Do any of you manually down shift when you are going into a turn? If so do you have an FTVB? I ask Greg the question about how FTVB would work on down shifts. Would it have the same positive effects on down shifts as it does on up shifts. He told me no one had ask that question before and would get back to me. So I ask those of you who do HPDE and road course for you input.:hail:
Down Shift Question
- Thread starter beerkat
- Start date
ShadowBolt
Member
I downshift on the road all the time. I ask Greg a few months ago if it would hurt anything and he said no. Then on another thread he told another guy that going from O/D (fourth) to second was not good. I always turn off the O/D first so that I'm going from fourth to third then third to second and so on. Then on still another thread Greg told another guy that driving with the O/D turned off did some $hit to the second gear bands. Hell, I'm so confused! I have a motorhome that I downshift driving in the mountains all the time. If I did not I would burn up the brakes.
Jerry
Jerry
desertL2001
Member
Doesn't Ford recommend towing with the O/D off? I haven't had any track experience with my L other than autocross, but I've had a bit with other automatic trans cars.
To do a smooth auto downshift, we would blip the throttle at just the right time so that when it engaged, there was not a massive amount of engine braking that would upset the balance of the vehicle. With our weight distribution and rear drive, I would think that kind of rear wheel braking could be tricky.
Stan? Any other track guys? How do you guys deal with this?
To do a smooth auto downshift, we would blip the throttle at just the right time so that when it engaged, there was not a massive amount of engine braking that would upset the balance of the vehicle. With our weight distribution and rear drive, I would think that kind of rear wheel braking could be tricky.
Stan? Any other track guys? How do you guys deal with this?
I do this all the time, going to work, or just driving around... and yes i did it at Lightningfest.. in ALL of my sessions..It helps with braking and also your in the "right " gear to get out of corners... but do it like Desert2001 said.. blip the throttle to match engine and tranny.. and don't go right from 4th to 2nd
They down shift slow anyway.. and once you get used to it, it becomes quite natural. You can actually make your truck sound like you have a > Manual < tranny in it
They down shift slow anyway.. and once you get used to it, it becomes quite natural. You can actually make your truck sound like you have a > Manual < tranny in itSpike Engineering
Member
I never bothered blipping the throttle. The only thing you have to get used to (and it depends on the turn) is the rear end getting light and kicking to the right when it downshifts. It's a fun ride when the downshift occurs going into turn 2 at Laguna Seca when the rear end is already hopping around on it's own.
I have the FTVB in my L and I run with OD off except when running on a straight cooling down the truck, but before the corner I turn it back off again. But before long I won't be able to do this because I've been too fast going into corners to take it out of OD. But really it depends on the track. Hallet or MAM I never usw OD at all but Heartland I do what I said above. But I never jack with taking it into 2nd.
ALex
ALex
Spike Engineering
Member
I didnt' have reservations about dropping it into 2nd. Besides, if the speed is too high, it won't downshift until it's ready for it. The only problem I had was not upshifting early enough. If the straight past the turn will require 3rd gear, then you have to upshift long before the shift is required or it'll end up bumping the rev limiter and/or shut off the engine.alex said:
Once time at Laguna Seca, I didn't shift soon enough when exiting turn 11 and the computer shut off the fuel pump after I bumped the rev limiter and I had to coast down the main straight before I was able to stop off line. After letting the truck sit a few moments, I was able to start it. Of course, I got a black flag because they wanted to know what was wrong..
I think another solution to this might be in a chip... I was going to ask this question in a seperate thread when I was ready to make the change; but here goes.
Why not just raise your minimum shift points to like 4200rpm? When you setup for the next corner the beast won't drop out of gear, will help with braking and leave you in the power curve. I also don't see why you couldn't force it to downshift when it reaches say 2500 rpm (or whichever) to bring the rpm's back up to 3x00rpm. Again; you're back in your peak torque power...
Something I was going to try when I buy the superchips tuner software. Of course; the won't be until next year
My only concern is wear on the tranny and the engine; specifically the oil and cooling system.
comments?
John
Why not just raise your minimum shift points to like 4200rpm? When you setup for the next corner the beast won't drop out of gear, will help with braking and leave you in the power curve. I also don't see why you couldn't force it to downshift when it reaches say 2500 rpm (or whichever) to bring the rpm's back up to 3x00rpm. Again; you're back in your peak torque power...
Something I was going to try when I buy the superchips tuner software. Of course; the won't be until next year
My only concern is wear on the tranny and the engine; specifically the oil and cooling system.
comments?
John
Tex Arcana
Active member
PWR_WHLS said:I think another solution to this might be in a chip... I was going to ask this question in a seperate thread when I was ready to make the change; but here goes.
Why not just raise your minimum shift points to like 4200rpm? When you setup for the next corner the beast won't drop out of gear, will help with braking and leave you in the power curve. I also don't see why you couldn't force it to downshift when it reaches say 2500 rpm (or whichever) to bring the rpm's back up to 3x00rpm. Again; you're back in your peak torque power...
Something I was going to try when I buy the superchips tuner software. Of course; the won't be until next year
My only concern is wear on the tranny and the engine; specifically the oil and cooling system.
comments?
John
Bump on this.. anyone try this solution yet?
Tex Arcana said:
I was dreaming in '03 that I would be able to buy the SCT stuff (afford it).
I think with the racer package, you could do it, maybe setting the downshift points being a problem. I also think you'd have to install something like this and a push fan to control temps. Maybe Jody will chime in, he has a lot of experience with the racers package (along with a few others).
John