Automatic cars (torque converter) - How to drive ?
Discussion
How do you drive an old fashion torque converter auto better.
Sometimes I use left foot braking, and I select a lower gear going up and down hills. But any other tips?
I live in Hong Kong and its a Subaru Impreza turbo wagon 2001 ( bug eye) 4 speed auto ( its a Japan spec model ; and the wife only drives autos)
Sometimes I use left foot braking, and I select a lower gear going up and down hills. But any other tips?
I live in Hong Kong and its a Subaru Impreza turbo wagon 2001 ( bug eye) 4 speed auto ( its a Japan spec model ; and the wife only drives autos)
The trick is to know how your particular vehicle behaves for a given condition. Mine for instance is a purely hydraulic/mechanical slush box with no electronic input. So to drop a gear for overtaking, you would normally use the kickdown function. Problem is that the 'box has to change gear with a lot of load. A better option is to recognise which gear the car wants and to manually down change whilst on lighter throttle. Once changed use the power of the engine and change up whilst easing off on the go peddle slightly. This cuases less wear, less delay to the manouvre and smoother progress. Same with going uphill, recognise that the box'is about to change down and pre-empt that change manually. On down hill runs, it is best top recognise the need for a lower gear early a change before you need the engine breaking at it's highest. Incidentally, this method receives praise from my Area IAM examiner who until recently was a Traffic Officer's Instructor. He teaches this method of reduced load manual changes on an Auto.
For more fancily controled gearboxes, I cannot really help. The difference is that the box brain and the engine management system have cosy chats so that the negine backs off the full power whilst its's cousin does the cog-shifting in a more friendy environment!
For more fancily controled gearboxes, I cannot really help. The difference is that the box brain and the engine management system have cosy chats so that the negine backs off the full power whilst its's cousin does the cog-shifting in a more friendy environment!
One important thing I've found for decent, yet smooth progress is to work the restrictor.
For example, let's say up ahead there's a roundabout; you know you want second gear for it - outside of possibly Mercedes' secret laboratories there's no autobox in the world that can foretell that situation, so left to its own devices it'll either be trying to pull out of the roundabout in the wrong gear, or worse chunking around the gears mid-corner.
However, brake, drop the restrictor to '2' before entering, and you've got the right gear ready and, on the more slow-witted boxes out there, no awkward changing up and down mid-corner.
Basically, if I know I can make a better gear selection for what's coming up than the computer or mechanism can, I'll do so. That way you don't end up with any of the lurching/wrong gear/no engine braking issues that so many people distrust automatics for.
For example, let's say up ahead there's a roundabout; you know you want second gear for it - outside of possibly Mercedes' secret laboratories there's no autobox in the world that can foretell that situation, so left to its own devices it'll either be trying to pull out of the roundabout in the wrong gear, or worse chunking around the gears mid-corner.
However, brake, drop the restrictor to '2' before entering, and you've got the right gear ready and, on the more slow-witted boxes out there, no awkward changing up and down mid-corner.
Basically, if I know I can make a better gear selection for what's coming up than the computer or mechanism can, I'll do so. That way you don't end up with any of the lurching/wrong gear/no engine braking issues that so many people distrust automatics for.
Not sure this helps but I am pretty anti-auto. They are not designed for specific manual input, so you have to "reverse-engineer" what the auto-box is trying to do so you can work out how to best complement it to make it do what you want. With the huge variety these days of different auto-boxes, that becomes very specific for each car.
I have only driven traditional auto boxes that do horrible things like change down as you apply gas in the corner trying to keep the car balanced. With these you end up either manually selecting the gear all the time or getting fed up with that and leaving the box alone. I could just be a luddite, but I have never managed to be at one with an auto.
I assume that the SMG type boxes are fine as you can still have direct control over the change and as it's not torque convertor based, it happens when you tell it. But then is there any benefit over a manual?
Bert
I have only driven traditional auto boxes that do horrible things like change down as you apply gas in the corner trying to keep the car balanced. With these you end up either manually selecting the gear all the time or getting fed up with that and leaving the box alone. I could just be a luddite, but I have never managed to be at one with an auto.
I assume that the SMG type boxes are fine as you can still have direct control over the change and as it's not torque convertor based, it happens when you tell it. But then is there any benefit over a manual?
Bert
I like auto's and I have a tendency to select sports mode for decending hills and driving in traffic, (other than the obvious reason). It keeps a hold of lower gears higher through the rev' range and negates some of the requirement to 'comfort brake'.
I have selected lower gears for steeper gradients and I find that work admirably.
I have selected lower gears for steeper gradients and I find that work admirably.
I've been driving an auto recently, which is unusual for me, and on the whole have enjoyed the experience. (It's a Vauxhall owned Vectra SRi Estate in black with blacked out rear windows and very bling 19" alloys. Very Mafia.) I especially like the opportunity to use one foot for each pedal.
One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
gdaybruce said:
I've been driving an auto recently, which is unusual for me, and on the whole have enjoyed the experience. (It's a Vauxhall owned Vectra SRi Estate in black with blacked out rear windows and very bling 19" alloys. Very Mafia.) I especially like the opportunity to use one foot for each pedal.
One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
How is your on board computer showing that!?One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
imbecile said:
gdaybruce said:
I've been driving an auto recently, which is unusual for me, and on the whole have enjoyed the experience. (It's a Vauxhall owned Vectra SRi Estate in black with blacked out rear windows and very bling 19" alloys. Very Mafia.) I especially like the opportunity to use one foot for each pedal.
One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
How is your on board computer showing that!?One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
gdaybruce said:
I've been driving an auto recently, which is unusual for me, and on the whole have enjoyed the experience. (It's a Vauxhall owned Vectra SRi Estate in black with blacked out rear windows and very bling 19" alloys. Very Mafia.) I especially like the opportunity to use one foot for each pedal.
One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
I understand that with modern automatics it is better (from a mechanical wear point of view) to keep the car in 'drive' rather than slip it into neutral during traffic holdups.One question though, when in stationary traffic the car feels more comfortable in neutral, rather than leaving it in drive where it pulls against the torque converter. Moreover, according to the on board computer, it uses less petrol in neutral. Is there any view as to whether it is better from a mechanical perspective to slip into neutral when at rest or should I be leaving it in drive? Or does it not matter either way?
Best wishes all,
Dave.
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