5 speed Automatic ???

2100 Views 14 Replies 7 Participants Last post by MustangScooby, Sep 7, 2005

Johnnytuinals

Discussion Starter · Sep 4, 2005

Is there that much of a difference between the Auto and the Manual?
Wanted the Manual but i took the automatic and was wondering if everyones happy with it???
And will I hurt the car going around town in 3rd gear???I like the sounds in lower gears and afraid of hurting the transmision.And by down shifing coming to a red light maybe i will save wear and tear on my breaks...Used to enjoy downshifing with manual and never changed my breaks and hope the same with the Automatic......JohnnyT:eyepoppin

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05 SatinSylvia

· #2 · Sep 4, 2005

Yeah i was wondering if driving with gears 3-2-1 would hurt the transmission too.

fishingjts

· #3 · Sep 4, 2005

acutally i believe the tranny is fly-by-wire... so you may notice some delays in the downshift... (somebody help me out on this one!!! LOL) Since the car won't downshift until the computer says it's ok, i don't think you'll hurt anything...

I love the new 5 speed automatic... But do yourself a favor... go buy a SCT X-Cal2... it will make a night and day difference in your car! Plus using the Extreme Tune software you can tailor your shift schedule to your tastes... Your car stock will try to upshift as early as possible to maximize MPG... Me, I like the car to stay in gears a little longer... LOL! Under light throttle my car would be in 3rd gear my 16MPH!!! Now I don't come out of 1st until almost 20MPH... even under light throttle...

Johnnytuinals

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 4, 2005

Yea i can see that when you are in drive it will shift at least 3 times before you get to 20mph.

Who does that type of work where we can have it shift to our likeings?
And how much does it cost?
And will the warentty be void?...Lots of questions and sure you have the answers.........JohnnyT

ixtlan

· #5 · Sep 4, 2005

The auto is really a fasinating piece of technology.
In the new mustang alot of things were changed from previous versions.
One item is the "control" of the auto.
The shift pattern (when it shifts) and how fast (hard) it shifts are all tied to a computer and the throttle.
If you ease into the throttle the shift pattern will change and will also seem sluggish (Less hard). If you WOT you will shift sooner based on the rpm and torque and faster (hard).
This keeps the engine within its torque band, increasing acceleration performance. Hence the fast shifts from 1st thru 3rd when you jump it.
Do a little experimenting and you will notice the difference.
As for driving in a fixed gear it will not hurt the tranny.
But be advised a continual high rpm will cause heat in the tranny.
That is not good for any transmission.
If you use it for it's intended purpose (Decelleration, and the occasional drive thru the neighborhood at higher rpm's) you wont have a problem at all.

fishingjts

· #6 · Sep 4, 2005

Johnnytuinals said:
Yea i can see that when you are in drive it will shift at least 3 times before you get to 20mph.

Who does that type of work where we can have it shift to our likeings?
And how much does it cost?
And will the warentty be void?...Lots of questions and sure you have the answers.........JohnnyT

I've been recommending the SCT X-Cal2. It can hold up to 3 tunes and your car can easily be returned to stock with a push of a button... It made an abolute night and day difference in my car... And when you return the car to stock the dealership doesn't know that the car has been reprogrammed...

As far as changing the shift to your liking???? You can do it in the comfort of your own home! LOL! All you need is a USB (printer type) cable to connect your PC to your X-Cal2. You simply get your "tunes" from who ever you buy your X-Cal2 from in the .XTR format. You then download (for free!) Extreme Tune from SCT. This will allow you to change your shift schedule. The schedule will appear as a graph with MPH on one axis and TPS (Throttle Postion) on the other... then you simply move the "dots' around....

Here is some thing I posted else where:

One of the common questions I get is how to change your shift schedule using the X-Cal2 and Extreme Tune... I will be first to admit that Extreme Tune is a you know what when it comes to any kind of help screens and documentation! A lot of what i've learned has come from trial & error...also Lidio has taught me a lot!!!

Here is a sample screen shot of my shift schedule... This is from Extreme Tune under the button "Transmission Shift Schedule". I "Swap Axis" and then click on the following boxes 12, 23, 34,45. I don't mess with the downshift shedules... TPS is throttle position... the lower the TPS number the lighter the throttle... I mainly just change the shifting under light/medium throttle... leaving the heavy throttle shifting alone.. For example under light throttle I don't shift from 1st to 2nd until about 18MPH... with the stock shedule at 18 you'ld already be in 3rd gear!!

So take a look at the screen shot...

Also... check out www.alternativeauto.com Lidio is one of the best in the business.. (do a google on Lidio and Alternative and you see what I mean! LOL!)

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Sean2005

· #7 · Sep 4, 2005

fishingjts - Thank you for the info on the X-Cal2. I had a few questions about the device and what results people were seeing with it and you have covered most of it. Did you get the tune to run on mid grade, premium or did you get both. I was thinking about getting both of the tunes before they ship the flash just so I can have more options.

fishingjts

· #8 · Sep 4, 2005

Sean2005 said:
fishingjts - Thank you for the info on the X-Cal2. I had a few questions about the device and what results people were seeing with it and you have covered most of it. Did you get the tune to run on mid grade, premium or did you get both. I was thinking about getting both of the tunes before they ship the flash just so I can have more options.

I've only run the 89 Octane... I've got the 93 but just haven't had time to really try it out... and since the 89 performanse so well... and gas prices... LOL!!!

I'm going to probably stick with the 89 for a few more weeks... (I'm working on a little surprise... LOL)

loudog

· #9 · Sep 5, 2005

Johnnytuinals said:
And by down shifing coming to a red light maybe i will save wear and tear on my breaks...Used to enjoy downshifing with manual and never changed my breaks and hope the same with the Automatic......JohnnyT:eyepoppin

I recommend not doing this too often with the automatic (or the manual for that matter) - especially after your warranty is up.

An old motorhead once told me: "Brakes are a WHOLE lot cheaper than a new transmission - what component would you rather replace: brakes or the transmission?". I think those were good words of advice.

Johnnytuinals

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 5, 2005

loudog said:
I recommend not doing this too often with the automatic (or the manual for that matter) - especially after your warranty is up.

An old motorhead once told me: "Brakes are a WHOLE lot cheaper than a new transmission - what component would you rather replace: brakes or the transmission?". I think those were good words of advice.

Good words of advice
I am not going to shift the car down to 2nd gear while slowing up or driving around.
I felt if you are on a highway you would take off the OD while getting off the highway and shifting it to 3rd while slowing up when you do get off the highway while you are coming to a stop..JohnnyT

MustangScooby

· #11 · Sep 5, 2005

Fishing,

I have a X2cal coming and I'm wondering about the tunes. Can I have one sent to me via email? Then just download it to the tuner then on to the car? I'm new to this "tuning" business.

fishingjts

· #12 · Sep 5, 2005

MustangScooby said:
Fishing,

I have a X2cal coming and I'm wondering about the tunes. Can I have one sent to me via email? Then just download it to the tuner then on to the car? I'm new to this "tuning" business.

Yep... that's pretty much how it works... Ask your dealer for the .XTR files. This is your tune in the "export" format. You then download "Extreme Tune" from the SCT website. You will also need a USB cable (printer type) to connect your X-Cal2 to your PC. You can then customize your tune (small tweaks like tire size, rear gear ratio, shift shedule). Then you use Extreme Tune to upload the tune into your X-Cal2..... fairly simple.... Things to look out for... Sometimes the USB-Serial driver can be a pain to get to load... The driver is included with Extreme Tune. When you go to upload the Tune into the X-Cal2, Extreme Tune will complain about not being able to delete the tunes already on the X-Cal2... just ignore and try loading again...

And lastly... Bookmark a couple of SCT websites! LOL!

http://www.sctflash.com/downloads.php

http://www.sctflash.com/forum/

MustangScooby

· #13 · Sep 6, 2005

Thanks a bunch. I'm suppose to receive it tomorrow (Tuesday). I'm hoping to install it tomorrow evening and take her our for a test drive. I have the Screaming Yellow 6 as well. I've talked to a guy about the T-Lock. I thought of buying it too. I'm wonding if I can do the mod. I'm pretty good with tools. Never worked on a car's rear end though. I noticed you had yours done. Sure is a mod I'd like to have too.

fishingjts

· #14 · Sep 6, 2005

MustangScooby said:
Thanks a bunch. I'm suppose to receive it tomorrow (Tuesday). I'm hoping to install it tomorrow evening and take her our for a test drive. I have the Screaming Yellow 6 as well. I've talked to a guy about the T-Lock. I thought of buying it too. I'm wonding if I can do the mod. I'm pretty good with tools. Never worked on a car's rear end though. I noticed you had yours done. Sure is a mod I'd like to have too.

Well, since I barely know the right end of screwdriver I tend to pay to have mechanical things done to my car! LOL! Now the computer stuff like the X-Cal2, Extreme Tune, LiveLink... those I can do! (I'm a computer geek by trade! LOL!) I did how ever do the hood lift kit and intake by myself! LOL!

BTW.. the shop where I had my rear end done said that if I waited and put the Trac-Lock in later it would have been a $100 labor... just an FYI...

MustangScooby

· #15 · Sep 7, 2005

Sent ya a PM fishing. I did get the tuner today. So far so good. Maybe off to the rear end shop for that T-Lock soon.

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