Everyday driving in D3?

sc7

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My 98 Civic LX, when driving it in D4, it doesn't have much power. Being a SOHC, and the fact that I'm not interested in modding it (keeping it just to have one automatic), I was wondering how to drive faster without spending any more money.

So I drove it in D3, and the car whips around pretty nicely. While I realize it keeps higher RPMs, and takes more gas, I can sacrifice that. My question is, does it do any damage to the car itself (engine, tranny, w/e), to do all of my daily driving in D3?

Because D4 is just too damn slow.
 

NYGraFFit1

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ok, it depends d3 is for city driving with traffic basically. but why would you even wanna change it. the car is AUTOMATIC for a reason leave it on d4 and if u wanna control the gears get a 5speed. not tryna be rude but you gonna waste too much gas always driving on 3rd gear and 5,000 rpm all day who knows maybe more.

if you just learn to keep ur foot from digging into your gas pedal and always try to keep the rpm's under3k or 3.5k, also under or at 55mph then ull notice a HUGE difference in MPG. but u cant have both go super fast all time and expect to save gas.
 


Beelzebubba

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The only reason it seems "faster" is because it's already in 3rd gear so it doesn't take that extra .25 seconds to kick down from 4th.

You are burning more fuel unnecessarily, your torque converter is not going into lockup mode so your transmission is running hotter and wearing faster, and you are still not fast. Again maybe 1/4 second faster but if your TPS and everything is working it should kick down at or around half throttle anyway.
 

sc7

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ok, it depends d3 is for city driving with traffic basically. but why would you even wanna change it. the car is AUTOMATIC for a reason leave it on d4 and if u wanna control the gears get a 5speed. not tryna be rude but you gonna waste too much gas always driving on 3rd gear and 5,000 rpm all day who knows maybe more.
Let me quote "My Garage"

"2003 Acura RSX-s / 6sp. MT 2.0L HO-i-VTEC"

In my original post, I stated, that this is my secondary car, an automatic. (I don't like to drive manual ALL the time).

When I'm in third, I usually idle at around 2-2.5k rpm.

My goal here is certainly not to try and be fast, or to "race" my civic. (I don't do that on the RSX, I baby that engine (shift below 3k)). My goal here is to have a little zip on a car that simply doesn't accelerate. My main issue is that D4 just accelerates too damn slow, from start or when in motion.
 


Billy.

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from a stop D4 and D3 are the same thing. actually they are the same thing until the shift point from 3rd gear into 4th. thus it would have exactly the same driving characteristics through gears 1-3
 

roaddogg3034

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fast and auto sohc dont go together. just keep it in d4, and if you feel like going a litter faster, a little more gas will drop it into 3 for ya.
 

mylovehx

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its a slow car, if u want a faster one just drive ur rsx. no point in making it go faster if u already have a faster car
 

DarkCreep

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Just give it gas if you wanna go faster.


Maybe because its a long gear?
 

sc7

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its a slow car, if u want a faster one just drive ur rsx. no point in making it go faster if u already have a faster car
Ugh. My problem is this. I know my RSX is faster, but I don't always want to drive stick. So when I'm driving my civic, I find that keeping it in D3 seems to feel quicker.

All I was asking was if that damaged anything internally.

(On highways I do D4, so its basically on around town up to 50 mph, and my rpms never go above 3500 once I'm at top speed.)
 

RedValve

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yes it will f**k UP your tranny!

when you're start seeing those D4 or D3 start to blink its "TIME".
 

Raabe

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this thread is pointless
 

Black&Mild

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Sticks fun until you drive that way for 20 years for 24/7, your knees just can't do it anymore and it gets extremely old. I feel this guy, I'd say since its your sidekick car do what the fuk you want to it. It will eventually put more pressure and work on the tranny, so of course it's not the greatest thing to be doing- that's just common sense.
 

sc7

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Sticks fun until you drive that way for 20 years for 24/7, your knees just can't do it anymore and it gets extremely old. I feel this guy, I'd say since its your sidekick car do what the fuk you want to it. It will eventually put more pressure and work on the tranny, so of course it's not the greatest thing to be doing- that's just common sense.
Thank you. Someone who finally answered my question. I don't see why it took this many posts, but I really appreciate you telling me what I was wondering.

You understand exactly how I feel. Driving stick around the city can be a pain, as well as when I drive to the park to run, the last thing I want to do is deal with the clutch. I love driving stick, at times, but other times I don't feel the joy, when i just want to cruise and not constantly deal with managing the car.

I figured it'd be more stress on the car, seeing as the RPMs are higher, but you're basically telling me that it's not going to do any major/quick damage, and that was my only concern. It is my beater, so if I gradually wear it out, I'm not worried, as I won't have this car for that long.

Thanks again for the response.
 

Billy.

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are you kidding? your question was answered on post 3 by beelzebubba...................
 

Kaotic_Zeus

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i'd say, unless you're cruising on the freeway at 4k rpm then you're putting a lot more stress compared to the overdrive gear which would probably around 2-3K at 60-70mph and wasting quite a little bit more of gas. The only thing you would have to worry about is making sure you maintain the transmission and lets say probably more tranny fluid change intervals and maybe engine too. If gas isn't a problem, get a faster automatic. Maybe a newer accord, maybe a bimmer, a acura tsx?
 


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