Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #25 – April 29, 2020, 12:35:05 pm (And, I still foot stab for the clutch and reach for the floor stick!)Joan,This made me giggle! In the days of automatic transmissions, the sheer joy of "driving stick" is something so many people will never experience! I still struggle with not feeling like I have complete control with an automatic transmission. The way I have with a standard transmission. As a former school bus driver in my 20s, I was one of the very few that didn't have a problem driving "old buses" with manual transmissions where double-clutching was also necessary. Juanita
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #26 – April 29, 2020, 01:13:31 pm Quote from: Larry W - April 28, 2020, 01:24:04 pmLots of good information here.To monitor the transmission temperature in our 2003 LD, it use as ScanGauge II. This model has the ability to be programmed to monitor the transmission temperature. The standard ScanGauge doesn't. Our ScanGauge also is used to monitor the engine RPM, useful on up and downgrades.» ScanGauge IIMany have an Ultragauge, another OBDII scanner that can show a huge amount of information, more than what 99% of us need to know. Both of my Jeeps have Ultragauges and I find the ScanGauge easier to use, definitely a YMMV situation.How to use the ScanGauge. When climbing or descending steep grades, I keep the engine speed around 3800-4100 RPM, it seems high and makes a lot of noise but the engine is designed to run at those speeds all day long without damage, thanks to the overhead cams. Take advantage of the engine high potential speed, this engine was not designed to be babied .Truck engines are designed to run at full throttle for extended periods without damage, unlike car engines, the engine's computer (ECM) prevents over-reving.The transmission is a durable unit with a good size cooling system, overheating is not common, especially when not towing.The instrument panel does not have a transmission temperature gauge, the reason why so many owners install auxiliary gauges, such as a ScanGauge. It's easy to install an OBDI (On Board Diagnostics I) gauge, plug it into the OBDI port under the dash on the driver's side, and place the gauge on the dash or steering column, secured with Velcro.It's a good idea to monitor its operating temperature when climbing long upgrades. The transmission should normally run between 180-210 degrees, less on cool days. When climbing on hot summer days, burst to 230-235 degrees is acceptable as long as it cools off once the road levels or heads downhill. The transmission was designed for this use and is not abusing it.Driving a lightly loaded LD, without a toad, isn't much different than driving a large car, once you get used to its wide width.The computer will take care of shifting on level ground and upgrades, only needing to be manually shifted to a lower gear on downgrades. Second and third gears are the ones most often used in 4-speed transmissions for climbing and descending.LarryLarry,Do you remember how you set up your scangauge for the trans temp? I remember quickly rotating through the standard gauges and not seeing it there, but I didn't spend a whole lot of time messing around.
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #27 – April 29, 2020, 01:24:01 pm Quote from: JodiH - April 28, 2020, 06:40:44 pm For overdrive - when is this supposed to be used? I have this on my car and never use it. From what I gather - it is NOT to be used on inclines / declines. Are gear 3 and gear 4 "hidden" inside the D-Drive selection? So only gear 1 and 2 are visible and can be selected when appropriate by the driver?Is the gear shifting something I can practice with a few times on the straight away going slowly 20-25 for 2nd / 10-15 for 1st or will that be back for the engine? I would like to get a feel for the reaction before trying to do it on an up / down hill. I suppose I could also try it in my little old honda crv. Leave the transmission on overdrive all the time except when climbing or descending. not using it will use more fuel and will wear the engine sooner, due to the unneeded, excessive engine speed. You should also use overdrive in your personal car.Third gear is accessed by pushing a button, located at the end of the turn-signal lever.When descending, as soon as you notice the speed building, stab the brakes and drop into third gear and then push the button. If it still wants to go too fast, pull the shift lever into 2nd gear, if the speed is 55-MPH or lower, if not, brake hard and then shift into 2nd.I use Ken's downhill method. When in a gear that allows slowly gaining speed, I determine the right, comfortable speed for descending a particular grade, let's say 45-MPH. Let the speed build up to 50-MPH, stab the brakes firmly, scrubbing off 10-MPH, and then let off the brakes, letting them cool between application, and then slowly watch the speed climb, repeating the process as many times as necessary. Do not ride the brakes, they will not cool correctly is they are applied all the time. Very hot brakes can fade and lose braking power. Assuming your LD's brakes are in good condition, they have the power to descend any grade with careful use.I don't think your route goes over any extreme grades, you should not have problems especially since you will be driving a near empty rig without a toad.The Mountain Grade Directory is a useful reference to help determine the length and angle of upcoming grades.It's available as a book or an app. I keep a copy on the cell phone and iPadMountain Directory for Truckers, RV, and Motorhome DriversI use when in areas where I'm not familiar with the grades, to determine if an upcoming up or downgrade would be better off done with the toad disconnected, having my wife drive it. This can save a lot of wear and tear on the rig and the driver.Larry 3 Likes
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #28 – April 29, 2020, 02:37:04 pm To Henness’ question on Scanguage II coding, Joel Wiley kindly provided me this instruction for adding transmission temperature (and other codes). Joel’s coach is a 2013 E-450. So, when I can access my coach again I’ll try entering these codes and confirm they work. Perhaps Joel or Larry can check the info below for errors/typos...Per Joel:“Using the instructions on Page 40 of the Scanguage II manual, I entered edit mode and found I’d added the code in memory location 4 (why that one I have no recollection) There are 4 fields that need to be named: TXD, RXF, RXD & MTH Name Values in my unit are:TXD +07E0221E1CRXF +046251E061CRXD +3010MTH +000900500020
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #29 – April 29, 2020, 03:03:24 pm Henness, in the Scangauge manual, there are 4 different possible codings for the trannie temperature. One of them is likely to work, but you may have to try all four. It is not difficult. Warren provided one of the four above. You will see the other three in your manual. Try them, one at a time, until one works.Ken F in NM
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #30 – April 29, 2020, 05:50:40 pm Just to alter Larry's good comment. With the button on the gear selector stalk and faint yellow LED on, it just locks out the overdrive 4th gear. If you forget its on (guilty here), first, second through third will work fine, starting from a stop, and on occasion I haven't noticed the extra RPM's right away, not shifting into 4th. But when you are back level at cruising speed, remember to let the transmission back into fourth gear. RonB 4 Likes
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #31 – April 29, 2020, 06:27:34 pm Quote from: Larry W - April 29, 2020, 01:24:01 pmWhen descending, as soon as you notice the speed building, stab the brakes and drop into third gear and then push the button.Does this mean that you suggest to go "manually" (I guess "footually" is not a proper word) into third gear and only then get out of overdrive?Quote from: Larry W - April 29, 2020, 01:24:01 pmIf it still wants to go too fast, pull the shift lever into 2nd gear, if the speed is 55-MPH or lower, if not, brake hard and then shift into 2nd.Does this mean that - generally speaking - the second gear is ok up to 55 mph (if not used at such a speed for too long)? If not, what is a healthy top speed for the second gear, i. e. when ascending?Klaus
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #32 – April 29, 2020, 07:13:56 pm This is such a great thread! A lot of information on picking the right gear and also on the various gauges. I was about to ask about the in&out of the overdrive - and then the thread popped up here thanks to Jodi.Thanks to everybody who contributed to it.Klaus 1 Likes
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #33 – April 29, 2020, 08:05:41 pm Quote from: Klaus - April 29, 2020, 12:32:37 pmThat's an interesting place for a tablet. How do you have it mounted there? Permanently, not permanently? I would appreciate to know how exactly you did this.KlausHi Klaus,This is a semi-permanent setup; I can remove the tablet from the holder and I can revert to the original rear view mirror setup if I wish. This project was more involved than I had expected. I have friends that own a local brewery that upgraded their POS system that used iPads as terminals. They gave me several of their old tablet tabletop stands that held the iPads. I did not want to destroy the mirror or the windshield in the LD and it did not appear that I could separate the mirror swivel extension from the windshield mount. So, I called a local wrecking yard that I frequent and they confirmed they had several Econolines and I could buy a complete mirror assembly from one of them. One of the yard hands showed me how to remove the assembly without destroying the windshield. So, I removed the mirror from that assembly and mated the mirror end of the remaining articulated assembly to the tablet holding part of the tabletop stand. Then I swapped that completed assembly for the existing LD rear-view mirror assembly.I wouldn't recommend anyone do this unless they know how to remove the rear-view mirror assembly, I understand that it is easy to break the windshield if you don’t attempt to remove it correctly. I didn’t take pictures of the build process because this was a one-off deal as the version of the tablet tabletop stand that I used is no longer made. However, there seem to many newer ones available.Charles
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #34 – April 30, 2020, 08:09:02 pm Quote from: Klaus - April 29, 2020, 06:27:34 pmDoes this mean that you suggest to go "manually" (I guess "footually" is not a proper word) into third gear and only then get out of overdrive?Does this mean that - generally speaking - the second gear is ok up to 55 mph (if not used at such a speed for too long)? If not, what is a healthy top speed for the second gear, i. e. when ascending?I said "When descending, as soon as you notice the speed building, stab the brakes and drop into third gear and then push the button." It should have read ' When descending, as soon as you notice speeding build, stab the brakes and drop into third geat by pushing the Overdrive button". The overdrive button is the only way to lock the transmission in third gear, it can be engaged at any speed.While I will engage second gear at 55-MPH, 45-50-MPH is the speed I try to climb and descend at. Above 4000-RPM, the engine does not produce a pleasant sound, 10 cylinders produces strange harmonics, not the sweet exhaust note of a V8 or V12.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #35 – April 30, 2020, 08:43:27 pm "Above 4000-RPM, the engine does not produce a pleasant sound, 10 cylinders produces strange harmonics, not the sweet exhaust note of a V8 or V12."----Pretty much a 'primal scream'!
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #36 – April 30, 2020, 09:43:24 pm Quote from: Larry W - April 30, 2020, 08:09:02 pmThe overdrive button is the only way to lock the transmission in third gear, it can be engaged at any speed.While I will engage second gear at 55-MPH, 45-50-MPH is the speed I try to climb and descend at. Above 4000-RPM, the engine does not produce a pleasant sound, 10 cylinders produces strange harmonics, not the sweet exhaust note of a V8 or V12.Thanks, Larry. This is really good to know.Klaus
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #37 – May 05, 2020, 08:59:07 pm I just got the OBDLink MX+ device - and see on the package that the "Enhanced Ford Support" works only with 2007+ Ford models (which is not mentioned on the Amazon product page).I guess there is nothing enhanced here for me. Or does somebody with an older rig have this device and it displays i. e. also the transmission fluid temperature?Klaus
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #38 – May 06, 2020, 09:07:32 am Klaus, one of our members had a 2003 and used an UltraGauge, programmed to display transmission temperature. So, it can be done but will likely require some manual programming.Ken F in NM
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #39 – May 06, 2020, 06:13:19 pm Quote from: Kenneth Fears - May 06, 2020, 09:07:32 amKlaus, one of our members had a 2003 and used an UltraGauge, programmed to display transmission temperature. So, it can be done but will likely require some manual programming.The ScanGauge in our 2003 LD, shows transmission temperature, after manually inputting a long series of numbers in fairly quick order, a task best done by two, one to read the numbers while the other does the inputting.The number was found on ScanGauge's website.Newer ScanGauges may come preprogrammed. If in doubt, give them a call and find out.Larry
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #40 – May 06, 2020, 07:32:43 pm I wrote emails to both UltraGauge and ScanGauge and asked whether their devices would show the transmission fluid temperature of my rig. UltraGauge answered within a couple of hours, saying that it should be possible, but added "you never know for sure with a specific vehicle until you try it." ScanGauge did so far not answer. I ordered now an UltraGauge Blue and will find out.By the way, the maker of OBDLink MX+ apologized for this not working with my vehicle and accepted my return. Quite nice.Klaus
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #41 – May 06, 2020, 08:02:16 pm "UltraGauge answered within a couple of hours, saying that it should be possible..."Trans Temp was not on my mind when I first got my UltraGauge but after perusing the parameters that were available to be selected I was pleased to find it and programmed it into one of my pages.
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #42 – May 06, 2020, 09:22:41 pm Klaus, I did a reply in a post, UltraGauge Settings a while back listing the 4 sets of codings for inputting the Transmission Temperature in an UltraGauge. While that info should be good for 2008 and later, it MAY help with earlier years.Ken F in NM 1 Likes
Re: Downshifting on downgrades Reply #43 – May 07, 2020, 01:05:07 pm Thanks, Ken. I will definitely go through these instructions once I have the device.Klaus
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