Starting off with 2nd gear? (Selectshift)

[1995E]

I have the selectshift automatic transmission and I wonder if I could just put keep it in second gear while not in motion and start off with 2nd gear? That would mean I would get faster acceleration off the line + lower RPMs = fuel efficiency. Now, is there a negative to starting off with second gear such as damage to the transmission?

I would only guess the reason why starting off with 1st gear is so slow is because it's set up just so I can get out of a hard situation offroad or start off easier with a heavy trailer.

Also, I can safely shift to Drive from manual while the car is moving right?

Thanks!

 

[JDraper]

As far as I know, it won't let you start it in second. It's programmed to make sure it doesn't go below a certain RPM in manual mode, and it will override manual shifting at that point.

I haven't tried starting in 2nd yet, but I did leave it in higher gears and slow down, and it downshifted for me.

Yes, you can shift in and out of manual on the fly.

 

[w1kedz]

You should be able to start off in 2nd gear, as this is common for towing, snow starts, and wet starts, however I don't see how this would give you better acceleration off the line. You'd lose the low end torque of first gear for your start, the idea of starting in second gear is to reduce the torque and there by reduce the chance of losing traction when accelerating

 

[RLWSNOOK]

I have the selectshift automatic transmission and I wonder if I could just put keep it in second gear while not in motion and start off with 2nd gear? That would mean I would get faster acceleration off the line + lower RPMs = fuel efficiency. Now, is there a negative to starting off with second gear such as damage to the transmission?

I would only guess the reason why starting off with 1st gear is so slow is because it's set up just so I can get out of a hard situation offroad or start off easier with a heavy trailer.

Also, I can safely shift to Drive from manual while the car is moving right?

Thanks!

My guess is you will be able to start in 2nd gear but it won't cause faster acceleration. It will hurt your acceleration and likely cause worse fuel economy. Have you ever tried to get going on a bike in high gear, and it was really hard to pedal... this is the same thing that will happen with your car.

I don't think it matters if you switch from manual mode to automatic while moving.

There is no issue with speed in this car...

Just because the car isn't jerky doesn't mean it isn't fast.

 

[1tufgt]

Yeah, not sure where you got the info that starting in 2nd gear would give you better fuel economy. You will end up getting worse fuel economy due to the engine have to work harder to get the vehicle moving.

There is a reason the gearing for 2nd isn't 1st gear due to this issue, if it wasn't a problem then there wouldn't be a need for 1st gear.

Like RLWSNOOK ride a bike that has gears and try to take off in that 2nd gear and see how hard it is to get going versus 1st gear.

 

[JDraper]

Played with the selectshift some today. You can start in 2nd. However, the vehicle won't let you come to a stop in 2nd. It automatically downshifts to first as you come to a stop. You can then toggle it to start in 2nd again.

 

[uniquename]

Played with the selectshift some today. You can start in 2nd. However, the vehicle won't let you come to a stop in 2nd. It automatically downshifts to first as you come to a stop. You can then toggle it to start in 2nd again.

How did it feel?

 

[JDraper]

Like a manually shifted automatic...

It doesn't firm up the shifts it just lets you control when the shift occurs.

 

[uniquename]

I meant starting in second. Sluggish?

 

[JDraper]

Not too bad. Wouldn't want to start there all the time. More sluggish than 1st, but that's to be expected.

I did notice what feels like a pretty big gear ratio change between 3rd &4th.

 

[astrorex]

I've been playing with the select shift too for a while now. Its nowhere near to actual manual shift, but you can try and drive the car more based on you anticipations. I particularly feel the difference between 3-4 and 5-6 gear shifts. 1-2, I do mostly as soon as I get moving, since 1 is a very high gear ratio. I did try to start off from 2, but its not worth it, since everytime you stop the system goes all the way down to 1. Then you might as well start on 1 and move on.
Btw, the system regulates purely on speed, right? Even going downhill it refuses to go to 6 until you are past 45 mph, the gradient does not seem to matter.

 

[w1kedz]

I've been playing with the select shift too for a while now. Its nowhere near to actual manual shift, but you can try and drive the car more based on you anticipations. I particularly feel the difference between 3-4 and 5-6 gear shifts. 1-2, I do mostly as soon as I get moving, since 1 is a very high gear ratio. I did try to start off from 2, but its not worth it, since everytime you stop the system goes all the way down to 1. Then you might as well start on 1 and move on.
Btw, the system regulates purely on speed, right? Even going downhill it refuses to go to 6 until you are past 45 mph, the gradient does not seem to matter.

It will shift into 6 below 45, it will shift based on speed, revs, and anticipated acceleration. I've been cruising at 38mph and it was in 6th.

 

[JDraper]

I've used the shifter a few times just to see how it behaves, but now I pretty much leave it in drive all the time. Once I put the '66 on a trailer behind it I'll probably be in manual mode quite a bit.

Wonder if someone will be working on a programmer for this that will firm up the shifts when in manual mode

 

[46er]

It works great on hilly/mountainous roads, lets the engine do the braking.

 

[JDraper]

It works great on hilly/mountainous roads, lets the engine do the braking.

Not in my '11. I tried it on a hill a few days ago, and the rpms just came up. Very little motor braking. I was disappointed in that. I do have the hill holder feature though. Unfortunately it only works at very low speeds.

 

[w1kedz]

Not in my '11. I tried it on a hill a few days ago, and the rpms just came up. Very little motor braking. I was disappointed in that. I do have the hill holder feature though. Unfortunately it only works at very low speeds.

The car's pretty heavy, but using the select shift the engine braking is semi-efficient for me. How big of a decline were you on? if I get down to 3rd, then 2nd the engine will slow the car pretty good. I regularly bring it from 80 down to 50 within a quarter mile 12% grade on my way home everyday

 

[JDraper]

I was on a pretty good grade at about 40 mph..barely slowed me at all until I downshifted far enough to run the rpm's up well over 4500 rpm. I'm used to the braking I got shifting out of OD on my 5.4 F-150 and this isn't even close. I think the smaller displacement is a big part of it.

 

[1995E]

Thanks for the info guys. Maybe it's the comfortable ride that bothers me. I'm just so amazed at how everything is so subtle! The noise, the acceleration, the suspension. Everything is so soft! I think I need a Mustang haha.

 

[JDraper]

Thanks for the info guys. Maybe it's the comfortable ride that bothers me. I'm just so amazed at how everything is so subtle! The noise, the acceleration, the suspension. Everything is so soft! I think I need a Mustang haha.

Explorer is surprisingly quick for it's size (0-60 in 6.9 seconds). It will outrun most stock V-6 Mustangs (current crop of Mustangs excepted) easily in the 0-60 category.