no traffic).

chewi

look at the new automatic gates....
they have i thinnk d5, d4,d3 only.
the only way to shift into a lower gear manually is by using SS...
therefore, honda/acura wouldn't suggest using gate shifting

suj220

how about shifting to neutral in stops during traffic. doesnt that save fuel?

BiggyMcWang

Bad Idea...

poohlikeshunny

How come this is a bad idea? I always wanted to know but noone I know ever knew. I mean, you can put it into neutral with a manual, what part of the tranny's assembly is different?

suj220

then how come the 2002 TLP manual says to put it in neutral in heavy stopping traffic.

poohlikeshunny

I'm going to have to take a look at my 2000 manual to find out if it says this too...NICE FIND!!!

BiggyMcWang

Personally from experiences of my own and that of people I know... it's not the tranny problem... it's an issue of safety. Hard to explain but if you needed to gas it in a situation... you wouldn't have that.. unlike a manual where you can zip into gear again.. a automatic has some lag time as the tranny figures out when to engage. The clutch on the other hand you control engagement. My co-worker wrecked his car when he braked hard and accidentally shifted to neutral,.... he wasn't able to stop his car from colliding into the mountain side since he couldn't change course. Hence why i always downshift in driving to avoid going to neutral(on a manual) and also why i do it with the ungraceful automatic tiptronic. People say it's bad for tranny but i've drivin on my old integra for over 100,000 miles and the clutch is still good. The car's second clutch too. As for the TL, my uncle is at 80,000+ with no transmission problems. But back on the point though, I think you are tying yourself up when you shift to neutral. Keep in mind that the dealerships are trying to market our cars as economic on gas so they did tell us to put in too light oil weight(2 family mechinics) and also this shifting thing seems to be the same strategy too(first time I ever heard this). Yeah... neutral... bad for your health.. not car...

reloaded

Sorry to bring this thread back "alive" but..

kinda off topic..but I read in Men's Health two days ago..they say they recommend you to shift it into Neutral at every stoplight for automatic. Dunno ..i've been trying drive SS in city traffic now..since you guys said it was better...then i tried to shift it into neutral at every stoplight. Man..that was some work lol... is this recommended.? From going to SS --->Neutral every stop light?

Vicman17

D5 in bumper to bumper traffic is actually asking for trouble. You let the tranny upshift itself when you gain a little speed then the tranny going to neutral by itself when you let go of the gas (all auto trannies do unless you drive a bus that has a retarder feature) can actually overheat your brakes although not by much.

If you S/S and leave it between 2 and 3 you should have some use of engine compression to slow the car down added by your brake pedal use. This actually prevents you rear ending the car in front as the car gives you the sensation of deceleration as opposed to just coasting in the "D" mode. If anything should wear out it's probably your shift linkage as opposed to the tranny. If your aim is to keep cars from cutting in front of you, then S/S is great. But "smoking" them in bad traffic is the work of amateurs and professional ricers.

It all boils down to personal preference. Some would like more control like the one afforded by a manual tranny, but majority of drivers in North America are oriented in automatic transmissions who may say the don't like the extra "work" on a MT in heavy traffic. IMO, nothing beats traffic or not.

heehaaw

i hate tip tronic, and i hate automatic. i wish the tl was just offered in a manual to begin with. im getting a 6 speed g35 coupe. in canada the tl 6 speed manual isnt offered with the navi package, which is so fucking stupid its beyond me why they would do that. oh well they're losing a customer. their loss. and my gain? about 20 extra horsepower...

Neorick

That is lame...You can get any combination TL option in US

Vicman17

It is now- TL Dynamic Navi Package. But still with summer tires ONLY. Check here.

johnny--2k

Pooh.... like everyone else said, it shouldnt be a big problem. by the way, nice choice in cars....see my sig!

sxlova07

I came across this while at work and I found ppl's point interesting and reflected on how I drove my TLS and that maybe I wasnt gettin the full potential outta the car (I do drive in SS once and a while)...so I drove in D4 while I was in the city and on the highway......unless there was a long stretch than I would put it in D5. And I was quite impressed with how the car accelerated...I may try this for a few days (in addition to using SS more).....gotta say thanks for the thread...this is something I dont think I would have realized on my own :-)

uncald4

iTrader: (3)

I've got an idea. Drive that MF like it's a HONDA!! OH. Wait, it is a HONDA.
So drive it how you wanna drive it. If you fuck it up just get it fixed. Most of us know what our cars limits are. I know the CL/TL curse. I'll drive it like a granny when it's out of warranty. Until then.... Mash that shit baby.!! What good is 260hp if yer gonna tread lightly? Eh?

P.S. Turn off the VSC when you're trying to show off!! That EXCLAMATION mark is just there for motivation!!

chewi

I use SS 99% of the time....I don't drive aggressive often, but it allows me to shift whenever i think its time to shift......

so far, my 2000 TL with over 70,000kms is still running fine, My 2003 TL-S with 21000km is running fine also....


It really depends on how you drive i guess...

Even when i push my car hard, i would release the gas and shift.... wait about 1/2 sec to about 1 sec to let the transmission shift into the next gear , then gas it again.....

i just don't think its right to shift with your foot on the throtle.....

Seems harsh on the tranny....but its up to u how you want to drive....

chewi

BTW...I think GATE SHIFTING is BAD...

Why do you think the 2004 TL, TSX can't gate shift....they only have SS , D5 & D4.....

They obviously don't want u to gate shift lower than D4 or D3....

sxlova07

chewi I dont think releasin the gas is necessary, cus think about it...when you drive a auto normally you foot is on the gas and the car is shifting....jus my $0.02 that came to mind......

MikeekiM

I like D3 in the city, and D4 on the highway for power...

But the economic person in me keeps it in D5 most of the time...

I don't gate shift... But I do use the SS from time to time...

I am a manual tranny driver by nature, so it's been difficult to transition to an automatic... I am still not used to mashing the pedal to signal the auto to downshift... But I am getting more used to it...

In a way, I want to beat the hell out of it under warranty to make sure if anything wants to break, that I allow it to break... But at the same time, what if I do that and end up "breaking it" by 90% and it actually does not break until after my warranty...

Decisions, decisions...

sxlova07

D3 in the city ehhh.....kinda makes sense when I think about it....curse this sucky weather that makes it so I have to easy off.......cant wait to take this car on some roadtrips in the spring/summer