|
|
Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 13, 2009 8:59:46 GMT
Wasnt sure where to put this post? But hey its Transmission related so i thought best put it here  I think most of us most probably pootle around all day in "D" but to get there from "P" or "N" you have to go through 1-2-3 and maybe 4 too if you have the earlier transmission Ive never ever driven by hot shifting the gears themselves,well when i say never i suppose i have but not driving in the full sence shifting through the gears  The only Occasions ive ever used gears are as Follows When going up a steep incline ive come out of "D" and selected "3" then back to "D" again when needed  And ive used "1" on a couple of occasions Once on the London to Brighton comming out of Crystal Palace we were stuck in slow moving tailbacks at about 5mph so going all the way from "N"-"D" wasnt practical every couple of minutes  Also used "1" when had to move Boris a few ft when not warmed up so used "1" to move him across a car park to another space but thats about it  Now heres the question? Does anybody here actually drive around using 1-2-3- and 4 if you have it? If so any tips or advice? Id like to give it a go I know you should never ever pull away in "3" but if you go down to "2" when pulling up at lights can you pull away in "2"? I know some of you have said on very cold morning you should use the gears as its kinder to the Transmission for the first few minutes until warmed up and thats why i want to give it a go So please share your experiences with me id be ever soo grateful  Huggz Jodie |
|
|
|
Post by Holly on Nov 13, 2009 9:19:47 GMT
I haven't personally but my hubby has in Merri, he says it takes quite a bit of thinking about to make sure you get the right selection of the gear as they aren't as easily defined to find as those in a manual |
|
|
|
Post by bnicho on Nov 13, 2009 12:20:22 GMT
I rarely shift manually. I just stick it in D most of the time. But that's partly because the shifter is further forward on my Moke than it is in a Mini, so it's hard to reach.
Cheers,
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 13, 2009 12:29:58 GMT
Hey i dont want to shift gear all the time  i do have a reputation to keep you know ;D Its just i keep seeing people advising driving using the gears if your in a hurry and no time to warm up the oil as its kinder to the transmission apparently the one thing i could never work out with the AP transmission was why they didnt do it P-R-N-D-1-2-3 like others? Why do we have to shift through the manual selection 1-2-3 to get to "D" ? What a palarva ;D ;D ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Holly on Nov 13, 2009 12:33:41 GMT
I find it easier with the D at the end, that way you dont have to check or think about what your doing, just pull the stick as far as it will go and then you are off |
|
|
|
Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 13, 2009 12:41:42 GMT
true enough |
|
|
|
Post by mrslaphead on Nov 13, 2009 12:53:52 GMT
If they did d 1 2 3 then you could possibly knock it into 1st from 4th and cause damage.
I find when I am on country roads I can use engine braking by dropping into 3 or 2 if needed.
Also to prevent kicking down from D to 2 I sometimes select 3 if I need a bit of extra acceleration. the rest of the time its left in D where its meant to be.
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 13, 2009 13:58:16 GMT
that makes sence its just every other make of auto ive owned has been the other way around but it does make sence now why they did it the way around that they did if that makes sence?  |
|
|
|
Post by Holly on Nov 13, 2009 20:44:10 GMT
you what ? .... sorry couldn't resist  ;D I do think the mini way is a better/safer idea though |
|
|
|
Post by vpmetroste on Nov 15, 2009 14:39:58 GMT
its an art in itrself to match the gears to revs i do it at traffic lights sometimes lol ooo as long as long as get iy in top before u reach high revs ur ok
|
|
|
|
Post by mra-minis on Nov 15, 2009 17:01:03 GMT
Hi Guys......... you can't knock it from D to 1 and get a down change that far... ie no damage will be done unless you have a faulty box it has some "special" bits that can determine the speed and thus stops you from damaging said transmission Regards Martin |
|
|
|
Post by osgodd on Nov 17, 2009 13:24:48 GMT
hi
following on from waht martin has just said, i think and i could be very wrong that 1st on the auto has no engine brake, i e its a one way drive, so forth to first would mean it would free wheel until the car slowed down enough for the engine/gearbox to catch up.
martin will be able to confirm i'm sure
|
|
|
|
Post by gretzky38 on Nov 17, 2009 19:01:09 GMT
I drive in manual quite a bit, especially when cold. The AP box changes up the gears FAR too quick in 'D' imho and can look embarrasing if the road is busy and you're at the front of the queue!
|
|
|
|
Post by bnicho on Nov 18, 2009 9:34:57 GMT
I drive in manual quite a bit, especially when cold. The AP box changes up the gears FAR too quick in 'D' imho and can look embarrasing if the road is busy and you're at the front of the queue! It sounds like you need to adjust the kick-down. |
|
|
|
Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 18, 2009 9:52:40 GMT
To be honest mine goes up the gears a tad rapid id swear I'm in 4th by 30 easily? I had a little go driving with gears the other day,my partner Sam has already mastered the technique One thing we did note was the owners handbook states don't exceed 30mph in 1,don't exceed 50mph in 2,don't pull away in 3 Well we haven't pulled away in 3 and its understandable why you should but the other two warnings? Are Rover having a Laff?  ? he doesn't appear to want to go above 30 in 3 you can kinda hear the gearbox telling you it wants 2 when doing about 10mph in 1 and I'm in 3 by 20 odd Never mind I'm only using gear occasionally when hes cold use the gears for a few minutes then by the time you need 4 its ok to put him in D and leave him there |
|
|
|
Post by Holly on Nov 18, 2009 10:24:13 GMT
The time we used the gears manually was when Merri had a problem with her engine, it wouldn't keep running, to keep it going so we could get back home we needed to keep the revs up a bit, as we all know the autos dont rev too much when in D so we did them manually so that we could keep her running and get her home. We didn't get anywhere near 30mph in 1 though, that is just mad ;D |
|
|
|
Post by gretzky38 on Nov 18, 2009 17:25:54 GMT
I drive in manual quite a bit, especially when cold. The AP box changes up the gears FAR too quick in 'D' imho and can look embarrasing if the road is busy and you're at the front of the queue! It sounds like you need to adjust the kick-down. It's not the kick-down that's the problem, it works fine. It's the fact that it changes up gear at speeds 10mph slower than you would do with a manual box. Everyone I know with experiences of the auto box says exactly the same. |
|
dan
Full Member
Posts: 72
|
Post by dan on Nov 18, 2009 19:28:49 GMT
only ever use the gears if i know the box is going to kick down stupidly low as my car does!
|
|
|
|
Post by mrslaphead on Nov 19, 2009 15:59:12 GMT
If pushed hard, mine stays in 1st till about 23, 2nd till 38 (ish) and about 52 in 3rd.
Its tricky to be too accurate as I have to try and keep an eye on the road.
|
|
ovie
Senior Member
Posts: 17
|
Post by ovie on Nov 20, 2009 21:40:34 GMT
I've fitted a 3 clock dash to my auto, and that shows that the box is changing up at about 2000 rpm, which means you're in 4th gear by 20mph.
If you leave it in D and floor it, the box changes up around 4000 rpm, which agrees with the speeds quoted before. However, the red line for the 998 engine is 5750 rpm, and since having the stage 1 kit fitted I can safely say that using the gearbox as a clutchless manual means I can easily keep up with most of the other classic minis when we're out on a 'spirited' run.
I never take the engine beyond 5000 rpm, and change the engine oil every 3000 miles, and the filter every 6000. Having said that, the engine & box have still only done 25000 miles from new.
|
|
|
|
Post by Holly on Nov 20, 2009 22:04:39 GMT
the engine & box have still only done 25000 miles from new. wow thats almost like new ... although saying that Merri (my auto woody) only had about 27,000 miles on her engine from new when I first got her in 1999, probably one of the perks of her living on the tiny island of guernsey all her life before I bought her ..... she has rather a lot more than that on her clock now though ;D |
|
|
|
Post by jockduck on Nov 20, 2009 23:06:48 GMT
The AP box "brain" is so simple compared to todays electronic wizardry but it gets it right 95% of the time, I use "1" when manouvering around carparks etc its easy using R,N,1, Anne gets confused easily so sticks to R,N,D. I did drive the car for a bit as a "manual" when the govenor stuck in the slow speed position. And yes you can take off in 4 but not very quickly.
|
|
|
|
Post by tony105 on Nov 29, 2009 16:30:22 GMT
A very interesting topic. In my Mayfair 1.3 i - it is fitted with the later Metro style selector, which is always lit up (good thing and not the case on a modern automatic eurobox which we have!). I find that the ap box is keen to get into 4th gear quite rapidly, so I do find myself holding it in third on occassion, also when as mentioned earlier, climbing a steep hill. I have never actually used the gears to select all changes, I think sometimes it would be difficult to judge which gear you are in, secondly I believe that only Mk 1 Mini automatics had the long selector - which no doubt made it easier to reach for regular gear changes. Like most people have mentined here I select D' and let the automatic transmission do the changes. Roger.
|
|
|
|
Post by notamini on Dec 3, 2009 20:48:31 GMT
Does anybody here actually drive around using 1-2-3- and 4 if you have it? Yes. All the time but it's because 4th is usually absent until I hit 45 mph or the car has been going along for about 15 minutes. If so any tips or advice? Easiest method is to let the car slow down to less than 15mph in whatever gear you were last in (4th or 3rd) Then shift down to 2nd, and 1st repectively. OR just 1st. Remember 1st is FREE WHEELING. Taking off is your choice from 1st thru 3rd (4th) Id like to give it a go I know you should never ever pull away in "3" but if you go down to "2" when pulling up at lights can you pull away in "2"? ABSOLUTELY Again, due to the transmission being very ill, I drive all over in 2nd and 3rd. Sometimes never shifting from 3rd. Book says 3rd or 4th from a start is bad but this is 4 years and 2500 mi. later. I haven't used D since I bought the car 4 1/2 years ago. |
|
|
|
Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Dec 3, 2009 21:23:35 GMT
i cant get up to 45 in third Its strange but my handbook say never exceed 30 mph in first,50 in second they must be joking I'm in third at 30 and Boris is saying yikes put me in forth ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D In saying that though i do wonder if theres some relationship between a worn box needing a rebuild and its flexibility Boris is slow off the mark now but much quicker from 40ish up whereas when his Transmission was poorly sick though he slipped a lot he was like a little racing car away from lights ;D ;D ;D Huggz Jodie |
|
andyn
Senior Member
Posts: 19
|
Post by andyn on Dec 5, 2009 19:07:37 GMT
I drive our auto manually some times but mostly working up through the gears.The gearchange points on a 998 are so low it really bogs the engine down on acceleration.It also helps to war the car up on cold morning too as a manual choke on a auto is a lump affair.
On a similar point does anyone left foot brake in their Automatic?
really does make it like a go-kart a warning though, at first DO NOT try it on the public road, its not as easy as it seems.
|
|
dan
Full Member
Posts: 72
|
Post by dan on Dec 6, 2009 22:54:35 GMT
On a similar point does anyone left foot brake in their Automatic? really does make it like a go-kart a warning though, at first DO NOT try it on the public road, its not as easy as it seems. not easy at all, i tried driving left footed altogether, u either end up floorin it or peeling u'r eyes off the windscreen!!! |
|
;D
