Question Tranny Got Hot...now what?

[JRJ04]

I've got a beach house here in TX, and yesterday the driving was just TERRIBLE! Nothing but deep ruts, soft sand, engine at about 2100 RPM's, 4x4, goin about 10 mph. Obviously putting a load on it like that is gonna cause things to heat up. I watched my tranny get hotter and hotter. By the time I got off the beach it was 220* and I smelled something burnt almost. I couldnt tell if it was the constant 800* egt or if something in my tranny got screwed up. Drove it home today pulling a trailer and all was fine and it was at normal op temp.

Anything I need to worry about?

What can I do to gain better control of this? It's only an issue when theres not much air moving over the cooler.

Your thoughts?

 

[ponyexpress94]

Were you running in 4 HI or 4 Low? You will move slower but you have a better mechanical advantage running in soft conditions in 4 Low. If that isn't an option, then about the only thing left is a bigger tranny cooler and possibly set it up with a thermostat controlled cooling fan. Since you have a 4R100 auto trans you could run a synthetic fluid as well to help fight some of the breakdown of the fluid as it warms up.

 

[JRJ04]

i was running in 4 hi. already got synthetic. i guess i should try running 4 lo next time. do you think there was any permanent damage done?

 

[ponyexpress94]

How long did the tranny run at 220? If it was just a brief period of time then you are probably okay, but you'll have to keep monitoring the performance of the tranny and see if it is acting funny. How many miles are on the synthetic tranny fluid that's in there right now? About the only thing you can do is change the fluid, just as a precautionary measure, but I am certainly no expert. Hopefully someone else will chime in with other routes to take from personal experience. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

 

[DaveBen]

One of the rules of thumb is: Tranny temp should not be higher than outside air temperature + 100 degrees. This is a general rule and not an absolute.

Dave

 

[trackspeeder]

If the fluid looks good, smells good don't worry about it. If it's burnt change it.

 

[JRJ04]

fluid only has 30k on it. it was at 220* for MAYBE 5 minutes. I made sure and let it idle until it got back down to 190* just to be sure that nothing got coked up in there.

looks, fine, smells fine...im hesitant to change it...royal purple aint cheap.

would a bigger cooler help out much in a situation like that? how difficult are aftermarket coolers to install?

thanks for all the feedback

 

[DaveBen]

Royal Burple will be fine. That is good synthetic oil!!

Dave

 

[woofer700]

Low lock would help better.

 

[trackspeeder]

fluid only has 30k on it. it was at 220* for MAYBE 5 minutes. I made sure and let it idle until it got back down to 190* just to be sure that nothing got coked up in there.

looks, fine, smells fine...im hesitant to change it...royal purple aint cheap.

would a bigger cooler help out much in a situation like that? how difficult are aftermarket coolers to install?

thanks for all the feedback

Bigger is better for a tranny cooler. You can use the 5R110 cooler (6.0 cooler)
or check out a Tru Cool aftermarket cooler. Both are pretty easy installs.