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Old 05-08-2020, 03:38 AM   #1
Gobirds38
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Auto Trans Temp?

Does anyone monitor the trans temp when towing?
What are the temp ranges? (Good and Bad)
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Old 05-08-2020, 04:16 AM   #2
chuckster57
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I do, but I have an older truck with what has been labeled as a weak transmission (E4OD). You need to know what the normal operating temp is when not towing to determine what’s “bad”. Another factor will be the type of transmission fluid, as the synthetic ones can handle higher temps.
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Old 05-08-2020, 05:06 AM   #3
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Do you have the Hydra-Matic 8L90 transmission? There's apparently an issue with that transmission ... https://www.classaction.org/news/cla...c-gmc-vehicles

I would ask the temp range question on a GMC truck forum, I'd guess you would get a lot more information there. How does that setup tow? Looks like a lot of trailer for a 1/2 ton. Do you have the 20" rims with P metric tires?
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Old 05-08-2020, 05:25 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
Do you have the Hydra-Matic 8L90 transmission? There's apparently an issue with that transmission ... https://www.classaction.org/news/cla...c-gmc-vehicles

I would ask the temp range question on a GMC truck forum, I'd guess you would get a lot more information there. How does that setup tow? Looks like a lot of trailer for a 1/2 ton. Do you have the 20" rims with P metric tires?
I am not sure what trans I have, I will find out.
I just replaced my tires with Toyo Open Country II 265/65-18, Load 116T.
I only bought it in November of last year, haven't towed it yet, except to and from the storage unit and the dealer. Seemed to tow very well.
I have a Blue Ox Pro WDH. I do get some bounce, but I think moving some things around inside to distribute the weight better will help...
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Old 05-08-2020, 06:13 AM   #5
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Sounds good. When you get loaded up visit the Cat Scales and get a good baseline on where your axle and hitch weights are then dial in the hitch according.
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Old 05-08-2020, 06:42 AM   #6
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That's my plan.
How do you dial in the hitch?
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Old 05-08-2020, 06:50 AM   #7
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I've considered 160F to be a good temperature for normal operation. That can vary widely depending on weather, towing, condition of the fluid and condition of the transmission. There could be transmissions that run higher, but that's my number.
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Old 05-08-2020, 06:55 AM   #8
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If you don't have the instructions that came with the hitch go to the Blue Ox website and download it. Follow the directions on the measurements. Typically after setting the correct height and angle of the ball it's a matter of measuring wheel arch height front and back on the truck and setting the bars to get an even "squat" front and rear. First step is to find the weight of the truck axles hitched with weight bars attached and detached, and truck without trailer but with hitch and bars in/on the truck. This will tell you what your actual tongue weight is and if you need to shift weight around to get the proper percentage of tongue weight.
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Old 05-08-2020, 09:21 AM   #9
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Transmission temperature is dependent on the specific vehicle. For example, my specific vehicle is designed and comfortable with what some might consider “cooked”. I run 197° F under normal conditions and hold about 206° when towing, except when pulling long uphill runs, but have never seen it over 215° even under full load
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Old 05-08-2020, 02:28 PM   #10
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This is a pretty good guide:
https://www.freeautomechanic.com/tra...mperature.html
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Old 05-08-2020, 02:52 PM   #11
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Unless you have a newer Ford. Ford auto trans have a thermostat in them that doesn't open till 200 to start cooling. The truck does nothing to try to cool the fluid till it is in the 240s. Then it ramps up engine fan till drops back to the 200s. Newer synthetic fluid takes hotter temps. Transmission is more efficient at higher temps hence the thermostat. New synthetic fluid needs to get above 213 to boil water out to extend fluid life.
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Old 05-08-2020, 03:18 PM   #12
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In addition to the comments about the Ford SuperDuty transmission cooling system (it's a liquid cooling technology not an air cooled system) the newer GM trucks also are using significantly higher transmission operating temperatures, which means higher towing temperatures as well.

The newer synthetic transmission fluids withstand higher temperatures with none of the "old problems with fluid breakdown at 195-200F"...

Doing a "google search" for topics like: Transmission temperature for a 5.3 Silverado or Towing transmission temperatures in GM 1500 trucks will provide a host of "reliable sources" as well as some "not so reliable ones"... Pick and choose between things like "GM Q&A sites" and "BillyBob's shadetree answers"...

I wouldn't be too worried with temps ranging into the 200F area when towing.
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Old 05-08-2020, 03:54 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
In addition to the comments about the Ford SuperDuty transmission cooling system (it's a liquid cooling technology not an air cooled system) the newer GM trucks also are using significantly higher transmission operating temperatures, which means higher towing temperatures as well.

The newer synthetic transmission fluids withstand higher temperatures with none of the "old problems with fluid breakdown at 195-200F"...

Doing a "google search" for topics like: Transmission temperature for a 5.3 Silverado or Towing transmission temperatures in GM 1500 trucks will provide a host of "reliable sources" as well as some "not so reliable ones"... Pick and choose between things like "GM Q&A sites" and "BillyBob's shadetree answers"...

I wouldn't be too worried with temps ranging into the 200F area when towing.
Fan ramps up to force more air thorough transmission cooler radiator at front of truck.
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Old 05-08-2020, 05:39 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyldfire View Post
Fan ramps up to force more air thorough transmission cooler radiator at front of truck.
Yeah, that happens in both the air cooled AND the liquid cooled systems.
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Old 05-08-2020, 06:49 PM   #15
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Auto Trans Temp?

Quote:
Originally Posted by bobbecky View Post

On the Ford Diesel forum I’m on, we have a moderator that was a Ford Transmission engineer for 8+ yrs before opening his own shop. He commented on that specific table in 2009. Said with synthetic fluid a Ford auto trans could run all day at 230, and hour at 240 and 1/2hr at 250 before any damage. I have had my trans fluid to 247 degrees twice for about 10 minutes each time. No issues yet. YMMV.

On both those occasions I was pulling a steep grade: EGT was 1250, engine was 235, 1st gear 2800 RPM at approx 15 MPH.

Flat ground cruising at 63 MPH- EGT is 1000, engine is 210 and trans is 205.
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Old 05-09-2020, 05:54 AM   #16
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Long video that shows Ford 2017+ oil and transmission temperature strategies. What used to be considered HOT is now normal and desired. I know many people who added aftermarket transmission coolers to their trucks in 2017 and were shocked that temps didn't change. So normal temps depends on the transmission in your vehicle. What is hot for one can be normal for another.

https://youtu.be/C0iKcag-wr8
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Old 05-09-2020, 11:04 AM   #17
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Dang those are hot numbers.
I've seen only 1 transmission go up in actual flames.
Ford van stuck in the mud.
I looked at my Ram trans temp yesterday on a 10 mile trip...165. I've watched it while towing but don't remember anything surprising.
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Old 05-14-2020, 10:04 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyldfire View Post
Unless you have a newer Ford. Ford auto trans have a thermostat in them that doesn't open till 200 to start cooling. The truck does nothing to try to cool the fluid till it is in the 240s. Then it ramps up engine fan till drops back to the 200s. Newer synthetic fluid takes hotter temps. Transmission is more efficient at higher temps hence the thermostat. New synthetic fluid needs to get above 213 to boil water out to extend fluid life.
On my Forester running the V-10 6.7 L, I also run about 197, and it rises to low 200's towing my car. My Durango with the Dodge Hemi runs about the same when pulling my boat. Dodge has a dash readout for constant trans temp monitoring. I missed that in my Ford so I installed a Scangauge https://www.scangauge.com/
Well worth the hundred bucks or so... besides trans temp, it also can provide about 20 other readouts. I monitor engine coolant and TFT or Transmission Fluid Temp with total piece of mind
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Old 05-14-2020, 12:41 PM   #19
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Trans probably runs around 160F, but maybe more on hot days and pulling up a long grade. Just make sure the gauges don't go into the red. Good truck, everything in shape, towing the right load should have plenty of gauge wiggle room before it gets to red on Oil, Water, Trans temps. If any of them go up to the red investigate.
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Old 05-14-2020, 02:27 PM   #20
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Mine runs 100 deg over ambient. Roughly
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