down shifting 6 speed and the brakes

[jhenty]

its a 5 speed automatic, someones mistaken. There are no 6 speed solaras period.

[PXLpainter]

The 4 Cyl is a 6 speed?? I thought they were all 5.

Guess you're right - thought the newer Gen 2's had 6 spd. manual. (in my dreams I guess!)

[PXLpainter]

FWIW, I downshift (engine brake) with my slush-o-matic all the time - especially on the freeway... don't know if it's bad in the long run, but they tell you how to do it in the manual, so I can't see why not? Besides, it beeps at you if you try to at too high speed so you can't over-rev that way...

I "flew" home from LV today - averaged 90-110 all the way so I got home in exactly 3.5 hours from the Henderson cutoff to my driveway in Long Beach. Got it up over 125 a couple times with a Mercedes and BMW just cruising - never high enough for the limiter to kick in at least.

[MCOjerry]

I see no 6 speed on the Toyota site...was it an option on Gen 1 models??

I can't get photobucket to work tonight (took screen capture), but It only says 5 speed.

[MCOjerry]

its a 5 speed automatic, someones mistaken. There are no 6 speed solaras period.

That's what I thought...

[hskrsolara]

I see no 6 speed on the Toyota site...was it an option on Gen 1 models??

I can't get photobucket to work tonight (took screen capture), but It only says 5 speed.

Never was a 6 speed solara, never will be.

[PXLpainter]

I see no 6 speed on the Toyota site...was it an option on Gen 1 models??

I can't get photobucket to work tonight (took screen capture), but It only says 5 speed.

Never was a 6 speed solara, never will be.

Unless someone dumps some serious $$ for a custom hook-up that is!

[MCOjerry]

I see no 6 speed on the Toyota site...was it an option on Gen 1 models??

I can't get photobucket to work tonight (took screen capture), but It only says 5 speed.

Never was a 6 speed solara, never will be.

I was just confused by the thread title...says 6 speed and I didn't think there was such a thing on a Solara.

Test drove a Mercedes c280 7 speed auto this weekend though...pretty nice car.

[Down2TheC]

I "flew" home from LV today - averaged 90-110 all the way so I got home in exactly 3.5 hours from the Henderson cutoff to my driveway in Long Beach. Got it up over 125 a couple times with a Mercedes and BMW just cruising - never high enough for the limiter to kick in at least.

Love that run. Used to roll from SD to LV most weekends when I lived there. So how's she feel top down at 125? You did have the top down, right?

[DatSRBoi]

6 speed basicly the same as a 5. Not too much in difference other then the gears alittle closer. You can DS and it wont hurt the car really. But too isnt good in the long run.

[PXLpainter]

I "flew" home from LV today - averaged 90-110 all the way so I got home in exactly 3.5 hours from the Henderson cutoff to my driveway in Long Beach. Got it up over 125 a couple times with a Mercedes and BMW just cruising - never high enough for the limiter to kick in at least.

Love that run. Used to roll from SD to LV most weekends when I lived there. So how's she feel top down at 125? You did have the top down, right?

Oh HELL NO!! It was between 28º and 47º the whole trip!!

Bummer too, 'cuz I really would've liked to smoke a fat stogie on the way home too...

[SolarBoy]

The I4 has a 5 speed manual standard with the 4 speed auto as an option, the v6 comes standard with the 5 speed automatic. The '07 camry has a 6 speed automatic.

[---CAMRAZY---]

The I4 has a 5 speed manual standard with the 4 speed auto as an option, the v6 comes standard with the 5 speed automatic. The '07 camry has a 6 speed automatic.

Really? WOW

[crispone]

THE SCOOP:

The ENGINE is NOT a BRAKE!


That having been said.... you CAN brake WITH the engine.


Engine braking has its place and time. It serves a purpose in generating resistance through the motor causing "additional drag" on the driven wheels of the car. This can help maintain control in downhill and other situations where off-throttle deceleration would otherwise result in a "near-coast" condition with an automatic... (similarly low friction with a manual... although not as much) As mentioned before, rpm matching is important for SMOOTH and UN-ABUSIVE downshifts. JERKING is not effective nor good for the car... nor is HARSH TRANSITION down into a lower gear. Lash places various stresses on clutch packs (A/T) and drivetrain components... and exposes them to SHOCK FORCES that are "inconsiderate" of their durability. In a BRAKE LOSS situation, or a RAPID BRAKING situation, the use of the engine as a "supplement" to the brakes can aid in deceleration, but use of engine braking ALL THE TIME, depending on the severity of use, WILL deteriorate the performance of the tranny more rapidly than normal or moderate engine braking wear.

I do it, but not as the primary source of deceleration... that would be imprudent, IMHO.


Brake pads are CHEAP by comparison, and DESIGNED to be the primary point of wear... a consumable... I don't think you want to replace trannys at the same interval as air filters or tires....


(Coming from a guy who effectively WELDED a Supra rear end pig into a "static axle" by running 4:88 gears and engine-brake-down-shifting hard enough to send back-lash the magnitude of a tsunami through the planetaries, clutch, and drivetrain until universal yokes were twisted and diff and tranny had to be replaced...)

Price of replacement "pig" = $275

Price of used tranny = $600

RUBBER BARK and WHEEL HOP when decelerating = PRICELESS



-crisp

[PXLpainter]

^^ So Crisp, basically you're saying I'm BREAKING (not "braking") my car??

I've never lost a tranny in over 30+ years of driving (knock on wood) and yes, I'm really tough on everything I drive. Not a "put it in D" kinda guy! and have never had any problems to date using the downshift in an A/T to decellerate and use the compression of the engine to control both that drag and then punch with the RPMs already wound up to make a quick "slingshot" pass around someone.

I dunno - maybe it was the Skip Barber classes I took years back in Portland Speedway, but I've never had a prob. yet - in either American or Foriegn autos.