Trans Temp Help

[JZellers]

Hi All,



I tow a heavy boat (12K) with my '03 3500 and am seeing trans temps higher than I'd like - it regularly spikes to the 230 range and has gone to 250 before. This is of course in stop-an-go traffic slow enough that the TC doesn't get the chance to lock up. It helps turning O/D off but not always enough. As soon as the TC locks, the temp drops quickly to a safe 180 or so. My truck is stock with gauges, and the trans temp sender is in the hot line. I do plan to get a Smarty in the near future.



From everything I've read, what I'm seeing is pretty much what others are who tow fairly heavy. I am considering adding a B&M Super Cooler with fan, which will further cool the return fluid. For those who have done this, how much has it helped with the hot line fluid temps?



Thanks!



Joe

 

[Bodie]

I don't have experience with that particular cooler, but I do with a comparable setup. If you tow you NEED a extra cooler, and the fan with be that much better.

 

[CPittman]

http://proweldperformanceparts.com/Supercoolers/SuperCoolerStory.html



This SuperCooler kit includes the B&M fan. Looks to be a fairly sanitary installation.

 

[Bertram65]

If you are reading the temp from the hotline how do you know the cooler you have is not doing it's job, it may be coming out out of the cooler at 160 or less, the fluid is designed to take heat away from the trans.

 

[JZellers]

I believe the stock cooler is doing what it's supposed to or I wouldn't see the temp drop rapidly back to the safe range after the TC locks up. Basically I'm trying to find out if someone has added an auxiliary cooler and had the hot line temps drop, and if so, how much.



Cooler fluid in should mean cooler fluid out, so if I can drop the hot line temp by 20 degrees or more then I'll spend the time and money to add the cooler.

 

[Hoefler]

When in stop and go traffic, drop the shift lever into 2. The torque converter will lock up in 2nd if the lever is in 2. I do this when pulling steep winding grades that keep my speed below 35 mph. It has help greatly in keeping my temps down.

 

[puller]

cooler

I have the same problem. Where are you going to install the cooler? If you install it before the first OEM cooler I think you get the most benefit however installing between the first OEM cooler and the second OEM cooler you may help cool it further because it has picked up heat from the engine. The problem as I see it the installation of a cooler with a fan there isn't a lot of places to mount it.



Puller

 

[JZellers]

I was thinking about installing it inside the frame rail just behind the transfer case. I don't want to run another set of hoses to the front, and at least it's in a clean area away from the engine heat. I figure by cooling the cooled fluid even further by tapping into the return line I'd do the most good without overcooling it due to the thermostatically controlled fan.



I'm thinking seriously about the Proweld solution because it is exactly how I would do it. It's a very well-thought out and complete kit. On the otherhand, I have the equipment to fab my own mounts, which I would prefer to make out of aluminum. I also have a good hydraulic shop nearby to fab custom hoses, so for the price difference I may do it that way and put the money I saved towards a Smarty.

 

[JZellers]

Hoefler, thanks for the advice about shifting into 2 for stop and go traffic. It was a big improvement. I'm going to add the cooler in the next month or so. Hopefully that will help even further. I'll keep this thread updated with the results.



To even further help the temp issue, I'm seeing that there are too many opportunities for the TC to be locked up at speeds between 35-50mph. My stock engine has plenty of power at the points I could use the lockup. I've read recent discussions about the DTT smart controller helping stock transmissions. I'm considering adding it also.



If anyone has any experience with it on a stock trans I'd like to hear what you think of it.



Joe

 

[Bertram65]

Hoefler, thanks for the advice about shifting into 2 for stop and go traffic. It was a big improvement. I'm going to add the cooler in the next month or so. Hopefully that will help even further. I'll keep this thread updated with the results.



To even further help the temp issue, I'm seeing that there are too many opportunities for the TC to be locked up at speeds between 35-50mph. My stock engine has plenty of power at the points I could use the lockup. I've read recent discussions about the DTT smart controller helping stock transmissions. I'm considering adding it also.



If anyone has any experience with it on a stock trans I'd like to hear what you think of it.



Joe

If you put the shifter in "2" it will lock the TC around that speed, but to do it the shifter has to be in "2"

 

[nunya]

I also experience the same temps and did find that lockup in 2nd helped alot! Have NOT got to 250 though, high of 224 and this is the reading from the Attitude readout. ANY more info would be great, keep us posted. Thanks!

 

[Bertram65]

I also experience the same temps and did find that lockup in 2nd helped alot! Have NOT got to 250 though, high of 224 and this is the reading from the Attitude readout. ANY more info would be great, keep us posted. Thanks!

Doesn't the Attitude take the reading from the factory temp sender? If so it is different than reading it from the hot line. IIRC that sounds about right from what others have reported from the Attitude.