Trans temp
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 890
Likes: 1
The tranny temp gauges first came out on the super duties. One of the main reasons is that people were putting their trucks in neutral while on a downhill and consequently overheating their transmissions...plus that is extra wear on your brakes which is just dumb.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,513
Likes: 669
From: Sioux Falls Area
As for it being a dumb thing to do, perhaps, but not as dumb as you make it out to be.
If one thinks that they are saving some wear and tear on the motor and trans, then it is not so dumb. Sure it wears the brakes, but who cares? Brakes are cheap. Transmissions and engines are very expensive.
I do not downshif my manual transmission vehicles as i decelerate. And if I do wish to use the engine for braking, I will double clutch and rev the engine to avoid wearing on the synchros. Every downshift makes the synchros work to match the gears unless you can match the speed of the input shaft to the gears.
I see people chase gears while decelerating, or using the engine for braking as normal practice and to me that is just dumb. Clutches are expensive, synchros are expensive ... brakes are cheap.
just my thoughts on that ...
but i'm glad to know that bumping to neutral is bad karma ... something I did not know.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 890
Likes: 1
Manual trannies are a whole different beast. The two are lubricated in very different ways. Manual transmissions have passive lubrication where the gears just run through the fluid, but an auto has a pump. There are a few exceptions to this though.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,320
Likes: 1
From: CT
I down shift my e4od all the time in my idi on this one hill near home. Slows it down good. Also have a huge tranny cooler and the fluid is pink and good. I'd much rather be driving a manual but i'll take what i can get. The new manual shift cars are funny drove a Mazda 6 and had fun downshifting to a stop.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 890
Likes: 1
There's no problem with down/upshifting. It's neutral while at speed that will burn up a tranny due to lack of lubrication. Get a shift kit for your truck, works wonders. Remember International Scouts with that garbage Chrysler tranny? You pretty much had to manually shift them. Unlike a manual tranny, an auto will go into the gear selected when it is good and ready. I also enjoy a good pizza.
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