What is it called when your auto transmission shifts down

[denverpilot]

Yeah that line is getting awfully blurry these days, isn't it?

Can’t even tell the difference between brands in a parking lot other than the badges. Ha.

Wife and I call them bubble butts.

 

[Daleandee]

Given the age of the vehicles, like @denverpilot , my money is the slight downshift you feel is the torque converter unlocking when more power is demanded. It raises the revs some and gets a little more torque amplification out of the TC.

This is most likely what you are feeling. I have a vehicle that I can feel the torque converter lock & unlock at times. At first it annoyed me but now I figure "as long as it's still pulling" everything is OK and it helps the fuel mileage. When towing it's necessary to put it into a lower gear to prevent this as towing in OD or with converter lockup can over heat the trans ...

 

[Brad W]

Can’t even tell the difference between brands in a parking lot other than the badges. Ha.

Wife and I call them bubble butts.

I really don't understand the difference between most of them and a station wagon. SUV sounds cooler so they've stolen the name I suppose from real SUV's.
My little e-tron is called a "compact SUV"...it's all wheel drive at least....but it's solidly a station wagon IMO

 

[denverpilot]

I really don't understand the difference between most of them and a station wagon. SUV sounds cooler so they've stolen the name I suppose from real SUV's.
My little e-tron is called a "compact SUV"...it's all wheel drive at least....but it's solidly a station wagon IMO

Lol true. They’re a few inches higher and most have some sort of wimpy AWD. Ha.

 

[Everskyward]

Lol true. They’re a few inches higher and most have some sort of wimpy AWD. Ha.

Also more boxy. I think of a station wagon as the kind of car the Brady Bunch had...

I worked for a mapping company at APA and we called the company car the Brady Bunch car. It was one of those old station wagons with the fake wood paneling on the sides.

 

[denverpilot]

Also more boxy. I think of a station wagon as the kind of car the Brady Bunch had...

I worked for a mapping company at APA and we called the company car the Brady Bunch car. It was one of those old station wagons with the fake wood paneling on the sides.

Heh. Boxy just means it has Windows you can actually see out of in the rear. LOL

 

[AggieMike88]

The opening thread makes me appreciate that my car has just a single gear (motors are directly connected to the drive axles)

 

[PilotThumper]

..does this actually put any unusual load on the transmission and engine? The gears are still feeling a positive load, whether that load is making the car go faster or helping it slow down the teeth are still pressing on each other.. either way there's 100 ftlbs torque (or whatever) going through the machinery. I'd also venture that the cylinder pressures are far lower when downshifting vs accelerating.. you're strictly compressing air at that point vs having a strong combustion drive the piston down and car forward.


YES! I assumed that it was common knowledge to stay in a lower gear for getting down hills vs riding your brakes so you don't burn them up

Having your car in a lower gear puts additional strain on all the driveline of the car, not just the transmission.
Entering a hill, unless excessively steep, will require very little brake effort to keep a reasonable speed. Putting the vehicle into a lower gear puts additional load on the driveline as well as additional wear on the engine.
Your engine is still “combusting” when riding down a hill regresses of being on the throttle or not. It’s not simply compressing air. You are actually using the engines rotational forces to slow down the car which puts a considerable load on the whole drivetrain.

Many years of experience behind this view but do as you wish with your own property.

 

[Bill]

Your engine is still “combusting” when riding down a hill regresses of being on the throttle or not. It’s not simply compressing air. You are actually using the engines rotational forces to slow down the car which puts a considerable load on the whole drivetrain.

Many years of experience behind this view but do as you wish with your own property.

Actually, most modern FI vehicles cut the fuel injectors above a certain RPM (1200 or so) on decel as a fuel saving measure. So yes, there is no combusting going on, just compressing air. As for putting forces on the engine, the forces of just compressing air are far less than the forces generated in the combustion chamber and on the driveline when on the throttle.

That said, in most instances, brakes are for stopping, and replacing brakes is far easier than replacing clutches and transmission components. OTOH, when driving sporty cars or motorcycles, I like to downshift into corners to get into the appropriate RPM band as this gives better control in the corner as well as better drive off the corner.

 

[YKA]

I have a Jeep Rubicon, Dodge Challenger, and 4 motorcycles, all have a standard transmission. For your next car, buy a manual, they are great.

 

[imQ]

One automatic in the driveway, the 20 Colorado. Miata, all four bikes, and the Jeep are all manual. We ditched the CVT CanAm Ryker. Boring.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

I think it’s called a down shift.