Wow this one turned into a fun one. I don't have a stick so I can't try to hit 82 in 3rd on it, but I can try it in 2nd on the auto. Anybody know how the ratios of of 2nd on an auto and 3rd on a manual compare? I hit 82 in 2nd with the RPMs around 5200, should have been pretty close to the rev limiter. Not something I would do everyday, but this thread just got me thinking, so I thought I'd try it. That's not much higher than a WOT shift out of 2nd would be anyway.

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1997 F150 XLT Flareside
4.6, Auto, 3.55, custom catback
Pioneer DEH-305, Alpine 3547, 12" Kicker Comp.

 

Ford Man,

I performed the test in my F150. I decided to shift into 4th gear at 76 mph, with the tachometer reading 4500 rpms. This truck could easily go the disputed 82 mph in 3rd gear, but I dont want to push mine that hard. This was with a 3.55 rearend, with a long bed SuperCab. That corresponds to 60 rpm/mph, which would mean at 82, the truck would be turning 4920 rpms, which I know it can do.

If I can do this in the longest, heaviest 4x4 made with the 4.6 with 5 speed, I am sure that anything smaller could go even faster in 3rd.



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1999 XLT SC, 4x4, Long Bed, 4.6 with manual trans. Deep wedgewood blue

 

Im sorry Fordman, you have more "math" experience than us. We should just drop our things, and listen to you.

Well Fellas, we have our very own Oscar the Grouch.

 

Formulas, slide rules (strangeranger must still use one), and calculators are just fine for getting in the ball park, but you've still got to get out and try it, HANDS ON.

 

I doubt it, the 4.6L PEAKS in horsepower at 4500 revs and in torque at 3250 revs. You're on the downhill side at 4920.

 

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[This message has been edited by Ford man (edited 02-20-2000).]

 

Here are the M5OD ratios copied from the FORD factory shop manual-

• 1st gear-3.90:1
• 2nd gear-2.25:1
• 3rd gear-1.49:1
• 4th gear-1.00:1
• 5th gear-0.80:1

 

Cool, thanks for the numbers Ford man.

 

Ford man, I'll chime in here and state that even though an engine has a certain peak horsepower and torque at certain rpms, it only means that after you hit that peak, the numbers drop off. That doesn't mean the engine stops pulling. The engine will keep going until one of three things happen. It hits the rev and/or speed limiter (if so equipped), it doesn't have enough power to push it any faster to overcome friction (and other physics "things"), or the engine blows.

You don't boat, do you? Everybody who has a planing hull and knows something about engines knows that a proper boat engine peaks out at lower rpms than road vehicles do because you need the torque down low to get the boat up on plane. Once on plane, you don't need as much horsepower. If the engine peaks at high rpms and has lousy torque down low, the hole shot will be lousy and if you load that boat down, you may Never get on plane.

Same thing with our trucks. You need tons of power down low to get loads moving. Once it's rolling, you don't need a lot of power to keep it going. In fact, didn't I read somewhere that you only need something like 40 horsepower to keep the average vehicle going 55 mph?

Maybe, just maybe. Your own engine doesn't have enough power to push your truck over a certain rpm. I'm not doubting you on this point. Hell, I had a 4.6L that pulled better than my old 5.8L H.O. engine in my old F-150 did and people doubt me. On the other hand, if others can do it with the same setup as you, then something must be wrong with your truck.

You also gotta remember that the original poster did this in an effort to diagnose his problem that cropped up at 82 mph. Nowhere did he or anybody else EVER say he drove at that speed in that gear regularly.

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Ford man

All of this blew up because of you. Did you realize that you were calling your fellow board members liars? That's what it boils down to when you don't believe something somebody said. Not believing something once and asking for clarification is one thing and quite acceptable, but to keep calling somebody a liar even when others are backing that person up with their own experiences is not cool.

Hell, you went off on me when I described my own driving experiences in California. I even stated the freeway and location and time. Anybody who drives that particular stretch of road at that time knows what I'm talking about. Yet, you didn't believe me. In other words, you were calling me a liar.

Think about it. Just because you didn't experience something doesn't mean somebody else hasn't.

List Members, sorry for having gone off on this and being heavy, but Ford man has really ruffled my feathers on this one. I can't tolerate being called a liar.

 

You can get glad just like you got mad, babe. GET OVER IT!

 

Ford man-
Since you don't like it here (in California), do us all a favor and don't come back.

BTW, the ball is in your court. People in this thread have taken your advice and tried it themselves. Now, why don't you follow your own advice and go try it yourself.

Take care,
~Chris

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Moderator
MustangNet

'95 Eddie Bauer F-150 SC & '64 Falcon/Ranchero
-------------------------------------
Are you A.S.E. Certified ? If so, ask me about
iATN...the best tool you'll ever have ! ! And it's
free

 

Where's the love, man?

 

Ford Man, would you please do me a favor. Go down to your local Ford dealership and take a F-150 w/4.6 5speed for a test drive. I guarantee you can hit the rev limiter in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. We've tried to convince you with mathematics, you told us that didn't mean anything and to get in a truck and try it. I tried it an showed that 82 is possible in 2nd on an auto(which I imagine is probably really close to the 1.49:1 of 3rd on the manual), and Huckster got close with the manual but didn't want to push it. Obviously, unless you just playing around trying to get people riled up, you're not going to believe the truth no matter how many people tell you and are going to have to try it for yourself. So go get a new F-150 and drive it fast in a low gear :>...

 

Did you happen to NOTICE where that particular engine peaks in HP? You LOSE power after the peak, i.e. downhill side.

 

Yes I know it peaks at that point and start going down. Just because it peaks there that doesn't mean it disappears. There is still plenty of power avaliable to pull fairly strong to 5200-5300 RPM. Is there anything to be gained by doing this? Not really. The 1st to 2nd shift on the auto happens at around 5000 on my tach and that leaves you at just over 3000 in 2nd. Just about perfect, there is no real point in pulling higher than that. But it CAN be done.