do's and dont's when using an automatic
 

hi all, I was wondering if someone could answer some questions about the use of an auto gearbox pls...
so for example, what would happen if the engine stalled at speed?
can i/should i go from D to 3 and 2 then 1 when descending a hill?...would it act like engine braking?...am thinking also when towing caravan...
would i do any harm to try these things?
Is it possible to go from D to neutral while moving?:shrug:
please feel free to add any hints or tips or interesting stories re driving your automatic

You can certainly go from D to N at speed, I have done it accidentally hitting the gear lever with my hand, but I coast to a stop to re-engage D.

As for changing down, I really don't know, I dare'nt try it. But I would think you would need to engage the lever on the gear lever before selecting another gear.

Personally, I would use what brakes there are, and the handbrake to bring the car to rest.

Visions of a mashed up auto box gives me nightmares.

I'm sure the owners handbook will clarify your question, or the knowledgeable guys on here.

Just don't try to go from D to P while moving :duh:

The automatic gearboxes in our cars are unique they don't work like normal automatics.
I tend to select 4 so mine doesn't change up to top gear when I'm in and around Town.

As for your questions:
If your car stalled at speed you would have to stop, that's common sense. Although this is highly unlikely.
If you were towing then possibly I would select a lower gear depending on steepness of hill.
I expect it is possible, but why would you want or need to go into neutral while moving.

I know of a few owners locally who have destroyed auto boxes in our 75s but not heeding the advice of "coasting" knocking it out of D and into neutral at motorway speeds and constantly down mountain roads etc.

Between two of them they managed to mangle 5 gear boxes and refuse to learn!

Autos I've driven although not Rovers you can do from Auto to "manual" and down shift and back to Auto no problem.

macafee2

Travelling at, say, 60, a slight tap on the brake will lose about 10mph. Depending on revs (and therefore what gear you are already in), this should be enough for the box to drop 1 gear. And so on down.

You can preselect any driven gear but, with a sharp eye and ear to engine performance, you can pull away in snow and ice in 2/3. Pulling away in 1 will enable you to beat snow etc until on firmer ground. Then shift to D.

You can hold a gear to take advantage of increased rev range over the set ratios by preselecting any of the forward gears and then move up a gear using the lever and letting the box change automatically.

You will probably only need Neutral at traffic lights.

Then of course you have the advantage of the 'S' button. A noticeable change of performance at your service.

It's probably best to slow the car by braking rather than the preselect feature. That is what they are for.

Do not, ever, select Reverse or Park whilst moving in a driven gear.

It's a wonderfully versatile box but expensive if you get it wrong. Find another member near you to show you, then buy him/her lunch.

......... and you dont get to choose when to change up, although you can extend these shifts, or speed them up (shortshifting) by selecting, snow and sport mode.

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By selecting sport mode, the car does not go faster (it is psychosomatic, as when selecting sport, you are more likely to mash the acc. pedal). It will hold the gear for longer, which WILL increase acceleration slightly, as you are mashing the pedal lol.

Sport mode also prevents the gearbox selecting lock up. Which if cruising on a motorway, will use more fuel, for no benefit (when cruising).

I would 'flick' it into sport mode when merging on motorways etc, as this will hold the gear making it easier to accelerate without the gearbox considering what to do before dropping a cog (try it, and then try the same thing, but in normal driving mode, but mashing the pedal into the kickdown switch - make sure there is no traffic, as it could prove dangerous!).

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I wouldnt recommend dropping the lever more than one position at a time whilst driving. Imagine driving in 5th with lock up, and dropping it to 2. :eek:

It is an adaptive gearbox (and quite common among other manufacturers), you can reset the 'box, either by removing its fuse, or disconnecting the battery for about 20-30 minutes (make sure you have any relevant radio codes and sat nav disc has stopped spinning, if fitted). Once reset the 'box, it will adapt to your driving style. If you drive gently, it will 'learn' this and change gears at relatively low revs. If you continually drive hard, it will change at slightly higher revs (from my 'playing around' there can be as much as 500 rpm of difference!). The other modes will adapt accordingly/proportionately.

I am not sure if it is psychosomatic, or not, but I feel it has more engine braking when it is in snow mode.

Make sure your handbrake is kept in good working order, and when stopped at lights etc, you will be able to keep it in D. Using your footbrake is unfair to others behind (I only do that until the car behind has come to a stop). If at a level crossing, or a particularly long set of lights, I will put it to neutral.

If you stop, and shift to neutral, allow the car to select the gear before pressing hard on the accelerator. The gearbox will select the gear quite harshly. Ditto if you come to a stop, and immediately move off (stop at lights, they turn green the moment you have stopped).

if you want to 'race' from the lights, hold with the footbrake using your left foot, right foot on accelerator so the revs begin to reach about 1000rpm, then mash the accelerator when they have turned green. I do not recommend doing this, it will be detrimental to the gearbox over time.

As far as engine braking goes, it does have some, but it is difficult I find to control. Touching the brake once coasting, and you will feel the engine braking. If you dont touch the brake, you will not feel the engine braking until the car has already lost a lot of speed. Try it at 40 mph on a level road, release the accelerator, the revs will drop to tickover, and you will not feel anything until the speed drops to around 30-35mph, (still not touching the accelerator) at which point the revs will kick up again, as it drops a cog. Going downhill whilst doing this will result in the car accelerating due to gravity! Touch the brake it will try to use engine braking.

Some manufacturers state the gearbox is supposed to be sealed for life (I think this includes MGR too), but it is not, and can be refilled/flushed. I would suggest flushing be used only as a last resort for some issues, but a drain and refill at around 90,000 miles is recommended.

A common issue with them, is a 'thump' when selecting drive, and changing gears. This is normally a faulty 2/4 solenoid. This is fixable in the car, and took me about 3 hours from start to finish (involves draining fluid, and removing surrounding components, but it is not difficult).

Another relatively common issue is a failure to select reverse, and ultimately all gears - although this is generally limited to pre 2002 models, if I recall.

Experiment with the different modes, and see what they do. Try driving hard and also gentle, to familiarise yourself with its reactions - eg trying to accelerate harder once lock up is on. Once you get used to it, you can predict its behaviour, and use the various modes for situations that you may require.

Downright dangerous, and guarantees total gearbox kill, even at low speeds, fortunately, the inhibitor switch is in place.

Many years ago I selected P from D on an auto Ford Transit, ( rare !! ), at crawling speed. Stopped the van dead, with an awful metallic noise. Taught me never to do it again !!