D ?

[shock_core]

Uhm, so theres like 7 gears right ..P, R, N, D(with square), D (no square), 2, and 1

I ran it in D( no square).... which i did for the first time today .... only for a little bit though. It really feels MUCH MORE powerful than running in D (with square)

So really my question is, is running in D (no square) bad for the engine cos of the higher Rpms? I know it eats up gas like no other, i dont really care.... but i just dont wanna destroy my engine at the cost of me having more pwr...

[Rob@USC]

Actually there's only 4 gears (well, 5 couting reverse):

(says on shifter) - (gears allowed to use)
1 - 1st gear only
2 - 1st and 2nd gears only
D - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (drive - 1:1 ratio) gears only
"D (with square)" - 1st, 2nd, 3rd (drive), and 4th (overdrive - less than 1:1, I think closer to .72 maybe)

The gears are all the same no matter what you have the shifter in (1st is 1st is 1st...same for all other selections). The only reason it feels like you have more power is due to one of two reasons:
1) it's all in your head, kinda like the misleading 'butt dyno'
2) you're going in a speed where you should be in 4th gear (like 60mph or so) and because 4th gear multiplies the torque to smaller than it is in 3rd, you have slightly more power (however, if you push the gas hard enough, the transmission should downshift for you into 3rd for the power you may need).

end result: just put it in overdrive (square around D). You're not really getting anything from it other than running your engine at higher RPM's than necessary and decreasing your gas-milage.

Rob

edit: removed the link because after looking at it, I noticed it didn't really mention what I hoped it did

[ September 19, 2004, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: Rob@USC ]

[shock_core]

lol, guess my butt-dyno needs a overhaul

[mjparme]

Yeah, the D with the square around it just allows the tranny to shift into overdrive. It still will only shift there when it can, you aren't losing any power.

According to the owner's manual the only time you would want to drive in normal D (no square) is in high load situtations like towing.

Also, Firebirds don't have a D with a square so Firebird owners may be a little confused [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by mjparme:
Yeah, the D with the square around it just allows the tranny to shift into overdrive. It still will only shift there when it can, you aren't losing any power.

According to the owner's manual the only time you would want to drive in normal D (no square) is in high load situtations like towing.

Also, Firebirds don't have a D with a square so Firebird owners may be a little confused [img]smile.gif[/img]

1-2-3-D then

[mjparme]

1-2-3-D then [Confused]

Yes, I believe that is what firebirds have.

[Gary m. weber]

I used the D gear when I want to slow down alittle,(engine brakeing) with out useing my brakes like on the freeway around 70mph. and lots of traffic. It does help. and I believe D with [] around it is mostly for normal driving, "whatever that is?" and to get better gas miliage, **But in California it dosn't really matter what kind of gas milage you get, we still get **** before a kiss at the pumps.Gman211203

[tWiStEdBird]

Originally posted by mjparme:
Yeah, the D with the square around it just allows the tranny to shift into overdrive. It still will only shift there when it can, you aren't losing any power.

According to the owner's manual the only time you would want to drive in normal D (no square) is in high load situtations like towing.

Also, Firebirds don't have a D with a square so Firebird owners may be a little confused [img]smile.gif[/img]

I have the "D with a Square around it" in my bird. Didn't have it in my 94, it was 1-2-3-D, now in my 97 it's 1-2-D-OD.