Re: NON-Q: How To Improve Ford Pickup Brakes - HELP

["Bernard Littau" <bernardl@acumenassociates.com>]

[snip]
>Folks- If you have an automatic be careful with this advice. Using the
torque
>converter to brake the vehicle without it being locked generates LOTS of
>undesireable heat. On long steep downgrades,the fluid can get so hot it can
>melt some of the plastic connectors used in the lines between the tranny
and
>the cooler. If you want to use engine braking with an automatic get a
torque
>converter lock-up switch installed. An aux cooler would not be a bad idea
>either.

[snip]

Engine braking is not different than engine pushing.  Remember, I said use
engine braking combined with slow down.  Sure you can overtake the heat
dissipation capacity of a transmission and its cooler.  You can do this both
with engine braking and with engine pushing.

If your system cannot go 60mph uphill without pooping out or overheating the
engine or transmission, don't expect to be able to go downhill at 70mph and
suffer no side effects.

Best,

Bernard Littau
Woodinville, WA
'88 5kcstq