Automatic Transmission Downshift?

[purduefarmboy460]

I am just curious how everyones trucks respond when you manually downshift. Lets say from 3rd to second or 2nd to 1st when coming to a stop sign (if you stop) My truck doesn't "lock up" like my old gaser, it used to sound like it had a jake brake on it... One guy I know around home says his downshifts and does that, another buddy says his doesn't. I can shift into 1st, but it doesn't, what I want to call engage, it just returns to idle until the engine is reved back up to speed... any thoughts here? I know my tranny has been completely serviced in the last 10,000 miles by a Ford Dealership.

[BIGGTRUCK78]

If You Stop All The Way Dose It Shift In To First Or Is The Converter Not Locking Up? If The Converter Is Not Locking Up To Your Liking Try Going To bddiesel.com And Look At Getting A Lockup Controler Or A Acculamtor.

[purduefarmboy460]

when I downshift, it just drops back idle. If you accelerate, it will pick up speed again, but it drops to idle if you let off, it doesn't "engine brake" at all

[BIGGTRUCK78]

The Converter Is Not Locking Up At All. So You Need To Get A Lock Up Controler Or A New Converter. Sometimes This Happens When You Chip The Powerstroke. You Can Put In A Shift Kit From trans-go But You Will Have To Pull The Trany To Do It. If You Have The Funds Put An Aftermarket Converter In At The Same Time.you Will Get A Longer Trany Life And Better Launch Out Of The Hole. This Will Be Cheaper Then A New Trany At $3500. With Out It Fully Locking Up It Will Hurt The Trany Under Hard Load. Also Replace Your Trany Fluid With Syntic.

[purduefarmboy460]

what is the best bang for the buck then? just a controller? I don't really want to pull the tranny to do this and all, but I guess whatever it takes. Money is deffinatly the limiting factor here.

Thanks for your input

[BIGGTRUCK78]

The Controler Will Be Your Best Bet For Intallation Time And Performance. Go With A Company That Will Stand Behind There Products And Give Good Teck Support.

[purduefarmboy460]

okay, sounds like something I need to look into, anyone had experience with these? Any suggestions?

[purduefarmboy460]

just got off the phone with my dealership back home, said it wasn't anything to be concerned about. Most guys complained about the PSD's engine braking. Something that they changed in the 6.0s supposedly.

Now, you say that lock up controller will make it faster off the line??

[purduefarmboy460]

Okay, I have done a little more digging on this, and for those who didn't know what I was talking about, in my truck, when I am traveling at lets say, 55mph, if I down shift, it just drops to idle. Other trucks in town, will actually engine brake.

What I found out:
There is a coast clutch in the tranny, and they were very weak, if you downshift underload, there is a snap ring or something internal, that will pop off, and prevent that clutch from functioning properly. It doesn't effect the way it drives, just won't downshift.

On the same note, I was also told it might be the coast clutch cylinoide has just gone bad. Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated...

[RJacks258]

Could be electronic. My truck will downshift until 32mph, then the TC unlocks and engine idles. On acceleration if the O/D button is off the TC will lock at 45mph. If the O/D button is on it will shift 4th, then 10-20 seconds the TC will lock. Now the reason I say electronic is that on these trucks, the TC will unlock if you hit the brake, tap it, or barely even depress the pedal. That doen't matter whether or not you're cruising or on the decel. So maybe you could have simple problem with your brake light switch, since thats the only thing down there. Just a thought. Mine is a '99 with 150k+ and no problems, knock on wood.