Today, I pulled my 35' Cedar Creek (9,500 lbs) up the mountain to West Jefferson, NC. I've pulled it before, just not up the mountain. It done very good.

I did watch the temps closely and all of them rose very quickly on the hardest and longest pull, here are the results:

Water 215
Trans 220 (pan)
Exhaust 1100

The temps stayed there for 10-15 minutes, then cooled quickly.

At the hottest point, the transmission seemed weird. I was traveling 35mph third gear at 2500 rpm with the clutch fan engaged on a uphill curvey road. It wouldn't do anymore!! I had to let up why going into a sharp curve and the trans jumped and felt like it slipped a little.

The rest of the trip it never gave a problem. In fact after pulling the camper, I went to the store in the rain at 35 mph and nailed the pedal and spun the tires. No slip. cool temps.

I hope the trans just got too hot during the episode. I did change fluid and filter this week before the pull. It has 92,000 miles.

What do ya'll think?

 

220 is not horribly bad, but I assume your converter unlocked?? Maybe a little more go go and you wont have to push the pedal down so hard and make it unlock? Just a thought.

exhaust temp sounds good.

 

I think you would like to know what the actual fluid temps were at a given point, not just an average of the pan. I don't even have a gauge, so you are doing better than me.

Take this into consideration. I would guess your "real" hot temps were a bit higher than what your gauge was showing you.

 

high temp flashes will not damage anything as long as the entire fluid does not reach those temps

 

Yeah, If I could have gotten the speed up just a tad the TC would have locked. The road is steep and full of curves for miles.

I'm thinking about adding a remote spin on trans filter and change it often. I think it would extend the life of the tranny, or would it?

I reccomend 4" exhaust for towing, it sure keeps the exhaust temps down.

 

What i have found is at low speeds and less air being pulled into the radiator , transmission temperature will start to equal coolant temperature. You are most likely fine. If this is a common pull and fequent temps you will need to service the transmission often. Dont lug it. Let the moter rev higher. Down shift manualy and keep the motor close to governor speed. You will pull more air accross the radiator and the motor will run cooler which also will translate into a cooler transmission. If the motor is hot the coolant in the radiator will not be able to cool the transmission.

 

how fast were you going?

 

35 miles an hour and 3 gear at 2500 rpms sounds like the converter was in fluid coupling, stock converter, and making a lot of heat. The temp out of the hot line going to the cooler must of been hot to make 220 in the pan. I am not a expert on automatics transmission, but if you had a way to lock up 2 gear then perhaps that might help on a pull like that. I have pulled a trailer load of 8 inch pipe and I could experence the poor fluid coupling of my stock converter. All I could think of why did I ever let my ex-wife talk me into buying a truck with a automatic. Two mistakes I will never make again. Jim

 

well you could install a lock up switch and it would lock 2nd gear.

wow that must have been some grade if it wouldnt lock 3rd gear. If this is a regular pull for you, I would invest in a good converter. Even if it doesnt lock you will be amazed how efficient a quality aftermarket converter is.

 

It's not a regular pull, thank God!! I if was a regular pull, definitely a better TC and valve body.

If anybody has traveled up 321 to Blowing Rock, NC knows the road. It's an easy road normal driving. Pulling a 35' Cedar Creek camper made it a challange.

Thanks for the responses