4 spd vs 5 spd dumb ?

[vert06]

I hope someone can explain this to me. What is the difference between a 4 and a 5 or 6 speed? Is it just going to the motion of shifting till the last gear or is there more to it? I thought if you are in the top gear then you open up your car to it. It doesn't matter how many gears you have. I am really confused why people put so many emphasis on the tranny if its a 4 or 5 speed. Thanks! I know a dumb question

 

[bigcat]

more gears equals more gear ratios. this means that you are in the power band longer. it also promotes quicker acceleration.

with 5 or 6 speeds... the 5th gear is usually an overdrive, and the 6th is usually a double overdrive. this allows great performance, while keeping the ability to cruise on the highways without redlining your motor.

 

[CBus 06 GT]

Having more gears allows you to do 2 things. It tightens up the ratios so you have less RPM drop for each up change and still have a low engine RPM when in top gear for good MPG while cruising down the highway. As bigcat mentioned, the 6 speeds tend to be adding an extra OD ratio rather than tightening up 1-5 compared to a traditional 5 speed, at least that's how the 6 speed in GM F-bodies was setup, meaning that the 1:1 gear is still 4th. I wouldn't be surprised if the 6 speeds in cars like a Subaru STI or Mitsu Evo are tighter with 5th being the 1:1 and only 6th being an OD ratio. I'm not sure how the 6-speed in the GT500 or Viper are setup, but since they are both high HP and high Tq engines, I'm guessing that 4th is the 1:1 with 5th and 6th both being OD ratios.

 

[vert06]

thank you guys for the response and the explanation. I am very grateful as I am new to the muscle cars. So it is all about more gears as I understand. Very hard to envision if you don't see the inner workings of a car with gears spinning. So it is better in a nutshell that the more gears the better? Thank you again

 

[Warlok]

?

Didnt your last car have a transmission too? I can see you'r not kidding about this, at least I dont think so. I just cant imagin some one asking this now as if this was the first car he ever saw.

I guess you know that "D" means go "P" means your parked "R" gets you out of the garage, and the other letters on your automatic shifter are there for sport. I bet your a very nice person and I have no dought of that.

Drive slowly.

 

[AznStanger3v]

these 6 speeds are not the way ol' boy explains the others.

5th gear is kinda like "4.5"
6th being OD or "5th"



ie: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 4.5, 5th

thats how the gear ratios are.

 

[vert06]

I know what a transmission is silly. I know what auto, manual, muncie, tremec. I know tranny has a gears, flywheel, torque converter(auto) and throwout bearing. just don't know of the gears or the importance of gears. Believe it or not I am a good power shifter. Hence the "dumb question" title .

Anyway this would probably be my last post on the transmission. Any chance that we will get 7 or 8 speed. Or is this impossible because as the others indicated that 6 is just an overdrive. I am really getting close to the gear education here. I will google transmission and gears shortly. I really like posting here because of flame free site. The people here are friendly. Again I apologize and thanks, I am not a gear head.

 

[kooldawg6]

I really like posting here because of flame free site. The people here are friendly.

According to site rules, we have to be, but...there are several threads I've been dealing with the past week or so that had to have a moderator step in...You'll know it if/when you ask the "wrong" question, not the "dumb" question.

 

[Mike97gt]

I had to move this out of tech.

 

[D.Hearne]

A transmission with two OD top gears are refered to as a "Double Overdrive" in truckers terms.