I was never sure... (redline ok???)

 

Yes. Just like every other A/T car. The reason rpm's are an issue with AT's is because at high rpm's and high loads the torque converter may "balloon". In a torque converter the one-way clutch is the single part that deals with all of the torque produced by the engine, just like a clutch in a M/T car. This sprag prevents pneumatic pressure back-flow/reversal between the two turbines in the converter. In most factory applications there is no "anti-ballooning" plate protection like in racing converters so the chances for the converter not being able to contain the higher internal pressures will be greater. In park or neutral these concerns do not exist as there is very little load on the converter.

To get a better idea on how torque converters work think of two window fans placed facing each other and one is plugged in(enigine side) and the other is not(tranny side) with the air serving as the trans fluid.

CRH

 

Alrightttt!
Thanks, Charles, for the clarification.
I'm going out to ZOOM ZOOM my AT 8 right now!!!

 

Just don't rev it up and the slam it into gear to get the tires to squeal, okay? Neutral slams are bad.

CRH

 

parts start falling off the car if you do....

 

So you can floor it as much as you want and nothing bad will happen? It doesn't put extreme stress on the car like normal v-6s or v-8s?

 

Well revving in Park is the only way to do the cold shutdown procedure, so it's obviously ok. Just don't go sticking it in neutral and revving it at a stoplight at somebody that drives a manual...that's just gay.

 

To compare "normal" v-8's and v-6's to the rotary is sacrilege.

CRH

 

With the automatic RX-8 I used to have...I performed neutral slams every now and then just for the hell of it. I know it was bad and dangerous but I just wanted to see how much it could help acceleration.

The results were never worth it. The few times where it was executed properly (I'd say maybe 1 out of every 8 attempts) it made take off slightly faster - but nothing much.

Performing a similar manuever on the manual (clutch bomb) cuts down around .5 seconds on your voyage to 60. It's scary how much of a difference it makes,, because without it, to me the manual feels like it makes 60 in the upper 6s/low 7s from a normal start.

Anyway, reving it up and dropping it into D is not worth it. If it made a huge difference I'd say sure - try it once just to feel the added boost - but it just doesn't do enough for you. Plus the only thing you're definitely getting is damage on your transmission.