a/t or m/t on trails

[JJCarEnthusiast]

^ is there a way to hold in matic Lowgear for a longer time?

[mulover]

You can drive it like a manual and select low gear, but it still wont give you the same amount of engine braking that a manual will.
A friend of mine has basically made his auto into a manual, by removing the gear changing bit or something, Its still an auto gear box, but he has to manually select the gears.

[jezza]

You can drive it like a manual and select low gear, but it still wont give you the same amount of engine braking that a manual will.
A friend of mine has basically made his auto into a manual, by removing the gear changing bit or something, Its still an auto gear box, but he has to manually select the gears.

I always wanted to try that, there used to be a company that made shift controllers, http://www.stu-offroad.com/engine/awshift/awshift-4.htm That is off a jeep but it is the same auto as the isuzu's
(I think). All that is needed is a finding what wires controller what shift solenoids, what one controllers the torque converter lock up and a way of turning the system on and off. But then the auto is still geared higher than the manual so descents will still be faster.

[JJCarEnthusiast]

You can drive it like a manual and select low gear, but it still wont give you the same amount of engine braking that a manual will.
A friend of mine has basically made his auto into a manual, by removing the gear changing bit or something, Its still an auto gear box, but he has to manually select the gears.

i didn't know this could be done! is it like a shiftronic or something? what happens to the shifter?

[JJCarEnthusiast]

^ or does it has paddle shifters instead? how much for the conversion? ...

[jezza]

^ or does it has paddle shifters instead? how much for the conversion? ...

As far as I know there is no kit available for the isuzu's, it's just a matter of finding out what wires control what then you can control however you like eg, or paddle shifters

[geeves]

The correct technique for downhill in an auto is to stop at the top of the hill with only enough brake pressure to hold the car. Then hold this pressure on the brake for the whole decent. Then accelerate while holding the brake so you drive and brake at the same time. It works and can also be used on a manual although you run out of feet. Also known as left foot braking

[JJCarEnthusiast]

so you press the button for the corresponding gear? so after pressing the button, it doesn't shift up automatically anymore?

[mulover]

JJ, I have no idea what he's done, its still the normal auto shift lever, but, instead of it automatically changing gears, he has to move it himself to select.

The same guy also uses the left foot braking technique that qeeves is talking about all the time, It takes a bit of practise to get the feel for it, but it works very well.

[JJCarEnthusiast]

i see, i think you only have to find a way to bypass the automatic shifting (maybe like a computer) in able to get rid of the automatic shifting. so you have to first to L, 2, D then o/d.

[bedford4x4]

I like the auto off-road. You can crawl over stuff you can't with a manual. Down steep slopes you stick it in low-first and leave it and it's fine. For really steep stuff you apply your brakes a little with the left foot and then apply accelerator until the engine overcomes the brakes and descend that way. You can't stall an auto. The Isuzu auto box has a decent breather on it so water shouldn't get in.

If you're towing, you lock it out of overdrive and the lock-up torque converter locks up at 70km/h, giving you a manual gearbox i.e. no over-heating.

But they are expensive to fix and the overdrive is far too tall for the engine. Without a battery, you're not going anywhere.

[jezza]

The Isuzu auto box has a decent breather on it so water shouldn't get in.

Thats how I drowned mine, I thought it would be alright but I was wrong

[bedford4x4]

The Isuzu auto box has a decent breather on it so water shouldn't get in.

Thats how I drowned mine, I thought it would be alright but I was wrong

I wonder if the little cap on the end of the breather was a bit gummed up - if it has the breather going up the firewall it should be okay. Having said that, I haven't done a lot of deep river work in mine due to not having a snorkel. Has anyone else had trouble with the auto sucking water?

[geeves]

Even extended breathers are no guarantee that water wont get in. When a gearbox is hot (autos get hotter than manuals but manuals still get hot) then dunked in cold water the oil inside contracts as its cooled rapidly. If the breather cant keep up with the rate of shrinkage the box will suck whatever it can from elsewhere (through the seals that are below water)
Ive heard it suggested that a good idea is to stop for 30 min before each river crossing. That might be ok in Australia where you drive for a week between crossings but here in NZ youd never get anywhere

[bedford4x4]

Even extended breathers are no guarantee that water wont get in. When a gearbox is hot (autos get hotter than manuals but manuals still get hot) then dunked in cold water the oil inside contracts as its cooled rapidly. If the breather cant keep up with the rate of shrinkage the box will suck whatever it can from elsewhere (through the seals that are below water)
Ive heard it suggested that a good idea is to stop for 30 min before each river crossing. That might be ok in Australia where you drive for a week between crossings but here in NZ youd never get anywhere

So it would seem that the best thing is to put a larger diametre breather on, and put a loop on the end like the axle breathers, rather than the silly cap which may act as a one-way valve.

[mulover]

That, plus run them up into the engine bay as high as possible.