Has anyone noticed that these trucks have a torque converter better suited to a race car?
If I hold the brakes, drop the truck into second, and floor the gas, the converter stalls to 2500 rpm. That much stall would make most 5.0 Mustang guys happy. My experience has been most stock American V-8's are equiped with stalls in the 1800-2000 rpm range. As a mater of fact, I paid $400 for a 2300 rpm lock-up converter for my Buick.
My truck is a 97 with a 4.6 and a 4R70W trans. Are 4.2's and 5.4's the same?

 

Would someone please try this and tell me what you truck stalls to. You can do it in first gear if your truck won't spin the tires. I couldn't keep the tires from spinning so I used second. We did my brother 99 5.3 Z71 and it stalled to 1700 rpm.
Thanks

 

Someone else was complaining of the same thing.
I don't remember who said it or which thread it was in.
My torque converter is leaking now so I don't want to push it.
Dunno what you are talking about putting it in 1st or 2nd.
Anytime the truck is stopped it is always in first.

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99 XLT 5.4L reg cab 4x2 120" Wheelbase 4 wheel disc brakes/ABS 5 star larait style wheels Toreador Red/Silver 3.55 gears 255/70/16 OWL Delta toolbox
Eclipse 5340 cd player
Memphis ARCS50 component speakers w/tweeters mounted flush in the door panels (excellent sound)powered by a Sherwood 35x2 RMS amp
Jensen 50x2 RMS for the 2 Audiobahn AWC10 subs
Looking for reasonably priced used running boards
54regcab@duesouth.net in Columbia SC

 

HI!... 54REGCAB on almost all rearwheel drive FORD trannys if you put it in 2nd gear it will start off in 2nd gear even if you stop at a stop sign. Try it and you will notice that your truck feels like it does'nt have as much power on takeoff. Ford trannys have been like this for years. C3,C4,C5,C6,AOD,AOD-E,4R70-W and the 4R-100 all do this. When I used to have street tires on the old "POWER RANGER" I used to start off in 2nd gear when I was street drag racing because if I did'nt I would just go up in smoke.(tires I mean)

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NEAL [ the horsepower freak ] NEWMAN
'99' F-150 XLT SPORT, oxford white, reg cab shortbox stepside,5.4, auto, 4.10L.S, captain's chairs, bedliner, GTS carbon fiber headlight covers, **** CEPECK clear halogen driving lights, GTS slotted tailight covers (painted oxford white), FORD locking lug nuts, tinted windows,true duel exhaust with 2.5 inch mandrel bent pipes and FLOWMASTER 3 chamber mufflers with 3' tailpipes exiting before the rear wheel like the LIGHTNING, HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar, AUTOMETER guage pod and tranny temp guage, custom fabricated air intake trac and huge K/N filter, TPS mod, BELLTECH 2-inch rear drop, SUPERCHIP

 

Well I guess I could be wrong I'll have to try it and see.
Does putting it in 2nd prevent it from downshifting into 1st under hard acceleration?

[This message has been edited by 54regcab (edited 10-22-1999).]

 

The high stall converter is normal. The 4.6 and most other OHC engines lack torque at off idle RPMs. The higher stall speed lets it get into the power band of the engine, not to worry.

 

HI!... 54REGCAB --------YES SIR-------- 8-)

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NEAL [ the horsepower freak ] NEWMAN
'99' F-150 XLT SPORT, oxford white, reg cab shortbox stepside,5.4, auto, 4.10L.S, captain's chairs, bedliner, GTS carbon fiber headlight covers, **** CEPECK clear halogen driving lights, GTS slotted tailight covers (painted oxford white), FORD locking lug nuts, tinted windows,true duel exhaust with 2.5 inch mandrel bent pipes and FLOWMASTER 3 chamber mufflers with 3' tailpipes exiting before the rear wheel like the LIGHTNING, HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar, AUTOMETER guage pod and tranny temp guage, custom fabricated air intake trac and huge K/N filter, TPS mod, BELLTECH 2-inch rear drop, SUPERCHIP

 

I hvae to disagree about low torque off idle.
345lbs@2300 RPM is stonger than most pushrod engines.
I can't even think of a normally asperated gas V8 wiht more turque at that low of RPM.
I'll have to check my stall when I get my leak fixed.

 

54regcab,
Ford auto transmissions have the ability to start in second gear for a long time. Originally it was called "snow gear". It reduces the torque multiplication of trans so the engine won't spin the tires as easily.

What year and displacement are you refering to when you quote that torque speck? I feel that torque is a little more subjective than just looking at dyno charts. Dyno charts are usually produced at WOT (wide open throttle). How often do we really dirve with it floored? I find that my 97 4.6 has very good power at WOT, but it leaves a little to by desired at part throttle. I need to step on it quite hard to keep up with trafic around here. Though,I'm sure the 99-00 trucks are improved for this.

 

I dunno about WOT specs but if I just tap the gas on my 5.4L it takes off.
Very noticable increase in part throttle performance from the 4.6L to 5.4L.
When I test drove the trucks I couldn't belive the difference so I had to get the 5.4L

 

OK just tested it.
Yes putting it 2nd does prevent it from downshifting into 1st. My bad
I didn't use the brake test but flooring it from a stop I had to get to 10mph or so before I went over 2000RPM.
I would guess 1800 stall speed.
Also the power was obvoisly a lot less in 2nd but I didn't have any problems at all keeping up with traffic.
Still plenty of acccelration to spare.
Boy I'm sure glad I got the 5.4L even with the piston slap (which I haven't heard yet)

 

54regcab
245@2300 is for the 5.4, Bent6 is running a 4.6 which makes 290@3250. Because of it's extremely long stroke the 5.4 makes bags of torque at all rpms and as a result also has an extremely low (for an OHC) redline. The 5.4 isn't cammed like most OHC engines, it's a lot more like the 4.9 I6 in how and where it delivers power. The 4.6 needs the higher stall converter to get into the range where it's designed to work. Not a criticism by any means, it's actually a pretty elegant piece of design work to create 2 engines with wholly different characteristics on the same basic pattern.

[This message has been edited by StrangeRanger (edited 10-24-1999).]