So I have a 2010 F-150 screw with the 3V 5.4L we went to the dunes and after I unloaded the quad I took the family around and I was really disappointed by the performance. The suspension did fantastic but the tranny and engine seemed extremely overwhelmed. I would get speed up to make it up hills and mid way up it would shift to a higher gear and with my pedal to the floor not downshift. It actually stalled on a hill once. I tried it with T/C off and with tow/haul on. It didn't matter. Sometimes I would put the pedal to the floor and it would get up and go just like a 5.4 should other times it would just bog and barely get going. I parked it and rode the quad the rest of the time. The FOX 2.0's did great but can anyone shed some light on the tranny or engine issue I'm having? Truck just feels like it has lost power recently. Stock engine and trans. Should I talk to 5star tunning? Time for headers and an intake possibly? Cats clogged?

 

Were you running in 4 Hi?

How many miles on the transmission fluid?

 

Yes I was running 4HI and just turned 60K. Truck is babied, stays inside, regular oil changes and all around is very well taken care of.

 

I changed my transmission fluid at about 60K as I could detect some pretty bad lag in the behavior of the transmission. This perked it up a bunch. Also, sand eats power like crazy. I wonder if you would have had the same results in 4-Low.

 

It' interesting you say that I was curious about trying 4 lo but wasn't sure if that lower gearing at high speeds would've harmed anything. I figured it was safest to just stop and ride the quad instead of beating on it. I'll post vid you can hear the tranny going from 2nd to 3rd then 2nd and up to 3rd again. I was very odd. I will change the tranny fluid too since I'm doing the oil this weekend. thanks

 

You know there is no traditional dipstick in that tranny - it's designed to be changed using an exchange machine. To check the level or add fluid you have to go underneath and remove a plug in the tranny.

 

The e-locker on mine kicks out at like 50 mph or so in 4 Low so they are designed to run at speed in the lower range. I think you are possibly harder on it in 4Hi than running rpm's in 4Low.

See what the fluid change does.

 

Except when you are hauling *** up dunes?

 

I'll post the video but I'll say this the truck is very very very well maintained. It is stored in my shop year round, doesn't see road salt, is driven on average since we've owned it 5K a year. We take care of it. Because you drive a truck offroad once doesn't mean you're beating it. It's a truck.

Anyway I found the problem. The traction control was never fully disengaged. I hit the button but I never held it for 10 seconds until it blinked and then disengaged the trailer sway.

I also took the truck to the dealership and they told me tranny and fluid was in great shape and didn't require flush yet....seemed odd because I thought 60K was standard for tranny fluid flush and replace. I'm still going to buy the SCT and a 87 High HP tune from 5 Star anyone experiment with that set up on the 5.4L here? Anyway tested the traction control disengage this evening.

 

5 years, 60k, considerable offroading? I'd get the tranny fluid exchanged. Mercon LV.

 

I wouldn't say considerable amount of off-roading just 1 time at the dunes and my yard lol. But yes I wanted them to do the tranny fluid they didn't think it was necessary so I will do it myself when I get time. Pretty basic. The point was that the bog was engine/fuel based which all hovered around the fact that the TC was still engaged.

Here's how I off-road