Originally Posted by
kingtal0n
imo the factory 4l80e converter is too heavy for any performance application
a lighter converter will save fuel because... its lighter. Get the lightest wheels, the lightest converter, the lowest stall, aluminum ds, use an appropriate rear gear size/axle. With a mild (212~) cam and turbo you got 600~rwhp on 93 octane easily in any truck V8 made after 2003
but it needs the converter most of all. Thats the heartbeat, the most important part
IMHO I would not lock in 2nd and 3rd generally because it will work the converter clutch more and that is a clutch you are trying to save as much as possible.
If you have exceptionally long drawn out 2nd and 3rd gears then maybe you could address that instead of locking the clutch more often, as it would return similar or better economy results and save the converter clutch wear.
Now you can lock in 2nd and keep it locked to 4th, but that will present interesting forces/shocking to the transmission's internals and while I am not a trans expert I think they could do without the shock of a or several shiftlocks. I guess it depends how squishy the drivetrain is, like maybe with huge tires and the 4l80e it's negligible.
I'm an economy aficionado, I've brought my 4l80e somewhere in the 22's to 23mph highway and shooting for 25 still think it's possible. But I am also a mechanically conservative minded, I won't waste a part such as a clutch unless absolutely necessary for some vital purpose. The trans has clutches inside, so either way you are turning a friction material into dust
magic dust. who let the dust out? When they ask me about changing their 150k mile trans fluid I've decided to start saying "change around half of it" rofl