Hi there, I come from a family full of diesel, we currently have a 92, 94, and 96 CTD Reg. Cab Reg. Box. On the 1992 my dad has been experiencing for quite some time the tranny is heating up past normal when he is pulling a load, and therefore heats up the engine. He now pulls the heavier load all the time with the 96. It has been in and out of the dealership over the years and nobody can figure out what the problem is. I was wondering if anybody else has experienced these problems on the first gen. dodge CTDs. Any help would be greatly apprieciated.

 

An option on the auto 1st gens was an auxilliary trans cooler with an temperature controlled electric fan. The whole assembly mounted under the bed. If the truck has this, make sure the fan and wiring are functional. If not, you might want to add something similar. Summit Racing and Jeg's both sell fan cooled trans coolers that would work well.

 

What is his gauge showing? My truck will hit 200* towing the Jeep on a trailer, but I don't have "super duty" cooler Dave is referring to.

The stock torque converters on these trucks are garbage - they slip way too much and that generates lots of heat. Installing the Hughes converter was a big improvement, but more cooling is still needed over the "heavy duty" behind the grille cooler. TCI also makes an upgrade converter, and DTT is well known for their converters and transmissions.

If you don't have the super duty cooler on your truck, I'd suggest going with the Derale #15800 cooler - it uses larger tubes with -8AN fittings instead of the -6AN or 3/8" barbed fittings that many coolers have. The hard lines on my truck are 1/2" OD, yours is probably the same. Make sure you use a cooler and lines/hoses that are at least that size.

 

i would go with another cooler and a fan for it as well. get a deep sump pan for it too to add more fluid.

im going to get another cooler and a fan for it(already a huge on in front of the radiator). also going to get the mag hytec pan the double deep one.

jiMMy

 

Jimmy, did you say that you "already" have a fan "infront" of your radiator?.. What kind of fan did you find to fit in there? picture please..

 

my bad, i ment to say just a cooler in there!

 

He said that the tranny sometimes reaches upwards of 400 degrees, and they once measured it at 600. He said it was fine for 6 or 7 years and 180,000 km until the dealership rebuilt it then it started doing this. He has put another cooler in along with a better fan, but it still overheats, even when puttering through a field surveying too....

 

400*??? There isn't some conversion formula for US to Canadian degrees like there is for currency, is there?

What are they using to take it's temperature? If it's getting that hot there is likely MAJOR damage to the trans, and I'm surprised it will even move. I'd start by making sure the gauge or whatever measuring device they're using is accurate.

 

Well here's the break down.
If he is stateing 400-600 deg's "F", it would = 204-315 deg's "C" , The other way, 400-600 deg's"C", would = 752-1112 deg's "F"
No mater which way the trans is over temp. If the problem got worse after a rebuild I would suspect the converter. (assuming the replaced it with a rebuilt) well on further thought would suspect the converter any way.
The torque converter is the only sorce of heat generation in a properly functioning trans (baring slipping clutches which soon show their hand)
D-Kid, I would follow the advice of the previous posters and get a good aftermarket converter but I would NOT put it in your current trans until it was freshened.
A good way to wreck a new converter is to run other trans parts thru it.
At the temps you were stateing I would bet the clutch frictions are delaminated and the steels are warped. Also ask them to make sure they inspect the pump internals carfuly for damage. Heat will modify alot of parts (not always good)

 

Just an FYI for anyone looking at "WHERE" to take your tran's temp's from..DTT sell a steelbraided line that connect to the bottom of the oil cooler "under the EX- manifold"and the existing trans tube..it's a nice piece that take's the Temp in the right spot, and make's the Line flexable, so it make's taking the tranny out later a snap!