E4OD T/C manual lock switch

[zigg]

Towcat, how about some way of disengaging the lockup at low speed? The cruise control for example does that, is there some wire that can be tapped so that it allows the manual lockup only when the cruise is allowed to operate, (whatever that speed is)? Like, use the signal that the cruise module "watches" so it knows when the truck has slowed down too much, and use the same signal for enabling/disabling the manual lockup? Or is that all done internally in the ECM, so there's really no external wire we can mess with?

Another thing that can be done is tap into the brake lights switch, and use that to trigger a relay that opens the TCC circuit and thus unlocks the converter? That oughta be easy to do...

Seems to me that was what the engineers were doing when the figured out the "Auto" setting for the computer.

Towcat. I hear what you're saying. I'm not familiar at all with the guts of an E4DOA. I'm going strictly on what others have told me.
Oldmisterbill has done this mod to his truck, and has run it like this for years with ridiculous loads always towing, so that says something. I think he only uses his on the hwy though. I think that constantly unlocking/locking with every shift, every time you touch the brakes or take your foot off the throttle would wear out the clutch pretty fast too. He strongly believes that these trans's will give good service if they are serviced properly and especially not overheated, so that's what I'm shooting for with mine.
I rarely tow much more than a TT with about 6,000lbs, so hopefully mine will give me decent service. I do recall someone else doing this that said much the same thing, that it shouldn't be locked at speeds below 25mph, and rpms less than 1,000, so that's what I'm using as my guide.
The way I'm using mine at present, is to have it off in town. When I'm heading out onto the hwy, I put it in "Auto" mode, and the computer shifts as normal, and once the T/C has engaged (at about 35mph on mine) I flip the Second switch to lock it in, and then just drive like that until I need to come to a stop, where I unlock it manually, and then continue in that fashion. Only other place I've used it a bit is coming down from the ski hill. I drop down into 3rd gear, lock it up, and then take my foot off the throttle, and never have to touch the brakes descending over 5,000ft.!
Here's the updated photo...

Zigg

 

[towcat]

zigg-
i will prolly be more comfortable with the idea if there was a means to automatically disconnect when you hit the brakes and you have to manually reengage it once you get back up to cruising speed. The lockup is not designed to work as a driveline brake item with the motor and trans. OMB has the right idea of overcooling the trans, because you do buildup alot of heat when you do something like this. I've tried keeping these E4DOA's alive in F450 towtrucks for years with minimal sucess. the later versions have a better engineering ideas but not bulletproof yetThe sad part is much of the guts in the early ones are C6 internals

 

[tuckerd1]

Don, that would be correct if the ECM is the one supplying the 12V to the TCC, however are we sure it the ECM is the power supply, and not on the receiving end? Tis typical for Ford ECM to be the grounding element in the circuit, as in there's a separate power feed (usually through a relay off the main key-on circuit), and the whole thing is always energized, but there is actual current flow only when the ECM closes the circuit and grounds its end of it. So really, can someone confirm for certain whether the ECM is on the supply or the receiving end of the TCC circuit?

You're right. I went and looked at the schematics after you said this and the solenoids are supplied full time by +12v and then turned on/off by the PCM.