MPG-conscious warm rod manumatic idea - is it possible?

[ellenor2000]

So I have a 4 speed auto, 2002 Ford F-150 XL 2wd long box. It has a tonneau cover.

I want to mount an auxiliary overdrive (making the thing an 8 speed) and do a manumatic mod with a computer-controlled shift override mechanism that also integrates cruise control.

I would ideally have a floor mounted aux shifter with 11 positions (one of which would be the neutral position) and two wheel-mounted paddles. Two of the 10 positions would select different kinds of shift automation (though "factory" automation would still be available). With the shifter in those positions, either the shift would be dumb, simply upshifting when the engine is about to overrev and downshifting when it's about to lug (in A1), or smart, scaling the upshift point by the throttle input and downshifting to the lowest gear until in first unless the brake pedal is at all in use (in A2), with kickdown available in both. The other eight will be 1, 1/, 2, 2/, 3, 3/, 4, and 4/. The system would have the torque converter always locked except before a shift command is successfully executed and in 1st and 1st over.

Anyone got any idea whether or not this is possible, and if so, what hardware I should use? The aux overdrive is implied as being included.

[freebeard]

Your question deserves an answer. Sorry for Ecomodder being so unwelcoming.

So yes anything is po$$ible.

The helpful part would be how. I have no Idea. I suspect it would involve an Aurdino or similar processor board.

For the 4-speed auto and for the intended overdrive; what is the control mechanism? physical shift rods would have a different solution as compared to, say, CAN Bus messages.

[ellenor2000]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Your question deserves an answer. Sorry for Ecomodder being so unwelcoming.

So yes anything is po$$ible.

The helpful part would be how. I have no Idea. I suspect it would involve an Aurdino or similar processor board.

For the 4-speed auto and for the intended overdrive; what is the control mechanism? physical shift rods would have a different solution as compared to, say, CAN Bus messages.

Control mechanism for the 4R70W? I don't f'ing know!

For the aux overdrive, i also don't know.

[freebeard]

Do you know how to find out? That will be key to making it happen.

Sorry for being so obvious. Point the search engine of you choice at https://www.google.com/search?q=Control+mechanism+for+the+4R70W+transmiss ion

There you will find an article at Autospeed that might be a good start.

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article...art-One&A=2672