Car question...

[Souzen]

This is probably gonna sound dumb to some of you, but I've always wondered...what makes manual transmission better than automatic transmission? The only two things I could think of was the amount of gears and the ability to control gear shifts yourself...but are there other reasons? I was just wondering...

[t3rry]

auto's dont utilize the top end of the gears they shift before it gets to the top end, and thye are generally set to shift for economy (gas saving) not power

[Souzen]

There goes something I didn't even think of...:clap: Well, thanks for answering.

[T5_X]

Autos are generally heavy with more rotating mass, so they generally sap more power than a manual.

And t3rry is right with regards to less sophisticated trannies. more sophisticated ones, you can control shifts with manually or they have sport or adaptive shift modes to shift higher in the rev range.

[1badPT]

OK 3 reasons:

1
Manual's generall have more gear ratios so you can keep the engine in its peak performing RPM range. More and more automatics are getting more gear ratios and as has been mentioned, most manufacturers have some sort of interactive shifting feature available.

2
Most automatics aren't tuned for efficiency - they are tuned for COMFORT. Its a direct tradeoff from performance. The way this is done is called gear overlap. Your automatic car when it reaches the top end of first gear, will actually engage the 2nd gear ratio before disengaging the 1st gear. This gives the transmission its "smooth" feel. Most ECU tuners reprogram the automatic transmission's shift pattern so that there is no overlap, resulting in a short snappy shift which maximizes performance at the cost of comfort (the car will feel like its lurching or bumping when it shifts gears).

3
The main reason: Torque Converter. Auotmatics have a torque converter between the transmission and the rest of the drivetrain. It essentially a pumping mechanism that serves as a "soft" connection between the transmission and the rest of the drivetrain. Only problem is because its not a solid connection like the clutch of a manual transmission, power is lost through the torque converter. Some manufacturers make a "lockable" torque converter that locks up at a certain speed, but until you get to that speed, your losing power in the drivetrain. This is why autos are not suited for launching at a drag strip.

[Souzen]

Ah, you guys are awesome. Thanks for all the info.