I went to the store to get some sea foam to flush my transmission, but they didn't have any and the guy at the store insisted that generic motor flush would work just as well. So I bought it, will it work and not damage anything? Also what would it take to get a more direct power feeling out of my auto tranny like a manual one feels? Shift kit? Torque convertor?
auto feel like a standard. Just plain not going to happen, but there's plenty you can do to liven it up. What exactly do you want to change about the characteristics of your transmission?
An ex wrench monkey...Told me that motor flush (the one that comes in an old style oil can) will give you about 6 or so months of tranny life befor it dies. Some oil change places can flush your tranny and get most of the old fluid out. As to liven it up...I would need more info ...like you want harder shifts, quicker dragstrip times. Sadly, personal exp. has showed me that "better" performance will cost you something else, like drivability.
So that's a no on the motor flush? What do you guys recommend? Most people have said sea foam, I just don't want to mess the transmission up. As for the way it performs well........I just like how in a car with a standard gearbox how it seems to have very "direct" power. I've driven many cars, like for instance a Nissan 240sx, with both automatic and standard transmissions. The one with the standard transmission just seems to have so much more power going to the wheels in any gear. I just want to get as much power to the wheels as possible. I want it to shift hard and not drag ass so much. Every now and then I've driven my Integra using the 1,2, D3, D4 manual shifting method and I must say that it seems to have so much more power, but I know that it is bad for my transmission. I'd like it like that, where it doesn't shift until a higher rpm then shifts hard. I would like to just drop in a standard.......but I don't feel like spending months finding close to me, then spending between $400 and $1500 having it installed, then trying to figure out how to rig up a clutch. I don't know, if it were up to me there'd be no such thing as auto and all cars would come standard.....but no such luck, I got a mav with an auto. Anyway my biggest concern is how to flush the transmission without destroying it, even though I don't like automatic it has to do for the forseable future.
For now I would just change the fluid and filter, use a good Type F fluid like Castrol or Quaker State if you can find it. To get what you want from the auto you need to change to a full manual valve body or put a good shift kit in as was stated before. But you must also use a better intermediate servo to apply and release the band more quickly. The "H" or better yet "R" is a good choice or go with a aftermarket one such as PA and others. A higher stall converter and deeper gear in the rear end will help. The bad thing about the std. shift cars and pounding on them to hard, is you are going to tear up a lot of parts like clutch, u-joints and even rear gears. The c4 has to be built right with proper clearances to work as you want. Just like the std. clutch cars, if it slips from being worn it will lag between gears too. One other thing, most aauto transmissions will last longer if they are shifted manually and put in nuetral at each stop. This reduces heat build up and fluid breakdown which is the number one killer of them. Put in some 4:62 rear gears and even with a stock tranny in good shape, you will feel the difference. Course gas mileage will go bye bye in a hurry. JMO
Wait, you're telling me that manual shifting an auto tranny is a good thing??? Everyone I've ever asked before has told me that this has killed several of their transmissions. Then again that was all with japanese cars, maybe their auto trannies aren't like old american ones?
I'd really like info on this. Is it good or bad to shift an auto tranny manually? Is it only good if you have a manual valve body?
Maunuall shifting an atuo - a great bench racing argument that will live on for years. Some say it's okay. Others insist that it will eventually kill the tranny clutches, especially if it's an AOD. IMO, I've burned up all kinds of auto trannies, manually shifting sometimes and others never. So, the answer is - who really knows? Good luck making a determination based on my profound bit of information. :bananaman
I think it all depends on the trans. AODs have to be shifted via the 1-d-back to 1 shuffle to be manually shifted back to 2nd gear. That kills 'em eventually. C4's....well....I don't see why manually shifting would hurt 'em because when it shifts automatically, it does the exact same thing, applies one clutch/band while releasing the other. It all works the same. Powerglides are the same way, as are T350's & 400's. Who knows....I guess it'll be one of those arguements that noone can win.
