What gear am I actually in?

[rvcrazy]

I hate to sound stupid, but...if I am in 5th gear O.D. in my 2003 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager with the 8.1L Workhorse engine and the transmission drops down a gear, what transmission gear am I actually in?

I get lost in the electronic O.D. versus actual transmission gears.

Thanks...Larry

[rvcrazy]

I hate to sound stupid, but...if I am in 5th gear O.D. in my 2003 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager with the 8.1L Workhorse engine and the transmission drops down a gear, what transmission gear am I actually in?

I get lost in the electronic O.D. versus actual transmission gears.

Thanks...Larry

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rvcrazy:
... what transmission gear am I actually in?
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>Larry, You would be in fourth gear. The ratio in 4th is 1:1.

[skipsor]

Rvcrazy, listen to Driver. He usually knows what he's talking about but sometimes the many years he has on his chassis...

[rvcrazy]

Thanks for the input. I assumed it would be 4th gear, but wasn't sure.

Have a great summer...Larry

[alvinc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rvcrazy:
I hate to sound stupid, but...if I am in 5th gear O.D. in my 2003 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager with the 8.1L Workhorse engine and the transmission drops down a gear, what transmission gear am I actually in?

I get lost in the electronic O.D. versus actual transmission gears.

Thanks...Larry </div></BLOCKQUOTE>There is no such thing as "electronic overdrive". Fifth gear is an actual gear (overdrive in this case). You have an automatic transmission, which means you have a transmission that shifts itself. In spite of its intelligence, it still needs "real" gears to do its duty.

The Allison 5 speed transmission has two different components: a transmission that can be electronically shifted and a torque converter. The torque converter is much like the clutch of a manual transmission and makes the gear shifts smoother. An automatic transmission makes intelligent use of the transmission and the torque converter to to do its job.

The Allision 5 speed automatic (T1000) has the following shift pattern:

1st gear: torque converter active
2nd gear: torque converter active
Torque converter locks up
3rd gear: momentary unlock of torque converter for shift
4th gear: momentary unlock of torque converter for shift, this is actually the 1:1 gear, one revolution of the engine to one revolution of the drive shaft. The rear end axle gearing still applies.
5th gear: momentary unlock of torque converter for shift, overdrive

Every one of these is a transmission gear, even the torque converter lockup. Before and after the torque converter lockup a different gear ratio exists between the engine and the rear axle. If a manual transmission was used on the WH chassis a much higher geared rear end would be needed. This would also require a much wider gearing range than is currently used with the automatic.

From my off road experience, with an automatic transmission and higher rear end gears, I can develop more pulling power than a similar manual transmission vehicle. The manual transmission will stall if the gearing is not low enough, the automatic allows higher RPMS and thus more HP to the rear wheels. For explanation, ask: the best example I can think of is a Jeep Wrangler, one with automatic and one with manual transmission. Both have substantially different transmission gearing and rear axle gearing.