Auto down the quarter... strong enough?

[SU8TLE]

if you plan on going for a run down the quater from time to time, not every weekend, just a few times a year. is an auto a safe bet?
or is it better to go for the manual?
ive read a few people on here have lunched their auto's launching at the quater. i live in bendigo, so only 15min drive to heathcote raceway...

is there anyway you could strengthen up the auto box?
or is the legnum auto still a bit of a question mark down here in oz?

 

[Guest]

apparently they are more than capable..

however a month ago, i took mine down, had 4 runs, one being a 13.76, then it snapped something on the 4th run...

that said, i think the previous owner may not have serviced it properly, as it had a pretty old looking filter on it...

there are some UK members who have taken auto's down plenty of times, even with NOS...

 

[bradc]

They seem to be able to handle extra power most of the time, what they don't like is the wrong oil or not having the oil changed enough. Unfortunately when you get one you don't really know what condition the gearbox is in

 

[pu-11-me]

Also be mindful of the temperature here in Oz, they were NOT designed for 40 degree race days

 

[CANDEE]

I ran my old leggie on the strip about 9/10 times with launching and it was fine..

I would suggest a fluid flush(with Amsoil or similar) and get a auto trans cooler installed before you try.

 

[Madhav]

I second the flush and trans cooler bit ^

 

[SU8TLE]

so trans cooler would be a must for durability?

 

[Madhav]

I would personally do it, especially if you intend to do mods and give it a few runs down the quarter. Like brad said, it's hard to know whether the previous owner took care of the AT, serviced it properly, used the right ATF. Trans flush and cooler is cheaper than a new AT also.

 

[Guest]

I highly recomend also to anyone on or off track to fit a transmission cooler to the vehicle. It will increase the longevity of the transmission, make hte oil last longer between changes and improve the shift pattern. As people say, Australia does have extreme temperatures and this is a common problem on all Mitsubishi Auto models in Australia.

 

[BuzzPuppy]

You should see how the ATF is cooled. There is a photo from ClubVR4 of a single pipe running through the radiator to keep it cool/at temp.

1) Gives you an idea of how hot the fluid runs
2) Gives you a perfect example why a trans cooler is needed for hot aussie conditions!