Hate my drivetrain. What's my best option?

[Agnem]

OK, so lately it has really been getting on my nerves. The lathargic performance of my 02' Excursion below torque converter lockup speeds is driving me insane. I really want to pull the 4R100 and put a six speed in it, but I need a parts truck, and don't see that happening any time soon. I know I can do a lockup switch mod, which I guess is the cheapest. There are probably some chips that might help, and I guess there are torque converters and trans mods available. But considering that I don't want to keep the automatic anyway, I hate to invest any moola in it. What should I do? I've got almost 200K on it, and it's stock.

 

[rthomas]

Have you tried shimming the fpr? Thats about 20 free hp and seems to do a nice job of waking up an aging injection system.

 

[93turbo_animal]

Mel the best bang for the buck I've found is the edge evolution II which is a programer with a display unit which can show up to 4 gauges at once including pyro since the thermal couple is included. When I was deciding what I wanted I looked at just gauges and custom chip but just the guages and gauge pods were gonna cost almost as much as the edge plus then you have to wire everything. I installed mine including driling and tapping for the pyro probe in less then 45 min. The new evolution is capable of being updated over the computer if they come out with a better tune. The tunes on the evolution are also capable of letting you customize them your self from WOT settings like max fuel, shift points shift firmness to midrange settings like timing, shift points shift firmness and I'm sure there are others but its been awhile since I've adjusted mine and even on the lowest setting your gonna gain 60HP and that will wake things up

 

[94f450sd]

is it a motor or tranny issue youre having?

again wouldnt waste your money on a programmer.

to wake it up a bit,10k mod,open intake(tymar or DIY wanna be tymar intake)get rid of the cat if it has one.disconnect or gut the ebpv(itsnot needed and will drop egts by 50*

shimming the fpr is a waste as well,you dont have one.dead head electric fuel system(no return lines)

edit:with a custom chip you can talk to the person you buy it from and tell them how you want the tranny to shift and they can tune it for you,try doing that with a programmer

 

[93turbo_animal]

is it a motor or tranny issue youre having?

again wouldnt waste your money on a programmer.

to wake it up a bit,10k mod,open intake(tymar or DIY wanna be tymar intake)get rid of the cat if it has one.disconnect or gut the ebpv(itsnot needed and will drop egts by 50*

shimming the fpr is a waste as well,you dont have one.dead head electric fuel system(no return lines)

edit:with a custom chip you can talk to the person you buy it from and tell them how you want the tranny to shift and they can tune it for you,try doing that with a programmer

The new programmers are far better then the older ones especially if its for newer trucks. I can program shift firmness at midrange throttle and wot and I can also program each gear if I want it to shift earlier or later and I can change it in 5 minutes if I don't like it. Chips are great if you want max power and the ability to flip between settings on the go but if thats not what your after then chips are kind of a waste of money as you can get a programmer with good power gains tuneability gauges and a code reader for the price of a chip and not have to worry about getting a good connection or having the chip work loose. Each have thier place max power with shift on the fly chip everything else programmer

Also if you do go for the programmer then decide to do a tranny swap anyhow its not like the extra power and gauges and code reading ability is a bad thing . If you already have gauges then a chip may be nice so you can flip on the fly

 

[snicklas]

Mel,

Another option, I know you want a 6 speed. But, could one upgrade to a 5R110 Torqshift that is running behind the 6.0's? Mine does not act anything like you describe the 4R100 behind the 7.3. I don't mind a handshaker, but with the performance of the 5R110 in Tow/Haul mode, I really have no desire to have a stick in it.......

 

[94f450sd]

chips can be programmed for any power level you wantfrom below stock to insane.i wouldnt trust the gauges in the programmer.rather have a mechanical gauge.a tuner can program a chip with better tranny programming than you will get out of a programmer.

 

[93turbo_animal]

Mel,

Another option, I know you want a 6 speed. But, could one upgrade to a 5R110 Torqshift that is running behind the 6.0's? Mine does not act anything like you describe the 4R100 behind the 7.3. I don't mind a handshaker, but with the performance of the 5R110 in Tow/Haul mode, I really have no desire to have a stick in it.......

I haven't had the chance to ride in a 6.0 but have heard that the new trannys are pretty good but always having a standard trans I despise autos also and would love a 6spd. The only time I enjoy the auto is when I'm tired

 

[Agnem]

Well my problem is not power. I'm plenty satisifed with that. It's getting it to the ground that is the issue, or more specifically the drive shaft. It's clear to me that Ford programmed these model year trucks for transmission longevity. It's brutally obvious that there is no intention of locking up the torque converter until the load is equalized or relieved, and at low speeds where you would have lots of RPM and consequently horsepower, they don't really want you to get it to the wheels very fast. There is no such thing as hard shifts unless you really manage to fool it, and you pretty much have to drive it like it was a stick to get it to shift. You can put your foot into it all you want from a get go, and its not going to spin the tires, but it will be happy to do 2500 RPM at 10MPH. The worst is up a steep hill at like 25-30 MPH, where you have tons of converter slip (And I mean TONS... one of my IDI's could pass this thing at 50MPH at the same engine speed) and you can barely get it to accelerate without using 2 gallons of diesel to do it. I guess in the newer trans, they realized they were going to be putting a lot more HP into them, and they would have to beef them up. If I have to pull a trans, it's certainly not going to be to put a more expensive one in. Besides, I'd like to have the only manual trans Excursion in the country, or at least on of the few if another was converted. Certainly none were made. If I could get all the shift points lowered by 5 MPH and get a 2nd gear TQ lockup at 20 that would be sweet. So Aric, this Edge programmer... Where to get one?

 

[snicklas]

Aric,

The 5 speed Torqshift auto reminds me more of an Allison thav a Ford Transmission. It is indeed a Ford built transmission. It has 2 modes. Standard, which it acts like a typical auto transmission. It does not have the converter slip that the 4R100 does that Mel describes. I can get it to spin the tires, but with as heavy as it is, I push on the go pedal and it just goes. It does have a lockup converter, OD an a "Coast Clutch" So it has some of the same qualities as the 4R100, but without the converter issues that Mel has. I have never felt that it could not get out of its own way at low speeds.

In its second mode, Tow/Haul mode, it is not an OD lockout like the older transmissions. It is a completely different transmission control strategy. It still uses all 5 forward gears. Yes it will use 5th towing. However, it disables the coast clutch, to allow compression brakeing, and it does work. It will hold the shifts out to better use the power, and tries to maintain a gear that keep the engine at ~2000 rpm which is max torque. It will shift into 5th and drop below that after a constant speed is acheved, and you are just crusing. I also use THM in the hills in Ky. It will hold a gear and maintain speed downhill just like a manual. It will also, if you are trying to maintain a speed downhill and touch the brake pedal, it will shift the transmission into the next lower gear to assist with compression braking. I can be going downhill, and if it starts to creep up in speed, push the brake pedal slightly, it will downshift, and I can take my foot back ff the brake and it will continue to slow down. If I am able to make it out to the Rally, I will have the truck. If you make it, I will have to take you for a ride. I love the 6.0/Torqshift setup.

 

[Russ]

Mel, one of the biggest improvements that came with my BTS was the triple disk converter. It just makes the engine feel like it's connected to the tranny. I would call Brian at BTS and talk to him, tell him what you want and let him suggest a converter for that thing.

 

[dsltech83]

Mel,

Another option, I know you want a 6 speed. But, could one upgrade to a 5R110 Torqshift that is running behind the 6.0's? Mine does not act anything like you describe the 4R100 behind the 7.3. I don't mind a handshaker, but with the performance of the 5R110 in Tow/Haul mode, I really have no desire to have a stick in it.......

That would be sweet but the 7.3 and the 6.0/6.4 have different bolt patterns, also im not sure anyone makes a standalone controller for the
5R110.

 

[Agnem]

Russ, if I really wanted that slushbox under there, I would certainly go that route, but if I have to unbolt that 4R100 it will be to put it in a dumpster. Not to reconnect it.

Although right now talk is cheap. It's hard to find a ZF 6 that's available for a reasonable price.

 

[towcat]

Russ, if I really wanted that slushbox under there, I would certainly go that route, but if I have to unbolt that 4R100 it will be to put it in a dumpster. Not to reconnect it.

Although right now talk is cheap. It's hard to find a ZF 6 that's available for a reasonable price.

imho there is no such thing as a reasonably priced ZF6. if it is, there are impending issues.
they aren't known for their longevity compared to most ZF5's

 

[trackspeeder]

That would be sweet but the 7.3 and the 6.0/6.4 have different bolt patterns, also im not sure anyone makes a standalone controller for the
5R110.

PCS makes the controller, I forgot who makes the adapter. It is available.