a couple questions regarding the automatic transmission thats in my 2003 3.0 v6 ranger;

is that the same transmission that is in the 4.0 auto rangers?

how much hp/torque can it safely handle?

supercharged guys 3.0 and 4.0 - are you running your sc's with stock transmissions?

 

i think jared still has his stock transmission in his....and im gunna say that they probably cant take much more then 300hp

 

That would be my guess as well.....prolly on borrowed time even with that....

 

if its a M5OD...its a piece of **** manual...nuff said.

 

all the innards of my tranny have been replaced. at the 6,000 mile mark. and.... well, it suffers from a "torque converter lock up" issue, that so far the dealer has yet to fix. primarily because it has got to be EXTREMELY wet out side for it to occur, and driving thru puddles doesnt make it happen. nor does drenching the underside on a rainy day, and its very subtle, which jkust compounds the issue of the dealer fixing it. quite frankly, i feel that the dealers ability to fix anything non computer ralted is a waste of everyones time. since no 20 year old "mechanic" can possibly diagnose anything unless it jumps out and grabs him by the neck. heh. but anyways, i wouldnt "overclock" a stock truck with out replacing some key components, particularly the transmission.

 

i resente that remark about no 20 yr old tech can diagnos anything.

 

The 3.0L has a 4r44e. It is the budget model of the 5r55e that comes with the 4.0L. Both are built in France. Some clutch plates are thinner, and some sprags are thinner/lighter weight.

Both trans, and the A4LD are derived from the C3 Ford Pinto trans. They do not handle abuse well, and they're relatively expensive to fix.

Over on explorerforums.com, search for the 5 part series where a guy tried to bullet-proof the 5r55e.

 

interesting... the reason i ask is my nitrous install is done, and i'm deciding if i can safely run a 75 shot (currently running a 50 shot).

Its a progressive system that ramps up the n2o delivery over a user-specified time. I also have the ability to delay the n2o delivery relative to the fuel delivery, so initial lean-outs and hard hits that can damage rods/manifold/etc are all but eliminated.

as it turns out... i was spending all my time worrying about what the 3.0 engine can take, when in reality, with my progressive setup, the tranny is the weak link.

do you guys think the 3.0 tranny could handle an extra 75hp and 100 torque? that would put me up at about 225 hp and 280 torque at full n2o delivery. (torque gains from nitrous are generally higher than hp gains, from what i understand.)

 

Since you have to be a member to search could you be a pal and post
a direct link to the thread?

 

I found the article here.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=117793

I got about 2 paragraphs in and my head started to throb and my nose bled.

 

You can look to Ford's transmission naming convention for the answer to that.

5R44E:

5=5 forward gears
R=rear wheel drive
44= 440 lb-ft torque capacity
E= electronically shifted

5R55E:

5=5 forward gears
R=rear wheel drive
55= 550 lb-ft torque capacity
E= electronically shifted

The 5R55E is used behind the 4.0L that is rated at about 58 lb-ft more output torque than the stock 3.0L. So, apparently, Ford believes that the 4.0L needs the stronger transmission for long term reliability.

 

The progressive setup will be better in any case. You won't have that instant "shock" by applying more power in a smoother fashion, rather than just smacking it with an instant 75 more horsepower. Another factor is traction, if your hooked up its going to load the transmission ALOT harder, should be less intensive if you just light em' up.

 

The new automatics are just fully electronically controlled versions of the older A4LDs. However, they were improved through the replacement of thrust bearings with torrington bearings, welded planetary cages, etc.

There are 3 versions that were/are offered in 95+ Rangers. The 4R44E, 4R55E, and the 5R55E. The 4R44E came behind 4cyl and 3.0 V6 engines and used weaker build materials (the planetary cages were plastic). The 4R55E was used behind the 4.0 V6 and was equivalent to the older 4.0 spec A4LDs. Both of these automatics were 4 speed with OD. The 4R55E was replaced with the 5R55E, which is a built on the 4R55E, but it actually uses 5 speeds, not just 4. This was done by modifying the planetaries and reprogramming the computer to put another gear ratio between what used to be 1st and 2nd on the older 4R55Es.

These automatics are more reliable than the older A4LDs, but they are still not strong transmissions. Mine blew up in my driveway trying to back out at 75K.

The M5OD is a good manual transmission and will last with maintenance, and proper driving techniques. It does not like to be driven like a multi synchroed sports car tranny, and regular fluid flushes are required. However, out of all the manuals put in Rangers (FM145s, FM146s for example) it is a good transmission and the best one to swap to out of all choices.

 

SUPPOSEDLY the 5R55E is supposed to handle 450 lb./ft of torque. That's what the tranny guy said when I worked at Ford but mine shifts horribly with almost stock torque so I don't know.

 

what options are there for upgrading to handle something like that? or is that all custom?

 

really d? even if my torque was up at 280, its still far below the 440 max torque capacity of the tranny...

 

what part of, Ranger = cheap ranger transmission = weak.... do u not understand? heh... tho then again D's truck is pretty fast, tho mine is faster....

 

Don't forget that you have a torque converter that can multiply your engine torque by something like 1.8 or 1.9.

280 lb-ft peak torque from the engine can put you well over 440 lb-ft transmission input torque.