PSA: 5-speed or standard transmission does NOT mean manual transmission

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: mooseracing
just to add more useless info most US automakers and their auto's are actually lacking a gear, IE 4 spd is actually a 3 spd with lockup tq converter and they call it another gear for some dumb reason.

Rowing gears makes the drive more fun anyways, so buy a stick equipped vehicle.

.........

See that's interesting because I've owned/driven numerous domestic automatics. Every single one had four distinct gears, and then you could feel the torque converter lockup for lower RPM cruising.

I can't say I'm 100% sure on this, but I'm ready to call BS.

What does locking up the torque convertor do? How is that called an extra gear?

/me total non-gearhead

 

[SupaDupaCheez]

Peanut butter belly button penalty box

 

[mooseracing]

Originally posted by: logic1485

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: mooseracing
just to add more useless info most US automakers and their auto's are actually lacking a gear, IE 4 spd is actually a 3 spd with lockup tq converter and they call it another gear for some dumb reason.

Rowing gears makes the drive more fun anyways, so buy a stick equipped vehicle.

.........

See that's interesting because I've owned/driven numerous domestic automatics. Every single one had four distinct gears, and then you could feel the torque converter lockup for lower RPM cruising.

I can't say I'm 100% sure on this, but I'm ready to call BS.

What does locking up the torque convertor do? How is that called an extra gear?

/me total non-gearhead

A TQ does just what its name implies, i'm too lazy to type out exactly all the info on it (google it and how stuff works) But there is a lot of slippage in it, 100% power turning it but on the other end you only get 80% persay. So back in the early 80's when GM came out with the 700r4 & 200r4 they popularized the lockup tq. This lowers tranny temps as the slipping tq creates friction and thus more heat (and wear on more parts), it also added a certain % more efficency to the tq. Almost all (99.9% after late 80's early 90's depending on the manufacture) OD on automatics are the TQ lockup. usually only a few 100 rpm drop.

 

[GearFace]

Good question! It actually becomes clear when you look at where the terms came from.

For a long time, there were only manual transmissions. When automatic transmissions first came out, they were considered a luxury. Hence the manual transmission that everyone knew and loved was called a standard transmission, as opposed to this fancy new contraption. The term standard also refers to the fact that even today, when automatics are vastly more popular in the U.S., a manual transmission is still typically standard equipment, while an automatic transmission is an option you pay extra for.

So standard transmission does mean manual transmission, although the term standard is more commonly used by older people. It can be confusing as there are now cars where an automatic transmission comes standard, so I prefer the term manual. It is also known as a classic transmission, old school transmission, stick shift, dick stick, or simply "stick."

Automatic transmissions, even when they're the only transmission available for a particular car, are never called standard transmissions. They may be called modern transmissions or regular transmissions. Some let the driver select the gear with a stick or paddle shifters, but they are still considered automatic because there's a torque converter instead of a clutch.

5-speed refers to the number of gears, not counting reverse. A 5-speed car could have either an automatic or a manual transmission.

If someone says "I have a standard transmission," they are saying they have a manual transmission (could be any number of gears).

If someone says "I have a 5-speed," they are stating the number of gears (could be either type of transmission).

If someone says "I have a 5-speed manual," they are specifying both the number of gears and the type of transmission.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Heaven forbid a dictionary entry becomes outdated.

Heaven forbid a population becomes unable to understand what has been used since the invention of the automatic transmission in one generation. Necro. Shakes fist at sky.

 

[ctbaars]

Peanut butter belly button penalty box

 

[sdifox]

Holy necro

 

[nakedfrog]

Necro without spam link? Unpossible!

 

[ultimatebob]

Wow... this post is dated. My Mustang now has a 10 speed automatic, and the Mini Cooper I had before that had a 6 speed auto.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Holy crap! Not all berries are blue! There are OTHER KINDS OF BERRIES GUYS! If you buy berries, you have to be very, very sure that they are blueberries and not strawberries or something. I thought strawberries were just strawberries, but some people them berries! Straw or Blue, though, that's the important part.

Just thought I'd share since so few people seem to realize this. Have a nice day. </PSA>

 

[IronWing]

My station wagon has an 8 speed auto. I have no idea why. The car guys once suggested that cars really only need two gears, one to get rolling and one to keep rolling.

 

[mopardude87]

Not my car but i have a love hate relationship with a 5 speed manual 1997 corolla i drive almost daily. Nice on the highway but oh man i hate it in city during those traffic jams. I hate such a gutless wonder on the hills too.

I guess outside of performance cars such a car is becoming a rarity? I hated the entire idea of a stick shift 4 cylinder at first but having only so few horsepower i suddenly welcome the little to big chirps i pull from this car with these gears from a take off.

I had to punch a automatic 2006 Ford Taurus to get a nearly equal chirp or punch a 383 with a high rpm eldelbrock intake manifold on a 1965 Chrysler newport to get half a block wanting to call the cops on me for exhibitionist driving.