Best fix for hunting converter

[1stMarauder]

I am new to the Marauder world. I know people say to do the J-mod to fix the infamous hunting torque converter but I am looking to keep mine stock as it came from the factory. What options do I have? Between 25 - 50 mph under light acceleration, the trans just feels like it's stuttering. It's incredibly annoying as most of my driving is done at these speeds. I do not race the car nor am I looking for performance mods. Just want it to drive like it did from the factory. Thank you in advance for your advice.

[martyo]

I can send you a tune that will fix that and help the car perform better as well.

Let me know if you are interested.

[88CuttyClassic]

+1 on the tune from martyo, i went from really liking the car to loving it after the tune.

[fastblackmerc]

J-mod won't fix the "hunting" issue. A tune from Mo's (martyo) will fix the "hunting" issue. You won't believe how better you Marauder will run with a martyo tune.

[Bluerauder]

I can send you a tune that will fix that and help the car perform better as well.

Let me know if you are interested.

Yes, it will. I had the constant "hunting" too especially on secondary roads with speeds in the 30-45 range. My car shifts much, much better since installing a tune more than 8 years ago. It'll also correct the Overdrive lock point so that it engages at more reasonable highway speeds rather than the 35 MPH factory setting which was a major contributor to the gear hunting issue.

[1stMerc]

Funny thing is, he wants it to drive like it did from the factory...which it already does.

[fastblackmerc]

Funny thing is, he wants it to drive like it did from the factory...which it already does.

I saw that.....

The stock tune sucks............

[RubberCtyRauder]

get the martyO tune..You'll be able to retain the original tune if you ever need it. But once you drive it with the tune, you'll be amazed, it's like a new car..no shift hunting and a few extra hp...15-20ish.. It's all pluig and play with a SCT unit which Marty O can provide with the tune file in it. best simple mod out there

[1stMarauder]

I can send you a tune that will fix that and help the car perform better as well.

Let me know if you are interested.
I am definitely interested in the tune. Anything to get rid of this issue!

[CWright]

Marty will wake up your car and fix the trans. He has my car now and I trust them 100%!

[chief455]

I am definitely interested in the tune. Anything to get rid of this issue!
buy the tuner and tune from martyo. You will never want the car to perform 'like from the factory' again. :D

[RF Overlord]

Between 25 - 50 mph under light acceleration, the trans just feels like it's stuttering. It's incredibly annoying "Stuttering" and hunting are two very different things.

The stock shift schedule really does suck and it forces the car into a higher gear sooner than it should, then when you step on the gas even lightly, the trans either downshifts or unlocks the converter. This is hunting.

The stuttering you're describing sounds more like the infamous torque converter clutch shudder which occurs on light-throttle upshifts. Neither the JMOD nor a tune will fix that...the only cure is changing the ATF.

Try this next time...when it starts to "stutter", keep you foot steady on the gas and lightly tap the brake pedal with your other foot, just enough to turn on the brake lights. If the stuttering stops, you have TCC shudder. If it does not, then you probably have a mis-fire, which can be plugs, COPs, or a bad DPFE.

[ctrlraven]

Mo's tune and the jmod is win win!

[RF Overlord]

Please understand I was not in any way suggesting NOT getting MO's tune only that it won't fix a TCC shudder, if that's what the OP's issue is.

MO's tune and a JMOD will make you think it's an entirely different car!

[1stMarauder]

It's definitely not a mis-fire. I was a certified tech for several years and know the difference between trans issues and mis-fires. I am just new to the panther platform. I am a GM guy and don't have much experience with Fords. After doing some research of the symptoms I have, it's without a doubt the torque converter.

[1stMarauder]

Thank you all for your input! I greatly appreciate the advice. I am going to order the tune from Martyo and I will post the results!

[tbone]

When I first got my car 7 1/2 years ago, I took it to the dealer thinking something was wrong with the transmission. That's how bad the stock trans shiftng is.

The jerks charged me $90 to tell me it's normal.

[88grandmarq]

can some one describe the torque converter "hunting" to me ? are we talking about the constant down shifting for 4 to 3 and 4 to 2 ?

[RubberCtyRauder]

It's been a while but I remember it shifting into OD like at around 30 mph then it would downshift if load changed then back to overdrive etc

[chief455]

can some one describe the torque converter "hunting" to me ? are we talking about the constant down shifting for 4 to 3 and 4 to 2 ?


It's been a while but I remember it shifting into OD like at around 30 mph then it would downshift if load changed then back to overdrive etc
these.
or it goes into OD under light load at low speeds, then you press the gas and it won't come out of OD, until you press harder. then it does shift down to 3rd, but then shifts too quickly back into OD
Same thing between 2-3 shifts and lock up.
it's really the shift schedule controled by the PCM, but results in feeling like the convertor is confused. that's why a martyo tune corrects the issue = nothing is mechanically wrong. it's factory tuning for fuel mileage.

[1stMarauder]

I ordered the tune from Martyo last week and received it on Saturday. It definitely fixed the issue and the car runs like a dream now. Best money I have ever spent on the car.

[ctrlraven]

Next mod should be 4.10 gears. lol Then you can experience what the Marauder should of been like from factory to start with. :burnout:

[martyo]

I ordered the tune from Martyo last week and received it on Saturday. It definitely fixed the issue and the car runs like a dream now. Best money I have ever spent on the car.

Great news Dan!


Next mod should be 4.10 gears. lol Then you can experience what the Marauder should of been like from factory to start with. :burnout:

I concur and shared this idea with him as well. Go 4.10s or go home!

[1stMarauder]

Great news Dan!



I concur and shared this idea with him as well. Go 4.10s or go home!
I have thought about the 4.10's but I do a lot of highway driving with the car. I would imagine I would lose a lot of fuel mileage with these gears. I usually cruise around 75 - 80 on the highway. What kind of RPM range would those gears put me in?

[Bluerauder]

I have thought about the 4.10's but I do a lot of highway driving with the car. I would imagine I would lose a lot of fuel mileage with these gears. I usually cruise around 75 - 80 on the highway. What kind of RPM range would those gears put me in?

Most guys with 4.10 gears say that the MPG difference is about 1.0-1.5 MPG. To find your RPMs just add 15.5% to what you get with the stock 3.55 gears (i.e. Multiply your current reading with 3.55s at 75 MPH [or any other speed you are interested in] by 1.155.)

[RubberCtyRauder]

Prolly get around 21 mpg for strictly highway mpg..rpms is 3000 or 3250..somehting like that

[HBTMD]

I can send you a tune that will fix that and help the car perform better as well.

Let me know if you are interested.

Hi Marty:

I have a 2003 MM with 41,000 miles and an SCT Tuner I purchased from DR. I recently started having problems with the transmission going into neutral of failing to shift gears and then the car stalls out. :violin:

If I restart the engine, it works fine for a few days then does the same thing again.

I removed the DR tune today and it did the same thing again an hour later.

Any idea what the problem is and can it be resolved with a Marty O tune?

How much for the new tune, since the I purchased the SCT Tuner before I ever knew of MO's?

Wish I had purchased from you to begin with. :beer: