What's up with 4 speed automatics?

[1931Chevy]

Originally Posted by roberto57

The Corolla, Yaris, and Scions all have 4-speed autos.

the new corolla when comes next year is still going to keep the 4 speed so for small cars I think is ok

[JBsZ06]

The 4 speed automatic was world class technology not that long ago..

Sure 5 and 6 speed automatics are better but a 4 speed automatic is still more than capable from a performance perspective..

I'd say the fuel economy is a few points lower with the 4 speed vs the 5 or 6 speed ......

GM should move to 6 speed DSG in my opinion and it is the torque convertor automatic that should go the way of the dinosaur.

JMO

[F14CRAZY]

Well like I've said, a lot of GM engines don't need more than a 4 speed auto to perform well. Consider also that the 4T6x behaves more like a 5 speed. Say with one of the Reattas, if I'm driving 60 mph...

1. some gas: torque converter unlocks, still in overdrive

2. more gas: downshift to 3rd

3. more gas: downshift to 2nd, good till about 75 mph

And yeah, the pushrod motors don't really have dead spots in their RPM range. a 5.3L can accelerate pretty hard without going above 3k rpm. A 3800 doesn't really care what RPM its turning, and I haven't driven then but I'd imagine that's the same for the rest of GM's pushrod motors

[91 s-10baja]

I agree, I can't believe my 1988 Beretta had a 3-speed auto. So rediculous

[F14CRAZY]

Those 3.1L Berettas were fast. Be a great car to drive to the floor all the time...a dude at my HS did. My then-stock Reatta, with it's 4 speed auto (!) was really equal until about 80 mph, and I started pulling ahead

[91 s-10baja]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

Those 3.1L Berettas were fast. Be a great car to drive to the floor all the same

Mine was a pre-3.1, it had the 2.8

[boston boy]

tthat is what I try to tell my friends I have fun with my beretta's. Yes I own 2 of them

[wtgkb8]

Originally Posted by 91 s-10baja

I agree, I can't believe my 1988 Beretta had a 3-speed auto. So rediculous

I'm still driving around in my 91 Cutass ciera w/ a 3spd...the 3300 V6 has plenty of torque for any driving...but then you want more...floor it to downshift to 2nd until 85mph. Of course redline in 3rd w/ tq converter unlocked will only get me 115mph (at rev limiter).

[Hitman1970]

Originally Posted by boston boy

tthat is what I try to tell my friends I have fun with my beretta's. Yes I own 2 of them

I took my brother's Beretta to my senior prom in 1989 back in Providence, RI. One of the few cars I liked from that era.

[Old Dood]

I will say this about GM's 4 speeds. Well at least in my experience.....they are very smooth. In both my 'bigger' Buicks I never had a problem with mine. They aways ran well and like I said are very smooth while shifting.

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

The 4 speed automatic was world class technology not that long ago..

JMO

The 4 speed was world class technology before I was born! (and I'm 22 BTW...)....

[JBsZ06]

Originally Posted by EldoFan

The 4 speed was world class technology before I was born! (and I'm 22 BTW...)....

4 speed automatic that ran 12.90's @ 109.5

Had a top speed of 170mph..

I assume thats not world class performance?

[wpageabc]

Lets all listen to "living in the past" Jethro Tull

[F14CRAZY]

Something like a 3800 is fine with a 4 speed auto, but not really a 4 cylinder from what I know. Under "firm" throttle application it feels like the car loses a lot of its pull when it upshifts to 3rd. It starts getting into a good RPM range, shifts, and the pull drops off. A 5 speed wouldn't be bad.

I don't know if its part of shift programming, but its really hard to just get the TC to unlock and stay in overdrive...I don't always need to go to 3rd

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by EldoFan

The 4 speed was world class technology before I was born! (and I'm 22 BTW...)....

Um, when you where born 4-speed where like 8-speeds are now. BLEEDING EDGE.

4-Speeds did NOT become the norm until the late 80's and early 90's. Some 1990 cars still had 3-speeds.

The 5-speed didn't rear it's head until the early 90's the six speed is only 8 or so years old...