Overdrive Off vs. Tow/Haul

[AMX70]

All the 6.0 diesel vans have the Torqshift trans. Plus they have the intercooler. From what I understand they are exactly the same engine as the truck just programmed differently for a lower HP and torque curve. The reason behind the reduced HP/torque is the rear differential being the weakest link. It is a Sterling 10.25 rear and the trucks have Dana 70's, is that correct?.
Mine is a quigley 4x4 ext E350. I tow 10K lbs with the OD off, but when I am up to highway speed 65-70 and flat towing I engage the OD. Basically watch the RPM's and temp gauge while in OD. Dont lug the motor and you will be fine. In mine at 70 MPH with 4.10 gears the engine is screaming when out of OD. Just listen to the motor it will tell you when to shift. Ha Ha [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[CaptSkup]

If the 6.0/torqueshift in the vans/MHs indeed the same as in SuperDutys only with different programming, wonder if anyone has reprogrammed them up to the power levels in the trucks. With everyone seeming eager to reprogram the trucks for greater power, I would be surprised it has not been done. If people aren't worried about warranty issues in the trucks, why would they be worried with the vans.

[tgatch]

Why can't Ford do what GM did? The Allison has a Tow/Haul feature, but when you press and hold the button the light flashes indicating that OD is locked out. I would love to have that feature when towing in rolling hills on a two lane highway.

US 95 in SE Oregon is a great example of where this would come in handy. Speed limit is 55, you can run 60 without a ticket. My truck did a lot of shifting until I backed down to 55 then it would stay in direct at about 2000 RPMs.

So how about it Ford??

[DarthSurplus]

Where have you been?

I have asked repeatedly on these forums if anybody knew if the E-series 6.0 was mechanically different internally, or just programmed differently. I had one salesman, of dubious authority on the subject, say that the van 6.0 engines had different crankshafts from the trucks. That was more than a year ago. Most others disagree, but not many of them are sure.

I have also asked if anyone knew how the van 6.0 will respond to performance modules and chips, specifically, if a module claims to add 60 horse to a truck, will it add 60 horse to a van?

My 2004 van has 235 hp and 440 ft-lbs of torque. The 2004 trucks had(?) 325 hp.

If I put a chip in my van that claims to add 60 horsepower, what will happen? Will the engine try to produce 295 (235+60) or 385 (truck power level of 325 + 60)?


The threads in which I asked these questions have long since been lost in obscurity. I could dredge them up again, if it would be helpful.


The van intercoolers and intercooler tubes are smaller. The radiator may be smaller. The air conditioning system operates two cooling coils. The intake draws air through a maze of apertures to the filter box. (I'm planning a ram air contraption) As you can see, there are a lot of extraneous hindrances to acheiving truck power levels via programming alone.

I'd like to add a mild quadzilla stealth module to my van, but it is my family ride, so the warranty must remain intact. On top of that, the EGTs run unbelievably hot just stock. I'm going to put an exhaust system on it soon in hopes of lowering the EGTs.

Now I am going to blow your mind:

For reasons I would have difficulty clarifying, my van feels plenty spunky just as it is. It tows with much greater ability than I ever could have predicted by looking at the numbers. It may be the VVT, or the torqueshift, or programming - I just don't know. It "feels" quick, it passes well, it tows well.

A Quadzilla would be added primarily for the fuel economy gains produced by advancing the timing.

My torqueshift has the overdrive off button only.

[mack109]

[ QUOTE ]
Basically watch the RPM's and temp gauge while in OD. Dont lug the motor and you will be fine. In mine at 70 MPH with 4.10 gears the engine is screaming when out of OD. Just listen to the motor it will tell you when to shift. Ha Ha [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that AMX 70 is correct. This is exactly what I did last week. I towed about 500 miles with the motorhome and my enclosed race trailer from upstate NY to NH Int'l Speedway (lots of hills). I started out always with the OD switched off and as I gained speed into the cruising range I switched to OD on. As I slowed on the hills I switched the OD off as the engine rpm approached 2000. When I accelerated back up to 3000 rpm I switched the OD on again. This seemed to work very well. I never lugged the motor. I don't have a trans temp guage so I can't comment on the effect on ATF temperature. On the interstate I was maintaining 70 mph and on the secondary roads 60-65 mph. I will continue this practice.

Now I need a trans temp guage. I know that Autometer makes one. Where on the transmission does it get installed?

[DarthSurplus]

This is how I used to drive my old 1996 E150 van with 300 straight six.

[ QUOTE ]
I can't comment on the effect on ATF temperature

[/ QUOTE ]
As one of the first Econoline torqshift temperature monitors, allow me to say: I havn't noticed a temperature difference between towing and unloaded at highway speeds. I believe I recall reading something that says that the torque converter stays locked in all gears higher than fourth (of six). So going back between OD off and OD on doesn't unlock the torque converter, and an unlocked torque converter is where 80% of the heat is generated. When you take it out of overdrive, there is an additional planetary set spinning, so there will be an incremental additional amount of heat generated. But nothing like going stoplight to stoplight, which heats it up quickly unloaded and even faster with a trailer.

[ QUOTE ]
Now I need a trans temp guage. I know that Autometer makes one. Where on the transmission does it get installed?

[/ QUOTE ]

Click my pictures, below, to see what you'll be up against. There is also a thread on this topic here and here.