Manually Driven Automatic

[DJ Hizzle]

Ok so for the longest time now, ive been stuck on driving my automatic like a manual... I CANT HELP IT!! People say its bad for the transmission (especially if done improperly), but i was never sure. So can someone tell me if its bad or not, and if so, how bad??

[F22-GURU]

It'd be worse for the engine if you forget to change up at redline

Some manufacturers, like GM Holden actually Torture Test their Auto Tranny's to see how much abuse they can handle before exploding like a Space Shuttle.
They will hook them up to an engine dyno, hold the engine at WOT and shift from Drive to Reverse and back to Drive continuously until all hell breaks loose.
A Holden Engineer showed us a video of the actual testing at a Factory Training seminar once, fuck it was funny. All twenty seconds of it.

[br0nx finest]

If you want a manual, get a manual. 9 times out of 10, the result will be a blown tranny. If you're just hard on your tranny in general, w/ these Hondas, it'll end up blown...imagine if you keep it in one gear for too long (which is exactly what you're doing by manually shifting, since I'm sure you love to stay in the powerband) so just don't come back on here like "yo, I blew my transmission, I'm so mad yo" because thats the risk of doing it.

Also, change your tranny fluid every 2 oil changes just to be on the safe side. Look for metal shavings in your fluid, and do NOT flush your tranny, just drain and refill.

[F22-GURU]

and do NOT flush your tranny, just drain and refill.

Drain & Refill Only Capacity - 2.5 Quarts
Actual Transmission Capacity - Approx 6.0 Quarts.

Q. What happens to the other 3.5 Quarts of Filthy, Contaminated or Burnt Fluid remaining in the Tranny?

A. It mixes with 2.5 Quarts of Nice New Tranny Fluid.

Result - Back to Square One.

[owequitit]

Drain & Refill Only Capacity - 2.5 Quarts
Actual Transmission Capacity - Approx 6.0 Quarts.

Q. What happens to the other 3.5 Quarts of Filthy, Contaminated or Burnt Fluid remaining in the Tranny?

A. It mixes with 2.5 Quarts of Nice New Tranny Fluid.

Result - Back to Square One.

If you change your tranny fluid at the specified intervals, you should be fine. Honda accounted for the total capacity of the system when they outlined that interval.

Also, I bought my car with 67,000 miles on the auto tranny and I have redline shifted, manual shifted, power braked, drag raced and manual shifted into third to get it to kickdown above 80MPH.

I have never had a problem. Here is my feeling on the issue is this (It is based on my experience only, so proceed at your own risk):

Everything in your transmission is electronic. When you move the lever and try to down shift above certain speeds, etc it won't let you. It may not be fully electronic, but all of the shifts are controlled electronically, as is the torque converter lockup etc.

Bottom line: I drive my car way harder than most people can imagine and have for 140,000 miles now. I change my fluid at the specified interval (use only Genuine Honda Fluid, or you shift quality WILL suffer), and I have never had any hick-up whatsoever.

[verothacamaro]

Drain & Refill Only Capacity - 2.5 Quarts
Actual Transmission Capacity - Approx 6.0 Quarts.

Q. What happens to the other 3.5 Quarts of Filthy, Contaminated or Burnt Fluid remaining in the Tranny?

A. It mixes with 2.5 Quarts of Nice New Tranny Fluid.

Result - Back to Square One.

lol

[JDMxDB8]

my homie used to do that too. i suggest u stop doin it. If you really wanna shift "manually" just do a swap. Cuz your messin up your transmission.

[HondaGuy1212]

yea man if you like manually shifting and if you cant swap the tranny get a manual valve body then your trannny wil not suffer and also dont neutral drop your tranny its a big no no

[sj960]

You can upshift an auto all you want, as often as you want and at as high rpm's as you want.... (the ecu only lets you go so high anyway) whats gonna kill an auto is downshifting too often at too high rpm.. and neutral drops (i learned that last one the hard way )
Oh and I heard that if you flush an auto tranny that is starting to slip... that the problem will be compounded after the flush (well i also found that one out the hard way)

[owequitit]

The shifting on our autos is electronic. It won't let you do what they have programmed it not to do...

I doubt if they are going to go to the trouble and effort do do this, they are going to give a lot of margin for damage... at least my experience backs that up.

Having said that DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT do a neutral drop!

As far as the slipping shifting thing goes, the first thing you may want to try are the shift solenoid screens. They are down behind the shift solenoids. My understanding is that sometimes they get clogged and reduce the line pressure, causing slipping.

[F22-GURU]

Well you see I have the advantage of owning a WYNNS Transerve II Auto Fluid Exchange Machine. I done a complete flush with Honda ZF1 Fluid and the difference is incredible. I'd rather have 6 litres of new oil rather than 2.5 litres. If you can get it flushed do it.

[owequitit]

Perhaps I will try that.

[sj960]

Yeah, i didnt wanna give misleading info... but at least in my case (after many neutral drops, yes it was my fault) my tranny of course started to die.... we did a flush and that actually made it worse, i completely lost 4th and reverse the next day...
kinda hard to do a k-turn when u have to push your car, lol!!!

[F22-GURU]

Sounds like having the old oil in there was just Prolonging The Agony.

[accord91lx]

The shifting on our autos is electronic. It won't let you do what they have programmed it not to do...

The shift cable element does play a factor... I once believed the exact same thing 100%...I tested it too in my gray car.. I was doin 100mph and put the lever all the way down to 1st. Fucker shifted into 2nd gear! Yea the motor over revved.. how high I dont know, but the tach went past 8k. Motor was fine, tranny was fine, just scared the shit out of me. Another thing is when the TCU resister burnt in my blue car, the only way to drive it was to manual shift it, other wise it'd either stay in 1st or 4th, which was very bad because when ever I put it in D4, no matter the speed, it would shift into 1st. Be is 30mph or 55mph. It did not care.