I have a 2001 F-150 Supercrew Lariat with a 4.6L V8 (2WD). I recently towed my 18 foot center console boat and trailer from Florida to Atlanta. My gas mileage was atrocious but that's beside the point. I was curious if these trucks are equipped with transmission coolers? My buddy told me once I was up here that I risked tearing up the transmission if my truck doesn't have one but I'm not sure he knows what he's talking about. What indication would I have if I did infact overheat the transmission in route to Atlanta?

 

Well, if it seriously overheated you would probably smell it, or the fluid would be darker; more brownish than red. Unfortunately, these trucks do not have a transmission temperature gauge unless the owner adds one. It seems likely that the computer reads the trans temperature, but I don't know if it is saved or how you would extract that data.

Normally, they have a (liquid to liquid) cooler within the radiator. Some, those with tow package I believe, have an additional air to liquid heat exchanger low in front of the radiator.

 

Look behind the grill and see if you already have a cooler from the factory (in front of the A/C condensor).

If you do, it's a decent enough cooler.

If you don't, add the largest stacked-plate (vs fin and tube) cooler you can find.

Any OBD-II scan tool that has the capability to read PIDs can display the TFT (Transmission Fluid Temp) PID along with almost 300 others. The $150 or less ones definitely won't do this.

Steve