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Automatic Better Economy Than Manual
Randy.. as you know I live where it is high and hilly.
When pulling heavy loads through mountain passes with my Tundra I just find the range with the automatic tranny and lock it in there.
When I am climbing Donner Pass with the 5th wheel in tow I put it in "2" and leave it there. It will do 60 mph all day at the peak HP rpm.
Coming down the other side I can lock it in the same gear and never touch the brakes for miles.
Don't all automatics work that way?
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Automatic Better Economy Than Manual
Somebody correct me if I am wrong.
My reading has shown that it is the constant shifting up and down that overheats the fluid.
The 5th wheel weighs over 5000 pounds and the tractor and trailer go closer to 6000 pounds.
I don't have a temp gauge on the transmission, just a warning light. I have never seen it illuminated.
I think it only locks up in OD.
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Automatic Better Economy Than Manual
So let me re-phrase the question.
You are hauling a big load uphill. OD is out of the question.... it just will not stay there, not enough power.
So it's in 3rd some of the time but it can't hold road speed there either and about every 30-45 seconds it downshifts into second to maintain the speed. You have 40 miles of such road ahead of you. Now what?
It is never going to achieve any sort of lock-up on the torque converter.... do you just let it shift up and down twice a minute?
This is where I lock it in 2nd and hold at a constant 4500 rpm's and 60 mph, let it climb the pass and hope those double tranny coolers will do their work.
I won't let it hunt back and forth between 3rd and OD either. When it starts doing that I lock it in 3rd until things level out.
Don't you think that this is easier on the engine and drive train?
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Automatic Better Economy Than Manual
If the Tundra was available with a V-8 and a manual trans, I would go get one.
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Automatic Better Economy Than Manual
They started that trend some years ago.
I had a 79 Ford E-150 van. It had a straight six and a 4-on-the-floor manual tranny.
The ONLY rear end you could get with that combo was a 2.73:1
1st gear topped out at 50+ mph: Not what you'd call a towing wonder and it varied between useless and dangerous on ice.
I was looking for economy and that is all I got.
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Automatic Better Economy Than Manual
Around here.... the Rubicon Trail is right over the ridge.... that is called a Rock Crawler.
I want to get my Samurai to crawl like that at idle speeds.
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Gas Generator Weather Protecti
12-09-2005, 10:30 
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