Well my question of the night is, is it any harder on your transmission or engine to start out driving with the truck in second gear??? (auto tranny)

I have been doin this alot lately cuz i am sick of the constant shifting between 1st and 2nd when driving at low speed.

Also i have heard on here that it's better to start out in second in snow and ice- how so? I guess i have not had much trouble just starting out in D. as long as i take it easy on the peddle. Any input is appreciated.

Dan.

 

I'm not sure about your automatic transmission, a lot of them cycle through the lower gears anyway. Is 2nd really ONLY 2nd gear or 1st and 2nd? The starting in 2nd gear on ice was with a manual transmission so you didn't spin the tires on startup.

 

On Ford automatics, 2nd gear is only second gear. Others, like GM may be 1st-2nd, which is useless for starting on ice or snow. As far as why use 2nd, when starting in 2nd, you have less torque and horsepower going to the drive wheels due to the gearing of 2nd gear compared to 1st. Try starting in 1st and flooring it. Starts pretty quick. Do the same in 2nd. It feels loggy, like your engine isn't running up to snuff. That's the difference in gearing.

 

I use second on my diesel, (similar powertrain control your F150), to start out in snow if im not in 4x4, slow me down on a grade, or if I am creepin along right at the shift point of 1-2.

Just think of it like a manual. Where would it be bad starting in second, and don't do that. IE: on a dry hill, towin a trailer, full load of stuff, ect.

Adrianspeeder