Driving automatic like manual (vehicles, engines, towing, gas)

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by NHDave

No you won't, letting off the gas allows for engine braking, if the converter "broke"connection" as you suggest, there would be no engine braking.

there is no engine braking on automatics.. You are mistaken. Unless you manually downshift or set the tow button on pick ups. Coasting in gear = neutral in automatics.

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by lifeexplorer

I think this is correct but would I save gas by doing this?

no you would not save any gas.. Honest.. You will save more by driving slower

[Drover]

A standard torque-converter-based automatic transmission will "coast" as if in neutral anyway unless you manually put it in a lower gear than "D".

[greg42]

Yes, in fact the engine braking built into the Nissan CVT in the Altima I was driving over the weekend was a bit disconcerting at times. I think it's a little too aggressive. Hills where I would never bother with that, in an auto or in my own stick shift car, set it off. Not sure why that's really necessary.

Also, why did that thing have a manumatic gate for up/down shifting? Hehehe. I never did try to figure out how many "gears" it would give me that way. (I returned it to Hertz this morning without ever checking that.) I guess it needs something to give it a manual downshift for times equivalent to when you would use it in an auto, but it still seemed a bit odd.

[snofarmer]

Originally Posted by lifeexplorer

Is it OK to switch between N and D on an automatic transmission doing free-wheeling and etc? Is that going to wear our the transmission?

Don't do it. not all transmissions pump fluid to all of the parts when in "N".

It is illegal to coast down hill in "N" in many states.

Originally Posted by frankgn87

there is no engine braking on automatics.. You are mistaken. Unless you manually downshift or set the tow button on pick ups. Coasting in gear = neutral in automatics.

You are mistaken all and every automatics I've driven do . sure if you wish to have the effect continue when slowing down you will have to down shift to keep the rpms up so the toque converter stays locked up.

[vmaxnc]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

I put my truck in neutral on a down grade a few weeks ago. The rpm's remained the same as it was in gear. The cluster says I am not burning any fuel thou when turning 2000 on a 80 mph downhill. I have been driving at 55 these days anyway but I hate riding the brakes on a downhill grade.

Why wouldn't the revs drop to idle, as if you weren't moving but in neutral?

Originally Posted by manderly6

Then you may want to change your choices for a new vehicle.

No doubt. Why would someone so concerned with MPG even be considering a Vette or a GT?

Originally Posted by frankgn87

there is no engine braking on automatics.. You are mistaken. Unless you manually downshift or set the tow button on pick ups. Coasting in gear = neutral in automatics.

What does the tow button do?


I thought the same thing about coasting in automatics.

[snofarmer]

Originally Posted by vmaxnc

What does the tow button do?


I thought the same thing about coasting in automatics.

the tow button gives the tranny different shifting points.
It will hold a gear longer when accelerating and down shift more aggressively when decelerating.

[ragnarkar]

Originally Posted by Merc63

It really won't hurt the transmission. On a modern trans, it won't let you hurt it by shifting manually to the wrong gear, or from neutral to drive (in fact, many cars won't let you go back to drive from neutral at speed). It's not really necessary, but you can do it. Why would you want to?

If that's true, then shifting to neutral would be a very dangerous thing especially on the freeway!!!

[Merc63]

Originally Posted by ragnarkar

If that's true, then shifting to neutral would be a very dangerous thing especially on the freeway!!!

Seen it happen, and yes, it was interesting. Had to slightly hold the brake on to get it to shift back into D.

[SK360]

This is from Rossler, one of the best Automatic transmission builders in the drag community.

3 speed and overdrive transmissions: Caution never shift into neutral position at high speeds. This will cause internal components of the transmission to rotate 2 and ½ times faster than your finish line RPM. (Example, If your car’s finish line RPM is 7,500 RPM’S and the Transmission is shifted to neutral then the internal components will spin at 15,000 RPM’s THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! The parts are spinning so fast, they can explode, turning your transmission into a shrapnel type bomb possibly causing bodily injury and death.