Prolong life of damaged tranny: Upshift to 2nd gear. Never move in 1st gear?

[JEDI]

2005 Mazda3i automatic, 200k miles.

I'm having hard shifting going from 1st to 2nd gear.
Mechanic took a look and said drive it till it drops because rebuilding the tranny = $2500.
There's no easy fix. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2395637

so my car also has a Tiptronic.

if stopped, shift into Tiptronic mode and force 2nd gear.
when at 30mph, shift back to Drive.

there wont be any hard shifting because I'm never moving at 1st gear.

this will prolong the life of my transmission???

 

[The Boston Dangler]

the transmission multiplies speed and torque between the engine and driven wheels, with each ratio altering the balance of speed and torque. eliminating the lowest ratio at launch and low speed forces a condition outside of the designed operating window for multiple components and the system as a whole - i wouldn't be surprised if it damaged other parts, even the hydraulic coupling torque converter.

it's very possible shifting into (2) doesn't eliminate the 1st gear shifting, but limits the automatic trans to the 1st 2 gear ratios. that is model-specific.

 

[LTC8K6]

NOTE
If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the gear
will shift to M1.
If you shift up once when the vehicle
is stopped and the gear is at M1, the
gear will shift to M2. M2 is helpful
for starting on slippery surfaces.

From your owner's manual.

So yes, it does take off in second gear, and it's okay to do so.

Just don't punch it below about 30, or you might trigger a 2-1 downshift.

Taking off up a steep hill should still be done in first, of course.

 

[JEDI]

From your owner's manual.

So yes, it does take off in second gear, and it's okay to do so.

Just don't punch it below about 30, or you might trigger a 2-1 downshift.

Taking off up a steep hill should still be done in first, of course.

thx.

if I do this consistently, do you think the tranny will last as if it weren't damaged at all?

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, apparently you did change the fluid and filter, and that got rid of most of the metal bits in the fluid, so that should theoretically help it last longer.

Avoiding 1st gear as much as possible should also help.

But really, there's no way to tell.

Get a AAA membership and drive carefully.

 

[LTC8K6]

BTW, Rock Auto says your 4 speed auto costs $965.00 in remanufactured form.

Might want to look into that.

 

[tortillasoup]

From your owner's manual.

So yes, it does take off in second gear, and it's okay to do so.

Just don't punch it below about 30, or you might trigger a 2-1 downshift.

Taking off up a steep hill should still be done in first, of course.

BTW, Rock Auto says your 4 speed auto costs $965.00 in remanufactured form.

Might want to look into that.

Both of these posts are good.

 

[MongGrel]

No clue on that one dude, mine has the 5 speed Auto and I have just left it there it's life 98% of the time.

I rarely use the dual gate and shift into manual.

But the 2006 only has 70K too on it I guess.

 

[JEDI]

BTW, Rock Auto says your 4 speed auto costs $965.00 in remanufactured form.

Might want to look into that.

well the $2500 quote was rebuilding my tranny and installation.
for my car, you gotta take off the axle and looks labor intensive

 

[Zodiark1593]

well the $2500 quote was rebuilding my tranny and installation.
for my car, you gotta take off the axle and looks labor intensive

Transmissions generally are labor intensive. The parts themselves are relatively cheap.

 

[jumpncrash]

Transmissions generally are labor intensive. The parts themselves are relatively cheap.

tell me about it, I just swapped out mine on my civic and it was a PITA

 

[MiataNC]

It is less labor intensive and a lot cheaper to get a junkyard transmission (@$700 on ebay), and swap it out than to rebuild the one in your car. Most even come with a warranty.

 

[LTC8K6]

well the $2500 quote was rebuilding my tranny and installation.
for my car, you gotta take off the axle and looks labor intensive

Why not look into labor costs for a transmission swap?

 

[iwajabitw]

Until you decide to rebuild or replace it. Try getting some Amsoil or Schaeffer's Alltrans in it to coat the gears and bearings. Stretched my F150 tranny rebuild out to almost a year after diagnosis. Would have been longer but the reverse band broke. Both of those products are not available on store shelves, you'll have to find a distributer.

 

[JEDI]

Until you decide to rebuild or replace it. Try getting some Amsoil or Schaeffer's Alltrans in it to coat the gears and bearings. Stretched my F150 tranny rebuild out to almost a year after diagnosis. Would have been longer but the reverse band broke. Both of those products are not available on store shelves, you'll have to find a distributer.

is it a drain and fill, or just dump a bottle in?
(like fuel injector cleaner for gas?)

 

[iwajabitw]

Drain and fill, its not a supplement. Just whatever the pan holds or swap out a third to start with. 5qts on my F150 for the pan ,no drain plug.

 

[iwajabitw]

http://www.schaefferoil.com/transmission-fluid.html

 

[iwajabitw]

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/transmission-fluid/automatic/



I prefer Schaeffers, easier for me to get but, I have to buy it by the case. Can't just buy what you need,where as Amsoil can be bought per bottle.

 

[fstime]

I know older Mercedes models had "summer/winter" modes, where when in winter mode, the car will always start in 2nd gear for less wheel spin during takeoff in snowy conditions.

 

[Zodiark1593]

I know older Mercedes models had "summer/winter" modes, where when in winter mode, the car will always start in 2nd gear for less wheel spin during takeoff in snowy conditions.

My Volvo has something similar except it uses 3rd gear. It does warn against using it when not needed.

 

[MiataNC]

Googling around.....

There was a TSB issued in 2005 for a "Shift Shock Issue" shifting from 1-2.

NHTSA Reference
#10018880
TSB Reference
#0501005

I don't know if having a dealer perform the TSB will do you any good, but it prob wouldn't hurt. From what I can gather it is a reflash of the control unit.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Googling around.....

There was a TSB issued in 2005 for a "Shift Shock Issue" shifting from 1-2.

NHTSA Reference
#10018880
TSB Reference
#0501005

I don't know if having a dealer perform the TSB will do you any good, but it prob wouldn't hurt. From what I can gather it is a reflash of the control unit.

It's posts like these that make this place awesome. +1

 

[JEDI]

Googling around.....

There was a TSB issued in 2005 for a "Shift Shock Issue" shifting from 1-2.

NHTSA Reference
#10018880
TSB Reference
#0501005

I don't know if having a dealer perform the TSB will do you any good, but it prob wouldn't hurt. From what I can gather it is a reflash of the control unit.

but this has been happening only the past few thousand miles.