Now that its getting to be winter I run into the dilemma that I did last year and I'm sure some other people do.

Most mornings when I go into work is between 19-25°, my commute to work is about 19 miles mostly country roads 35-50mph speed limits. Watching my scangauge, my trans temp will not get above 90° above ambient so most of the time it won't get over 115. Reading what Mark had said about the 4r100 its operating temp is 170-180 and if it doesn't get to that it builds moisture and doesn't shift right.

In any case, I was going to do the transmission thermostat that Tom had a thread on but after having the thermostat in hand it was beyond my skill level. But I found this. https://www.wolverineheater.com/Model-40-p/40.htm This looks more like something I'd be capable of.

Thoughts, comments, pros, cons. Would this be worth it seeing as when i drive the cooler would lower the temp from whatever the heater gets it to probably what it is now. Or would it maintain the temp during operation

Thanks

 

Let me ask you this.....Have you ever considered/tried covering the front of your radiator? If not you may want to consider doing that as opposed to the transmission heater. Just slip a piece of cardboard down behind the grill and drive while watching the gauges and see if that helps and if it does the trick they make fitted fronts for these trucks that have opennings made into them with flaps that you can run open or, if very cold outside temps, closed. I have a Wolverine oil pan heater on my truck and it works great but as you said in your OP I believe the cooler would pull the heat back down after you started the truck if you used one on the transmission. Just a thought, hope it helps.

 

When I lived where it was cold I always used cardboard in front of the coolers in the winter.

 

Just an update

I've been running cardboard completely covering the trans cooler. I've gotten higher temps but only 110° above ambient. Are there any other tips for getting the temps up?

 

The trans heater will work just fine for you. It's not going to hold that heat for long after you start driving, but at least it will have a head start. You should see slightly better fuel economy.

I'm putting a pad like that on my oil pan and trans and it's not even that cold here. Electricity is a lot cheaper than diesel fuel...and it's good for your truck. All wired together with the block heater and an onboard charger.

 

if you should feel the need:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-13011/overview/

i see no reason why you couldn't plumb this in before your radiator, but maybe Mark would know for sure if there is a reason you shouldn't.

 

Another thing about the heater pad - there is only about half of the ATF in the pan. That is all you can heat. As soon as you start it the other cold fluid will mix in.

 

That's true but the fluid above the pan will surely be warmer with a pan heater than without due to the fact that heat rises so it should still be an added benefit on start up. As I stated earlier I have a oil pan heater and when I use it the oil and water temp at the sensors stays well above the ambient temp. Even though the metal all around the sensors is constantly pulling heat away from them and the actual heating element is at the bottom of the oil pan well below the sensors. I have often wondered how hot the oil is actually getting? Without a sensor in the oil pan there really isn't any way of knowing but it would have to be substantially hotter than the top of the engine gets. so I would assume the transmission would be the same. jmho.

 

When I use the block heater in my 6.0, it heats the coolant and oil to about 110 degrees according to my Scangauge. As soon as I start the truck it drops down to about 80-85 when the cold oil from the pan starts to circulate. Definitely still will help but won't get anywhere near operating temperature.

 

Several people around here have tried it. It worked great for warming the trans in the winter. Unfortunately it also raised the summer temps considerably. I suspect that there is flow restriction even when it's fully open. Using the 1/2" model might fix that. I don't know of anyone that has used the 1/2" model.