So I have looked through alot of threads and haven't came across this yet so i figured I'd tell my story. I have a 2000 7.3 auto 4x4. I am really unfamiliar on how the trans is suppose to work. Never have had any hard shifting problems or anything and the fluid level is good and was changed at the dealer when I bought it 12K ago. Its always shifted into OD around 45mph and I can cruise around "lugging" the truck at lower rpms. Throughout the winter the trans temp would hit maybe 140 but stayed 120-100. I installed a beans tuner and this seems to be where my problems start. Since I hooked it up the shifts stayed smooth but when it shifts into overdrive it runs pretty high rpms just cruising around 45-55mph id say between 1500-1800. It even feels as if when it shifts its not fully engaging or something. OD is the most noticeable. I used to be able to cruise on the highway at 75 mph at 2000 rpms. I took a 4 hr trip from sc to nc and going 70-75 i was running at 2300 to 2500 rpms and any rolling hill i came to and eased into it to keep my speed it would go up to 2600-2700 rpms and just to me seemed to be screaming way too much for being empty. Trans temp stayed at 180 the whole way and it rose pretty quick from being cold. it was maybe 75 degrees or so outside. This is where it got really weird for me, the other morning when i went to leave work I got out on the main road and at 45 it shifted into OD and was lugging again like it used to. I could cruise 45-55 around 1500-1800 rpms and ran nice and smooth. The weirdest part was it was shifting 5 times like it was a five speed. I even video taped it and took it to a friend thats into the powerstrokes and he had no idea. Too me it was perfect but I didnt think a 5 speed auto was normal? And two days ago i started it up and now its back to shifting 4 times and running high rpms again. I know its a story but hopefully you guys can help me out. Like I said I dont know much about this trans. I am about to take another trip this weekend and I just dont like running that high of rpms on the highway just to do 70-75. Any help would be appreciated! Also as far as the tuner it does it in all the tunes. rpms and shifting is no different. thanks!!
jennings94
The transmission is a four speed with a lockup torque converter. It shifts 1-2-3-torque converter lock-4. That's four shifts. I've never seen one that shifts five times. Go count again.
I understand its a 4 speed and it always has only shifted four times but like I said for a couple days it was shifting 5 different times for about 3 days then went back to 4. I don't know if its slipping but all the shifts were smooth when it did it. I even video taped it so if I can get it on here I will. its back to shifting normal now but I guess my main question is it normal for the rpms to be that high?
Jennings my 4r100 does the same thing. What I think your feeling is the torque converter lock up. I feel the shifts a little more with my new hydra chip. When driving easy my trans will shift into 3rd around 25 mph and torque converter lock up at 33. Then it goes
into 4th at 44 mph with the TC locked up. That makes it feel like five shifts. One way to tell if you have TC lockup is to burp the throttle and watch the tack. No increase in RPM the TC is locked. 2 to 3 hundred RPM increase TC is not locked. Maybe your torque converter is not locking up giving you more RPM's at High speeds. Idk
Sent from AutoGuide.com App
into 4th at 44 mph with the TC locked up. That makes it feel like five shifts. One way to tell if you have TC lockup is to burp the throttle and watch the tack. No increase in RPM the TC is locked. 2 to 3 hundred RPM increase TC is not locked. Maybe your torque converter is not locking up giving you more RPM's at High speeds. Idk
Sent from AutoGuide.com App
on the way home from work today i watched to see what mph it was shifting. from a dead stop easing on the throttle not going over 2k rpms it shifted into 2nd at 20mph, 3rd at 30mph and 4th at 45mph. my speedo is 5 mph off so I was guessing about where it would be. When it shifts into 4th the rpms stay high. to me if it was shifting into overdrive i should be able to lug it along 45-50 without high rpms. I did alot of reading last night and I think what I've gotten is possibly my torque converter isn't locking when its in 4th. I guess that would make it "slip" and cause higher rpms? Please correct me if im wrong. Also another thing I saw people talk about was cruise control not working. Ever since I bought the truck about 12k ago it has always been intermittent to work. It would be on and then just kick off if I could even get it to come on. Anytime I've been on a long trip it never works. I am going to pull the chip, recheck fluid, and check all wiring connectors. I got some cleaner and dielectric grease. Also heard brake lights and stuff so Im just going to go through it all I guess.
@whitty- when its in 4th cruising at 45-50 I burped the throttle and the rpms do go up about 2-300 rpms and the truck doesnt gain any speed so Im guessing its not locking!?
@whitty- when its in 4th cruising at 45-50 I burped the throttle and the rpms do go up about 2-300 rpms and the truck doesnt gain any speed so Im guessing its not locking!?
Ya that what's sounds like to me. I don't know much about these transmissions other than the school of hard knocks.
Sent from AutoGuide.com App
Sent from AutoGuide.com App
well I decided to unplug the tuner and go for a drive. sure enough right away it ran just like it used to. shifted into OD at 45 and lugged along at 1200-1300 rpms. Got on the highway and ran 70 at 1800. Swapped the tuner out one more time just to make sure and it went back to the torque converter not locking in OD. Gave Beans a call. Waiting to hear back.
Hopefully you can send your chip back to beans and have them reprogram it. Well it's a good thing it wasn't your torque converter or your transmission. Good luck and hope all goes well.
Sent from AutoGuide.com App
Sent from AutoGuide.com App
well basically i've been told its time for transmission upgrades. I guess theres not much they can do with the chip to fix whats going on. they tested it on the same truck at their shop and its works fine. Thinking about having them do a zf6 swap. I'd rather have a stick shift and be able to shift when i want. Im not looking to get a lot of power out of this truck. its my DD and just plan on leaving it to intake,exhaust, and chip once we can get the trans squared away.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
