I have a 03 5.4 automatic and i have been noticeing that it seems like there is another gear after drive but before od. Does this make since?? when i am running at 70 in od im at 2100 rpm if i give it a little more gas it downshifts and it runs about 2400 rpm i though this would be regular drive, but when i kick the od off button it jump down another gear and is running about 2700 rpm at 70. is this normal?

 

If you place the gear selector in drive you get a progression of gears (1, 2, 3, OD). There is no "drive" gear. What you describe sounds like the OD being engaged and disengaged. If you are in hilly terrain, lock OD out to prevent tranny heat build-up issues. If you are in more or less flat country, maybe it is time to service the tranny. The actions you describe are normal if they are not frequent.

 

What you are experiencing and noticing is the torque converter unlocking in 4th (OD). Pressing harder will kick you down to 3rd, so will pressing the OD button. I only learned of this myself when I got my gryphon and saw that the truck was in 4th and TC locked but a little increase in peddle pressure, the TC unlocked and gave a small RPM boost, but pressing much more or pressing the OD button gave a kick into 3rd.

 

The torque converter will lock and unlock in 3rd also - dunno about 2nd, and I know it won't lock in 1st.

 

thanks guys i was pulling a trailer today up and down hills and thats when i really noticed it doing it. It was one of them things that in OD at 2100 rpm it felt like it was chugging a little bit but then it would shift down a little bit and be in the 2400 range was perfect driving up and down the hills. I turned the OD off for a little bit but i felt like running at 2700 to 2800 rpm was a little more than i needed. So if the tc unlocks is it okay to run it like that when it was unlocked and in od? it was perfect i had acceleration and everything where as when it was locked it was bogging down. I keep the transmission up on maintance all the time with fluid and filter changes.

 

ABSOLUTELY NOT when you are towing. The fluid temperature will go through the roof. That's why most people in the towing forum recommend you tow with OD turned off. When you are under that kind of load, you must try to keep the converter locked as much as possible.

 

Alright thanks for the info i guess im going to be running with OD Off from now own

 

Thanks for the info yetti. I had wondered whether it was the TC or OD, but just couldn't figure it, this being my first ever of either one (I still want a manual shift tranny)

 

If you can pretty much keep the converter locked, it's OK to tow in OD. It all depends on the terrain and how heavy the trailer is - and how fast you are trying to go. Running a Triton at 3000 rpm all day is no problem whatsoever. Heck - back in the "old days" before overdrive automatics with locking converters, 3000 rpm was very common at cruising speeds with relatively low revving pushrod motors. The only reason they have even bothered to develop overdrive automatics and locking converters is for gas mileage. How long did Ford use the C6, GM the THM400, and Chrysler the A727 in trucks? Many many years. Why didn't those overheat? I dunno - but today's lockups are documented to overheat when run under load with them unlocked. When GM first brought out the 700R4, the owner's manual specifically said NOT to tow in overdrive, period.