02 Supercrew 4x4 Fx4 with 85,000

This is my first year running her through winter.
I leave at 5:30am and the temps have been down in the teens at that time lately.

I've noticed the overdrive takes about 2-4 miles to kick in.

Is this normal?

When it's warm out, it always would kick in on level ground as soon as i got up to speed.

So i am thinking it is normal in cold weather, perhaps till the fluid warms up or ?

 

if it' doesn't have 4th when cold, then that's weird. if is just the tcc, then it's normal.

 

There are 2 steps to the overdrive set up. The first is OD with no torque converter lock up. The second is with OD and TC lock up. It is normal for the TC not to lock up until it reaches a certain temp.

 

Thanks Kingfish51,
So where as the OD during the summer temps would simply auto kick in by time i reached 2000 rpm or so with no hesitation, it's sounds like you're suggesting it is normal to take a few miles while warming up during these winter temps.
Phew... I was worried i had problems starting.
Thanks again

 

Ron,
I'm pretty much going by speed n rpms to guage. In warm temps, i hop in truck and by the time i get up to 55ish and right around 2000 rpm, i watch the OD kick in and the rpm's drop more towards 1500 range.
However, what i am experiencing in these cold temps is, the rpm's don't drop, instead they stay right up int the 2000 range....at least until i go 3-4 miles, then it will drop down to the 1500ish again. From that point on, i assume after the fluid has warmed up, it is consistent in kicking in on time.
I guess Kingfish confirmed it is due to the cold fluid for first few miles and normal.

Not sure i would recognize if "4th" wasn't working any other way than watching the rpm's.

 

You can also tell when the TC is locked or not with the tach. In 4th gear and TC not locked, the RPMs will go up and down with the gas pedal. Give it a little gas and the RPM s go up. Let off and they go down. With the TC locked, thr RPMs only go up with the speed. Otherwise they are very steady.

 

it's just part of the strategy to make sure the cats are flashed up and the engine is warm before lugging it with the tcc. mainly for emissions and cold driveability.

 

Makes sense Kingfish, and i can relate with what i am experiencing.
Thanks!

 

Thanks Ron, I can let my paranoya go now...lol
Bought her with 80,000 miles, havent owned a Ford since my first car 73 Grand Torino. I am happy to have recently had a chance to finally use the 4WD. Glad it seems in good shape and more glad to know my OD isn't acting out of norm.
Thanks.

 

Yup, that sounds about normal when the weather gets cold. My 97 and the folks' other newer Fords do the same thing...the TC won't lock up until the trans fluid reaches a certain temp. Keeping the TC unlocked helps with the fluid warmup since the little bit of slippage generates heat.