Q45 Shifting

[Haitian_King]

Guys,

Anyone that's done this in the Q, please share the experience with me.

I just read this post from ages ago from AZHitman:

LOL - Sounds good. I haven't seen your Q, but I'm positive it's clean and reppin' AZ and NICO well.

BTW, you DO have a NICO decal or two, right?

Laid a severe and embarassing arse-whuppin on a member of the family today. Some geek in a Spec-V was clownin' me on the ramp NB from Adams onto the I-17. As soon as we both entered the freeway, chumpy starts playing "hide the bumper" in Quella's ample arse, acting all antsy like he thought I was holding him back from getting somewhere.

I unloaded on him with a first-gear downshift at 45 from which he never recovered. Gave him one more crack at the title near Northern when traffic opened up, but it was a miserable performance from the little guy. My guess is his only mods were an under-hood intake, a really horrible-sounding exhaust, and WAY too much weight in audio equipment.

I gave him the "no-no" finger wag when he passed me yelling some bull**** about "old lady car". Old lady whupped your hairless arse today, Princess!

He had plenty of time to read what forum I represent, it's in big-arse lettters across my back window.

I've always been curious about the shifting past drive. What's the proper way to do it? I've been told that you can seriously FUBAR everything if it's not done correctly. This is why I'm extremely reluctant to try it until I get all of the facts on it.

Are you supposed to shift into 1 from a stop? How does the whole sequence work?

Just asking. It's been one of those things that have been nagging me.

[maxnix]

Greg might have just floored it.

Manual shifting is one way to get a first gear start on pre 1993 Q45.
Modified by maxnix at 4:04 PM 1/29/2008

[qship96]

Brian, whats up with your typing/spelling recently?

[Haitian_King]

Did you mean "floored" it? Or was that something else? Just wanting to clarify. I have a 93 TCU in my 92. Would manual shifting be a bad thing? Keith did it on our road test, but I wasn't watching him shift. I was too busy trying to unglue myself from the seat. Quite possibly one of the more exciting experiences that I've had with the Q.

How is it done? Like, what are the "rules" to manual shifting a 4-Speed AT?

[goody90q45]

At a place with open, wide road ahead of you, no cross-traffic, telephone poles, little kids or Federales (popo):

> Shift into first gear (1) after you've come to a stop. > When you're ready punch the gas to the floor. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 6500 rpm manually shift from 1 to 2. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 6500 rpm manually shift from 2 to 3. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 6500 rpm manually shift from 3 to D. Don't let your foot off the gas.> When you run out of room and need to slow down let your foot off the gas. You should hit 130mph at 4000-4500 rpm if I remember correctly.

Have fun but do it in a safe place.

[Haitian_King]

At a place with open, wide road ahead of you, no cross-traffic, telephone poles, little kids or Federales (popo):

> Shift into first gear (1) after you've come to a stop. > When you're ready punch the gas to the floor. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 6500 rpm manually shift from 1 to 2. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 6500 rpm manually shift from 2 to 3. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 6500 rpm manually shift from 3 to D. Don't let your foot off the gas.> When you run out of room and need to slow down let your foot off the gas. You should hit 130mph at 4000-4500 rpm if I remember correctly.

Have fun but do it in a safe place.

Wow. That sounds CRAZY! I'm so excited to try it. Is it any better with the NICO ECU? I still have the stock one in at the moment.

I ahve no idea where I'll be able to find that much space and not get spotted by a cop. You think they'd even try to chase me at 130?

I think I'll hold off on trying it until I get the chain guides done. (Don't ask, long story which ended in small setbacks. They should have been done two weeks ago.) With the plastic ones in and my not knowing of their condition, I'm afraid to go to 4000.

Thanks for the info Mike!

[goody90q45]

I ahve no idea where I'll be able to find that much space and not get spotted by a cop. You think they'd even try to chase me at 130?

They'll send the choppers out after you. Seriously though, if you're not sure if your TCU is a 1st gear start count the shifts. > 3 shifts (1-2, 2-3, 3-4) = 1st gear start> 2 shifts (2-3, 3-4) = 2nd gear start

Try manually shifting starting in 1st gear but shift 1-2 at about 3000 rpm and 2-3 at about the same. I think you'll find your Q to be pretty spirited. I did the 6500 rpm shifts many times on the 90Q I had with 225,000 miles on the odometer. It shifted flawlessly and was actually better than leaving it in D.

[Haitian_King]

I know my TCU is a first gear start.

Would manual shifting be a better way of daily driving as opposed to leaving it in D? When Keith was driving my car, he commented that it had a very smooth "positive" shift. I never knew what that meant.

I also did some searching and found about 6 archived threads about early (90-93) Q45's and the drive shaft issues. I was going to make a thread asking about it but I decided to search before I did. I guess the new shaft will get rid of my vibration issues, but I still can't find the source of my transmission gremlin. I've read the AT section of the FSM over and over. I searched and still can't get the issue. Because the problem is intermittent (it conveniently tends to hide itself when brought to the attention of a professional and leaving me to look like a psycho hypochondriac *******) Keith couldn't find anything really wrong. He told me that he'd rebuild if I asked but he didn't see a reason for me to do so.

On a good day the Q shifts like a star. From a stop, the slightest nudge on the accelerator sits the rear down, lifts the front up, throws me back into the seat, and accelerates like a bat out of hell. When it's acting up, it takes a little more effort on the accelerator to get out of first. It then "jerks" into second. Like hard. (Mind you, in both cases, the Q had reached operating temp)

I suspected a possible torque converter issue and posed the question in another thread by a member with a similar problem, but the issue was never resolved. I also thought that maybe it was a bad '93 TCU but I was told on the board that those don't fail, or aren't known failure items.

I've had a fluid drain/pan drop/refill and a week later I got a BG Transmission flush. I had seriously considered replacing the transmission, but I no longer think that I have to.

Sorry to hijack my own thread, but if anyone can help me shine some light on this, I'd be much obliged.

[Kiven422]

Downshifting using the shifter is bad bad bad!.. for the transmission. I recommend you floor the gas pedal and then downshift to the gear your in to hold that gear.

But very nice on your win!!

[Haitian_King]

Downshifting using the shifter is bad bad bad!.. for the transmission. I recommend you floor the gas pedal and then downshift to the gear your in to hold that gear.

But very nice on your win!!

Downshifting from D intow 3,2, or 1 is bad while moving right? But from a stop and going from 1 to D isn't bad?

I'm a little confused.

[maxnix]

The manual gear selection does not over ride the automatic functions. It will up shift or not downshift if the rpm exceed operational parameters.

Drive your passengers crazy and shift manually all you want.

[Haitian_King]

I'm afraid to damage my transmission so I want to be crystal clear on the proper technique. Is the manual shifting detrimental to my transmission?

[maxnix]

Depends on your method of use and the transmission's condition. Do you leave it in gear too long at too high an RPM? Do you downshift too soon?

Play with it and you will likely end up leaving it in 3 for urban driving and D for the highway. There is a reason it is an automatic.

[Haitian_King]

If it depends on method of use, then I'd like to be sure of the "best" method.

I thought about using 3 for traffic conditions, especially after reading the owner's manual for my MDX. Honda transmissions go from d5 down to d1. It' recommended to use 5 on highway, but up until recently, I've always been ising it. City, highway, suburban roads.

I just want to have fun in my Q but not at the expense of damaging something badly.

[96Qowner]

The most legitimate reason to manually shift an automatic is to keep engine revs in the power band. The Q45 automatic will upshift from 2-3 as soon as you let off the gas and put the engine in the sub-optimum range for acceleration at 35mph. If you manually put it in D2, you'll have access to full power without waiting for the transmission to downshift, especially with the Q's characteristically slow 3-2 shift. And 2nd gear will take you all the way up to 85mph, if you want. The same is true of D3 at higher speeds, although the 4-3 shift isn't as slow.

I'm not sure much is gained by starting in D1 - the transmission has a good crisp 1-2 shift. But manually shifting between 2 and 3 can add a lot of fun.

As far as manual downshifts, the transmission won't shift until conditions are right. It won't allow you a downshift that will put the revs over 6700. In most cases, flooring it will produce the same effect.

But ... you'll want to have all this fun AFTER you get the guides done.

[maxnix]

But ... you'll want to have all this fun AFTER you get the guides done.

What?!! Still not done? Find the three posts where 3 1992 Q45 imploded within a six month period a couple of years ago!

[Haitian_King]

I know, I know.

Some things came up and I had to postpone the operation. These were supposed to be done 3 weeks ago. Within the next two weeks, I'm hoping that things will sway my way and let me get these done so I'd have one less thing to worry about. I need to reseal my VC's as well. That'll be done during the guide job while everything's all opened up.

[youngq45r]

The manual gear selection does not over ride the automatic functions. It will up shift or not downshift if the rpm exceed operational parameters.

AAre you sure on that? Not to discredit you or anything, but in my 93, it will bounce off the rev (oops) until you shift. my 91 did the same thing. I also noticed that the car shifts firmer (you can feel it when you neck snaps back) when you manualy shift at redline Vs. shifting itself at redline.

[maxnix]

I believe the later ones shift up and not hold the gear.

No difference in firmness of shifts either way at WOT.

[goody90q45]

[QUOTE=youngq45r]Are you sure on that? Not to discredit you or anything, but in my 93, it will bounce off the rev (oops) until you shift. [QUOTE]

I was a little confused by Brian's post but after re-reading it I think what he's trying to say is if you start in 1 it will not shift out of first gear until you manually shift to 2 (or 3 or D). Ditto for second gear. Start out in 2 and it will shift from 1 to 2 but won't leave 2nd gear until you manually upshift. Same for 3- you'll get the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts but it won't go into 4th until you move the shift lever to D. Leave it in D and shifting is fully automatic through all the gears.
Modified by goody94q45 at 6:14 PM 1/30/2008

[qsiguy]

Small edit of this procedure if you have the NICO ECU

> Shift into first gear (1) after you've come to a stop.> When you're ready punch the gas to the floor. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 7000 rpm manually shift from 1 to 2. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 7000 rpm manually shift from 2 to 3. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 7000 rpm manually shift from 3 to D. Don't let your foot off the gas.> When you QUICKLY run out of room and need to slow down let your foot off the gas. You should hit 130mph at 4000-4500 rpm if I remember correctly.

Much different experience! Oh, and you might want to have those new chain guides installed before the NICO ECU

[Haitian_King]

Small edit of this procedure if you have the NICO ECU

> Shift into first gear (1) after you've come to a stop.> When you're ready punch the gas to the floor. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 7000 rpm manually shift from 1 to 2. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 7000 rpm manually shift from 2 to 3. Don't let your foot off the gas pedal.> When you hit 7000 rpm manually shift from 3 to D. Don't let your foot off the gas.> When you QUICKLY run out of room and need to slow down let your foot off the gas. You should hit 130mph at 4000-4500 rpm if I remember correctly.

Much different experience! Oh, and you might want to have those new chain guides installed before the NICO ECU

Definitely qsiguy. I've had my NICO ECU since last spring. I got it along with my TCU. I was afraid to put it in because of my transmission gremlins. Now I don't want to put it in until I'm sure that the engine is bulletproof. I went to Radio Shack and bought a switch and wired it up. I just have to put it in the car. Maybe when it gets warmer.

A question about the driveshaft vibrations. Can a bad driveshaft (worn out) affect acceleration? I get the rumbling and vibrations. I was on the turnpike today and shifted into neutral to see if they would stop. I put it back in drive and it was smoother.

I wonder if the driveshaft not operating at OEM standards isn't transferring all of the power.

I didn't notice anyone say anything about restored performance after a shaft swap. All the mentioned was lack of vibration. Does it help performance?

[youngq45r]

Thanks mike, thats what i ment . sorry

[tkd_q45]

Wow - never knew driving an auto was so complicated? Simple foot to the floor has served me well. Even when I had my 92 w/1st gear start, kickdown was pretty quick. Many don't seem to realize that G50s are (somewhat) fast cars.

[Haitian_King]

Wow - never knew driving an auto was so complicated? Simple foot to the floor has served me well. Even when I had my 92 w/1st gear start, kickdown was pretty quick. Many don't seem to realize that G50s are (somewhat) fast cars.

I know G50's are fast. Very fast. Especially for its size and weight. Tonight I was complimented by a lady friend on how nice my car is. No one ever believes that it's 16 years old.

I just want to try the manual shifting. It looks like fun. I don't think I've ever been over 5.5k RPM in the year that I've had it. Fastest I ever got to before coming to my senses (chickening out) was 110 MPH on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

[Kiven422]

I don't think you'll find manual shifting very useful compared to Drive... very useful to hold a gear, by that i mean limit it to only 3rd gear.... 3rd gear has lots of power when you need it a lot on and off

[Haitian_King]

Hmm. What's best for suburban driving? Not really cruising speed for long, but not necessarily the stop and go of city traffic.

[Peterofdevon]

Hey there jersey dude...

respect your car and dont beat the cr..ap out of it.

wave at me on the ac X way some time :0

Do not listen to the b-hards on this site tellling you how fast and hard your Q can go. The Q is about the touch and the feel. If you want to go fast buy an old vette. laugh

Peter