Just to clear a few things up, traction control, depending on the vehicle, can work in many different ways.....

If i were to bet for these trucks, the PCM will basically shut the engine "off/cut it way back" in order to keep the wheels from spinning......I dont belive Ive ever seen a ford with a traction controk systerm more "advanced" than that.

As far as i know, my buddies 03 cobra mustang does the same thing. If you dont turn the traction control off, you can sidestep the clutch all day and actually hear the engine cutting out.

If you think about it this is a very simple yet effective way of doing this. The PCM already has control of RPMs and redline. If it can control the engine and let the driver bang off the redline all day long, y not actually cut back on the power in a traction control situation?

 

barebones, dump the clutch on a 6 speed like ours, and its no problem incinerating the tires. it appears to be much harder with the automatic. i think thats the difference. matt

 

Well let's bring this issue to light.... Who out there with a 2005+ V10 and WITH AUTOMATIC, can burn rubber at will?

I.e., if you can't, would this indicate a performance problem, or is it normal for automatics...

 

The problem is Ford has never said the SD has traction control until 2008. They would have trumpeted this from the rooftops if it were actually traction control.

My '97 Cougar has traction control with a 4-channel ABS system. When it breaks a tire loose, it clamps down on that caliper, retards timing, waits until it stops spinning and then lets loose again.

I believe they started putting real traction control in the '94 t-bird/cougar and possibly earlier for the Mark VIII.

Charlie, where are you? (Captchas) - he did all the work on his '05 to work around the torque-limiting programming. I'd love to hear his take on this.

 

From a stand still it will not burn rubber on dry pavement but now I think it is what people are describing here. There is a way to sort of hit the gas then let up and then mash it and at the point it will just spin with almost no forward motion. I was getting pretty good at the timming of it but then looked at the price of tires and it became less fun!

 

When I first got my truck if I mashed the gas it would seemingly "cut out" and I thought something was wrong. I even posted here, probably a couple years ago or more about it. Once the truck started to break in more it was EASY to get two black lines on dry pavement. Mash the gas and there you go. I just bought taller, more expensive, tires and have only done it once, but the road was wet.

I raced a friend with a similar set up vehicle, but it was an Excursion. He said he had lower gears than me and I wanted to see if he'd get the jump and keep ahead of me. We raced from a stoplight and his Excursion never got the jump, I did. Afterward we were talking about it and he said, "damn" that thing was squealing tires as you pulled away. So, I left two black lines again, with the tires squealing as we pulled across the intersection.

Maybe it has something to do with the 4.30...I dunno.

This isn't the smoke rising from the tires as I sit in one place and just spin the tires though. I have the limited slip differential and it acclerates relatively well, meaning it's not "smoking" the tires as much as there is some slippage while accelerating.

Also, it does not "cut out" like it did when new. I don't know why.

 

I do not an old fashioned NHRA type smokem, I get a no wieght in the back spinnin-hopping type thing. I think these trucks seem slow because they get up to speed so smoothly that you feel like you are putting as you get on the expressway but look down to so you are up to 80 mph.

 

So it seems from Bagger's post that whether the original poster's V10 is a "dog" could be determined by his starting out, easing off, and then punching it..... If it squeels then he can't complain about no power, and if it doesn't then maybe the engine needs work?

By the way, with the stick, what you ask for is what you get!!

 

Ha! I'm definitely with you on the spinning-hopping business. It took me longer that I care to admit to learn not to accelerate hard on a rippled surface. The a$$ end just goes airborne.....

 

My 2005 3v truck in my signature is still Factory stock and would light both rears from day #1

If there is some torque managment or traction control program in the PCM of 3v V10s then mine is broken.... and it will stay that way... grin

Sorry DDOTD but I think you are mistaken

 

My 08 will not spin the tires on pavement. In fact you can be running 35ish on gravel and push the pedal down enough to drop 2 gears and it still won't spin. It only has 2400 miles so isn't broke in. Last week driving into a Montana breeze (40mph) it would not hold 75 up a small grade even after a downshift to 4th. It has gained a little bit of power from new. I'm sure the wife and kids have a pool going on how long it will be allowed to live in my garage. At this point I remain optimistic that it will get better with more miles and/or mods.

 

Something isn't right. I've towed 10k up hills against winds and it will accel as long as I want to hold my foot down. I usually won't hold it WOT, due to the mpg though

 

I didn't have it completely floored. Seems like 3/4 throttle at 3000 rpm should do it. Like I said, I'll not make a final judgement until it's fully broke in.

 

In tow haul mode mine will pull hard and strong way into 4500 or more before a good upshift

Perhaps they screwed with the 06 and up but the 2005s are all reporting good strong power and acceleration no matter what load or altitude or steep section of the Vail pass....hummmmm

Perhaps all you reporting weak motors are not making the 3valves work for you... this motor makes all its top end power in the 3600~4800 RPM range and it will scream up the mountain all day long at 4600 RPM and 65~75MPH with a 12,000 pound load dragging behind it...

 

I don't doubt what you say about yours Fred. You and many others have stated that they take time to loosen up and start really running. I do know that mine right now is much like 00Sahara says his is. Mine is stronger running empty than our 5.3 but not as much as it should be. I believe that the no response in smaller pedal input is the torque limiting in the program. When mine was under 1000 miles you almost needed a calander for it's 60 to 85 times. It is MUCH better already. I'm still hoping for the best.