5.4 is a screamer!!!

The Torqshift 5 speed transmission used in Superduty's from 2003-2010 has no overdrive lockout. Doesn't affect my tranny temps in the least, the highest I have ever seen is 202 and that was going downhill westward after crossing Vail pass in 2nd gear at 4400 RPM's. I usually run about 178-182. Doesn't vary much.

dodge guy wrote:

YamaDooed wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:

YamaDooed wrote:
If you leave the trans in OD towing over 6000 lbs any distance your trans should be needing rebuilding shortly regardless of your axle ratio. And yes your mpgs will increase also.

A friend of mine lost his tranny not realizing he should tow with OD off.

I've been towing in O/D for years and no problems. Of course the 4.30's help in that department!

Funny how some people give advice on something they have never tried for them selves.

Yes you can drive with it in OD if you have a V10 but the 5.4 with a 3.55 will be shifting in and out of OD and your trans temps will be going thru the roof. And Yes I've tried it many times esp. with fuel over the $4 a gal years. :)

And that is why you go to 4.30's and enjoy the new found power band! The truck will work less and instead of running at 2700 in 3rd you can run 2300 in O/D and let the truck relax! Yes a few hundred rom makes a huge difference!

Total BS.

I have NEVER felt the "need" to turn off the O/D with my 2003 5.4, period.

The owners manual only states to turn the O/D off IF (AND THAT IS ONLY IF) the transmission is CONTINUALLY HUNTING gears (IE downshift then immediately UPSHIFT then downshift then upshift and so on.

That 4.30 is not going to buy the OP much if any "relief" for gas mileage, take off speed or down shifting.

The OP HAS a very heavy truck and the 2V 5.4 is rather weak for the weight of the truck for the 2V years..

The OP needs to simply understand that the truck will pull the trailer but not at 65 MPH going up hills in O/D. It WILL downshift REGARDLESS of the end gear ratio when going up even light grades.

Op also needs to understand that 4K and even 5K RPMs is NOTHING to that engine.. It CAN and will operate at 4K and 5K RPM ALL DAY without harming anything (there is no push rods to bend).. Yes it does make some noise but it will not damage the engine OR the transmission..

My 2003 has almost 200K miles on the clock, many miles towing and the engine never uses a drop of oil between changes (6K miles using Dino oil) and the transmission still shifts and operates like it came right off the lot..

Patience and a light foot will go a LONG way in making that year of 5.4 pull the load.. It isn't going to win any races but it will get you from point A to point B..

The OP has a 14 year old HEAVY truck, just not worth dumping money into a gear change (especially if a 4x4 where you will pay X2).

If OP is that dissatisfied with their vehicles performance they may wish to consider buying a new or newer truck with a 6.2 or even find a 2005 up truck with the 3V 5.4 instead of dumping money into a 14 yr old vehicle.. Night and day difference between the 2V and 3V 5.4s.. But the real eye opener is the 6.2 which simply rocks.

YamaDooed wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:

YamaDooed wrote:
If you leave the trans in OD towing over 6000 lbs any distance your trans should be needing rebuilding shortly regardless of your axle ratio. And yes your mpgs will increase also.

A friend of mine lost his tranny not realizing he should tow with OD off.

I've been towing in O/D for years and no problems. Of course the 4.30's help in that department!

Funny how some people give advice on something they have never tried for them selves.

Yes you can drive with it in OD if you have a V10 but the 5.4 with a 3.55 will be shifting in and out of OD and your trans temps will be going thru the roof. And Yes I've tried it many times esp. with fuel over the $4 a gal years. :)

And that is why you go to 4.30's and enjoy the new found power band! The truck will work less and instead of running at 2700 in 3rd you can run 2300 in O/D and let the truck relax! Yes a few hundred rom makes a huge difference!

dodge guy wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:

YamaDooed wrote:
If you leave the trans in OD towing over 6000 lbs any distance your trans should be needing rebuilding shortly regardless of your axle ratio. And yes your mpgs will increase also.

A friend of mine lost his tranny not realizing he should tow with OD off.

I've been towing in O/D for years and no problems. Of course the 4.30's help in that department!

Funny how some people give advice on something they have never tried for them selves.

Yes you can drive with it in OD if you have a V10 but the 5.4 with a 3.55 will be shifting in and out of OD and your trans temps will be going thru the roof. And Yes I've tried it many times esp. with fuel over the $4 a gal years. :)

Hannibal wrote:
Mine doesn't scream. It loafs along in O/D at 2100rpm 65mph on the flats, barely audible in 3rd at 2700~rpm with any headwind or incline and a subtle roar at 3800-4200 on the up hills. Cringe is not an engine weakness. It's a driver perception problem. Easily fixed and costs nothing. Going to shorter gears to prevent shifting means you'll be running higher rpm all the time even when not towing. I prefer the 3.73 as I can run at whatever rpm is needed for the load. After five years and 84k miles, I have no desire to change anything about it.

Yep. Someone else that knows from experience!

~DJ~ wrote:

YamaDooed wrote:
If you leave the trans in OD towing over 6000 lbs any distance your trans should be needing rebuilding shortly regardless of your axle ratio. And yes your mpgs will increase also.

A friend of mine lost his tranny not realizing he should tow with OD off.

I've been towing in O/D for years and no problems. Of course the 4.30's help in that department!

Funny how some people give advice on something they have never tried for them selves.

YamaDooed wrote:
If you leave the trans in OD towing over 6000 lbs any distance your trans should be needing rebuilding shortly regardless of your axle ratio. And yes your mpgs will increase also.

A friend of mine lost his tranny not realizing he should tow with OD off.

ugh wrote:
I took delivery of a new 26 ft camper that weights just under 6,000 pounds. GVWR is 7,650, but it is empty right now. I live in Texas which has a lot of rolling hills. It rarely goes into over drive, so it stay sin 3rd gear and every time I hit a hill, it downs shifts to 2nd gear. Boy that motor can scream!


My truck has the 3.7? ratio. I remember someone mentioned that don't spend the money for 4.10, go straight to 4.30 for better performance. If I do that, will it stay in OD longer? I got 8 MPG, but I was expecting better MPG. If I go for 4.30 will it get better MPG for not down shifting a lot?


2001 F250 5.4 Crew Cab RWD.

NO.

No to better mileage

NO to less downshifting.

NO to more power.

Changing the ratio on THAT YEAR of 5.4 is WASTING YOUR MONEY.

That is a 2 valve 5.4, you only have at the best 265 HP in a 6500 lb- 7500 lb empty truck.. Then adding an additional 6K-8K lbs of trailer you are OVER THE TOP TOO MUCH WEIGHT for that engine. The 4.30 axle is not going to make much of a change and would not be worth the money.

I have a 2003 F250 with the 2V 5.4 with 3.73 axle. I HAVE towed as much as 8K lbs with it. It will work hard at getting it going but it gets the job done (not as good as my 06 with 3V 5.4 or my 2013 6.2).

YOU need to be a bit more patient and not drive it like you are on a drag strip..

As far as mileage, that is right on par.. If you lighten up on the go pedal and let the engine/transmission do its job you should expect 8 MPG - 9ish MPG towing..

Heck my 2013 with 6.2 towing 7K lbs gets me 9.1-10.1 MPG..

Mine doesn't scream. It loafs along in O/D at 2100rpm 65mph on the flats, barely audible in 3rd at 2700~rpm with any headwind or incline and a subtle roar at 3800-4200 on the up hills. Cringe is not an engine weakness. It's a driver perception problem. Easily fixed and costs nothing. Going to shorter gears to prevent shifting means you'll be running higher rpm all the time even when not towing. I prefer the 3.73 as I can run at whatever rpm is needed for the load. After five years and 84k miles, I have no desire to change anything about it.

Greene728 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
NO you don't need to go to 4.30 gears. a waste of money, and NO they won't give you better MPG. 2500 RPM is 2500 RPM no matter if you are in OD or 3rd gear.
Best thing. Lock out OD. That little button on the end of the shifter. Press it, and you will see a little icon on the dash that will tell you OD is turned off. It will then hold 3rd gear longer, because it can then lock the torque converter. With the OD on, and running in 3rd. the torque convertor is not locked up, and can cause the trany to heat up and the engine actually runs at a higher RPM that 3rd gear. Locking out OD will stop that.

So just turn off the OD. You and your engine will be happier. And don't worry about running along at 65 MPH, and 2500 RPM in 3rd gear. the 5.4 loves it. It is not working nearly as hard at 2500 RPM in 3rd as it is in 2100 RPM, and OD. The 5.4 is VERY happy at 2500. It actually makes its best power at 3500, so 2500 is just loafing along.

I'm willing to bet that before you hooked up the TT. You ran in OD all the time, and you NEVER heard your engine run. Its OK. It is doing what it is designed to do. Enjoy the sound of a running engine, it is enjoying itself. And I bet once you lock out OD. Your MPG will improve, maybe to 9 or possibly 10 MPG. IF you can get 9. Be happy.

Nailed it!

Quite accurately!