What's up MCF! Lately, I've been wondering about how one should aggressively accelerate in a 4 speed L36 from a stopped position. Frankly, how do I go fast? I've heard plenty of unconfirmed advice.

Should I be in 1, then 2, then 3, and then 4? Or do I stay in one gear in particular?

Should one even be shifting in a Monte Carlo? Are we supposed to get use out of all 4 gears? Or is that bad for the transmission?

Hit me with some knowledge!

 

Well it's a tough topic with many opinions. Generally stock trans and what not I used to brake hold about 15-1800rpm and then push about 75% throttle until I got rolling. But I was modded a bit more, some can get away with full throttle. It all depends on tires/mods. But as for gearing, it's an auto so some will say stick it in D and go. I used to place it in 1 and it will shift to 2nd at the max on it's own, then place it in D afterward. I don't see anyone going fast enough in the 1/4 to shift from 3rd to 4th.

 

Here is what I remember from Mike(chibi) telling me. When doing hard driving keep it in 3rd. For a good launch I believe, traction control ofcourse off and hold the brake and build up some revs and then gun it. Maybe mike can chime in with more details.

 

Yep. Turn off trac control.

Put car in 3 (whenever you want to do anything "reckless")

Hold the brake and rev the car some, start around 1500, then 1800, then 2000, etc. See where the best launch for your tires are. Some tires can hold higher RPMs, some break-loose much earlier.

Also, you don't want to go 100% throttle right away. You need to slowly press down and then when you get the throttle almost 75%, slam it to the floor.

It just takes a lot of practice to know where YOUR car launches best.

 

Ahh, so 3 for spirited driving, and D is appropriate for everything else? Would it be appropriate to shift going down a hill or is that too hard on the tranny?

 

No need to touch the shifter unless the weather is extremely poor and you need to have engine braking helping you out

 

In general, an automatic car is considered to be slower off the line then a manual car. This is due to the fact that an automatic car uses a torque converter. this is a device which acts as a jets and pumps transmission fluid around a jet which in turn moves the wheels. when the car is stationary this energy from the engine is transferred into heat as it cannot move the front wheels. (This is why you should never floor the accelerator and press the brake at the same time as the transmission fluid radiator and the torque converter could blow and they are not cheap to fix.) in a manual car as it comes off the line the clutch is engaged almost instantly and hence no energy is lost. however in an automatic car as it comes off the line not all of the energy from the engine is transferred to the wheels some is lost as heat as the pump and the jet in the torque converter are moving at different speeds. in modern cars this is usually only about 2% however on a drag strip this can make up for a considerable amount of time
2002 CHEVY MONTE CARLO Transmission - Automatic Transmission, 3.8L, 3.05 ratio F83



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2002 CHEVY MONTE CARLO Transmission < Source on above Tranny if case anyone wants 2 check it out ?

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Above from the web.
Speed > Power cost $'s
From what I've read on the MCF, the auto trans is one of the weak spots on a Monte Carlo I personally would not abuse a older auto trans unless I had the funds 4 a rebuilt. I would rather be able to cruise & get 2 where i want to 'go, then have my ride down & can't afford 2 fix or 'go > Your choice 4sure.
Peace/Out from bum'Mike >(Ive had 2 learn the hard way & expensive way 4sure) Maybe someone will listen (i did not) : (

 

me me me me with my 3.52 chain and gear set it makes my final drive a 3.96 ratio so i max rev 3rd at 100ish and last year i was trapping 113mph on a 2.93 chain and gear set. unless the new gearing lowers my trap 13ish mph i will be shifting into 4th at the very end of the track.

 

Yeah with that gearing you should be shifting to 4th at 104. Don't know why you'd want that because that's got to be hard on the 4th shaft to switch at WOT.

 

I didn't have a choice. I needed a 1" chain set and found a 1" gmr 7/16 pitch 3.52 ratio set and bought it. I would rather have a 1" with higher gearing than a 7/8 chain and break it lol.