Is there even a fisrt gear in this thing?

[2002OhioLSE]

I have noticed since I bought the car about a week ago that when you shift into the SST mode you can not manually shift down into first gear. Also when I am at a stop and take off it seems to be taking off in second gear when it's in the auto mode. It only seems like when I get up to about 20 and then give it gas it kicks down into first and goes. Does this sound right to anybody else or should I get his thing in to get it looked at while its still under warranty??

 

[Quik LS]

yes - it's been discussed many, many times - the SST on pre-03's will only go into 1st gear at 60% throttle from a standing start.

Ford needed to do this to pass the CAFÉ test (economy)

the 03+ engine was a bit more efficient with the VVT and could pass the CAFÉ test while in 1st.

 

[2002OhioLSE]

what about when you are in automatic mode,is it still the same 60% in order to get it to start in first gear?

 

[Quik LS]

nope - in Auto (D4 or D5) - it always starts in 1st.

 

[JES_LS]

Welcome to the illogical result of all that wonderful 'logic' in the SST transmission.

 

[LS4me]

Welcome to the illogical result of all that wonderful 'logic' in the SST transmission.

Not illogical from Lincoln's, or our, standpoint. It saved us having to pay a gas guzzler tax.

 

[Vivid LS]

Buy the SCT Xcal2 Flasher from Torrie and he should be able to program it to start in 1st.

He did it with my 02. Best perfromance upgrade I have done so far.

 

[JES_LS]

Buy the SCT Xcal2 Flasher from Torrie and he should be able to program it to start in 1st.

He did it with my 02. Best perfromance upgrade I have done so far.

I had not heard that.

what about the downshifting to the starting gear when you stop at a light, do you have to shift it down to first from every gear or just third?

 

[2001LS8Sport]

Buy the SCT Xcal2 Flasher from Torrie and he should be able to program it to start in 1st.

He did it with my 02. Best perfromance upgrade I have done so far.

Hmmm....that's interesting. From earlier reports, you couldn't do that with the SCT tuner.

 

[Quik LS]

We have a PCM version from the UK - which were all 'sport' models and did not have the CAFE test issue. A LLSOC member was able to get his hands on it and we got it to Torrie and SCT. It does not work on all PCMs - unfortunately - but the ones that can take that version - it works fine.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

That's great news Quik! Do you have a list of what ECM calibration codes it's working on and which ones aren't?