You can shift through the gears manually with complete control of 1st, 2nd and 3rd while at WOT. It's called the 1-3-1. You launch in first, shift to D for 2nd, and immediately bring it back to 1st. This locks it in 2nd. You then shift to D again to go into 3rd. It's a technique used by racers and techs doing diagnostics.

If it were my truck, I would install a shift kit, but that's just me. It will firm up and delay your shifts. There are different levels of firmness attainable.

Take care,
-Chris

 

PKRWUD,

I wasn't aware of the 1-3-1 shifting technique, but I'll have to practice that! So you're sure when I go from 1st to 3rd, my tranny won't shift into 3rd gear? This seems to me like the only snag I would run into. Well, like I said, I'll try it and see what happens. Thanks for the suggestion!

BTW, I will definately look into a shift kit. Here I go again, spending way too much $$$ on my truck. lol... Maybe this will be the last thing I get for a while (right....).

 

I gave the 1-3-1 shifting a try and low and behold it works. I do have complete control of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gears! (And OD for that matter.) I got all the way up to about 65 mph in 2nd gear. It was great! Normally, that's when I shift into OD so once I shifted back into Drive, I forgot that it was time to go into OD. I'm not sure if this is something that takes a little practice but since I've only driven autos. (my family has never had manuals, and this is the only vehicle I've actually owned) I'm still a little ginger on the shifting.

But back to the original matter at hand. If anyone has taken their engine with comparable powertrain up to 5000 rpm, I don't see how. I don't know if it's because of my exhaust, but by the time I'm at 4 grand, my engine is screaming. I'm afraid to NOT upshift at that point. Whether I can or can't isn't so much the issue anymore, it's more like is it even healthy to do that. Until I make some internal engine mods., there's really no reason to go past 4000 rpm so I won't.

As far as the shift kit, I'm going to try and do that over spring break as well. I think the 1-3-1 technique would go a lot smoother if I had a shift kit, and the last thing I want to do is break the tranny trying to do something my transmission wasn't meant to do. I'm thinking my transmission should have an aux. cooler. I believe my truck came stock with the tow package, having 4.10 gears and a class III trailer hitch. But that's also something I will look into. Thanks again for all the info. Much appreciated!!!

 

TF
i have 3.55's . i rechecked it on the way home getting on the freeway 1-2 shift @3600
2-3 shift @4500 .
i was doing 90 by then so i just let off it and shifted it to OD .

 

Macgyver,

What does your engine sound like @4500 rpm? I know you have cat-back exhaust too. It doesn't sound like it's over-revving that high? Just curious. Maybe our tachs. aren't in sync. Maybe yours reads a little high and somehow mine reads a little low or something. Who knows? Anytime I attempt to take it past 4 grand it feels (and sounds!) like I'm gonna kill my engine!

 

my motor sounds good at 4000 rpm's. haulin a$$....lol
well i have stock sized tires with 3.55's . you have 4.10 lockers?
what size tires? i have checked and my tach is pretty acurate.
funny thing is tho . my AOD intermitantly makes noise after driving it on the freeway when i stop . in first and reverse it sounds like an electric winch ...lol. but yet it still upshifts great . it was off a bit on the kickdown , until i adjusted it the truck was a dog unless you stomped on it . now at 85 mph @ 2400 rpm i can push it down a little more than just easing on it and it will kick down . so i have it set a bit low . but holding the kickdown in that position @WOT it makes it upshift a bit later then it would normally.

 

I have 35" tires that actually measure about 33.5" tall. A tachometer will definately be on my additions list, though not for a while. But all this delayed shifting talk has me excited about a shift kit. Between the pulleys, superchip, grill guard, fog/driving lights, windshield, and a shift kit, I've spent/will spend a nice little chunk of money this month. Every spring this happens to me, and it gets worse every year!!!