Heya guys. I thought I made a thread like this some time ago. I couldn't remember if I did so I did a search. I came up with nothing so I'll go ahead and ask.

I have a two part question. The first part is kind of embarassing. I feel like I should know this answer. Do I have to take my foot off the gas pedal to manually shift my E4OD? I know at low speeds I don't have to - but what if I'm really trying to haul butt, like in a friendly race? Which brings me to my other question

Does manually shifting an automatic transmission result in better speed times? For instance, am I better off letting my transmission shift by itself in a race or is it more beneficial to me to manually shift it from 1st to 2nd and finally into [D] (3rd)?

Thanks folks, sorry if this seems rediculously trivial but I don't want to 'nade my transmission.

-Bill

 

Is your valvebody shot? I would think it would be MUCH better to let it do it's own thing.. It's not going to shift into the next higher gear until it is ready anyway...... I'm sorry but I just don't see the need to manual shift an auto, except when you want to start in 2nd (like in snow) or something like that..

Just my $.02

 

You can shift it any way you want to - I personally always let off to command an upshift, it should also be easier on the clutches and by doing so I reduce the load they have to handle while applying. Manually shifting it, I dunno, it's a pain with a column shifter, so that alone is enough to discourage me from doing it. My trans also upshifts just a few hundred rpms (3500 or so) before my governor kicks in (3800 rpms), so shifting manually at WOT would accomplish nothing for me... Essentially the only time I shift manually is when reducing gear for a long steep grade, on acceleration I let the PCM do its thing.

 

Like the last couple fellas have said its not gonna accomplish much manually shifting. The stock E4OD is about as slushy of a slushbox as there is, it shifts slow and it shifts when it damn well feels like it. Even if you were to manually shift it you'd still notice a delay between the time that you move the shift level to the time that the transmission actually shifts.

Like M.L.S.C. said under full throttle the E4OD shifts right before the rev limiter kicks in anyways.

Your not gonna hurt the transmission in any way by shifting manually, it doesn't matter if you leave it to the gas to the floor when shifting or let off the throttle and shift.

Now if you really wanna feel the benefit of manual shifting, without buying a manual trans, then a shift kit might be right up your alley.

 

This kinda goes along with the po's question. what's the normal for a rev limiter? i've heard 3800,4000 but i've been able to get mine up to 5500 before i backed off in fear of blowing something. i also do agree with the above statments i've tried manuely shifting it when i was racing and found that taking the OD off and controlling the shift with the gas pedal works 10x's better. but it does teach you where your power is. like mine i'll rev to 5500 but it doesn't give more power so i usally rev it up to 4200 and then shift.

My 2 cents
Kyle

 

Heya, thanks for your reply. No, the valve body isn't shot or anything. I was just wondering if I could hurt anything by manually shifting the automatic.


Well, the thing is, I suspect my truck takes off in second a lot of the time. I don't think it's actually downshifting to 1st like it should. Because of this, I was going to manually shift when "in a hurry" to make sure I make use of my low gearing to get off the line.
And you're right; when I do manually shift the thing, I can still feel slush. It doesn't shift right when I operate the lever.

Is the rev limiter set at 4,000? That's when my RPM's stop and back off.

Actually the 300's max Horse is reached at 3,400 rpm. Be careful revving it so high!

 

By the way, thanks to everyone for replying. I really appriciate all the information!

 

For E4OD's older than the 1995 ID on the transmission Ford has an upgraded pump to make the shifts faster.

 

You know what though, if this truck was a rat rod all I would have to do is put OE tires back on. When I geared it to 4.11 from 3.08, my transmission shifted very firm, quick and much more consistant.. almost like a shift kit. The tranny is more sloppy now that I put larger tires on the truck, though.

WishIhadAmanual!

 

Okay so I've ben experimenting with my transmission (sounds like a REALLY bad porno). I've discoverd two things. First off, I was correct when I said my transmission isn't shifting down to 1st when it should. Not a huge problem, just really annoying. The truck shouldn't have to downshift when you floor it from a rolling stop. Kind of embarassing but no big deal.

Anyway the other thing is when I manually shift it from 2nd to [D] the trans slips, every freaking time. It acts like it goes back into second, and then back into 3rd. Does / has anyone experienced this?

 

Okay guys, more experimenting

My truck has a hole in it's powerband created from the gear swap and tires. I don't care enough to actually fix this hole but thought maybe I could bandaid it.
So I'm cruising around 30 mph and decide to get up to speed. My motor begins to lug down in 3rd gear. I take the stick in my hand and downshift it into second. The motor roared and the truck went to into warp 5 - way too much power than I really needed in second.
Okay, I'm up to speed, about 45, and try to put it back into third [D]. I overshoot Drive and go right into Neutral. The motor revs up, I think it's going to blow and I started to panic.
I finally fumbled and got the stick into Drive. Here's what really burned my ****; The stupid transmission wouldn't go into third. It stayed in second. The 300 is rapping at 3,000 rpm and I'm thinking I broke my transmission. I kicked it back into OD, hoping that maybe it would do SOMETHING, but nothing happened. Eventually, after what felt like hours the transmission shifted into third and finally 4th (it was really only seconds, but long enough to think something puked).

Next time I'll either allow the engine to lug or downshift the transmission via pedal. Now, this wouldn't have been a bad technique if I was racing someone; the transmission shifting into second like a Pro and the truck really grew a pair, but for driving home from Church - No.