Please forgive me!

I am completely incompetent in using automatic trannies. Those are about as common here in Norway as I guess snow is in Texas.

My naive and perhaps laughable (for you) question is: "What shall I NOT do when using my E4OD"?

Thanks!
Torstein

(I do of course understand basic operation, but when may I shift or not).

 

I believe the E4OD is the one with the electronic overdrive cutout. I have this tranny in my 1990 E350 Motorhome. My first move was to change the fluid (change it frequently for long tranny life and use synthetic fluid). My second move was to install a Banks Transcommand module (www.bankspower.com) to firm up the shifts. The Transcommand cost about 250 and takes an hour to install. It firms up the shifts for longer tranny life (less slippage = less heat). The harder you drive it the firmer it shifts. Finally, I found this tranny is very reluctant to downshift. On the highway I often have to cut out overdrive on hills (10000 pound rig). If I drop to third by pushing the pedal it will go back to overdrive unless I keep it accelerating, so usually I use the cutout switch to hold it. In the mountains I was even using the selector lever to put it into 2nd at times. Note if you select 2nd it will take off in 2nd (unlike my wife's Aerostar which if 2nd is selected it will run through a 1-2 shift on takeoff). I bought my motorhome a couple years ago with 52000 miles on it. It now has 64000 and I have had no trouble with the tranny. I am no expert so wait and see what others have to say too.

 

Thanks TallPaul!

- So I may go from D to 2 or even to 1 when driving independent of the vehicles speed?

- And I may also use go from 1 to 2 or D exactly when I want?

- What about reverse to drive or oposite; does the van have to have stopped completely? This is an issue especially when you are stuck on snow or ice.

(I'm sorry, never used or seen an automatic before).


Torstein

 

I wouldn't move it from D to 2 unless you're at speeds below fifty because you might blow the engine. I also wouldn't worry with manually shifting it via the lever because it has about a one-two second delay before it shifts when you do that. When you shift to reverse you need to be at a complete stop or almost there. I will sometimes shift it right before I come to a standstill when I'm braking, that way when the tranny engages into reverse I have just stopped. It makes it a little faster. Take TallPaul's advice on changing the fluid and going to synthetic. We had to have ours rebuilt shortly after it was bought because it had worn out quickly from not being taken care of. Also don't do any burnouts with it. That will destroy your tranny very quick.

 

Yeah, as Benjamin said, you could really over rev. the engine shifting from Drive to 2nd which would damage the motor along with stress to everything else in the drivetrain. I would be even more conservative and wouldn't shift the tranny out of drive ( if that is an actual real-world possibility) until it is below 35, as on my tranny that is the approx. speed it shifts from 2-3.
The only time I've ever needed to use the 1,2,D shifter was when my solenoid block harness connector gave up the ghost and the TECA couldn't communicate with the tranny. When that occurs the tranny goes into failsafe mode in which Drive is 4rth gear and 2nd is second gear. I would get it up to speed in 2nd then selector shift it into Drive to get around town to buy the part which was needed. R.A.

 

Just leave it in drive. The computer will give you the optimum shifts to keep the engine in it's powerband. If going thru alot of hills and the tranny want's to keep shifting from OD to Drive, the push the OD off button on the shifter until you hit flat gound again. I would also recommend being stopped before shifting from D to R or R to D. Less shock on the mounts and other parts.
Jimmy

 

Thanks!

If i try to summarize:

- Don't downshift to a gear that the tranny wouldn't have selected itself.

- Upshift is ok

- Stop before reverse

... and don't shift if you don't have to.

Did I get it?


Torstein

 

As other's have advised, you need to be going slow enough for the gear you are selecting. A safe way to do it is to get the downshift by stomping the accelerator pedal so it automatically shifts and then slide the gear selector lever over to hold it, but unless you live in mountains, you should not need to go down to 2 or 1.

My mechanic told me to lock out the overdrive in town, say when you are going 35-40 mph as it is hard on the tranny to run OD at that low a speed.

Supposedly a lot of people have burned up automatic trannies rocking (forward/reverse cycles) their cars to try to get unstuck. For being stuck in snow/ice (well snow anyway, I think ice is a no-win situation), try temporarily applying the parking brake enough to get some resistance on the spinning wheel and it is supposed to help (works kind of like a clutch pack in a limited slip differential). A shovel is useful to dig out the piles of snow in front of the tires, which usually is why you are stuck in snow (The tires spin rather than climb over the piles). For ice you should be carrying sand and throw some shovels full under the rear tires to help get unstuck.

 

You got it. Just let it do it's own thing and all will be good. Jimmy