Looking for Taurus info

[1970Custom]

I see. Just going off of what a previous owner/acquaintance told me...

MY next goal is to find a clean running Gen3 SHO....

 

[john112deere]

^^Gen 3 SHO was a Yamaha V8, right? And automatic only?


I never liked the third-gen Taurus as well as the second-gen. They always feel like the inside is so much smaller than the outside, to me.

 

[1970Custom]

Yeah, They're auto only... There's been talk of a 5spd conversion for the cars though...

I like mine, even with the auto, it keeps me from getting carried away while driving....

And yes, I have to remember the nose is longer than I'm used to, I've run the bumper cover up on a couple curbs...

 

[nobodyspecial]

Is there any way of firming up the shifts on this thing? I now know the meaning of the term slushbox...

 

[john112deere]

If you beat on it like a red-headed stepchild, it'll start shifting hard on it's own.

I don't recommend it, though.

 

[SuperCab]

bwahaha i wouldn't recomend it either


they do shift a little soft. It never really bothered me though. I was used to the stock C6 then too, which is on the soft side. now the burban and 250 both have shift kits and i'd never go back...

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Is there any way of firming up the shifts on this thing? I now know the meaning of the term slushbox...

They shift like a gooey loaf of banana bread on purpose. It's so people like my mom don't take vehicles back to the dealer and go "It's shifting really hard, fix it."

Ryan

 

[polarbear]

Yep- actually, those soft shifts are there so the tranny will live. Longer in the case of the V6's, and just "live" in the case of the SHO's.

 

[nobodyspecial]

I thought that the more the transmission slips, the more heat it produces, thus decreasing the life. The firmer the shift (if it is strong enough to hold up) is so that there is less slippage and therefor, less heat.

 

[1970Custom]

Yep- actually, those soft shifts are there so the tranny will live. Longer in the case of the V6's, and just "live" in the case of the SHO's.

Mine doesn't seem that soft, shifts firmer than that of the Explorer I was driving for a little bit... Does get torque steer from first to second when I really stand on it; but, like I said I don't do that very often because it's cheaper on the fuel budget (I prefer the 27mpg over the lesser when my foot is in it, and it doesn't take much for a 6800 red line to empty the tank...).

 

[polarbear]

I thought that the more the transmission slips, the more heat it produces, thus decreasing the life. The firmer the shift (if it is strong enough to hold up) is so that there is less slippage and therefor, less heat.

Actually, not true. GM and Ford both use torque management on their higher powered motors to make sure the tranny (clutches & TC specifically) survive the experience. They all have adequate cooling to deal with the heat- it's the shock waves of a "positive" shift that can do a lot of damage to transmission internals and drivetrain. (Everyone that installs a shift kit, or a tuner to re-program the transmission, needs to take note of this).

Now- if we were talking a dragster or race car, that positive shift means less power loss. But remember, the transmission only has to last through one race- durability isn't the highest priority in this application.

Another example- I know a guy in Utah that has a Ferrari F430. The car has the six-speed paddle shift, the latest and greatest in high performance tech. It also needs a clutch at 23,000 miles. $6,000- but F-Car owners have the attitude that you gotta pay to play, so it isn't a big deal. Ferrari knows this- durability will always get sacrificed for performance in their designs.

Imagine the reaction of a Ford or GM owner (even in the highline models) if trannies grenaded at 20-25,000 miles... by design.

 

[nobodyspecial]

thanks for the info!

 

[polarbear]

I should've thrown in the GM 2-speed Powerglide as an example of the other extreme. They didn't call call it a "slushbox" for nothing. But- the durability of this transmission is legendary. Many dragsters still use modified Powerglides to day. Not because they're efficient, but because they're bombproof. With a SBC sitting in front of it, the transmission often outlived one or more motors (quite different than new trannies).

 

[nobodyspecial]

Just did 300 miles at ~75 MPH... 31 MPG, hand calculated.

 

[1970Custom]

Just did 300 miles at ~75 MPH... 31 MPG, hand calculated.

Sounds about right...

 

[nobodyspecial]

I was pretty impressed. I usually drive 65, but was in a hurry. Interesting to see what I will get at 65...