What are some things I can or cannot do to help make my tranny last? I already have a FTVB and Moroso pan. Thanks! and sorry for such a short post, but that all I have!

 

tranny cooler...

 

Whats up Zack. Yeah, a tranny cooler would be helpful. Heat is a huge cause in transmission failure. I had one on my stang.

 

use the Overdrive button to avoid the 4-2 downshift which is a killer. actually i can't remember now if that was a tranny or motor killer or both, either way, not a good thing to do often.

 

tranny temp gauge and keep it below 190F. Larger or another cooler.

 

I thought Lightnings already have coolers??? Oh yeah by the way, your truck is looking good these days, been seeing in the parking lot at Gwinnett Tech.

 

Well, someone told me that OD should not ever be used for anything but cruising because it was the weak link in the 4R100, so I always take it out of overdrive if I am going to be "getting on it"

 

They do but bigger is better... read here http://timskelton.com/lightning/race...ranny_mods.htm Tim has lots of info. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-...spagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-...spagenameZWDVW

 

That's just wrong. The weak link is the intermediate clutch (2nd gear in Auto mode), OD hardly EVER has problems. And I've always said the OD off button should be under the hood, behind a welded on cover with a sign that reads "Beware of Leopard!!" over it. Most useless and mis used switch on the truck.

G

 

Hey Gregg,

When running at the track I'm going through the traps in 3rd. So from a tranny perspective is it harder on it to have the OD off/on? (upshifting as I let off)

Also, what about somebody who is running too short a tire and the tranny might shift in OD at the top end? Is that bad?

Rich

 

I am glad thats cleared up, so I should just leave it in overdrive and never take it out!

 

If you're getting 4th gear before the traps because of tire sizes, well, then you might want to turn the OD off, but I don't think that many people are. I think on a stock truck the WOT 3-4 shift occurs at about 110 MPH or so (gee, I should know that for sure, been driving the 'stang too much I guess). I'm not really convinced that getting 4th gear before the traps is a bad thing, I'd really have to look at the torque curves to see where you are when the shift happens, both in terms of torque and on the track.
I've been doing 5R110s so long I've totally forgotten what a lot of the graphs look like on a 4R100, I'd really have to get my notes out for that, but for almost everyone racing a truck on weekends that they drive during the week, I still think it's best to just ignore the OD button unless you're towing over mountains.

G

 

Thanks Factory Tech, My truck is stock other than the mods in my sig, and it does not go into od on the quarter mile. The reason I made this post was because when my truck does into over drive it seems like it bogs down more than the other gears, its almost like it shifts to soon. But it doesnt shudder or slip any so I think its normal, because my truck only has about 11,000 miles on it and 6,000 of them with the valve body. Thanks again for your help!

 

I always turn OD off unless I'm on the freeway. Have a FT Street converter and FTVB.

Runs 10s otherwise stock tranny. Always turn OD off at the track.