Quicker downshifts, that's all I ask.

[DoinkMobb]

I do realize it's a 4-speed AT designed for cruising BUT is there anything I can do to hasten the 2-1 downshift?

I had to pull into traffic on a slightly wet road a few weeks ago. I wasn't about to floor it to get onto the road, that would just spin me into oblivion. Pulled onto the road and I waited until I hit about 20-25 mph and proceeded to floor it and...nothing happened. One second, two seconds and then finally the downshift and the Q took off, as traffic was closing in on me.

Is a manual shift the only way to get the Q to downshift when you want it to?

[elwesso]

Is a manual shift the only way to get the Q to downshift when you want it to?

basically. Thats the short story. You also have to be below 30MPH and it wont downshift unless you press the gas to the kickdown.

[maxnix]

Use your hand. Manual, that is.

[Haitian_King]

basically. Thats the short story. You also have to be below 30MPH and it wont downshift unless you press the gas to the kickdown.

To get it to downshift, you have to floor it, and then shift? Or simultaneously? I thought the manual downshift was bad for the transmission?

[elwesso]

manual shift on the trans isnt bad at all.. However, you dont want to shift it LIKE a manual, like where you hold off the gas while you shift. It gets confused... So downshift, nail the gas and stay in it while your shifting. All your doing is telling the TCU what to do instead of it making its own decision.

[Haitian_King]

manual shift on the trans isnt bad at all.. However, you dont want to shift it LIKE a manual, like where you hold off the gas while you shift. It gets confused... So downshift, nail the gas and stay in it while your shifting. All your doing is telling the TCU what to do instead of it making its own decision.

Ok. That cleared it up. Thanks Wes.

[youngq45r]

basically. Thats the short story. You also have to be below 30MPH and it wont downshift unless you press the gas to the kickdown.

Really? Thats the way it is on my 93. But on my 91 i could manually throw it in to 1st at any speed below 55 and it would do it. Once i accendentaly hit 1st, intending to grab 2nd on freeway, doing 65 and it did it . It immediatly started bouncing of the rev and slowed dramitacly. Im tempted to change the computers and c what happends. Also the 91 grabbed 2nd so hard it would chirp the tires, at almost any speed. Whats up with that. Dont mean to steal the thread. just a quick question.

[Haitian_King]

Really? Thats the way it is on my 93. But on my 91 i could manually throw it in to 1st at any speed below 55 and it would do it. Once i accendentaly hit 1st, intending to grab 2nd on freeway, doing 65 and it did it . It immediatly started bouncing of the rev and slowed dramitacly. Im tempted to change the computers and c what happends. Also the 91 grabbed 2nd so hard it would chirp the tires, at almost any speed. Whats up with that. Dont mean to steal the thread. just a quick question.

You went from D to 1? How did you do it and not catch 3 and 2 before getting to 1? I'm trying to understand the whole manual shift thing. Some people say it's bad, others say it's really not a bad thing for the transmission.

[qsiguy]

...Also the 91 grabbed 2nd so hard it would chirp the tires, at almost any speed. Whats up with that. Dont mean to steal the thread. just a quick question.

Maybe your dropping resistor is disconnected or bad. When that's disconnected it shifts much harder because it gives full pressure to the solenoids in the transmission...from what I understand. I disconnect mine on purpose when I want it to shift harder. Planning on wiring it to a WOT switch so it is disconnected when I'm on it hard.

[BadQ45t]

It is tempting to use the manual shifting when you are used to a manual. There isn't anything reall bad about it, but as a car gets older you gotta start to think about something like an auto transmission and that has to be a bit more stress. However, I use it when going down hills over all grades, but usually I leave it in Drive and let the car decide. My two other cars are manuals so the Q or any auto feels dead to you for awhile but you'll get used to it.

[TBrack]

So is it bad to go from neutral to drive while revving to burnout? Never wanted to try it because it just seems like a bad idea, but I don't know much about auto trannys.

[Kiven422]

Ya I wonder... is it possibly safe to fully rev and drop it in D?

When I was 16... I worked my azz off and got a Lexus ES300 (had the best car in high school)I used to pull the hand brake, put it in neutral and rev it as high as i can and slam it into drive to do some awesome donuts

Then after you could feel slight jerks when taking off in first gear. Of course it was obvious I broke a good few teeth on that gear. But it was a front wheel drive and a Toyota - they make some quality automatic transmissions!!

[Q45tech]

Since the AT is designed to last 100,000 shift cycles [1>4>1] each one costs you 3-4 cents EACH.

[Haitian_King]

Since the AT is designed to last 100,000 shift cycles [1>4>1] each one costs you 3-4 cents EACH.

So if I wanted to just manually shift as a daily thing, that would be detrimental? At every red light, I put it in 1 and shift up to 3 or D. Is that bad?

[DoinkMobb]

basically. Thats the short story. You also have to be below 30MPH and it wont downshift unless you press the gas to the kickdown.

Alrighty. I guess I'll shift it into 1st when I need to make a quick getaway at low speeds. I really do miss my manuals sometimes...

[maxnix]

So is it bad to go from neutral to drive while revving to burnout? Never wanted to try it because it just seems like a bad idea, but I don't know much about auto trannys.

So what could be good about a sudden high load shock to the transmission?

It's only money.

[TBrack]

So what could be good about a sudden high load shock to the transmission?

It's only money.

Well you do the same thing basically on a manual and I have never noticed any premature failure or excessive wear (except maybe on the clutch plate). I have no idea nor do I want to know how an auto transmission works so I will just leave it at that and never try it.

[Haitian_King]

Ok. Who here has done this. And regularly. I'd like to get the information from someone who really knows their onions. I think that they would be the experts. I'd love for one of them to chime in and give me the skinny on it. The ins and outs, the do's and don'ts, the like. I'm sure that theory means something, but there's nothing like true to life experience.

I forget who's Q this is, but he looks like he knows what he's doing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLx8fVBH19I&NR=1

[youngq45r]

I do this all the time, its the only way i drive( when its night time and nobody around, unless im tired. leave in first 1st, untill 6400rpm (55mph), then grab 2nd. it will shift right a redline, then do 2nd the same way 6400rpm (90mph), then third you will have to start backing down because it will go to 135mph at 6400rpm. then 4th is a duh gov will stop u before you reach 5 grand. For down shifting, just as simple, if you are under 100, grab 3rd, under 65, grab 2nd, under 30, grab first.

[Kiven422]

So I read some posts about downshifting the Q using the gearstick. I was extremely suprised at how SMOOTH it downshifts. I have never drove another 90s generation automatic car that downshifts as smooth as this. My 93 Q along with the 95 Maxima and some hondas and toyotas downshift HARSH, take their SWEET TIME and seem like they are gonna break... and they WILL break if you keep it up.

I'm still going to stick to my rule - its one from experience. Downshifting is fine on any car but do it only when you have to.

[Haitian_King]

I do this all the time, its the only way i drive( when its night time and nobody around, unless im tired. leave in first 1st, untill 6400rpm (55mph), then grab 2nd. it will shift right a redline, then do 2nd the same way 6400rpm (90mph), then third you will have to start backing down because it will go to 135mph at 6400rpm. then 4th is a duh gov will stop u before you reach 5 grand. For down shifting, just as simple, if you are under 100, grab 3rd, under 65, grab 2nd, under 30, grab first.

Wait. What if you're in D? Say you are at 25 in D. If you shift to 1, you have to go through 3 and 2 first before you get there. How do you avoid catching those gears?

A NICO ECU will eliminate the governor right?

[youngq45r]

if you are in d and you throw it into 1st it will jump to 1st. skippping 3rd and 2nd. or at leaset it feels like it, it could be running threw 3 to 2 to 1 but it grabs much to fast for that. And yes, NICO ECU will fix the evil thing called a gov. (I want one soooooo Bad!! Hint hint. Anyone out there done with theres yet?

[Kiven422]

Wait. What if you're in D? Say you are at 25 in D. If you shift to 1, you have to go through 3 and 2 first before you get there. How do you avoid catching those gears?

A NICO ECU will eliminate the governor right?

Yes LMAO. Do you have plans of doing over 150MPH...

Just be careful man playing around with gears... its not a manual... that thing got confused last night in my Q... kind of scared me

but i kind of like it how its arranged like one... shifting from 1-2 is a simple pull, then 2-3 you have to shift an angle like a real manual and 3-4D is a simple push

[Haitian_King]

So. You can go from D to 1 while under 25 and not catch 3 or 2? My question is, "Is there some sort of timing you need to get right?".

Just pull it down and to the right and I'm set?

[96Qowner]

It can be kinda hard on the transmission to catch those tire-squeaking downshifts. Just remember that.

I recommend you play with manual upshifting first, until you get the hang of how the transmission behaves. Just put it in 2 and drive that way. Shift up to 3 when you want to cruise - back to 2 on a turn - then play with the 2-1 shift, etc.

But to answer your main question - yes, it doesn't matter how many gears you skip - it'll go into the gear you set it to, without shifting through all of them.

[Q45tech]

The gear shift lever just feeds electrical switches which tell the TCU what you desire.............the TCU will try to follow your desires within its programming software...........unfortunately the TCU can only command the solenoids in AT to do something. Whether the valve body can follow the command as quickly is a function of wear and tear inside transmission.

[Haitian_King]

It can be kinda hard on the transmission to catch those tire-squeaking downshifts. Just remember that.

I recommend you play with manual upshifting first, until you get the hang of how the transmission behaves. Just put it in 2 and drive that way. Shift up to 3 when you want to cruise - back to 2 on a turn - then play with the 2-1 shift, etc.

But to answer your main question - yes, it doesn't matter how many gears you skip - it'll go into the gear you set it to, without shifting through all of them.

Ok. I'll give that a shot. I'm set to go home for the weekend, so I'll try it before getting on the turnpike.

The gear shift lever just feeds electrical switches which tell the TCU what you desire.............the TCU will try to follow your desires within its programming software...........unfortunately the TCU can only command the solenoids in AT to do something. Whether the valve body can follow the command as quickly is a function of wear and tear inside transmission.

Ok. Thanks Tech. There's no way to check the condition of the valve body without opening the transmission right? The on-board transmission diagnostic gives me the OK. It doesn't pick up mechanical problems though right? Only electrical?