Hey guys, I usually DD my jeep, which is a five speed. When I drive my sisters Cobalt (07' SS Sedan, Auto) I like to shift it from L --> I --> D manually.

Also, when slowing down to a stop, i downshift it from D --> I --> L

Is it hurting anything to do this? If she isn't using the car, and i'm working on the jeep, I may drive the Cobalt for a week or so straight, shifting like this most of the time.


Sort of related question:
Also, one of my friends is putting a ShiftPlus kit on their 07' SS Sedan, and likes to do the same thing as me. Would it hurt his car to do that with the ShiftPlus on Mode1?

 

I dont believe its a good thing, my dad always used to give my brother **** about it. He used to be a Master Tech at AAMCO years ago. Something about bearings and oil, bla bla who listens when your getting bitched at. At any rate, I dont think its a good common practice.

 

I don't really see the point anyways. Just drive it like it was intended. lol

 

i really only do it when im racing in my monte...if i take off to fast it slips in D..when i put it in first it wont so then when im WOT i just move it up after the take off....

 

i do it to, it shouldnt have any short tern effects, put in the long term your tranny may slip sooner. but its your sisters ride, who cares.
Also I have a shiftplus kit on my 07 SS and its awesome. But i wouldnt recomend using stage 2 ver yoften, you can really tell its straining and shifting harsd as a bitch, it squecks em allt he time.
Also, thres no point in up/down shifting if your not either racing, having fun with it or showing off.

 

No its not very good because it wasn't designed to be shifted in and out of gears like that. It has to force itself to shift into each gear and since an automatic works on pressures, your jacking that up and creating more heat. Its not really the added force thats bad, it will shift when its good and ready to, its just the extra heat. For the most part though, your not going to cause catistrophic failure in one week of doing that, its just un-advisable.

 

Yeah, but even though it's my sisters ride, I still do care!

I figured the downshifting couldn't be good for it, but I don't really see what's so bad about the upshifting?

Like i said, i don't usually drive the Cobalt, so when I do, I am always having fun with it

 

i wouldn't do it. its bad for tranny and if your doing it often enough you might as well be neutral dropping because sooner or later you will get the same result.

 

Upshifting is just as bad as neutral dropping ?!?

 

Upshifting like that isn't the problem, but down shifting is putting extra wear and tear on the trans.

Don't down shift like that unless you need to.

 

it depends on the car.

basically, the lower settings on the selector open or close valves that limit what it lets the car do. in other words, you're not picking a gear, you're telling it to NOT go into the next one. when you upshift, you force the car to shift because you slam that valve shut. you should never shift a normal automatic at WOT (or any car).

also, most stock cars, putting it in drive and keeping your foot on the floor is just as fast as dicking with it.

 

Alright, thanks for the heads up guys.

Looks like i'll stop pretending it's a stick, and just leave it in D.

It just seems so boring compared to driving my jeep!

 

I know some people that manually shift their auto, i just laugh at them. They should have just gotten a standard

 

If manually shifting the autotranny was bad for it GM would just give you P R N D!

If you want to enjoy driving the Cobalt around in areas you don't need Overdrive just leave it in "I" -- it will upshift AND downshift on it's own. The Cobalts tranny is not like other automatics in that the different selections do not allow ANY control of shift points. When you put it in "L" three things happen 1. If you have traction control it disables it -- very important for maximum acceleration because if you get any wheelspin the ECM reduces the engine power and KILLS your performance, 2 It increase line pressure within the transmission to accept the higher torque from the engine, and 3 it will shift into 2nd gear perfectly at redline (2.2 - 6000RPM; 2.4 - 6700RPM). Then you'll need to shift it into "I" to get third gear -- but even then the tranny will shift into third gear on it's own under WOT -- it will not shift into OD until you move the selector into "D". "I" is for "spirited" driving -- the tranny will upshift at higher RPMs part throttle and will also downshift on its' own too -- but fuel economy suffers. "D" will make the tranny upshift quickly up to OD for fuel economy.

I listen to people with manuals whine about the stop and go traffic because they have to do so much leg work, I just laugh at them. They should have gotten an auto -- then they could shift when they want to and just drive when they need to

 

Thank you...finally...I was reading and Was like jeez I do this and it shifts on its own from L to I and then I move it to I and then it shifts into third and then I shift it to drive and it seems fine. Only do it when I'm racing though...with the shift+ this is awesome but scary on stage 2!!!!

 

I've been doing it for the past 46 thousand miles on my car. **** the haters.

 

I laugh at autos for carrying around more weight and haveing more drivetrain loss

 

Actually it was designed to shift like that.

The 4T45e was designed to have TipTronic capability

Auto's laugh at you when your clutch starts slipping, when you lose boost when you shift (turbo) and when you have to let off nitrous to shift

 

You see if you have HPTuners Hack you can program a no lift shift feature.

So I will take my less drivetrain loss and less weight.

 

hahaha tooche

Wish i wouldn't have paid extra for the 5-speed......oops never mind



Screw NLS....powershift FTW

 

wow, this thread is one of the worst i've seen in a very, very long time.

 

X2 you are not actually shifting it. it shifts itself still.

yea i dont even know why you would want to down shift it to low. shifting up is whats fun not going down lol. i only do it when racing or driving through deep snow.

 

I didn't have to change anything at all to get where I'm at right now

 

They also laugh at you because then can handle 325 ft/lbs of torque.

 

It happens.

Kevin some guy was trying to tell me how a SS/TC is a better track car than a RX-8...and he got seriously owned by his own article that he tried to defend his point with!