[hrdlydangerous]

So I got my '94 TA up and running and decided to take it to a local auto cross to get some seat time. The car happens to have a 4L60E automatic trans. I never autocrossed with an automatic before but figured it wouldn't be a big deal. There is one less pedal after all. Boy was I wrong. First of all the shifter only goes down to "2" on this car. There's no option to lock it into first gear which would have been ideal because it was a small course. Secondly, by leaving it in any of the other gear settings it has a nasty habit of downshifting into first about half way through my corner exit and making me go into massive oversteer. I figured it would have stayed in the gear I selected ie 2nd.

My question is this: What can I do to either lock the car into a gear or be able to shift into first on demand with the shifter to add predictability? Any advice would be appreciated.

Matt

[1meanZ]

well my first advice would be to put the automatic trans in the trash barrel where it belongs, but that doesn't really help you now does it? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I know on the automatic shifter in those cars can be easily modified to go back into the first gear position. There is apparently just some small tab you have to cut off and you're golden. I've never done it, but had a friend that did and I'm sure some guys on LStech can fill you in. Since you have that shifter I'm also going to assume your car has 2.73 rear gears, so you can hold 1st gear out for quite a while. The problem is that first gear is pretty aggressive and the car can be pretty frantic, especially for a new driver. It is hard to be smooth and hit your marks when your stabbing the pedal in 1st gear.

Most guys that I know that autocross with automatics stay in 2nd gear and they have custom built automatics to do the job. (some of the fastetst auto-x cars run automatics by the way) I don't know of a way to get the later 4L60s to stay in a gear and not kick down. I say if your just new at this, do the 1st gear mod and do your best to drive around it. If you're really going to get serious about it you'll need some custom work in the form of a built automatic trans or get a manual trans.

Sorry thats sucky news and doesn't really help you but a stock automatic is not meant for auto-x use, nor will it put up with much abuse like that before it overheats.