i have a 97 talon tsi awd, i would prefer a 5 speed if i could do it over again but i just said f**k it and started moding it.

automatics have alot of potential, soon there will be one in the 7's Mine is auto and i ran 13.15 on 14b. Pretty much stock too. Stock tranny and converter.

Autos have advantages and disadvatages over 5 speeds.The main issue is more drivetrain loss and advantage is brakeboost from a stop.Ive had bad luck with 5 speed dsms so i'm sticking with auto's personally.

Auto's save tires

I would take a manual over an auto anyday simply because you cant control the rpms in an automatic. You can only get a limited launch with an awd turbo compared to me in my 5spd awd turbo. Ill take it up to 4500 ull launch at 3k.

the biggest problem i see with an automatic is you will never be able to launch as good as a manual. also the drivetrain loss like theebluecrx was saying.

Auto's can build boost off a launch. I've taken many 5 spds with a brake boost launch.

Can you hurt your car doing a brake boost launch on an auto?

Yes. Just like you can hurt your car launching in a 5 spd.

racing your car 'hurts' it, and you have to pay to play. I prefer a line lock system to stress against in any scenario. Still damaging but, one less thing to worry about, and quicker to release a button than to readjust your footing! Also, I prefer 5 spd, but my car currently has a built auto and /mild stall converter. Beggers can't be choosie! I'm in the process of obtaining the necessary parts for a 5 spd swap.

dalatinromeo said:

the biggest problem i see with an automatic is you will never be able to launch as good as a manual. also the drivetrain loss like theebluecrx was saying.

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Stock for Stock yes....a manual can out launch an auto. If you upgrade to a high stall or billet converter than say bye bye to the manuals launch. My cousin has a 4k Billet converter on his 50 trim He brake boosted to 4k and his boost gauge read 17psi which was his set limit on it. Tell me that aint sweet launching with like 17psi or if he wanted he could turn it up to like 20 just saying. My boy with a 97gsx 5spd will launch at 6k and see like 6-7 psi off the line. So get a high stall converter and you will be a monster off the line..problem is with that much power off the line traction will be a bi*** and with all that power your car might start moving with stock brakes. Contact IPT or check there website out. Pretty pricey but its really the only option we auto dsmers have. http://www.importperformancetrans.com/

Try an auto boost launch with awd.

We just went 9.7@141 2 weeks ago in the automatic, stock trans with a 4300 stall. Yeah autos can't launch did I meantion it was a 1.49 60'.

Nice!

I like my A/T, even though I just blew it up and had to put in a new one, which wasn't cheap. Most guys have better luck with them, though. As far as whether it's worth modding, the answer is yes, IMO.

yeah,if you see dougs car,you'll be convinced.I prefer a 5-speed because i like road crashing,uhh i mean racing.But i would have a auto dsm,no problem,just mod it have fun,if by the time it blows up you decide you don't like auto,then swap to a 5-speed.

I got both a 90 talon fwd heavily modded and a 92 talon awd auto, lightly modded, for the wife to race. I say auto is worth it, in fact i kinda like it at times!!!

doug said:

Nice!

I like my A/T, even though I just blew it up and had to put in a new one, which wasn't cheap. Most guys have better luck with them, though. As far as whether it's worth modding, the answer is yes, IMO.

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Yeah I talked to a guy with a neon with an auto tranny and he said his doesnt perform as well as a 5 speed and he said his trany costed more than the car was worth when he replaced it.......And isnt the engine and tranny from a neon the same as in the eclipse...the 2.0 dohc?

For the non-turbo 95-99, yes. Well, I know the engine is, but I'm not 100% sure about the transmission. The turbo tranny is definitely different than the Neon one.

yeah thats what i was thinking im not totally sure about the tranny either.

i used to be an automatic hater until i rode in one paired up with a turbo. my friend has a fwd talon tsi with an auto. i wasn't expecting much, but i was impressed. he stalled it out using the brake boost technique and it launched pretty good. that was on a stock torque converter too. very little wheel spin, most of the power went to the ground. even better, auto's hold boost between shifts. that means when your racing me and i go to slam 2nd and have to wait for my turbo to spool again, you already pulled a fender on me thanks to the benefits of fluid power transfer. besides that, no one can out shift an automatic. you might do it once, but 3 times in a row?i don't think so. everyone misses gears, except you in your automatic. i love to see someone who's deciding if they want to race, peek in my buddy's window, then turn and say to his buddy, "aw, it's an automatic" like he has some great advantage. even better, i like to hear people say .......... (yep silence) after they get their ass handed to them by some "automatic".

respect the automatic.

I think auto DSM's are more more willing to stand up against AWD launches because of the nature of an automatic. Unless you neutral drop an auto( which is a big no-no in ANY car) there will be no slack in the drivetrain when you launch, which means no shock-loading, when means less drivetrain parts go boom.

95-DSM-RS said:

yeah thats what i was thinking im not totally sure about the tranny either.

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OK, I looked it up-- the non-turbo 2.0s (95-99) have a 41TE (A604) transmission and the 2.4 non-turbo has a F4A23, which is similar to the F4A33 that the turbos have, but not exactly the same.

Thats a good reason for me to not go buy parts from a wrecked neon ...

Thank you all for your feedback. I'm going to start stage 1 upgrades soon. I know that their is a suggested stage 1 list of mods but is it the same for autos? I'm not sure if the order of parts is the same because of the stress that it puts on the tranny. Any suggestions? Thanks guys.