Shifting is Different?

[bobsledbob]

I recently bought a 2006 Expedition XLT Sport 4x4 and I'm having frustrations with the shifting, or shift points or something.

Not like I'm stupid, but in every other car I've owned, the shifting made sense. You step on the gas, the engine revs up, you get to a certain RPM and then it shifts down, the RPM drops and you're in the next gear. You can mostly control when it shifts by simply letting off the gas a little, etc.

But with the Expedition, you accelerate and rev up, and the thing shifts right in the middle, so to speak. It's got a mind of its own. I might feel 2 or 3 distinct little shift jerks before hitting 35 MPH (obviously depending on how much foot I put into it). Not like a normal automatic by any means.

And the weird thing (for me) is that when it shifts, it usually maintains near the same RPM. That is, I accelerate, hit maybe 2000-2500 RPM, it shifts and I look down and I'm still at 2000-2500 RPM. It feels like a hesitation or jerk more than normal automatic shifting.

If I put my foot into it, it shifts more normally. I get up into 35-40 MPH maybe 5000 RPM or so and then it shifts into second, the RPM drops like normal. But, just normal stop light city driving is making me crazy.

I've taken the vehicle to the dealer and had them check it out. The transmission is apparently in excellent condition with no problems at all. Just to check, I also test drove another '06 and sure enough, it shifts the exact same way.

What's the deal? Am I crazy, or does the Expy shift differently than a "normal" automatic transmition. Are the shift points funny? Or the shift firmness? Is this something that an after market tuner / reprogrammer could fix?

I guess I just want the truck to shift and feel "normal." Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[mustangrfast88]

i think it is because the 5 speed auto and the ratios in the trans is what makes it do that

 

[green03]

Ahh yes you have discovered ford's stupidity. What you are feeling is this shift pattern at part throttle:
1st gear, then shift into 2nd, lock converter, unlock converter then shift into 3rd, lock converter, unlock converter then shift into 4th, lockup converter.

at heavier throttles you get:
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th then lockup the converter.


After new years I will have some tunes that will have perfected that will eliminate all the shifting BS with your truck and add some power. I can tell you that this is hurting your mileage with all that stupid shifting as well. Ford did this for the soccer moms that don't want to feel the truck shifting.....

Matt

 

[bobsledbob]

Thanks Matt for the information.

Please let me know when you get the tunes done. I'd appreciate it. [email protected]

 

[smo0othride]

As soon as I have the money green I'm getting one of your chips. I had an unexpected expense come up that drained my savings so it will be a few more months. Maybe ford needs to do a soccer mom version expedition and then a more rugged performance version(I guess kind of like the NBX, but the NBX has the same tranny doesn't it?)

 

[green03]

The ones that do the retarded part throttle converter lockups are the 05 and newer when they went to the 3 valve motor. The 03 and 04 just lockup the converter too early in 3rd gear and don't kick out of overdrive early enough. I have the shifting pretty much perfected on the 03 and 04 and I really can work some magic if you also install a baumann shift kit. Without installing the shift kit I can't command the OD to kick out earlier because the downshift will flare. What i can do however (without the shift kit) is keep it from shifting into overdrive till much later and make the converter unlock much sooner which will let the truck accelerate much quicker with less pedal effort.

You Like!.... (okay Borat quote for the day)
Matt

 

[smo0othride]

where would I find that shift kit? I googled it and couldn't really find it for sale anywhere.

 

[green03]

http://www.becontrols.com/products/products.htm

You have to call them and have them put different gaskets in the kit for the 2003.

But wait on the kit, I can do a program with and without the earlier OD Kickout on the same programmer. I just want to make sure mine wasn't a fluke. I would like to see how much shifting improvement I can make on a completely stock transmission. I also have special instructions on what "level" of the kit to install when you do do it.

Drop me a line at [email protected] and I can tell you more.

Matt

 

[ELVATO]

Hopefully in a month or so, Ill be able to get a Sniper Tuning chip You think you might be able to do some magic with the transmission?
Then again, I am the kind of person who is a little heavy on the throttle so I dont feel as many shift points. 0-40ish in first gear with the throttle all the way down.

 

[green03]

I will be a full sniper dealer after the year selling my custom tunes and chips or programmers.

Yes I can address some of the issues with the older trucks as well but they aren't as redarded as the 05 and newer expeds with the 3 valve motor.

And just so you know my tunes are not built with the same software you can by commercially from sniper (at least not cheaply). My sniper software is the professional stuff that is similar to the SCT software that the dyno shops have when they do a custom tune.

I will let you guys know when everything is a go....

Matt