Shifting the 2008 Accord EXL auto like a manual

Hello,

I have a 2008 Accord EX-L and its an Auto. Everyone now and then I like to
put the car in 1 at a red light and shift up to 2 at about 4500 rpms and
then to D3 at about 4500 rpms etc. I am wondering if this upshifting and
downshifting practice is bad to do? I make sure that I don't put the gas on
until the transmission has caught the next gear. I wouldn't think so, but
wanted other opinions.

I know what everyone is going to say "Why didn't you get a manual
transmission??" Well the fact is I only like to shift every now and then, so
I would fall into the weekend shifting enthusiast category, and
unfortunately I cannot afford to have two cars, so I have an automatic
transmission car.

Thanks,
Al

 

leave it in auto and floor it. then you'll see it shift /at/ the red
line. like it's programmed to do.

as for manual selection, quit worrying. the computer has full over-ride
and stops you doing anything that'll cause any harm.

 

ah, i forgot to look, it's alfred the worrier. alfred, stop driving.
you might be hit by another vehicle.

 

AAAAAAAAAAAGH! STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!

You are causing 20 times the amount of wear in your transmission each
time you drive like this. At this rate, you will be looking at a
complete rebuild in about two years.

On the bright side, won't it be nice to drive a car with a new
transmission when everyone else is still dealing with their two year old
transmissions?

Of course, this doesn't EVEN take into account the unnatural strain on
the engine. Buddy, why are you even buying a car in the FIRST PLACE?

I bet you leased it, right? This is why I don't buy lease returns.

And since you leased it, you got screwed during the sale to begin with.
Man, to kill your bank account AND your car all at once. Unbelieveable.

 

I seem to remember in the car manual that it said that the car can be driven
like a manual if you want, by using the gears. Why would this put strain on
the tranny? Its just like driving it the reular way except you are shifting
it.

Yes I leased it. Actually I got a good lease deal.

 

I seem to remember in the car manual that it said that the car can be driven
like a manual if you want, by using the gears. Why would this put strain on
the tranny? Its just like driving it the reular way except you are shifting
it.[/QUOTE]

You'll find out!

 

Shifting manually will do no harm at all; the tranny is designed for this.

According to the Owner's Manual:
"To shift from Second to First, press the release button on the bottom of
the shift lever. This position locks the transmission in first gear. By
upshifting and downshifting through 1, 2, D3, and D, you can operate this
transmission much like a manual transmission without a clutch pedal."


Have fun. Just make sure you shift below the redline.

 

Okay so now I have conflicting information. Both seem to know about Honda's
but since Tegger's information is like the manual I would tend to believe
this. Also wouldn't shifting the auto manually be like using the sequential
sport shifter in the acura's for instance? Either way theres no clutch.

 

Is there any particular reason you believe an Internet poster over the
Owner's manual? It simply amazes me regarding the number of posts made
(not just here but other car boards I am on) with questions that can
be answered simply by looking in the Owner's manual. Or by people
second-guessing the Owner's manual.

Here, I will tilt the balance for you: it's okay to shift it manually!

Don't confuse your automatic transmission with an 'automated manual'
transmission. Yours is an automatic that you can shift manually, if
you desire. An 'automated manual' - such as that found in Audis,
Ferraris, BMWs - is a true manual transmission with automated clutch
operation that can be asked to shift automatically. They are 2 totally
different animals.

Dan D
'07 Ody EX
Central NJ USA

 

Tegger has done lots of thinking about this. The product of that
thinking is below.

In a Honda automatic transmission, shifted automatically, the
transmission computer (TCM or PCM)decides when it will trigger the
shifts. It makes its decisions based on many factors, chief among them
being: road speed, engine speed, engine coolant temperature and throttle
position. The PCM effects automatic gear changes by powering/depowering
the various transmission solenoids (and there are many of them)
necessary to engage/disengage particular gear ratios.

Operating the shift lever manually means that you -- and not the
computer -- command the solenoids to operate. Placing the lever in "2"
for instance, causes the shift solenoids to assume the identical same
positions they would had the PCM forced the shift to "2" itself. Either
way the transmission responds in an identical manner using identical
parts, and will engage the new gear with identical vigor.

In other words, the same parts are operated to change gear whether the
PCM gives the signal via its logic or you give the signal using the
position of the gear lever. Honda did not install two separate sets of
transmission control mechanisms.

I can see just two possible problems with shifting an automatic
manually. These problems are: overspeed of the engine, and "lugging".

In a manual transmission there is nothing to save you from catastrophic
engine failure should you, say, shift into second and let out the clutch
at 85mph. Even though the engine's ECM will have cut off fuel near
redline, the solid mechanical connection between engine and road wheels
will pull the engine into mechanical failure territory and a rod will
poke itself through the block.

Likewise, if you choose to shift your manual 5th at 10mph, the engine
will labor mightly to keep the car moving, pounding the crankshaft and
rod bearings oval in the process.

In an automatic the PCM constantly monitors engine and road speed, even
when you shift manually. I would *think* the PCM would block the manual
gear-change signal from reaching the solenoids if the resulting engine
speed would exceed redline, but I have never tried this, not having a
disposable car to test on.

With an automatic, if you put the lever into a lower gear and repeatedly
forget you've done so, you'll be running the engine at a far higher RPM
than the PCM would run it at, leading to greatly increased engine wear.

Remember that moving the lever to "2" locks the transmission in that
gear. It is therefore possible to overheat and damage the transmission
and its fluid due to lugging at low road speeds in too high a gear,
provided you lug the powertrain for long enough.

It is interesting that the Owner's Manual mentions the engine speed
limiter (present on both models), but has a caution ONLY for the manual
transmission model. The manual transmission caution warns that the
engine speed limiter only works on upshifts, it does not work on
downshifts; you are warned to make sure you will not exceed the engine's
redline when downshifting. Plus there are tables indicating maximum
speeds in gears. The automatic transmission section gives no such
warning and has no speed tables. This implies that the PCM will protect
you from major stupidity.

Elmo's warning has truth to it: When you take upon yourself the
responsibility of choosing your own gear ratios, you also take upon
yourself the responsibility of knowing something of the machinery of
your car, and the damage you may cause by manipulating that machinery
incorrectly. Maltreatment of the equipment is called "abuse". Honda will
not honor warranty claims resulting from abuse.

 

( snip )

Killer post, Tegger...thanks.

Peace,
Polfus

 

Hey Al,

I remember you asking about this back in Jan, and its okay to do this the
way you are doing it.

Downshifting is another matter, and that will depend on how fast you are
going and to which gear you are downshifting to.

I recommend that you downshift to D3 only if you need to because you are
getting on the brakes hard and you feel the engine can help you slow down.

This takes practice and is not good to do unless you know how to, so if you
do, go ahead.

If not, then don't unless its an emergency situation and even then you
should use your free hand to grab the emergency brake instead of the
gearshift to take down to D3 or lower.

Personally, I use D3 to slow the car in certain situations like hills where
I don't want to get too fast...otherwise I don't use D3, 2, or 1 to slow the
car.

Upshifting, however, I really use 1 or 2 only if I feel like playing or
making the revs higher just to feel the engine.

Otherwise, if I start from a stop I really think the car is fine in D3 and I
leave it there until I need to switch to D.

I've really decided that going from 1 to 2 to D3 to D is kind of harsh with
the '08 Accord, in that the engine feels great but nothing beats a superb
Honda manual foot clutch and 5 speed gearbox...so since the auto isn't one
of those, I just use the extended power range of the D3 function now.

The car jumps pretty good in D3 from a stop in the first 3 gears, and since
its so much smoother the trade off is better for me...no 1 or 2 because its
not smooth as I like, not because the car can't handle it.

Once in a while is fine, so don't worry..just upshift at or before redline
to be safe.

And don't downshift to 2 or 1 to slow car not nececcary.

You can downshift freely between D and D3...even if you are going 70.

The new engine is amazing, IMHO....man I love it. My old 1990 Accord 4-cyl
had 130 hp....now at 190 and it feels great to me.

Peace,
Polfus

 

Thank you everyone for the information. I appreciate all the information. I
am still wondering if a sequential sport shifter like in the Acura TSX would
make the car faster than using the regular auto mode?

I wanted to say that although the manual shifting can be fun, I don't think
that it really works that well with the car for performance. Today I thought
I would try a test against a Kia Amanti using the manual shifting method in
my 2008 EXL Accord Auto. I had trouble keeping up using the shifting method.
Then at the next light I put it in D3 and my rpms hit about 5500 rpms I and
blew the doors off the Kia Amanti. So maybe its just better suited that way
and should only be used to control the revs or slow down faster etc.

 

Well sure...you'd be able to use the engine's powerband more.

Well....hmmm. Maybe you aren't aggressive enough on the manual shifting?

I guarantee both of us using manual shifting in 2 Accord automatics will
result in one car faster than the other.

Since you are gonna understand that simple logic, then you can also follow
that some can make the car go faster than others, even with all else equal.

Regardless....its a pain to shift manually in an auto from 1 to D, so the
hell with it.

Yup...exactly why I said to do this in the first place to you!

"Slow down faster"....like what situation are you talking about?

Peace,
Polfus

 

1. the only "fun" alfred ever has is finding things to worry about.
[and bleat on newsgroups about.]
2. it's impossible to manually abuse that transmission. it's all
electronic, so the ecu won't let you shift in a pattern that'll harm
anything.

 

I just mean if you are on the highway going 60 mph for instance and you want
to take an exit and as your breaking in D you realize that there are cars
going slower than you thought in front of you. You can then put it in D3
when your going about 45 mph and this will help you slow down faster.

I think speed wise its better to use D3 in the city and when the rpms get
high enough, such as 3000 at a cruising pace, put it in D. Then if your
going slower you can always drop it back down to D3. If you know anything
about New England you know that we have some very steep hills. Sometimes 2
is good when going down one of these. I also like to use 2 when accelerating
in snow from a stop, so the car takes off from 2nd gear. I think this helps
with wheel spin. Although having traction control probably does the same
thing anyway.

Al

 

take the bus alfred. it'll absolve you of all responsibility and worry.
then you can stop wasting our electrons.

 

I can't WAIT to see him blow up his engine! Or will the transmission go
first?

 

neither - he'll get hit by a meteorite.

 

I guess I didn't see Jim Beam's post till now, I have him blocked because we
determined he is a troll from way back in January.

Elmo, I will not be blowing up the engine. I actually did the same practice
with my 2005 Accord and had it for 3 years with no problems. I just wanted
to know if this would be different on the 2008 Accord. Its a lease and under
warrenty anway. I don't think entering the highway in D3 and bringing the
rpms to 5000 rpms and switching to D is anything out of the ordinary. I am
sure most people drive the same way if they are performance oriented.

Al