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Tranny question?


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I'm about to buy a filter kit for my 1991 pathy, with auto trans, why does the part store web site say it's a 4 speed auto, But It only shows 3 speed on the shifter. I haven't had a chance to listen to the shifting to notice if it's 4.

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Select drive get 1-4

select 3 get 1-3

select 2 get 2

select 1 get 1

 

On the side note the auto trans is only a 4 speed? I thought it was a 5, I did have overdrive tho.

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Actually 1st gear is 3.027, 2nd gear is 1.619, 3rd gear is 1.00 and OD is 0.694 ratios on the VG30. D would be the 1 to 1 ratio 3rd gear

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With the exception of the '86 and '87 (which had three-speeds), auto WD21s have a four-speed box. The locking torque converter doesn't change the number of gears in the box.

 

Assuming your shifter's the same as mine, it goes P R N D 2 1. D is gears 1-4, decided on mostly by the computer. 2 locks into second, 1 locks into first. There are no special notches for third or fourth. Generally you stay in D and the computer picks which of the four forward gears to put you in. 1, 2, and the OD/OFF switch come in handy in low-traction situations, when towing, or when driving up long hills, to prevent the transmission computer from doing dumb things.

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Yes the "D" position works all foreword "gears" and the OD works under normal conditions at around 45mph. The high clutch pack works reverse and high gear and are generally the first to go out

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I have to say again, it's a 4.5 there's definitely 3rd and when you click in the o/d switch it goes into 4th, then just above 60 km/h (35 mph) it goes into o/d which is like half gear extra. So it's a 4.5 auto. Have a listen to it again, it's definitely 3rd and goes into 4th when you click the o/d in.

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It's kinda weird how it goes into 4th by clicking the o/d switch, you'd think it would change into 4th without having to press o/d but apparently that's how these autos do it. D is gears 1-3 then o/d is gears 4 then 4.5. I have heard rumours that if you rev way past 3,000 that the auto will go into 4th on it's own accord if you don't press the o/d switch but I've never been game enough to try it, especially since this is my 2nd auto. Original auto was destroyed, I was on the freeway and lost top gear and 4th, only 3rd worked. I drove straight to the trans shop. By the time I got there, 2nd gear remained! Trans mechanic pulled the auto apart and said it looked like the Terminator had blown up in there. Mangled metal chunks everywhere!

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How is this still being argued? It's a 4 speed automatic, including overdrive. That .5 you're feeling is the torque converter locking. Ever notice how the rpms can fluctuate any other time? When the torque converter locks they stay steady.

 

You can drive as fast as you want in 3rd, and it won't hurt anything. You shouldn't use overdrive if you tow, anyway. If you leave the O/D switch off, and drive faster than a certain speed (it's around 85-90km/h for me) it will lock the torque converter without the overdrive on.

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Yeah, the torque converter locking does not count as half a gear.

 

Three speed automatic, with an O/D, AND a locking torque converter. But I'm with Adam, why it's being argued is silly. The only reason I'm posting is, to again, state that it is a three speed auto with over drive. It is NOT a 4.5 speed transmission, that would be dumb.

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Basically what is happening in gears 1, 2, and 3 is the torque converter is filled with fluid and while you're moving along there is always a tiny difference in engine speed, and transmission speed because in those gears the engine and transmission are never spinning at exactly the same rate because they are not physically connected. That's what the transmission fluid is for, it makes that connection by way of fluid transfer. Get enough thick fluid spinning between two turbines in a housing and you eventually get them spinning rather close to the same speed. Now what Over Drive does, and this is controlled electronically, is take the fluid transfer business and throws it out the window. in Over Drive your engine and transmission are connected and spinning at exactly the same speed, which is why there is only a 200-300rpm drop.

 

So basically gears 1,2,3 are like slipping the clutch in a manual transmission with your big toe. And in OD the "clutch" is disengaged fully. This is why most people despise automatics, and why most automatic vehicles with some sort of exhaust system sound very blah, or just have a flat note.

 

Someone on here figured out a way to lock the torque converter, or engage O/D in every gear manually. If you leave O/D engaged it will kill the engine if you come to a stop, just like in a manual transmission.

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Yeah autos are a refined piece of machinery, people don't like them because you need lots of brake pressure to bring them to a stop but all it takes is a bit of know how, when to ease off on the gas, maybe even change down to 3rd once in awhile so you aren't using up all your pads slowing down in o/d. There's also that joke I despise that manual trans owners say about auto drivers.

How can you tell who's an auto driver? Llllooooooooosssseerrrrrrrrrr.

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