>      "If it were a standard I'd get even better
>       mileage. Of course in the city it's worse
>       (since I'm never in overdrive in the city)."
>
>
> We've come a LONG ways from the two-speed GM
> "Powerglide" (Slush-o-matic!) that sat behind
> the 283 CID V8 power plant that was in my Dad's
> 1964 Chevy Belair.

        Actually the car I drive isn't that new, an 88 Olds Delta 88.

> Today's lock-up torque converters in today's
> automatic tranmissions aren't as inefficient
> as they once were, and can, against *most*
> drivers probably out-do a manual transmission
> mileage wise.

        I'm not sure about that, in mine the torque converter only engages in third
gear above about 60 km/h, in city traffic it almost never locks.

> Today it's no longer just a case of the mechanical
> levers and linkages or a fluid 'computer' that
> determines which gear is selected - there's a
> micro in the loop ...

        Not in mine, while it does have an ECM it has nothing to do with gear
selection (although it is in charge of the torque convertor lock up). TTYL

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