This kid i know drives his 89 firebird like its a stick and it doesn't have a shift kit. It tried telling him that doing that can ruin the tranny but he says it cant? He is wrong Right?

 

Manually shifting an automatic doesn't hurt the tranny any more than letting it shift by itself--shift kit or not. A shift kit will extend tranny life and shift a little firmer in both cases.


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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

 

'Bump-shifting' an auto does not hurt anymore than letting it shift automatically as long as yo ushift at the same points. IF you wind out first gear, then bump it into second, the tranny will generate alot of heat. Without a shift kit, bump shifting is pointless anyways, its better to let the auto do its thing. If i bump shift my tranny, especially first gear, i can take first gear to about 4000 rpm, push it into second, but it will not shift unless i let off the gas a little, or it will wait till about 5500 to shift. Seems pointless to me, since this is past my power band...

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."
"Ponies can run, but birds can fly..."