Sorry about the typo

Opinions based on facts wanted:

I have a friend who owns a 2000 Lightning. He does not have a computer or any type of internet access. He has a Superchip (R9 program) and no other mods. He never races, but does a little spirited street driving once in a while. Most of the time he babys that truck. He has been really concerned lately over potential transmission troubles because of the increased shift firmness.

Also, since he added the chip, his truck has a rattle or knock at about 3500-4000 rpms until the truck is warmed up completely. Then it goes away. He is pretty worried about this rattle or knocking sound as well.

Help me help him out. I don't know what he should do. Should he just get rid of the superchip?

[This message has been edited by mracer (edited 06-07-2001).]

 

As the old saying goes "you've got to pay to play."

These chips eliminate the torque reduction cutout of 4 cylinders during shifts, so yes a chip will wear the transmission out quicker than stock. How much quicker depends on the driver and how aggressive the chip is. The R9 being one of the milder chips (IMO) he probably won't have problems anytime soon, but there are no guarantees...

 

I talked with Jim at JDM about this and he told me that the reason why some people are having trouble with their transmissions as a result of adding a chip is due to some chips not having the correct transmisson adjustments. He told me that there was a lot more than just firming up the shifts when it comes to adjusting the ****ions of the transmission through the chip. He also stated that as far as he knows no one has had any trouble out of their transmisson as a result of running the JDM chip!

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00 Silver L #1205
Built 3/16/00

Mods:
AAD F-1 Hood
Eibach Front Coils
AIM 2" Drop Shackles
75hp NOS Dry Shot
JDM Nitrous Program
90mm MAFS
JL Air Intake
Oval Bore Throttle Body
PSP Electric Fan
Redline Water Wetter


HANKFAN

 

With all the above being said...

I just had the "torque reduction" turned back on. My truck is a daily driver that I plan on driving about 125000 miles. Then we move it to the warehouse to drive to it's death at about 200000 miles.

Andy

 

I disagree with the shift firming hurting the trans. The Ford program causes slippage at shift to smooth out the feel of it. Slippage is what wears the clutches.

BTW, tell your buddy to take it to 4500RPM when warm, I'll bet he finds that noise again. My '99 did the same thing. When cold at 3000-3500 it sounded like lifters clattering. Went away after it warmed up, or so I thought. Found it again in the 4500RPM range after warming.

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Red '00 Lightning,
Power Surge Performance enhanced,
375 RWHP,
445 RWTQ,
12.974@104.818
Track Videos

 

I know they would never do this in a million years, but I wish a Ford engineer would post a comment on something like this. It seems you could make an argument either way, and something said from someone responsible for the tranny development could easily put this issue to bed.

Oh well, just wishing aloud.

 

My buddy at Ford claimed that the L motor has too much power for the 1-2 shift to fully engage. With torque reduction turned the gear box had .4 sec to fully engage before the full power came back on. He write the transmission program when he worked for svt. He was the guy that had the idea of turning on the rev limmiter for .4 sec between shifts. The circut was there he just turned it on at the right time.

PS 98Cobra He is "the engineer"

Hope this helps

Andy

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Andy Whittle
White 2000
#2482 of 4966
Built 4/27/00

My Autocross car

 

Shift kits and line mods are like putting a hammer on your trans. and drive line. The engineers were correct in dropping 4 between gears. The tranny is not slipping durring this phase. I had a Tahoe with every HP Kevlar, Corvette servo, Trans Go parts, Mobil1 ATF at $6.50 a quart, coolers, etc. I broke it 3 times in 10K miles, planetaries, output shafts, u joints. I finally learned that barking 2nd and 3rd gear in a 5000# truck with a lot of traction was killing my tranny. I softend it up and drove the same way for 50K miles with no problems before trading it for the L. My Tahoe only made 300HP, 400ft lbs. With an auto trans harder is not better.

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01' Silver Bullet
Bought 03/31/01
Tire shredding truck
Prototype ram air 5/03 testing... Works GREAT!
Retrax cover 5/5/01
Wet Okoles 6/04/01
Looking for a chip and pulley soon.