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If you like abusing the heck out of the clutch and drivetrain!
Starting from 2nd, even in a Manual, doesn't strain the drivetrain too much. You use the clutch to adjust slightly, which is the main concern when staring from full stop at a higher gear. You'll use some clutch (on a manual, so slightly off topic this), but I've started my 86hp Corolla from all gears 1st to 5th, and though 5th gear starts are completely useless and wear more clutch than probably 100 regular starts it IS doable, and as long as you know what to do, it doesn't strain the drivetrain.
In my 86hp Corolla I'll use second for any starts where the wheels are still moving, even barely, because the 1st gear is so short it gets too jaggedy when in 1st. I've also made countless of second gear starts when I've forgotten to shift into 1st. Works fine, just slower.
On some cars you had D-Drive which went thru the gears automatically starting out with the 1st gear.
Then there was D-2 that a person could use by hand to drop into from D-Drive (when the need to accellerate arises). It wiil stay there until put back into the D-drive high gear by hand.
Then there was D-1 which was a LOW gear for maybe going up a steep driveway or hill. It will again stay in that gear untill upshifted into D-2 or D-Drive.
Basically the AUTO trans is designed to ALWAYS start out in the low gear and as the person accellerates it will change gears automatically. (many had a vacum control hose going to the intake manifold which controlled the shift point.
I'm from tha OLD school and not familiar with the newer cars so am just blowing a little smoke between cups of coffee this morning.
Bottom line is that starting out in 2nd gear (actually in 1st and then into 2nd) in a Auto trans means it will stay there (being locked in) and NOT go into the higher gear unless by hand.
Going back all the different cars (big three) had their own design with different trannys over the yrs for max performance.
Maybe a Auto trans rebuilder could explain better then me the complete functions.
The quick answer to this question though is just to take it a bit easier on the go fast pedal when it's wet.
Newer cars will have traction control that'll stop any spinning anyway.
In most cars, even powerful ones, it shouldn't be too hard to drive them in the wet without losing traction after each stoplight. If it's iced over or snow, you shouldn't drive unless your car has tires for those conditions anyway, and you're best off leaving your car at home.
You cant start from anything but 1st gear in an automatic transmission. When you put the shifter in "2" that just means 2nd gear will be the final gear it will shift to. When the car comes to a stop the transmission AUTOMATICALLY downshifts to first, it just doesn't stay in one gear all the time.
Your not doing anything by keeping it in 2 other than overheating the transmission because its not shifting when it should.
In a manual yes, it would be fine... as long as you have the torque for it and clutches are cheap!
You cant start from anything but 1st gear in an automatic transmission. When you put the shifter in "2" that just means 2nd gear will be the final gear it will shift to. When the car comes to a stop the transmission AUTOMATICALLY downshifts to first, it just doesn't stay in one gear all the time.
Thank you, JTraik.
Out of curiosity after reading the original post, I tried to duplicate the situation and it just doesn't work the way described.
Three, Two or One does nothing but limit the shifting to that particular gear once reached and would accomplish nothing but the heat issue you mentioned plus wasting fuel.
You cant start from anything but 1st gear in an automatic transmission. When you put the shifter in "2" that just means 2nd gear will be the final gear it will shift to. When the car comes to a stop the transmission AUTOMATICALLY downshifts to first, it just doesn't stay in one gear all the time.
Your not doing anything by keeping it in 2 other than overheating the transmission because its not shifting when it should.
In a manual yes, it would be fine... as long as you have the torque for it and clutches are cheap!
Depends on your Autobox, if you have the option to gear yourself (tiptronic type thing) or DSG type thing, you can.
And really, in most cars with a Manual, it won't hurt the clutch too much to do a 2nd gear start, it's fairly pain free honestly.
You cant start from anything but 1st gear in an automatic transmission. When you put the shifter in "2" that just means 2nd gear will be the final gear it will shift to. When the car comes to a stop the transmission AUTOMATICALLY downshifts to first, it just doesn't stay in one gear all the time.
Your not doing anything by keeping it in 2 other than overheating the transmission because its not shifting when it should.
In a manual yes, it would be fine... as long as you have the torque for it and clutches are cheap!
Doesn't really work that way any more. I can force my auto to start off in second gear, if I keep it in second gear it will stay there, UNTIL it hits the rev limiter, then the computer will over ride my stick setting and upshift to third.
You cant start from anything but 1st gear in an automatic transmission. When you put the shifter in "2" that just means 2nd gear will be the final gear it will shift to. When the car comes to a stop the transmission AUTOMATICALLY downshifts to first, it just doesn't stay in one gear all the time.
Your not doing anything by keeping it in 2 other than overheating the transmission because its not shifting when it should.
In a manual yes, it would be fine... as long as you have the torque for it and clutches are cheap!
Actually the C6 Ford automatic transmission does start out from a stop in 2nd when that gear is selected. I find that starting out in second with an auto does reduce tire spin on ice.
Doesn't really work that way any more. I can force my auto to start off in second gear, if I keep it in second gear it will stay there, UNTIL it hits the rev limiter, then the computer will over ride my stick setting and upshift to third.
Interesting, what vehicle is this? Does the engine lug down real low at idle when in second?
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