4.10 Installed, Questions about tune?
08-09-2011, 08:21 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: VA
Posts: 11
4.10 Installed, Questions about tune?
Hello all - I'm new to the forum so I hope this post is in the right place.
Just recently purchased a 2001 GT Vert with <45k miles, which I thought was excellent for a ten year old car. It's in amazing condition, looks like it never left a garage and was only an occasional weekend vehicle.
Anyway, enough about the condition of the car.
Today I pulled the trigger on my first upgrades - took the car to a reputable Mustang performance shop in my area and had 4.10 gears installed. They explained to me about needing a tune to adjust the spedometer, which made sense since I had also read this online while researching the upgrade.
Tonight when I picked the car up, there was no noise at ALL from the rear of the car, which I was thrilled about since I have read about gears being noisy sometimes.
They told me that they only use ford racing gears, and it does seem like the install was done very well.
The mechanic said I should take it easy for about an hour or so, but that's it, and mentioned that a properly done gear install didn't require much of a break-in period.
Anyway, on to my question...
The one thing I noticed is that the shifting is VERY different. What I mean is that the shifts, both going up in gear, and coming down in gear, seem to be much more aggresive or abrupt maybe is a better word. I don't hear any alarming metal on metal sounds, and it doesn't chirp the tires with normal cruising around, but I'm just wondering if this is normal? Should I be concerned about my transmission or other drivetrain parts?
I really love this car, and it was affordable for me and something I've always wanted. My goal is to take better care of it than I ever have any car before.
I am guessing that they've reprogrammed shift pressure or something like that, which is why the shifts are so much faster, but I thought I'd ask the experts.
By the way, on my way home I couldn't resist putting the hammer down just once, and let me tell you
WOW......it's like aliens came down and abducted my car and replaced it with some rocket propelled drag strip monster. It chirps (significantly) the tires at least at 1-2 and 2-3. I got off the throttle after that because I didn't want to damage anything.
What do you guys think?
Just recently purchased a 2001 GT Vert with <45k miles, which I thought was excellent for a ten year old car. It's in amazing condition, looks like it never left a garage and was only an occasional weekend vehicle.
Anyway, enough about the condition of the car.
Today I pulled the trigger on my first upgrades - took the car to a reputable Mustang performance shop in my area and had 4.10 gears installed. They explained to me about needing a tune to adjust the spedometer, which made sense since I had also read this online while researching the upgrade.
Tonight when I picked the car up, there was no noise at ALL from the rear of the car, which I was thrilled about since I have read about gears being noisy sometimes.
They told me that they only use ford racing gears, and it does seem like the install was done very well.
The mechanic said I should take it easy for about an hour or so, but that's it, and mentioned that a properly done gear install didn't require much of a break-in period.
Anyway, on to my question...
The one thing I noticed is that the shifting is VERY different. What I mean is that the shifts, both going up in gear, and coming down in gear, seem to be much more aggresive or abrupt maybe is a better word. I don't hear any alarming metal on metal sounds, and it doesn't chirp the tires with normal cruising around, but I'm just wondering if this is normal? Should I be concerned about my transmission or other drivetrain parts?
I really love this car, and it was affordable for me and something I've always wanted. My goal is to take better care of it than I ever have any car before.
I am guessing that they've reprogrammed shift pressure or something like that, which is why the shifts are so much faster, but I thought I'd ask the experts.
By the way, on my way home I couldn't resist putting the hammer down just once, and let me tell you
WOW......it's like aliens came down and abducted my car and replaced it with some rocket propelled drag strip monster. It chirps (significantly) the tires at least at 1-2 and 2-3. I got off the throttle after that because I didn't want to damage anything.
What do you guys think?
08-09-2011, 08:49 PM
#4
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: MI
Posts: 5,884
Oh okay that totally explains it then lol. Yeah what your feeling is totally normal. They reprogrammed the shift points. 4.10's and a good tune will do wonders for the auto trans, but i don't have to tell you that now do i lol?
08-10-2011, 01:11 AM
#6
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 221
take it easy on your 4.10 gears for about 500 miles. after that make sure when ur at a light and getting ready to gun it roll forward just a tad to make sure your gear is seated so you dont get a hard kaboom into the launch this means u took up the slack in the rearend gear. Im thinkin u have a stick shift just make sure u put pressure against ur gears (4.10). Its an old school thing they (our incestors been doin 4 years).
08-10-2011, 08:36 AM
#7
take it easy on your 4.10 gears for about 500 miles. after that make sure when ur at a light and getting ready to gun it roll forward just a tad to make sure your gear is seated so you dont get a hard kaboom into the launch this means u took up the slack in the rearend gear. Im thinkin u have a stick shift just make sure u put pressure against ur gears (4.10). Its an old school thing they (our incestors been doin 4 years).
Last edited by uberstang1; 08-10-2011 at 08:43 AM.
08-10-2011, 11:12 AM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Indiana
Posts: 414
What is the break-in proceedure for a new set of gears?
All new gear sets require a break-in period to prevent damage from overheating. After driving the first 15 or 20 miles it is best to let the differential cool before proceeding. I recommend at least 500 miles before towing. I also recommend towing for very short distances (less than 15 miles) and letting the differential cool before continuing during the first 45 towing miles. This may seem unnecessary but I have seen many differentials damaged from being loaded before the gear set was broken in.
I also recommend changing the gear oil after the first 500 miles. This will remove any metal particles or phosphorus coating that has come from the new gear set.
Pulled that from Randy's Ring and Pinion.
All new gear sets require a break-in period to prevent damage from overheating. After driving the first 15 or 20 miles it is best to let the differential cool before proceeding. I recommend at least 500 miles before towing. I also recommend towing for very short distances (less than 15 miles) and letting the differential cool before continuing during the first 45 towing miles. This may seem unnecessary but I have seen many differentials damaged from being loaded before the gear set was broken in.
I also recommend changing the gear oil after the first 500 miles. This will remove any metal particles or phosphorus coating that has come from the new gear set.
Pulled that from Randy's Ring and Pinion.
08-10-2011, 12:09 PM
#10
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: NC
Posts: 1,481
I'm with jrp1588 on this one.
Some heat cycling of the gears prior to abusing them has been recommended by several of the VERY knowledgable and trustworthy techno-gearheads that I know. At a minimum, WHAT CAN IT HURT???
Agree with changing the fluid after 500-750 miles to remove any small metal particulate that has worn during the initial wear-in.
Although I think it is not likely to be an issue, I think the earlier post was thinking in terms of taking up the backlash so that the gears don't get a runiing start at each other. Theory may be "good," but I suspect it isn't any problem to drive the snot out of it. Especially on street tires where any hard shock will result in tire slippage vs. gears breaking. The backlash is only ~0.007 so no real head-start anyway.
OP,
I would take it easy for a couple of days and then drive it as hard as you want to.
Some heat cycling of the gears prior to abusing them has been recommended by several of the VERY knowledgable and trustworthy techno-gearheads that I know. At a minimum, WHAT CAN IT HURT???
Agree with changing the fluid after 500-750 miles to remove any small metal particulate that has worn during the initial wear-in.
Although I think it is not likely to be an issue, I think the earlier post was thinking in terms of taking up the backlash so that the gears don't get a runiing start at each other. Theory may be "good," but I suspect it isn't any problem to drive the snot out of it. Especially on street tires where any hard shock will result in tire slippage vs. gears breaking. The backlash is only ~0.007 so no real head-start anyway.
OP,
I would take it easy for a couple of days and then drive it as hard as you want to.