Got a '92 with the automatic. No mods to the engine accept a 16cm turbo housing. Have EGT and boost gauge. Also have a Mag-Hytec Double Deep Transmission Pan with a temp gauge installed.

This weekend, when pulling my fifth wheel (it's not a big trailer...maybe 5000 lbs.), I felt the engine temp was a little high on some of the grades. Most especially the pull up from Dillon to the Eisenhower tunnel (in Colorado). This is about 10 miles of a 6% grade starting at about 9000 feet and goes to 11,260 feet. It was an average summer day for the Colorado mountains...maybe 75 degrees in Dillon. The coolant temp gauge was cresting the high value of 'OK' and moving into the HOT region by the time a made the tunnel. The tranny temp got up to about 215 degrees. Runs about 17 lbs boost and 1050 degrees EGT. I was able to maintain around 55 mph in 3rd gear. In anyones opinion, is this normal behavior? or do I need to look at my radiator/cooling system. Also, does tranny temp drive coolant temp and vice versa? and to what degree? I've got 235,000 miles on this engine/transmission. Also, what can I do to help my "sloppy" torque converter? I'd like to achieve a better lockup and lower my rpms a bit on the pulls and quit heating up my transmission fluid. Any and all opinions/advice are appreciated.

 

there is no lock up on teh trany.
as for cooling, that sounds about right. mine does the same thing!

i poped my RAD cap this weekend. and noticed soem build up on teh cooling fins inside of what looks like lime or calcium build up? is this bad? or is it time for a RAD flush with some type of additive.

jiMMy

 

Yeah, I know there's no lockup. I'd just like less slop and a tighter converter.

 

That seems warmer than what mine gets towing around 8500lbs up to the tunnel or Vail pass, but I do have a new radiator. With the 8500lbs I get 18 psi and 1150 on the pyro, and get slowed down to around 45+ mph by the top, but the water temp is still on the safe side. If it was me I'd flush the rad and do a new thermostat. (These numbers were before the Snows boost cooler.) As far as the tranny goes I have the factory super cooler under the bed and mine has never gone above 180. I'd get a big tranny cooler with a dedicated electric fan, the start looking at torque converters, just my oponion though. Good luck.

 

215 in the pan is pretty warm! Remember, that is after the fluid has already been through the cooler (coolers, if you have the auxillary). Those kind of temps in your pan are temps that I start getting worried about in my hot side line. I would strongly suggest looking at a HD auxillary cooler if you don't already have one. You might also give your fluid a quick sniff to make sure it doesn't smell burnt.

Not an expert opinion, just my $0.02 worth
Carl

 

There was a thread a little while ago along this theme. One of the guys had a great little gadget he made to blow out the cooling fins on the radiator. I'd look it up for you, but I'm already ******* it at work writing to you now. Just look back a couple of weeks for "coolant hot " or something like that. Maybe it'll help you out with the engine temps.

As for the tranny fluid, ouch! that's hot!

Good luck with it.

 

I wasn't aware that there was a stock/optional cooler. Wish I had one! I think I'm headed for spending some $$. I'll get the radiator rodded out soon with a new thermostat. I know the fan clutch is good...I can hear the roar. Then I guess I'm headed for a better torque converter and upgraded valve body. Anyone have recommendations for what products to look for for these items? Also a aux. tranny cooler with fan. I also noticed that the transmission fluid line that runs to the radiator is awfully close to the exhaust running down from the turbo. That certainly could be influencing transmission temp. Maybe some shielding on that line is in order.

 

FLX-45951 (summit part number)
im goin gto buy this and mount it under the bed in the stock loaction. should do the trick.

jiMMy

 

Where is the stock location?

 

Have you done any hard reversing lately? Reverse is the week link, and when the band starts to go it plugs the filter, causing things to heat up. When you rebuild it, ther eis a replacement Kevlar band they put in mine when rebuilt. With your mileage, it sounds like it lived a good life anyway, probably just gonna keep making heat as it's age starts showing. JMHO. I'd at least check the filter to make sure the oil is circulating ok.

 

I just replaced the filter maybe 8000 miles back when I added the double deep pan. The one I took out didn't look too bad either. I'm using full synthetic fluid as well. So at least it's able to withstand a bit higher temps. No hard reverse use. But I'm sure some tranny work is in my future. I'm getting that cool chrysler thing where if the truck sits for a day or two I have to put it in Neutral for about 15 seconds to build pressure in the transmission.

 

behind the drivers side seat but in front of the tire under the bed horizontal. outside of frame rail i belive. but can mount anywhere. thats where i will mount mine!

jiMMy

 

This is good practise for ANYONE running the auto tranny in these trucks. Since no fluid is pumped throughout the system in PARK, you are turning things in there without any lubrication to speak of.

Carl

 

I just installed one of these. I chose the largest one, 21"X10" with the 1250 cfm fan on top. I mounted it just behind the driver's seat between the frame rail and the rocker panel. So far driving around town, I see a 10-15F drop in transmission temps, but I've not towed with it yet. The fan works, but doesn't do anything for the temps, probably because I haven't got that hot yet. I will be towing the trailer end of next week. That's when I'll find out if it works or not.

John

 

After talking with a few folks, you folks, and in my head, I have a feeling that my heating problem is in the transmission. The looseness of my TC is heating the fluid which is in turn heating my engine coolant. So I think it's time to freshen the tranny. I talked yesterday with Bob Berends (sp?) of Performance Diesel Transmissions in Greeley. He's the dealer/installer for DTT products here. He said I'm driving a snowmobile...just runs the same rpm no matter what. Ha! He's going to throw me a quote for TC/tranny rebuild. Maybe christmas (on my own) will come early this year! Any opionions on which TC I would want? I think there's a couple to choose from.