AUTO 3sp vs 4sp ? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

03-07-2002, 23:08

i know the story about the strike and susequently unavalible 4sp blah blah...

any way is there any differance in take off ?
mid range, or top end.

ive got the 4sp in my EA and im pretty happy with it,
a little (very little) clunk every now and then ,but usually smooth as.

go the fords !!!(xr

jamesk · 03-08-2002, 00:32

first 3 ratios are the same between both boxes so it will be exactly the same.
the 4sp isnt as strong as the 3 speed though apparently.

ben · 03-08-2002, 01:47

basically the 4sp is electronic, longer kickdown, more complex operation, not as reliable, and extremely expensive to work on and get fixed.

the 3sp is just a mechanically (valve) operated unit which not much can go wrong with, cheap to fix, strong, and has the same ratios as the 4sp.

i would put a 4sp in a magna or family car, and a 3sp in any type of EA that has a bit of grunt thats gonna be used.

The repair costs and complexity is a fact, and the 3sp's only real disadvantage is that is doesnt have the lower revving final gear (which i dont mind anyway, gives me consistant response and makes me comfortable), and isnt absolutely as smooth (although a good working one is pretty damn smooth)....the rest is just my opinion

ben

03-08-2002, 07:11

I know that ea's and eb's have the same first three ratios, but doesn't the eb have a shorter diff which means better acceleration despite having the same first three gear ratios?

03-08-2002, 09:41

i dunnop if thats all theory.. but ive driven a fair few ea's 3 spd and 4 spd.. and i have noticed that on take of 3 spd is much quicker.. but if your doin say 60 and floor it it doesnt kick down..

XplodEd EA · 03-08-2002, 10:50

I agree with Envy, the 4spds are a bit slow off the mark, the gear changes take longer but are alot smoother than the 3spd. The only advantage with them is that power switch, but if your hammering it everywhere u go putting it on doesnt do anything.
I disagree with saying that the 4spds are not as strong or reliable, ours has only been serviced once in its entire life and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, still as smooth as the day we bought it, doesnt clunk or anything, and it has been given a hard time, especially last weekend in the wet.

Ed

Zomwit · 03-08-2002, 11:54

I've driven 3 speeds and 4 speeds and I much prefer the 3 speed. The 3 speed is much more responsive, changes are much quicker and kickdown is also a -lot- quicker in the 3 speed. They are also much tougher and cheaper. The only disadvantage is that they dont have an overdrive gear.

03-11-2002, 13:11

So why didn't ford do a hydraulic operated 4 speed auto? Same as the 3 speed but with an overdrive gear instead of making it electronic and all hi-tech when you say it isn't as good.

jamesk · 03-11-2002, 13:19

i would say they didnt mean for it to not be as good. they just didnt build it very well.
all the taxi drivers used to swap their 4 speeds for 3 speeds, was looking around the wreckers once for a 4 speed and they all talked us out of buying one, so they must be bad for a wrecker to not mind losing an average of $1200 they want for them