CK5
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Manual or auto
- Thread starter MY85GMC
- Start date
solowookie
1/2 ton status
well hear say is a manual gets better gas milage, but there are others hear that can answer that better then me.
However, manual or auto depends on what I'm using the vehicle for. If I am driving the thing for my off-road etc. I preffer the manul because I got compression breaking. There are places where this isn't near as convient, but for the kind of off-roading I do I definately like the manual.
as far as towing I like the manual too. then I don't have to worry about the automatic tranny temps etc. seems a LOT stouter.
<font color=blue> Jeff </font color=blue>
However, manual or auto depends on what I'm using the vehicle for. If I am driving the thing for my off-road etc. I preffer the manul because I got compression breaking. There are places where this isn't near as convient, but for the kind of off-roading I do I definately like the manual.
as far as towing I like the manual too. then I don't have to worry about the automatic tranny temps etc. seems a LOT stouter.
J
J.R.
Guest
i run a T400 that is manual shift, kind of the best of both worlds. there is no slipping when its under a heavy load, and i have yet to be able to burn it up. and believe me i try! LOL as far as mpg, you dont own a k5 for that. the difference between manual and auto for mpg is not enough to matter to me.
BIG BLOCK MAN
"MORE POWER"!!
BIG BLOCK MAN
"MORE POWER"!!
I have a manual (SM 465) and I like it much more than an automatic. A slush box eats up a lot of horsepower, doesn't provide near enough compression breaking, can have reliabilty issues, and can't compare for crawl ratio. The SM 465 has a nice low 6.55 to 1 first gear...I also find my mileage is very reasonable, definitely better than the mileage i used to get with my 77 and an auto.
Wheeling with a manual is a little more work and coordination sometimes...but I find in most situations its a non-issue. For the slow stuff I don't touch the clutch, if it stalls i just restart it in gear. My Jimmy will run down to 300 rpm...
I also love not having to worry about burning it up, for me its about peace of mind. IMHO even a TH400 doesn't compare for brute strength and reliability.
The flip side of the coin is that it can be a PITA if you drive a lot of stop and go traffic with it. I have a manual linkage clutch...and after a while it gets hard on the left leg
Rene
<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>
Wheeling with a manual is a little more work and coordination sometimes...but I find in most situations its a non-issue. For the slow stuff I don't touch the clutch, if it stalls i just restart it in gear. My Jimmy will run down to 300 rpm...
I also love not having to worry about burning it up, for me its about peace of mind. IMHO even a TH400 doesn't compare for brute strength and reliability.
The flip side of the coin is that it can be a PITA if you drive a lot of stop and go traffic with it. I have a manual linkage clutch...and after a while it gets hard on the left leg
Rene
<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>
How much harder are manuals to come by then auto's seems liek all i see is autos and i found one with a stick for under 3000 and i think its a steal for the straight body and stick sm465...wondering if i really shouldnt let this deal pass me by
Personally I think the manuals, and in particular manual trans Blazers, are pretty darn rare. Especially the '85 up(?) with the hydraulic clutch that kicks a$$.
As you can tell, I like the manual much more than the auto's. Autos are nice, but you aren't going to break the manual (SM465) like you will an auto, (nor worry about fluid changes, filter changes, auxiallary trans coolers, exorbitant rebuild costs for the 700, etc etc etc.)and even without OD, I get almost as good mileage as I did WITH OD. (17mpg vs 15 with the manual) I CAN make it get better mileage, and I will.
Dorian
My tech/links page: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html>http://www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html</A>
No anti-theft measures on your truck? No pity when its stolen
As you can tell, I like the manual much more than the auto's. Autos are nice, but you aren't going to break the manual (SM465) like you will an auto, (nor worry about fluid changes, filter changes, auxiallary trans coolers, exorbitant rebuild costs for the 700, etc etc etc.)and even without OD, I get almost as good mileage as I did WITH OD. (17mpg vs 15 with the manual) I CAN make it get better mileage, and I will.
Dorian
My tech/links page: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html>http://www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html</A>
No anti-theft measures on your truck? No pity when its stolen
Chris Demartini
1/2 ton status
<font color=blue>I prefer the manual. My SM465 survived 30 years and met its demise only because I got water in it (a lot). They have a low 1st, great compresion braking, and are stronger than any auto ever offered by GM. After reading on this board about how people spend tons of money to get autos rebuilt only to have them break again, I cant see a reason not to run the SM465. If 4 speeds isnt enough, an NV4500 can be adapted to any GM transfer case.</font color=blue>
I had a TH350 in the second Blazer I owned. I ended up spending around $1300 on a few trannys that were in that truck. It had a cooler, a temp gauge and I didn't abuse it offroad that much and they just kept blowing up. I hated it. So my next Blazer, the one I have now, has an SM465. I love driving it. Its fun on the street and I have so much more control offroad.
The only reason an auto would be nice for me now would be straight line acceleration...its takes a while to bang through the gears in a wide ratio, granny gear tranny like the 465. But there is still no way I'd get rid of it.
'73 K5
Chevy good...Ford bad
The only reason an auto would be nice for me now would be straight line acceleration...its takes a while to bang through the gears in a wide ratio, granny gear tranny like the 465. But there is still no way I'd get rid of it.
'73 K5
Chevy good...Ford bad
Pugsley
1/2 ton status
I typically prefer a manual over an auto, but on my K5 I run an auto mainly for the fact that I like to play in the sand alot - and get stuck alot. For towing, rockcrawling, and most other applications, the manual is king of the hill.
Elvis lives!!
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://pugsley.alloffroad.com>http://pugsley.alloffroad.com</A>
Elvis lives!!
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://pugsley.alloffroad.com>http://pugsley.alloffroad.com</A>
I am running a 465/205 and wouldn't have it any other way.
No cooling isues to deal with and I have beat the snot out of it and it is still hanging in there.
As far as stop and go traffic is concerned once ya get the hang of shifting without the clutch it just a matter of rowing gears.
my truck's not dirty, it's earth tone paint
No cooling isues to deal with and I have beat the snot out of it and it is still hanging in there.
As far as stop and go traffic is concerned once ya get the hang of shifting without the clutch it just a matter of rowing gears.
my truck's not dirty, it's earth tone paint
Triaged
1/2 ton status
I prefer to use a automatic in a truck unless it is a manual with a "granny" first gear. Driving a heavily loaded truck with manual and no granny gear you are going to burn the clutch.
'71 Blazer CST with alot of rust
'71 Blazer CST with alot of rust
LA Bogger
1/2 ton status
I run a auto that pause when shifting to the next gear with that long throw... your already stuck.... as it was said previously if you need to shift just put a decent shift kit in a auto put it in drive when your lazy or puller down into 1st and let her eat......
Eat More Mud!!!!
Dreaming of a BIG BLOCK!!!
Eat More Mud!!!!
Dreaming of a BIG BLOCK!!!
84_Chevy_K10
Banned
As I've said before, automatics are for lazy people who can't coordinate the movements of hand and foot, unless you're handicapped.
That said, mine WILL have an NV4500 one day! Love the granny gear and OD.
Tim
'84 Chevy K10, lifted, loud, fast, and 3/4 ton axles
That said, mine WILL have an NV4500 one day! Love the granny gear and OD.
Tim
'84 Chevy K10, lifted, loud, fast, and 3/4 ton axles
Pugsley
1/2 ton status
I'm offended
! I'll take my 700R4 for my purposes over the best manual in the business.
<font color=red>Cripplefight!!</font color=red>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://pugsley.alloffroad.com>http://pugsley.alloffroad.com</A>
<font color=red>Cripplefight!!</font color=red>
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://pugsley.alloffroad.com>http://pugsley.alloffroad.com</A>
84_Chevy_K10
Banned
Don't be too offended. I've got a 700R4 right now too!
Tim
'84 Chevy K10, lifted, loud, fast, and 3/4 ton axles
Tim
'84 Chevy K10, lifted, loud, fast, and 3/4 ton axles
[purple ]That question is an age old one that simply boils down to preference.............what are you using them for ? Mud ? Rock Climbing ? Trails ? See what I mean ? It comes down to what you like better......... I love autos due to the fact that I'm lazy when I drive........I like to have both hands free to eat, change cd's , hand gesture other drivers or what have you........... I prefer not to do that much work when I'm cruising around .......... They both have their pros and cons !
L8r,
. Riz . <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/rizmonkey>http://www.geocities.com/rizmonkey</A>
L8r,
. Riz . <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/rizmonkey>http://www.geocities.com/rizmonkey</A>
morphed86k10
1/2 ton status
riz said it right "pros and cons." I have an SM465, and enjoy the heck out of it. The 6.55:1 rules. And manuals don't steal nearly as much power as autos do. Especially for a motor that was built with low end in mind, the autos don't utilize the low grunt. Unless of course you get a low stall converter, but what happens when you want all the speed you can get? With a manual you can use the low end torque or rev it up and dump the clutch if you need to.
