auto vs manual transmission

[boonie]

ian looking to buy a 94-96 corvette, while talking with a noted corvette mech ( this mechanic has over 30yrs experence working on vettes) he tells me that the auto trans corvettes are more reliable, less pron to breakage, and cheaper to fix! futher he tells me that out of 10 corvettes that come into his shop for repairs a good 8 - 7 are manuals tran corvettes, besides he saids that the auto tran corvettes are faster. not having to deal with master clutch cylinders, slave cylinders, throw out bearings and everything else associated with the manuals corvettes lead him to strongly recommemed the 94-96 auto trans corvette.
do any of you corvette owners share this mech,s experence + opinion regarding the auto superiority over manual trans corvettes? thanks boonie

 

[Ctfoodguy2000]

Lots of threads on auto vs manual. Do a search and you will find them. Here is one to get you started --> http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...&threadid=28331&highlight=manual+transmission

Good luck!

 

[c4cruiser]

The 4L60E A4 is a good tranny and will take a fair amount of punishment as long as you follow a good maintenance schedule. Changing the fluid and filter on a regular basis is critical to the life of any auto trans. Trans-Go makes an excellent shift kit that will help the clutches and provide firmer shifts. You can change shift points in the 4L60E through the ECM. On the 96 Vette, the manual tranny is only available with the LT4 330HP motor and the auto is only available with the LT1 300HP.

If you are considering doing open track day events then a 6-speed is a better transmission as you have better control of gear selection and when you shift. An A4 should work fine for shorter autocross courses where the speeds are not too high. The A4 will work well for drag racing but you should consider lower gears in the differential and a higher-speed converter for serious racing.

The ZF box can be very expensive to rebuild but the parts are now available through a number of suppliers. It's very strong (works behind the LT5 motor quite well!) and if you follow the maintenance schedule, it should work well. The clutch in any manual transmission is subject to wear so quality heavy-duty parts should always be used here when needed. The ZF is much more complicated that the old Super T10 or Muncie so if you decide on a ZF-equipped car, make sure that you can find a shop that has the knowledge to work on the ZF. Using the correct gear lubricant is critical on the ZF, use only what is recommended for maintenance.

I've driven a large number of manual tranny Vettes over the years and I now have a 92 with an A4. and an 87 with a 4+3. It's much easier to drive the 92 around town where there are hills in the city. Our club does a lot of parades and that was a real PITA with a manual tranny.

You shouldn't see a big difference in the top speed between manuals and autos. Fuel milage will be close depending on how you drive. The manual tranny will save on brakes by your using the tranny to slow down, autos dont have the best ability to slow the car by dropping down a gear especially when the ECM is controlling TC lock-up.

 

[vader86]

I bet your mechanic has had problems with the old 4+3 manual, which can be a bastard if not taken care of.

The manual is faster in the 1/4mi, that much is proven, UNTIL you seriously modify the engine. In any serious drag racing high-hp car, the automatic will win consistently more. The auto wont miss a shift ya know. Once you push the car over about ~450hp this is evident.

The ZF6 in 94-96 is VERY strong, just a pain to fix when it breaks because the Germans built it their own way.

I have an auto now, But if I could get a 6 i would definitely do so. There is no match for the fun in shifting the gears on the hwy.

 

[bradvette]

"...There is no match for the fun in shifting the gears on the hwy."

Amen

 

[sothpaw]

...and then there's downshifting. You gotta love what happens
when you're at 60 mph and downshift to 3rd with the rpm's
matched at 4,000 rpm or so.

 

[Dave C. '04 Z06]

Well, here is a case and point. I have a 6-speed....

Driving back from Orlando this past Sunday just cruising along at around 65MPH I put the car in 5th because I came upon a car and then there was some kind of noise from below. I put the car in 6th and then the car nose dived....I put it back in 5th and it nose dived. I put it in neutral and let the clutch out and it nose dived. (each time slowing down drastically. Since I was down to about 15MPH I pushed in the clutch and drove off the highway (through some nasty dirt I might add) and stopped the car. It was in neutral still with the clutch in. I let the clutch out and the car jerked backwards and stalled. I started it again (the engine ran fine) and put it in first. I let out the clutch and it jerked backwards again. No matter what gear I put it in, it was in reverse.

Apparently this is a common failure, with the reverse/second gear gears on the main shaft welding themselves to the main shaft.

I just called a tranny shop that works on ZF's in Tampa and he has a rebuilt one that he's going to sell me for $2500 plus my old one. Pace Chevrolet (the LOWEST priced dealer around) wants $4020.00 for a new one. Most dealers would probably want around $5000-$6000 for a new one.

That's just the Transmission, with me doing all the work!! I was going to fix it myself but the main shaft, normally priced around $150-$200 in a normal transmission, is around $700!!! The parts are ultra expensive. So it would have cost me around $1800 to repair it myself, but I don't have the special tools required to work on the internals of a transmission.

So here I am paying $2500 for a rebuild when I could have gotten another auto transmission for around $1000.

And from what the guy said who I'm buying from, it's not IF they fail, but when. Apparently the rear bearings aren't lubricated properly from when they changed the gear teeth angle to quiet the things down in 1993.

-Dave C.

 

[jp2002ls1]

I had a 6-speed in my 2002 Z28 and loved it, it was awesome to cruise around and everything. I have the 4+3 in my 85 vette and it just plain sucks, it is getting worn out and I am going to replace it with the best of both worlds, a automatic with a full manual valve body. You shift it in every gear and it has engine braking but you don't have to deal with a clutch. A manual is better for autocross racing, an auto is better for drag. I am trying to get the best of both.