Yes, thats what I'm talking about. I read somewhere that it designed to be used in slippery conditions or when pulling a boat out of the water to reduce tire spinnage (i dont think spinnage is a real word but it sounds good, opposite of spinnage would be grippage:cheesy smile:) Anyway, I notice a big reduction in power if I manually take off in 2nd or 1st. Try this next time you hop in the pickup, shift to 2nd and accelerate, then shift up to D. To me it feels real sluggish until I upshift, then the power comes back. I'll have to check the comm gear to see if it's going back to first, but I dont think thats it. I'm wondering if that can be programmed to go away. Incendentally, all four of my Fords (05f150, 88f250, 87motorhome, 67 Mustang) will start and stay in 2nd if manually shifted there. None of them will start in 1st when starting out manually shifted to 2nd. Sorry for the longwindedness.

I was actually having a bit of trouble with several points in this thread, but I decided to wait just a bit before coming back in.

Isn't it the case that when the torque converter is unlocked, it acts as a torque multiplier? (Since it allows the engine to rev at a higher RPM where it has more power to deliver).

And, my somewhat limited understanding of torque converters suggests to me that if they are unlocked, they generate a lot of heat - that energy coupling through the fluid has to go somewhere. But, if the converter is locked, then it is really doing nothing (relatively speaking) so it's not producing heat at all.

Isn't it the case that there is the least amount of wear on the powertrain if the transmission stays in one gear and the torque converter stays locked?

- Jack

As I said before, when you put your truck in 2nd gear it stays in that gear ALL the time.

So, if you are at a dead stop, put it in 2nd and then proceed to take off, you are starting in 2nd gear - which will feel like there is a reduction in "power" off the line.

When towing heavier loads, you still need to be aware of what the TC is doing. Even with OD off, your truck can still lock and unlock the TC and have heat problems. I always have Comm Gear and TFT Temp on my Gryphon and look at it way more than my speedo or any other gauge when towing.

My driving habits when towing have really improved since my Gryphon purchase and I'm sure my truck thanks me.

:thumbs up yellow:

These are good points, RED4. We're going to tow our trailer up to Sedona in two days. I'm monitoring the gears and TFT now and it will be interesting to see what happens. There are some long hill climbs on this route.

- Jack

After further research and trial by error my ford f150 stays in second.
OD and 3 speed trannies have a built in feature that locks first and second gears together by the use of the torque bands. In manual tranny terms like starting out in second gear with feathering the clutch.
However on the way home in the gmc while from a dead stop put it in second and stayed in second. Did this again with trailer mode on and had a 1-2 shift. Retried same results. The gmc has the 5 speed auto. Does the trailor mode overide the torque bands electronically? All tests in lower gears in both vehicles produced sluggish trannies.

Cool! I'm happy to learn that if you select 2nd, that's what it starts out in. I'd have designed it that way myself. But, you're saying the GMC upshifts when it's in "trailer mode"? That's an interesting way to modify it too and it also makes sense. You'd want a 1-2 upshift when towing, I think.

About this sluggishness, I don't know. I wonder if the torque converter locks up quickly? It has to unlock to allow the vehicle to remain stationary with the engine running, but maybe once it's moving, it locks.

As another observation, I've never seen a lock indication when accelerating in drive with the OD on until I reach 4th gear, no matter how softly I try to accelerate or stabilize the speed early. And, we talked about this in another thread and I think it should lock in third if the OD is off and in 2nd if the transmission is set to run there and so on.

- Jack

Well I was hoping to hear from Bill on this one (I'm sure he is pretty busy) but there is a definate reduction in power. I monitored comm gear while taking off in 2nd gear, after a few seconds shifted to 3rd and it took off like a different truck. Didnt shift to 1st, nor did the tc ever lock. I wonder if it does it in 4WD?

We're back from Sedona. Here's what I learned:

If I start my truck moving with the shifter in 2nd gear, that's the gear it stays in - period! No 1st gear at all.

I observed my torque converter lock up in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, depending on the load and speed. Once in a while, it would shift from 3rd with the torque converter locked directly to 4th without unlocking the torque converter and that would feel "harsh". With the speed control on, coming down a hill, as long as the torque converter stayed locked, I could feel engine braking, but if I tapped the brake to disengage the cruise control, the torque converter would also unlock and the feel of engine braking would disappear.

The TC would lock in 4WD, which I used on a few "unmaintained" roads for improved traction and control. But, now I have a VERY dirty truck!

- Jack

Good info thanks Jack:thumbs up yellow:

That sedona red dirt/mud is alomost worse than beach sand isn't it.:gag::whistle: