A lost Asset in Auto Transmissions

[3930dave]

I'm trying to figure out why on God's green earth you need to take off in second gear. In snow? Why? on ice? Why?

Depends what you drive, and the snow/ice you typically deal with.

We inherited an older Civic, with a slushbox. On just damp pavement I can get a bit of wheel slip, w/o trying. Unless you are running really soft (compound) tires, that reflects how low 1'st is geared. Engine and Transmission are stock.

I grew up in the 70's, learning to drive while dealing with tons of snow, and the marginal tires of the day. So, that issue with the Civic I have now does not affect my ability to get around in the Winter (I do run 4 snows on it), I'm just citing it as a common example of a small light car that could benefit from second-gear start ability, in the Winter conditions we have here.

If you were so inclined, you may be able to "tune" a modern automatic for second gear starts. Given the gear count (up), and case size (down) of modern car automatics, I wouldn't count on the Trans surviving vigourous use of the tuned 2'nd gear start though.

Unfortunately for those of us wanting direct control of the transmission, there are few and sometimes No options of Manual transmissions in certain Can/USA vehicle classes today.

Rgds, D.

 

[sld]

I always learned to use the brake and throttle at the same time to control wheel spin on my older trucks.

 

[MossRoad]

I always learned to use the brake and throttle at the same time to control wheel spin on my older trucks.

Traction control does that for you and much faster than you can do it manually.

 

[MossRoad]

Hey, here's a tip from the Michelin Winter Driving Academy.... you may want to turn off traction control when going up a steep icy hill or rocking a car out of a snow bank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ_ePJQfCjM

 

[timswi]

The only vehicles that ever seemed to start out in 2nd gear were some of the 80's and early 90's Benz automatics...In fact they were annoyingly slow off the line unless you manually overrode the default..Not sure I've ever noticed it beyond those.

 

[MossRoad]

Apparently some 97 Chevy camaro's had an SGS button (Second Gear Start). Never knew that.

Looking at my 93 Suburban, K1500, I always figured there was something wrong with the tranny because if I had it in L2, it would start out in L2, not 1, then 2. Now I've learned that's normal. I'll swear none of my other GM cars or trucks did that. I've had many cars. Trucks, I've had 78 GMC 3/4 ton with 454 and turbo400. 85 1/2 ton 4x4 with 700r4. 93 3/4 ton short wheelbase van with 4L60E. I have that same 4L60E in my 93 Suburban and it will allow 2nd gear start. Do some start in 2nd when in L2 and some don't, or, did I just miss that and they all start in 2nd when in L2?

Anyhow, that's something to look forward to to play with in the 93 Suburban, IF we ever get any snow this year.

 

[Farmer495]

I know the old Ford C-6 started in "2"....current Ford select-shift automatics allow 2nd gear start. (Driven 12 2.5L Fusion and 13 Eco-Boost F-150)

Out of the limited automatics I've driven, Ford appears to offer the only true "manual" model. Will hold gears and shift when YOU want, unless you get real STUPID (won't pull away in 6th gear dead stop)

GM (Driven 11 5.3 1500 and 13 Impala) 6-speed automatics work with in ranges, don't think they offer 2nd gear start. Yes you can shift from D to L/M at 60 MPH, trans will just show "6" in the display, doesn't go to first.

Current trans protect themselves from the loose nut behind the wheel.

To me the real loss of asset is manual trans, since next to no one can apparently drive a manual trans (try to buy a new pickup with one) they have the trans dumbed down since people don't know "why" the transmission operates, just D and go.

Traction control is garbage, I've disabled it once trying to get a 2wd GMC 1500 unstuck, it turns itself back on "if you spin the tires" despite having turned it off....A sled being pushed uphill makes better progress.

Guy I know has a 2012 4x4 Chevy 1500, useless in snow in 4 high, traction control shuts it down, he has to run it in 4LO in hard going so the nanny crap doesn't shut the truck off.

My car and truck are manual trans and no traction control. Want to pull away in 2nd gear? Stick goes in 2nd. I want to spin the tires? I push to gas pedal to the floor. Want 4x4? Lock the hubs and pull the short stick into 4H.

Read some towing forums and people rave about how great "tow/haul" etc is, I put the truck in 6th and set the cruise. drop a gear when needed. Not rocket science.

I am not looking forward to when rust turns my "last of the crapless" wheels into scrap.

 

[Farmer495]

Some cars won't let you turn off traction control (i.e. Honda) if the tire pressure monitoring system isn't working (think snow tires on separate rims) so yet another useless crap interlock that prevents you from getting unstuck.

Chrysler 4-speed automatics would let you do the "shift from L to 3/D and then slam back to L" to hold 2nd gear. Let you somewhat manually shift, but you had to know the SPEED which the trans would allow or disallow the shifts (versus dropping back to 1st from 2nd, or holding 2nd..

 

[s219]

"No ****, there I was."

We used to park on the street in South Boston. Subarus have very long range remotes for some reason: up to 300 feet. Sometimes the kids would play with the buttons and unlock the car. I'd driven my WRX to NYC the prior weekend and left the Valet key in the glovebox.

So one morning I hear what sounds like my car starting up. Some street junky saw the car was unlocked, got in and found the key. He started it up and tried to take off. But it was parked on a hill, and he rolled forward so much he couldn't get out of the space without putting the car in reverse. To put this particular model of Subaru into reverse, he push the shifter all the way right and down, but you also have to push down on the shift lever as there is a detent. So while he was fumbling for reverse I can running out, barefoot. I made a tactical error by running in front of the car, so he saw me coming and just got out the door or I would have been able to trap him inside. But since he beat feet, I got in the car and went looking for him. Didn't find him, but he left me a two liter bottle of Coke and a couple candy bars: crime did not pay.

I've been a long time Subaru fan (owned 5-6, including 03 WRX) and been on many Subaru web forums. That's the best darn Subaru story I've heard in a long time!

 

[MoMower]

A few years ago Volvo did away with the winter button. On my 09 S80, with the spin control turned off it will start out in second, in manual mode. It even suggests this in the owners manual.