O/D 4th gear access

[Geo]

I'm just waiting for the day that Ford makes all gears accessable with an individual detent like (ahem) GM. Apparently Ford has been using an old design that dates back a fair while now. Mind you I much prefer the Marauder setup of having all forward gears accessable and 4th on a button as opposed to many Mustangs that had no 1st detent but a 2nd, 3rd and 4th. One had to race those with a WOT blast from a standstill and then shift out of "2nd" (actually still in 1st) and into the 3rd slot and throw it back immediately into the 2nd (or LOW or whatever Ford decided to call it) which gave you second and then the shifting would proceed normally thereafter. The Marauder is awesome but I love my GM Hydramatic 4L60-E with all 4 gears accessable (excpet cop cars which had a physical rod in the detents blocking cops from downshifting in 1st; long story). Funny thing though, I assume the new Explorers have 5spd autos since I've seen one which has 4 gears accessible; must be a 5spd in there.

I still say one should try to customize the shift quadrant of a Marauder with the Ford Falcon XR8 shifter. It toggles up or down for each gear shift.

It is also possible to customize a flywheel and install a GM tranny. Reconfiguiring of the crossmembers and tailshaft would be in order but, you'd have gear access.

Perhaps after warranties expire right.

GEO

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by Geo

It is also possible to customize a flywheel and install a GM tranny. Reconfiguiring of the crossmembers and tailshaft would be in order but, you'd have gear access.


What's the purpose? Besides, these trannies are electronic... how would you propose to integrate GM electronics with Ford PCMs, when so much inside the cases is different? And what is so wrong about having access to OD via a button? It's all electronic now, anyways, not like the old days when the shifter actually actuated hydraulic circuits.

Question: how does one start from a complete stop in 2nd gear with a 4L60-E equipped SS?

[RCSignals]

Give it up GEO, just go buy your Marauder :)

[RF Overlord]

My work van ('01 GMC Safari) has the 4L60-E, and I was told that the shifting is all electronically controlled...

Rather than put the OD on a button, it has some bizarre "Tow/Haul" mode where the OD button used to be...supposed to "improve" shifting with a load, but all it does is hold 1st and 2nd a little longer, and seems to slip into neutral when you lift your foot off the gas...as soon as you put your foot on the gas again, it slams back into whatever gear you were in...

I don't find that at ALL preferable to the 4R70W in the MM, which has all three forward gears detented, and the OD lockout button on the shifter, right under my thumb for instant access.

[prchrman]

^^very well said oh cerebral one^^

[Geo]

Hmmm?! Well although all the fruits in the bowl look good (like the Marauders, the Impalas, GM trannies and Ford trannies) I will yet add some thoughts...

the 4L60-E went electronic in 1994 with the first year Impalas. Before it was the 4L60. My Impala's tranny is electronic but has all 4 shift quadrants assigned. I don't know what the shift map is like on that '01 GMC Safari but my Impala (and Z28 Camaros) access all gears individually. I frequently downshift from 4th into 3rd just like I used to with my old Malibu (that had 2.29 gears) from 3rd in to 2nd just by slapping down then shifter. I then can upshift into 4th by throwing the shifter back up. Everything is normal just like a 1970 car.

GM never had an O/D switch on their RWD shifters.

That Tow/Haul mode on the new trucks is there to firm up shifts and shift at different points when there is a load installed such as a Scarab speedboat. In the case of a 496 big block Avalanche 2500 it is usefull when towing something heavy that weighs 12,000 lbs.

The slipping into neutral scenario in that GMC sounds like the lock-up is kicking in. My Impala does this around say 44mph on a steady straight away; it saves the tranny from overheating. It will do this in 3rd too. The Marauder has lock up too. But you shouldn't even feel it unless you are on a straight away and you actually know what speed it is supposed to lock up and watch for it.

In regard to integrating a GM tranny into a 4V 281, a flywheel needs to be fabricated and the electronics would have to be stand-alone bundles from Howell Electronics in order to make the 281 "talk" to the "4L60-E". Also Hughes Transmissions should be contacted about getting a "crate" 4L60-E" which is designed to fit into any application. For flywheels for such applications there was an article with a very large cross-integration chart in May 1998 Car Craft.

And starting from a complete stop in 2nd gear in an Impala is performed by putting the shifter in 2nd gear before matting the pedal. Then the car goes like my Malibu did with 2.29:1 gears. The advantage is for when the weather is so bad that one may find it non-beneficial to start in 1st with all the torque multiplied with all that gear. Mind you I found it worse in that the torque-band seemed to be more spread out and you'd end up being right in it and the car would wig wag every where where as if one started in first, the torque simply bit and the hp plugged in faster and the tires would murmer and grab. I like the 2nd gear start for fishtailing around bends at high speeds. In 2nd gear, because of the 2nd gear start feature, there is no torque converter engagement hence no downshifting no matter what and no upshifting so when I go into a slide I put the trans in 2nd and modulate the pedal and get a smoth torque delivery and slide the car predictably and then she does a couple of fish tails quite predictably by playing with the pedal at that point. I always hated it when the trans would down shift during a slide which threw me off unless I was familiar with the load factor and expected it. another way to explain how this feature works is if you are going slow enough and you are in 2nd (no TQ converter usage remember) and you put it in 3rd, the TQ converter wakes up and goes into 1st since you are going so slow. Another popular thing to do with the second gear start was when I would try and overpass a car that was necxt to me at a red light where I had a Parked car in front of me on the other side of the intersection In the RAIN. I would start in 2nd and since the TQ is more THERE in that gear and no HP, I would bend the wheel to the left upon start up and the back end would come out immediately as I angle the car side ways infront of the nose of my neighbor and he hence becomes effectively blocked at a 45 degree angle and the sheer confusion allows me to pass through in front of him so as to proceed ahead and avoid the parked car. See now in 1st, the tires would just grab and I would have to input more gas and then the revs become to high and then the manouver become more unpredicable and dangerous. It;s a feature I never asked for but I learned to use and abuse it. I think in '96 it was dis-continued this feature anyway.

RC Signals: Yes, I know I will. 2004 300As look good. I just want the moon roof. SSs never had them.

GEO

[Wags]

Geo,

The Marauder has the 2nd gear starting feature also. And yes, the '96 Impala's did not have that feature anymore. It was only on the '94 and '95 models. My '95 had it, and my '96 did not.

Wags

[Murader03]

Geo...I doubt you'll find a 300A with the moon roof! In fact, I doubt you'll find a 300B with it either. If memory serves, it was removed from the order form and word has it that it will not be available from the factory. You'll probably have to get the roof done after market.....

[Geo]

That's good news that the Marauder has the 2nd gear start; I imagine it would be beneficial with the 4.10s installed and sliding around corners in the rain with predictablity.

I understand that the 300A designation will be used again for the initial 2004s.

The Mercury website showed the moon roof option availablility for 2004, doesn't the latest ordering guide reflect that?

I bet Green will be next.

GEO

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by Geo
I just want the moon roof. SSs never had them.

GEO

I'll be right over with the sawz-all :)

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by Geo
That's good news that the Marauder has the 2nd gear start; I imagine it would be beneficial with the 4.10s installed and sliding around corners in the rain with predictablity.

I understand that the 300A designation will be used again for the initial 2004s.

The Mercury website showed the moon roof option availablility for 2004, doesn't the latest ordering guide reflect that?

I bet Green will be next.

GEO

Yes the moonroof appears as a 2004 option. The job one 2004s should be 300A

If green is next I hope it's that green that is so dark it looks black (Green cars aren't my favourite)

[CRUZTAKER]

Originally posted by RCSignals
I'll be right over with the sawz-all :)

LMFAO :lol: