First start of the day transmission question

[woodworker]

During the first start of the day for your Ranger, do you shift the transmission into neutral for a minute or so or do you start, shift, and drive?
I always shift into neutral while I’m putting on the choke belt, making sure mirrors are adjusted, and so on. Guess it‘s just an old habit from years of driving the old 727 automatic transmissions to get the fluid moving.

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[DukeCanBuildit]

I don’t put it in Neutral but I go through my pre-flight while my Ranger does its best F-750 impression. All the bluster and chest-puffing usually stops when I shift into Reverse and back out of the garage

 

[Chris M]

I remote start and by the time it idles down I'm also in it and going into pre-flight checklist:
Key on
ASS off
Seat belt on
Seat warmers on
Garage door up

 

[got3fords]

I don't understand how that would do anything to help get the fluid moving. Aren't you basically in neutral when it's in park?

 

[AzScorpion]

I've never shifted into neutral unless I was driving a stick. I just start and wait for the rpm's to drop then take off.

 

[mtsoxfan]

I start truck, pull out of garage. In cold weather, let run less than 1 minute. Roll out flat driveway and coast down hill, about 3/4 mile, then drive normally. Warm weather, I guess pretty much the same. there is no strain put on engine/trans with these conditions. I could almost push truck from garage to road.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I remote start and by the time it idles down I'm also in it and going into pre-flight checklist:
Key on
ASS off
Seat belt on
Seat warmers on
Garage door up

Seat warmers?

Why, we run our cooled seats all year long up here and use the lowest setting in the winter, with all the windows down!

 

[Chris M]

Seat warmers?

Why, we run our cooled seats all year long up here and use the lowest setting in the winter, with all the windows down!

Well, I dont run the heat so the air flow temp just is what it is outside.
But I'm not about to apologize for being able to keep my tush warm.
Im old and fragile, you know.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Well, I dont run the heat so the air flow temp just is what it is outside.
But I'm not about to apologize for being able to keep my tush warm.
Im old and fragile, you know.

Me too - sure feels good on the lower back, doesn’t it?

 

[Chris M]

Me too - sure feels good on the lower back, doesn’t it?

Amen!

 

[woodworker]

I don't understand how that would do anything to help get the fluid moving. Aren't you basically in neutral when it's in park?

The old 727 trans fluid stopped flowing when you went into park as best I remember. From what I understand, the Ranger transmission circulates fluid as soon as the engine starts but it still do the neutral thing in the Ranger and the CRV. Just an old habit.

 

[TxOTRRanger]

I start it. Then go through the pre flight.
ass off
seat belt on
let it set and run for a while
Rough Country lights on (until I get to the farm market road)
put it in Drive and hit the road

 

[Motorpsychology]

Well, I dont run the heat so the air flow temp just is what it is outside.
But I'm not about to apologize for being able to keep my tush warm.
Im old and fragile, you know.

When it's cold,<35ºF/2ºC, I let it run until the fast idle starts simmering down.

I turn on my aftermarket seat heater on to hi when I exit the truck in cold weather. When I start it from the app, the seat is already getting warm. I also turn the passenger side on hi when picking up pizza!

 

[woodworker]

However, the design of the valve body in the stock 727 (and 904) significantly restricts the flow of fluid through the transmission cooler circuit and the torque converter while in Park, especially compared to Neutral.
Idling in Park for extended periods is generally discouraged by experts, as the limited flow through the cooler can cause the fluid to overheat.

 

[ScarzRanger21(2.0)]

I don’t… I auto-start the truck with my phone app, let it warm up for 5 or so minutes, roll down the driveway, hop out to close the gate, and head to work. We live up in the mountains so my drive is all downhill. I shift down to 5 to control my speed on the way down and let the truck do its thing.

When I’m leaving the shop to come home, I let it warm up for a few minutes and drive it slow to let the engine and transmission get to normal operating temps. By the time I hit the freeway, everything is warmed up and I drive it normally.

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