[Shop-talk] Automatic Transmission Question

[jem at milleredp.com]

>> Isn't the transmission going to drop into low(est) gear at a stop, 
>> then upshift through all 3/4/5/6/8/9/10 gears when you accelerate 
>> anyway?

Most hydromechanical (that is, torque converter) automatics will drop 
into first gear at a stop, some actually start in second gear unless 
you're really standing on it.  I once had an Infiniti Q45 that did this, 
emulating Mercedes at the time, the Nissan transmission was a beefy box 
but grossly undercooled and the extra torque-converter workload killed 
transmissions.  There were aftermarket transmission control boxes that 
gave you first-gear start, I should have done my research.

You have other flavors of 'automatic' these days, the double-clutch 
boxes that use a pair of concentric clutches (hydraulically or 
electrically actuated) that alternate during electronically-controlled 
shifting (there's a few that actually slip both clutches in hard 
acceleration off the line, you're briefly in both first and second 
gear), eliminating the torque converter, and CVTs about which I don't 
know a hell of a lot.

John.