Explorer 6F35 - turning off adaptive shifting a huge win!

[Klutch9]

About a month ago, using Forscan, I cleared the adaptive shift tables, and the turned off adaptive shifting entirely for my 2016 Explorer. The 6F35 will never be a buttery smooth gearbox. We have owned two vehicles with it and it has its… quirks. But with the adaptive shifting turned off, it’s smoother and more predictable. It also greatly reduces the ‘shift hang’, where it kind of waits, waits, then shifts.

I got the idea from an F150 forum where they had good results on the 10-speed. It’s easy to do. I suppose I didn’t need to clear the tables first, since I disabled them anyway. But figured it wouldn’t hurt.

 

[Hall]

We had a Fusion with that transmission and it was fine, but I did clear the "shift tables" a couple of times using FORScan. Never heard of a way to disable adaptive shifting though. Maybe a new feature that FORScan added since I moved on ? I always knew the 2-3 (sometimes) hesitant upshift was "electronic" and not mechanical since the throttle amount would dictate if it happened or not. Or, if you drove in Sport mode, it NEVER happened.

 

[ctechbob]

I wonder if @clinebarger could give us his opinion on disabling adaptives.

I have my own thoughts on the matter, but they're not set in stone, nor are they based on anything other than 'I think'

I'm generally not a fan since with them turned off in my mind, the transmission will default to higher line pressures and quicker shifts that might cause accelerated wear on components. Short term gain with longer term consequences. Especially if you start getting a valve that is moving slower and the transmission can't adapt to it.

But like I said, that's just my opinion.

 

[The_Jeff]

Seems like something they should do for fleet vehicles where they keep getting different drivers. Glad you have that option.

 

[Klutch9]

I wonder if @clinebarger could give us his opinion on disabling adaptives.

I have my own thoughts on the matter, but they're not set in stone, nor are they based on anything other than 'I think'

I'm generally not a fan since with them turned off in my mind, the transmission will default to higher line pressures and quicker shifts that might cause accelerated wear on components. Short term gain with longer term consequences. Especially if you start getting a valve that is moving slower and the transmission can't adapt to it.

But like I said, that's just my opinion.

The shifts aren’t unnaturally quicker though. Just… normal. Smooth.

 

[ctechbob]

The shifts aren’t unnaturally quicker though. Just… normal. Smooth.

Is that a turbo motor?

 

[Klutch9]

Is that a turbo motor?

Yep, 2.3 TGDI. It’s a big Focus RS

 

[clinebarger]

I wonder if @clinebarger could give us his opinion on disabling adaptives.

I have my own thoughts on the matter, but they're not set in stone, nor are they based on anything other than 'I think'

I'm generally not a fan since with them turned off in my mind, the transmission will default to higher line pressures and quicker shifts that might cause accelerated wear on components. Short term gain with longer term consequences. Especially if you start getting a valve that is moving slower and the transmission can't adapt to it.

But like I said, that's just my opinion.

It would take a lot of testing to prove out such a modification.

Freezing the ability to adjust to & learn the clutch fill volumes can be very detrimental to "Clutch to Clutch" units.....
A Flare also known as a Cut-Loose is easily detectable....While a Tie-up aka Bind-up isn't.

Lets say up to a 3 millisecond tie-up is acceptable & causes no long term harm to the frictions, But a 6 millisecond tie-up will cause distressed frictions over time/cycles......Most people wouldn't be able to tell by the way a shift "feels".

 

[ctechbob]

Yep, 2.3 TGDI. It’s a big Focus RS

Ahh yes, cousin to the 2.3 I had in the Ranger. Fantastic engine.

 

[goblin]

It would take a lot of testing to prove out such a modification.

Freezing the ability to adjust to & learn the clutch fill volumes can be very detrimental to "Clutch to Clutch" units.....
A Flare also known as a Cut-Loose is easily detectable....While a Tie-up aka Bind-up isn't.

Lets say up to a 3 millisecond tie-up is acceptable & causes no long term harm to the frictions, But a 6 millisecond tie-up will cause distressed frictions over time/cycles......Most people wouldn't be able to tell by the way a shift "feels".

This ^^^

Or in short - is adaptative shifting the same as adaptations ?
If it's just some driving habits learning - fair enough. If it prevents the transmission from compensating for the changes that will occur over time - might be risky to say the least.

 

[ctechbob]

This ^^^

Or in short - is adaptative shifting the same as adaptations ?

I'm assuming what you're talking about is a box that 'learns' the way you drive?

If so, there's no such (currently) thing. (There were a couple Benz boxes in the past that did it, but nothing currently)

 

[goblin]

Yep, that's what I meant.
I'm still at the bottom of that rabbit hole (cf: thread about Amsoil ATF) - my Hyundai's transmission was acting borderline concerning after an ATF change till I realized the adaptations were not reset and till I got the driving procedure to mostly make it calibrate itself. At night I still dream of clutch fill times and whatnot.

Google claims that adaptative shifting is learning the driver's habits, so I guess we're good.

 

[ctechbob]

Yep, that's what I meant.
I'm still at the bottom of that rabbit hole (cf: thread about Amsoil ATF) - my Hyundai's transmission was acting borderline concerning after an ATF change till I realized the adaptations were not reset and till I got the driving procedure to mostly make it calibrate itself. At night I still dream of clutch fill times and whatnot

Yep, that can happen when you're switching fluid like that. That's kinda why I only do 1 drain and fill at a time on my 10r80's and do them often. I figure that keeps the difference between changes to a minimum.

So far that's worked out pretty well for me. I've never reset the tables on anything of mine, but I can see where it would be necessary to do it and perform a relearn.

But still, that's why there's a set procedure to the relearns, to take the driver out of it.