F150 automatic tranny gear selection

In mountains, mine spends a LOT of time north of 4000 RPMs. It has no choice. That engine does it's best work between 3800-redline. Let it work, you won't hurt it. I actually prefer it get into the lower gear at the start of the hill so I don't lose momentum and have it downshift halfway up the hill under load. I will either pedal the gas to get it to downshift, or, if it's a longer hill coming up, pull it into 2nd manually to keep it from upshifting before I want to. No need to have all that back and forth shifting. It just wastes power and time and increases heat and wear.

most everybody has answered you from a techincal standpoint from my own practical experience you have no issue I pulled the f'ver in my signature for 9 years with a 2004 5.4 3.73 and had no issue. yes it down shifted right intl its sweet spot and held just fine.

I let my V10 spin along at 5k+ RPM when I'm pulling heavy in the mountains.

APT wrote:
nohurry, he wants to lock it in 3rd and not let it downshift to 2nd. That is not possible.

AH yes, you're right. I missed that point.

My point still stands though, I, and others who have posted still think he would be better off letting it go to 2nd and rev up to 4K where the power is. I might add also that doing so would keep the trans from "hunting", which we all know is bad.

nohurry, he wants to lock it in 3rd and not let it downshift to 2nd. That is not possible.

Mine is a 2003, 5.4 and as others have said, let it rev up them hills. I pull a 7,000 lb trailer up hills in 2nd at 50 MPH at 3400 RPM's and she would give me more if I wanted. That's where you want to be with that engine. My tachometer goes to 6K and there is no redline. Won't hurt it a bit. I don't understand those that say you can't "lock out" though. My selector reads: 1 2 D. The OD off button on the end of the lever locks that out, then I just drop down manually to 2nd, and keep the RPM's where the sweet spot seems to be. T/C stays locked mostly, and I shift up when I'm ready. Never had a problem.

If the engine could do it, the engineers would not have calibrated the power train to downshift. There is no way to lock in a gear, only limit the top gear.

I find it helpful to speed up a little going down hills and slow down going up. I like to cruise in the 65-68mph range. I will let it speed up to 72-75mph down. When it slows down to about 55mph in my prior 2003 F-150, I kicked it down to 2nd gear. Now I kick down from 5->4 around 60mph.

If you don't want to to shift down, let it slow down more.

Peak torque is right at 3400 rpms. That's the sweet spot for climbing hills. Let that 5.4 sing.

Small block OHC V8 including the 5.4 make their power in the 4000 rpm range. At 2400rpm the engine is falling out of it's power band and the torque converter is probably unlocking, neither which you want. These engines are the opposite of old school big blocks. They make power and torque at higher rpm, and can run there all day. They may sound like they are ready to fly apart but they are not. If you put your foot in it, the 5.4 will get the job done.

facory wrote:
3800 rpm is about 60 mph. 3400 is about 55 mph. I can let off of the gas to control speed, but I know that this truck can pull the hill in 3rd gear without all of the rpms and noise.

IF it could do it without lugging. It would. But it would lug, Why would you want it to lug? it only makes it use oil, and waste gas. The engine makes it's power in higher RPMs, and you aren't even close to the max power RPM. So let it run.