So I've always heard that manually shifting our auto dosen't do anything becuase it's going to shift from first to second, second to third, etc...whether you shift it or not. I figured I'd test it out. I put it in first and just accelerated normally. I held it at 6100rpm for about 5 secondsand it was not shifting into second, it shifted when I shifted into second. Maybe I'm wrong but I thought they shifted before that. Also, if you shift down from drive to second or second to first does it drop into that gear as soon as you shift?

 

I'm no expert on this, but my observation has been just what you saw. In 1st, it stays in first. In second, the same, although it might start off in first. Have not tried that, but on some other vehicles it seems to start in second. A downshift will drop you down a gear, and I personally would not even try more than one gear because of potential damage to the engine and tranny.
Once in a Corvette I tried the quarter mile shifting manually, and then letting the auto do it. As I recall they were about the same time.

 

im no expert either, but shifting manually does seem to be a better way when ur trying to get max performance, but downshifting, yeah, i really wouldnt recomend that, but say ur brakes fail, i would down shift to save ur behind from not bein able to stop. but if your looking to get max performance, better shifting etc...there is a paddle shifter that they make for the 4l60e trans in the 5.7s and some of the third gens too,idk if they make it for the 6'ers though, i read up on it in my lastcamaro performance mag, but if i had an automatic i would puttin the paddles in my car,

 

while it may feel like its not shifting it is infact addtinally take it from me i ran almost a half second faster on the track byputinging it in drive and launching it than shifting up through the "gears"

 

I know that shifting manually vs. letting the computer shift dosen't make you any faster, wasn't really my question. I just thought I heard that it will still shift itself no matter where you have the shifter. Like you could run up to 100mph with the shifter in 1st because it is going to shift itself anyway. Just wondering if something on mine was changed.And I only down shifted a couple timesjust to see if it would drop the gear. I didn't drop it down into second while going 60, I got it into3rd at about 30 and dropped it down to2nd right after going into 3rd.

 

oh got'cha, naw, i think that the trucks and suvs are like that though for towing purposes, but i know the camaros and most other sports cars arent,

 

I know the thread isnt about which is faster, but as far as being faster goes..

here's how i see it:
From what I have experienced it seems that if you start in "2nd" it does start in first and just goes into 2nd and now third. (unless you have the SGS on i suppose)
My car, when floored, waits just about to redline to shift, or as close to redline as i would want it to.
Basically from what i have seen you cant short shift it manually because it will wait to shift into 2nd, then 3rd, when floored.

I dont see where manually shifting it would help any, but i could be wrong.
The best bet I figure is starting in D, and later shifting into OD. This may not make a difference, but from what I have heard it does. It does seem to make a little difference, but im only guessing that from normal driving, i havent actually put it to the test in a race.
I normally would shift into OD around 40-45, but that may/may not make a difference.

 

It will shift to 1st if you put it there as well as second & so on. It has a limiter tho that makes sure you dont do somthing stupid & blow the tranny. So if your at a dead stop and put it in first & floor it. It will hold out untill redline and then shift. But if you go up & hold it at 30 it will stay infirst untill the limiter comes on & upshifts for you.

it also does it for down shifting. I was going about 45 once & pulled it down to first. It waited untill it was just under 40mph then it shifted to first. then the tires spun a little & the "low trac" light came on.

So it will let you choose the gear and it will go there. But it will make sure you dont kill it too. Think of it as your "asking" the transmition to shift. If it thinks it ok he will do it. If not he will ignor you.