Just installed my jr last night and love the added throttle response so far. Even on the perf setting it is totally manageable, both power and smoke wise. What doesnt seem right is that even when in the 100hp program the truck will not break the tires loose on dry pavement. This surprised me, not that I was REALLY trying to get it loose, but just thought that another hundred ponies would do it without a problem. What are the rest of you with one finding, same experience? Just wondering if maybee the power is getting lost in the trans, or that the duals on my truck are really sticky. The reason I say trans though, is that on one steep hill coming home the truck was cruising at 1500rpm in od and I put my foot in it a bit to see it pull, and it deffinately started slipping something. Dont know if it was the trans clutches, or the tc clutch. Is there a way to tell?

Thanks for any input.
Matt

 

It was slipping the lockup clutch in the torque converter.. It's (unfortunately) normal.

Way back in the day, when I was running the Edge J/A with stock sticks and turbo, basically totally stock truck, it would slip my converter in lockup-up on level 4+. Usually around 15-1600 rpms and cruising on the freeway in OD.

Just nail the pedal so the line pressure goes up (it's based on how far your pushing the throttle).

I'm sure with the low end power of the Smarty being better than the J/A its probably worse.

 

My truck does it too is guess its just a stock transmission. You will not break the tires loose because of the torque management(saves tranny). But get the truck rolling and floorit you should spin em.

 

Wow I don't have a dually but I can light the tires on level 3. I noticed that you dyno'd at 270. That seems really low. I have heard guys dyno'ing 400+ with a smarty only (on lvl 3-5). Maybe you have some other problem. How does it tow?

 

I am running the Junior in the 70 hp setting. Didn't seem to slip the tranny at all. But, when I put the valvebody it seem to run a lot better. The added line pressure seems to really help. I can break my 285 BFGs loose no problm in mine.

 

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I kind of thought that it was the tc clutch, but wasnt sure. The truck dynoed 270 with just a boost fooler this spring, I just put the smarty on it last night. Even stabbing it when the truck was already moving say 20, it wont break them loose, leaves one hell of a black cloud, but doesnt spin the tires. Maybe its just normal for this truck with the duals. The truck seems to pull fine, has good power stock with our horse trailer, but then again I dont have anything to compare it to (last truck only had 160hp so this is a LARGE improvement). What should a stock truck dyno?

 

About 270 is correct for a stock truck. These truck just don't spin tires normally.

 

Well then I guess that everything is normal! Add another happy Smarty jr owner to the list! Thanks again for your help.

 

I can't spin the tires from a 20 MPH roll, just a dead stop.

Sounds normal to me.

 

With my stock 265's I can spin them easily on the 70 hp setting, wet pavement can be scary. On the 100 setting I spun them hard at 50 mph during some light rain while running a magnum, that was with my 305/55r 20's. Cannot wait until I get my trans.


-Seeder

 

Last night coming home in the 70hp setting I couldnt get it to hold the power in od again. If this is a tow program, how am I supposed to be able to use the power towing without always having to shift down? It seems to hold good in 3rd lockup, but wont in 4th at full power. Im just surprised as I have read that some guys are towing in the 100hp program and not having issues, so is this just my tranny or common with others? It is really hilly around here and it would sure be nice to just leave the cruise set and let the truck pull the hill in od, not have to gear it down all the time and use more fuel.

 

For what it's worth, and I have Smarty SR, with my stock trans I never towed in the 100hp setting. Granted I'm towing a 12k toy-hauler, but I always used level 3 (on SR it's 60hp) and was still awfully careful with the throttle. I also HAD TO run in the stock or mild torque management settings or it would slip in O/D anytime you slowly got into the throttle.

The key is to either kick it down out of o/d by goosing the thottle (I have an 05 so at that time could not lockout o/d like you can) or lock it out on the hills.

The stock trans needs a little help towing with any additional power. Invest in a good valve body and a converter and you will have no issues.

I've read of a few people just getting a good valve body that keeps the line pressures up and they have reported good results as well. Valve body will run you aroun 400-500 or so.

 

I am surprised that your trans is not holding. I have pulled a fair amount on the 70 setting and have had no issues at all, would hold OD easily when rolling into the fuel pedal. May want to have the dealer check out your trans and see what kind of line pressure you got, maybe something wrong in the trans. You should be able to hold the power when driven carefully.


-Seeder

 

No, it won't hold OD with full power until about 70 mph. Part of the programming in the ECU. All you can do is roll into the throttle and not all the way either or it will downshift.

If you are trying this under 1800 rpm's the ECU won't allow it and the trans won't hold the power either. Unless you do some trans work on 70 HP you are slowly but surely eating the direct clutch pack up and more than likely slipping the TC clutch. You won't know it or feel it until you start getting enough pressure loss to start shuddering. By then you will need a rebuild.

The stock TC is loose enough and the pressures low enough that you will have a hard time spinning the tires even at 20 mph. It just slips the clutches. You had better get a VB or shift kit fairly soon especially towing very much.

 

If you can swing it,get the tranny done,internals and all. I had a DTT on my '99 and I must admit,I miss it around town. I drove an '06 w/stocker and couldn't stand it. I ended up with a G-56 on my '07 and like it a lot,but you can't beat an auto for convenience.