Maxing out RPM

[Quockieo]

Hi another newbie issue i am worried about..

Today, i was doing my usual WOT in "D" gear on my new 5 spd automatic. I floored it all the way and found out that the needle dropped after i hit 5.8k RPM. My foot was still depressed on the pedal when the needle dropped. I feel like i overreved it, should i be worried?

Or is it that the 5 spd auto is just selecting another gear for me? Can someone share some light to this for me? I'd appreciate it.

 

[Quockieo]

i guess my real question is that is there any possible way to over rev an engine using the normal "D" gear on an auto tranny?

 

[Shannow]

Witht the Tranny in D, it's most unlikely that you've over-revved.

with a 5 speed auto, you've obviously got something fairly new, so the EMS wouldn't let the engine over-rev even if the tranny tried.

 

[Mike94SE]

Cut-off.

 

[Quockieo]

I've heard something like there's a rev limiter or what not... it seemed like my engine cut off but i was wondering if there will be any ill results due to this cut-off (like bending of the pistons, etc)? thanks for the comments.

 

[Virtuoso]

If you were in one of the later gears (fourth, or fifth) it was probably your torque conveter locking up. My old Avenger would do this at high-speed; even at WOT.

 

[nobadges]

Flooring it in "D" should never over rev (hit cut-off) if your shift (throttle) linkage is set right.
Prior to hitting redline rpm's the transmission should shift up to the next gear and that is where you should see the rpm drop.

 

[Quockieo]

Will this strain the engine or tranny components?

 

[Ramblin Fever]

I highly believe that consistent redlining will definitely strain the engine and tranny; they are to be used, but not in that manner.

 

[Quockieo]

i havent "redline" it as far as i can tell. My redline is at 6500 rpm. The highest i've gone is 5800 rpm on the tachometer using full-throttle on only on the "Drive" gear. I floored it from about 2500 rpm and let it rise till it hit 5800 rpm. It just seemed like for whatever reason, after i hit 5800 rpm, the tranny either upshifted, cut-off, hit the rev limiter, or the torque converter lockedup... therefore, dropping my rpm back down to 3000 rpm.

I've gotten alot of reasons and explanations to why this would happen but never quite got any real explanations to what ill effects/results could this do to my tranny or engine. I don't even know if this is normal for the rpm to drop that far down because im use to seeing upshifts from about 100 rpm less away.

 

[chrome]

Sounds like normal operation of an auto transmission to me...

When you floored it, you probably caused the transmission to drop a gear, called a 'kickdown', into the next lowest gear, probably 4th if you are cruising along the freeway. The engine accelerates the car in 4th gear, till you reach 5800rpm, and then the transmission changes to 5th gear, causing your rpm to drop to 3000, all this while WOT.

 

[robbobster]

So long as you didn't dwell in the red on the tachometer, you're fine.

Even touching redline won't damage your engine.

 

[Quockieo]

I decided to believe that my tranny upshifted afterall. But it sure scared the **** out of me when i saw that needle on the tachometer dropped from 5800 rpm down to 3000 rpm while my foot was still depressed all the way down to the floor on the pedal. Thanks again for all the replies and advices.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Ok, now I understand what you're asking - sorry, I was misinterpreting. Yes, it definitely sounds like your tranny upshifted after having downshifted to kick up the speed.

My 4-speed w/overdrive automatic does this all the time in the mountains, it'll kick down to 3rd during a climb, then when I crest the top, it'll upshift to 4th.

You'll get used to it; after a while, it won't even phase you - as you can see, I had to stop and think about it!