Picture Of Standard Automatic 4 Speed Shifter

[PedroC]

Am looking around for a 480 Turbo and found a L reg with a Standard Auto 4 Speed, it being my first automatic, Im in need of some information, quickly (Auction isnt online for long)

Could somebody upload a clear picture of the shifter, to show me what modes I would have?

Would it be more of a Forward|Neutral|Reverse, or would it be more sophisticated and maybe have a sequential bit to it?

Please if you could quickly upload a picture, it would be great thanks

[Ulrika480]

Its a very basic, old school gearbox.

[PedroC]

Could I have some more information? So its literally just Forward Neutral Reverse?

[doingitsideways]

P,R,N,D (4 speed), 3 (Locks out 4th), 2, (Locks out 3rd and 4th), 1 (I'm sure you get the image!)

Steve

[Ulrika480]

As you've never owned (or driven?) an automatic, don't go thinking its anything like a modern day DSG / Tiptronic / Sequential / robotised manual gearbox.
It has no 'modes' !

Its a basic gearbox where it will change between pre-set ratios. You could hold it in gear manually if you must do (as Steve said, it just locks out the other gears). Other than that, all you can do is 'kickdown' on the accelerator into a lower gear.

That's all there is to it - it's just a basic automatic !!!!!

I think you seem to be expecting more than the car has. Its not even like the Subaru Legacy Auto I once owned back in 1990 which had a 'Power' and 'Econ' mode. This held the revs longer and changed up higher etc. The 480 doesn't have this...

[PedroC]

Okay, its a 4 speed, with 4 gears or 5 gears?

Sorry, never driven an automatic/read up on the subject

[Van]

P,R,N,D (4 speed), 3 (Locks out 4th), 2, (Locks out 3rd and 4th), 1 (I'm sure you get the image!)

He didn't ...

[doingitsideways]

4 speed, 5 with reverse!

[PedroC]

Yes I get you know, sorry with my language skills.

Im originally Portuguese.

Is there any performance downside to having a Auto over a Manual?

[Ade]

The auto won't be quite as quick or efficient as a manual for two reasons:

You only have four forward gears not five so the ratios are a little further apart. Your 4th gear on the auto will be approx the same ratio as 5th on the manual, ie overdrive, so the other gears are longer because there are fewer of them. This means that the engine goes out of its torque/power 'sweet spot' further when the auto changes than if you were shifting the manual.

The lower gears on the 480 auto box are hydraulic drive, it only has torque converter lock up in top gear. By its very nature there will be losses in the efficiency of the power transmission as a fluid drive will never come close to the almost 100% efficiency of an engaged clutch plate driving a shaft running in low friction bearings.

Hope this clears things up for you.

[doingitsideways]

The auto won't be quite as quick

Unless it's my modded 460, hey Ade?!

LOL

Steve

[jamescarruthers]

Yes to all the above and also:

Don't put it into gear D or R with the engine doing anything other than idle. In fact, select P, R, N or D with your foot hard on the brake to get a clean engagement without the car jerking around.

The business of locking gears out is pretty much unnecessary and is designed for towing really when you don't want 4th to be selected going up a hill. I did however used to knock my Turbo down to 3rd on the motorway early if I was absolutely nailing it.

VERY IMPORTANT: Change the gearbox oil immediately! It will have been ignored and neglected and will be filthy and burnt. It is only a matter of time before your box dies so I'd highly recommend you get it changed. You may need to do this a few times if the oil is black-- it should be red. The problem is that you can't get it all out in one go!

[jamescarruthers]

Also, having owned auto and manual Turbo's, basically the manual is faster in most respects except, weirdly, in some magic sweet spot.

I found that travelling at 20-30 mph then flooring it, it would kick down and take off faster than the manual would.

I do love an auto 480, they're only marginally slower and thirstier. Round town returned appalling MPG but otherwise it was acceptable. You'll just have to live with the poorer consumption.

[Ade]

Steve's 460 auto is pretty rapid to be fair

Be even scarier with a manual box.

[doingitsideways]

[martinholmesuk]

Fast auto 400 series. I remember mine with a T25 and super rich ecu. Pop goes the autobox. Was fun until that point... I even had an extra ATF cooler.

[LASEROWL]

@Martinholmesuk

Indeed Vader was fun, remember taking it out before all your mods and hitting nearly 130 GPS ( private road ) And I think Mr Pearson took it a little further.
Just a shame about the auto boxes been basically poo poo under any kind of strain.