I have an 06 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel mega cab, and pull a 5th wheel trailer, on the flat lands of Florida, 2 weekends each month......would you recommend a transmission cooler? My vehicle does not have one.
Thanks

 

If it's an auto, your truck has 2 coolers. One at the back of the engine driver's side which is a fluid cooler and one up front that is an air cooler. Follow the lines from your tranny.

Pete

 

yes it is auto transmission. I wasn't aware.

 

To really gauge if yopu need another/more cooling, get some gauges installed.

Also, if you are sitting, parked, in traffic, put the truck into neutral. If you are over ~15-20mph, even unlocked, the factory coolers work fine.

I've had thoughts about adding another cooler...even on 115F days, I have not seen over 180-190F. Once I get over 30mph (tow-haul mode or jake on) the TC will lock up and the trans temp will fall to <170. The 30mph lockup is if i'm easy on the throttle. If I hammer it, the tc won't lockup until 40-45 in 3rd.

Remember, it's not that the temps are spiking to 180-190, it's time at that temperature. If you are >230 for >30-60 minutes, get the fluid changed at your earliest convenience. If you run <200 all day, change it at the factory interval (30k). Rule of thumb with trans fluid: 170f is supposed to last 100k miles; 190F = 50k, and so on. Every 20F rise over 170F is a half-life. If you follow this out, at 130f the trans fluid should last 12.5k.

This does not take into account how many miles you already have on your fluid.

HTH

Tony