CAT seems to be very interested in using the Torqshift transmission in some of thier equitment. I think the Torqshift has caugh Allison and past them. But I have no knowledge of Allison transmissions. I know that the Allison uses a 3 peice case and the Torqshift use a one piece one. Just thought you guys might want to hear about this I thought it was pretty cool. Go Ford!!!

 

See, the thing about Allison is that the transmission used in the GM pickups isn't the transmission used in heavier vehicles. While it is still a decent transmission, it's reputation relies on the good service provided by the heavier transmissions.

The Torqshift had no corporate name to ride into glory. It had to prove itself as a reliable transmission, which it has.

Now, if CAT does mate a medium duty engine to the 5 or 6 speed Torqshift, it may be good news for those of us who may want to drop a Cat engine into a Super Duty.

 

Redford, are you thinking Acert C7? I wonder, if you got a pre DPF Cat engine and mated it to a 6R140 would you be able to get the electronics to work together? Imagine having the power without the DPF and having a live PTO to boot....

 

probably the part most consistently viewed as the problem of the ford truck getting recognition... say it aint so, now what will everyone use as why they don't like the superduty. My vote is that the AC just isnt cold enough

 

Are you serious? First off, the C7 is only rated for 300HP@2400 RPM/860 ft-lbs@1440 RPMs. So unless you were replacing a 7.3 which never used the torqshift you would be taking a step backwards in power. It also weighs 450 lbs more than a PSD.

Secondly, do you know what ACERT is? ACERT = Advanced Computer controlled Emissions Reduction Technology. This is Caterpillars genius method of getting around EGR for the 2004 engines.

ACERT is a complex system that uses two turbos, a variable lift valvetrain, and some expensive and complex electronics to make it all work. ACERT is the reason Caterpillar stopped making engines! The system was reliable after awhile, but like our much maligned 6.0 the first couple years destroyed their credibility within the industry. ACERT is why their market share dropped to below 10% and they stopped making engines.

Why would anyone want a one in a pickup?

 

It isn't going to happen. CAT's already got their own in house auto out there and they are getting out of the heavy duty segment for now. There will be a Cat branded truck out there but it will had a CAT built slush box behind it and it's a ways out. There is no way a Torque shift could handle a C7, 860 ft lbs of torque and a 33K lb GVW would be the end of the trans in about 25K miles.

I've drive a C12 / Cat Auto combo and it moves out for what it is, while it's no match for a C15 550 hp w/ a 13 spd it's runs good.

 

Funny you mention that. Because 33,000 lb GVWR is exactly what the TorqShift is rated for in an F-550.

Furthermore, the 5R110 is standing up pretty well behind modified 6.4s which are pushing at least 850 ft-lbs of torque. The new 6R140 is a significantly stronger design.

What makes you more qualified to answer this than the engineers who designed the tranny? It's been in use, rated for 33K GVWR since 2003....

 

How are the 5R110s holdin up in the 33k relm? Ive never heard of one breakin. I just got my 6.0 with the 5R110 and am reallyyy fond of that trans. Very good transmission. It makes me really wanna drive a 6R140 since the 5R110 has been a very good trans. If CATs going to use the 5R110, why dont they use the 6R140 instead once it comes out?

 

You make some good points. The 6.0 is rated at what, 325 HP and 540 ftlb? Even though HP would be about the same you would gain about 60% TQ. I know that the hot thing is to get 4-digit HP and TQ numbers on the dyno, at lest that's what seems to be all over the mags like Diesel Power. But maybe there are others out there who don't want or need to have that kind of output. Diesels are known for the torque they put out and gearing can take advantage of that. I don't usually go much over 2500 RPM with my truck.

I live in CT which has emissions testing for diesels, so compliance is an issue for me. What I was thinking is that it may be easier to have an "emissions legal" modified older(pre-DPF) Cat engine mated to the 6R140, that's all...

 

You also gotta ask your self alot more questions then just the single question of if a 5R110 could last with that combo. I personally think it would because ive heard alot of stories about the 5R110 bein abused with chips, etc and they still dont break. Who knows how many miles It will last with that combo, it could be 80,000 or it could be 200,000 miles. But their are many more factors like, how many days of the week would that "C7/5R110" combo be at the 33k GVW, whos driven the rig, whether its a worker who can give a rats *** bout the truck or is it the owner driven the rig which is someone who would care for it (usually), are the maintenance intervals followed etc..

 

ACERT did not kill CAT truck engines, the EPA did. 2010 brought a new round of on-highway emissions. CAT did not have time to make a profit on ACERT before they had to re-engineer it again.

The other problem is that OEM truck manufacturer are vertically integrating with the other truck engine OEMs. This is why our market share in engines when below 10%... Navistar is now going strictly Cummins I believe, Freightliner was Detroit diesel, Mack makes there own stuff ( and always has), PaCar is geting engines from overseas, Western Trucks went Cummins. No one integrated with CAT, and we didn't want to. Honestly, CAT did not make much from the sale of truck engines. After all the R&D, we were lucky to break even. We stayed in the market because we could lead it, and our customers and the stock market expected us to. Now, it's changed. and we have new global engine producers that can beat us on price, by a big margin.

How do i know this? I work at the Mossville engine plant where they are made! I get to hear all the stuff.

Don't worry, I'm not telling you anything that is not already public information. No insider trading problems here.

Edit: Why would anybody want one? Because they are the longest lasting, most reliable engines made!, of course! ( but I bleed CAT yellow, and have ford blue in my viens). A Superduty with a cat engine would be right up my alley, IMO. Wait wait... the 7.3L is HALF CAT anyway, with the HEUI injectors and fuel system!. Whoo hooo. Lets see now, 7.3L PSD are Legendary, and CAT quality is Legendary, Seems like a perfect fit. No CAT input to the 6 leakers, or the 6.4, and they had or are having problems with them in one fashion or another. Think about that.....

 

I think that over 800ftlbs in a superduty at 1400 rpm would be pretty freaken sweet. I'd like ot see how the new torqueshift holds up before I'll pass judgment. I have seen the 5 speed torqueshift trans fail a couple times. A customer had one behind a V10 in an f350 utility body and the trans pooped itself twice in 35K miles.

 

Wow...looks like I struck a nerve!

The "blame it on the EPA" mantra doesn't quite cut it though. It was December 2000 when the EPA set the particulate and NOx standards for 2007 and 2010. This was before the first ACERT engine rolled off the line. Here's the proof:

http://www.epa.gov/otaq/highway-diesel/regs/f00057.pdf

The law was known, the standard was set. Nothing was changed at the last minute. All of the major engine manufacturers were aware of this 10 YEARS AGO and made plans to phase in the required emissions controls. Cummins is the only other real independent engine maker, and they were successful.

Believe me, there's no love lost between myself and the EPA. They ruined my truck! THEY are the reason I get 12 MPGs!

Anyway, I can understand taking Caterpillar's side when you work for them, I would probably do the same thing. You didn't happen to work there during the second half of 2006, did you? You might have made my C15!

 

Man, I'd pick a CAT over a Cummins for my truck ANY day! That'd be so cool if that worked out...

 

Any particular reason? Or does a lemon-colored engine just seem cool to you?