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Transmission start off gear

duffy

New Member
Apr 3, 2016
2
1
Truck Year
2016
Can the trans be told to start in 2nd gear instead of 1st gear. This helps in my auto starting in water or on snow.
 

BoostN

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Jul 27, 2013
4,288
1,127
Truck Year
Not Listed
Can the trans be told to start in 2nd gear instead of 1st gear. This helps in my auto starting in water or on snow.

That would require custom tuning I would imagine. I'm not totally sure anyone has had a need for that yet.
 

flying7

Active Member
Jul 15, 2014
175
42
Truck Year
2014
are you tryin to prevent slippage when taking off or??
 

jdn112011

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2015
1,242
336
Truck Year
2015
With the amount of Turbo lag with the factory tune you need first gear even if it seems to be a short gear.

But if your concern is traction on snow and you're rocketing off and relying on traction control then your foot is the problem (and imo diesel characteristics likely aren't suitable for your driving style) not the transmissions gearing..

For the sake of simply answering the question yes. It could. But it would be custom tuned and it would lessen the life of your transmission because it will have to ride the torque converter to have the engine rpm high enough to reach boost and produce power. Same as riding a clutch. The gears are designed to have the torque converter lock by the time the engine reaches boost if not sooner and stay there.

I do understand that between that short gear and diesel's short rpm band it limits the trucks performance off the line. It's just the way it is. MPGs over 1/4 miles and 0-60
 

Brokedownbutgood

Active Member
Apr 17, 2016
289
103
Truck Year
2015
Ride the torque converter like riding a clutch really! They work completely different a torque converter is designed to slip. They lock up via hydraulic pressure when the tcm commands it too.

Now on to the real question, yes our trucks could be programmed to start in second. But that would require tuning the tcm which no one has done yet. Also you would still want it to start in first when your towing. So that would make it even more complex to program.
 

jdn112011

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2015
1,242
336
Truck Year
2015
Ride the torque converter like riding a clutch really! They work completely different a torque converter is designed to slip. They lock up via hydraulic pressure when the tcm commands it too.

Now on to the real question, yes our trucks could be programmed to start in second. But that would require tuning the tcm which no one has done yet. Also you would still want it to start in first when your towing. So that would make it even more complex to program.
You must not be familiar with the integrity of a torque converter. Just as a clutch is designed to last so long with x amount of slip against the flywheel a torque converter that is ridden too much overheats the fluid, and after so long breaks down the material within the torque converter itself and when it fails dumps said material into the tranny doing severe damage.

Go take a 90s mopar and try towing in overdrive and let me know how long your transmission lasts because the torque converter won't lock. They were particularly problematic. But that goes for ANY tow vehicle. Overdrive isn't meant for that because if it's under load it won't allow the torque converter to lock which is no different from riding a clutch.

Now would you like to criticize my reference any more?
 

jdn112011

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2015
1,242
336
Truck Year
2015
And second to this is transmission cooling which is driven by engine rpm not final drive which is why towing in overdrive even in a vehicle capable of locking the torque converter is not recommended because it requires higher engine rpm to increase fluid circulation. This is why even though you will get 1-2MPG less towing in 6-7th gear it's just what you do instead of lugging in 8th and sacrificing your transmission in favor of a MPG
 

Brokedownbutgood

Active Member
Apr 17, 2016
289
103
Truck Year
2015
Wow just wow. Towing in overdrive has nothing to due with the torque converter. It has to due with the power band of the engine and constantly down shifting which creates excessive heat. Also overdrive clutches are smaller in diameter and are deisgned to take less torque.

Just a side note I used to work in a transmission shop, but what would I know.
 

diesel power 2014

New Member
Oct 3, 2015
27
4
Truck Year
2014
With the amount of Turbo lag with the factory tune you need first gear even if it seems to be a short gear.

But if your concern is traction on snow and you're rocketing off and relying on traction control then your foot is the problem (and imo diesel characteristics likely aren't suitable for your driving style) not the transmissions gearing..

For the sake of simply answering the question yes. It could. But it would be custom tuned and it would lessen the life of your transmission because it will have to ride the torque converter to have the engine rpm high enough to reach boost and produce power. Same as riding a clutch. The gears are designed to have the torque converter lock by the time the engine reaches boost if not sooner and stay there.

I do understand that between that short gear and diesel's short rpm band it limits the trucks performance off the line. It's just the way it is. MPGs over 1/4 miles and 0-60
Tur
With the amount of Turbo lag with the factory tune you need first gear even if it seems to be a short gear.

But if your concern is traction on snow and you're rocketing off and relying on traction control then your foot is the problem (and imo diesel characteristics likely aren't suitable for your driving style) not the transmissions gearing..

For the sake of simply answering the question yes. It could. But it would be custom tuned and it would lessen the life of your transmission because it will have to ride the torque converter to have the engine rpm high enough to reach boost and produce power. Same as riding a clutch. The gears are designed to have the torque converter lock by the time the engine reaches boost if not sooner and stay there.

I do understand that between that short gear and diesel's short rpm band it limits the trucks performance off the line. It's just the way it is. MPGs over 1/4 miles and 0-60
 

diesel power 2014

New Member
Oct 3, 2015
27
4
Truck Year
2014
Turbo lag really better have your turbo and exhaust checked.This engine with complete "green" running technology
has one of the best spool up time for a turbo in any pickup truck.
 
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