When driving up the moutains in the Smokie's and when pulling my camper, I have taken my truck out of overdrive. I then get a smell almost like a belt or something getting hot. I have taken it out of overdrive going down hill as an engine break and get no smell. Any ideas what this could be?

 

I don't know how big your camper is. But I tow a 25 foot RV and was told to just keep it out of overdrive all the time, except for maybe long gentle down hill grades, to keep the transmission from overheating. I'm wondering if the hot smell is from your transmission. Perhaps it's already gotten hot when you disengage overdrive?

The extra fuel you use doesn't come close to the cost of a transmission rebuild.

 

It may be the front seal on the tranny puking a bit of tranny fluid. Do you have a tranny temp gauge? Every one who tows should have one; period.


Oldguy4,

You have an AUTOMATIC transmission. You only need to lock out the OD if it is hunting or you want additional engine braking down hill.

If you're in 3rd gear it doesn't matter if you have or have not locked out OD. The thing is in 3rd! That button has no effect on anything while you're in 1st, 2nd or 3rd. With the exception of the 3rd, it won't allow it to shift into 4th (OD). It's not like it changes something in the tranny.

And another note, 4th is overdrive and in overdrive the torque converter is LOCKED. LESS heat is generated when the TC is locked. Towing in OD is preferred when speeds and conditions allow to reduce transmission heat.

 

Just to claify, when driving the smokie mountains I was not towing. When I towed my camper, I was less than a mile from home, took it out of OD to help on the road grade and it started smelling right away.

 

Monsta, this isn't helping thenaz with his hot smell, but what did I say that made you think I thought the OD button did anything else?

I agree with you on what it does. However you make it sound like the TC only locks up while in overdrive. Not true! If you run up to, say 45mph in tow/haul mode you get two shifts. 1st to 2nd then 2nd to 3rd. Then there is a 3rd change in rpm. That's the TC locking up. So to say towing with OD locked out causes more transmission heat is erroneous.

 

"...was told to just keep it out of overdrive all the time, except for maybe long gentle down hill grades, to keep the transmission from overheating." I guess I was responding to this but I was not necessarily thinking that you thought it did something else.

No I don't.

Thanks. I'm well aware how it works. I didn't say that "towing with OD locked out causes more transmission heat." What I was saying was answering or responding that you lock OD to keep your tranny from overheating. I'll say it once more.

Towing in OD is preferred when speeds and conditions allow to reduce transmission heat.

OD doesn't create more heat, excessive shifting does.

I'm sorry to have posted confusing information.

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When was fluid last changed and how? I think something is clogged and causing it to leak fluid.

 

No apology necessary. Like you said one other time, that's what these forums are all about.

So, you were asking thenaz when was the last time he had his fluid changed? Where is he anyway?

 

I have been reading the thread and watching what seemed like clash of the egos. I bought the truck used with about 25k on it. Have 35K on it now. I will have the trans fluid changed and filter changed to see if that helps. Any thoughts on using synthetic oil in trans?

 

No clashing here, hence the apology.

Synthetic is great to use in your tranny.

I would certainly change yours out if it hasn't been changed yet. Would you do it yourself or have someone do it?

 

I will have my trusted mechanic do it. Probably have diffs and transfere case done while I'm at it. I understand your point about the trans temp guage, but as I mentined, it started smelling less than a mile from home. How difficult is it to have trans temp guage added on? Thanks for your help

 

You want to see a clash of egos, check out that thread "tell me about breaks". lol. I know these guys that have edge products can set them to tell trans temp. Other than that, there was some info on here a few months back. They were talking about where to put the sensor. In the pan, or in the line going to the cooler, etc.

 

Best option for a trans temp guage, IMO, is to use a Scan Gauge II (ScanGaugeII - Trip Computers + Digital Gauges + Scan Tool). It displays many different things with trans temp being just one of them.

Much easier than running an analog gauge. I, however, put one on my 04. there are instructions in this forum somewhere. It's fairly easy but not as easy as plugging the ScanGauge into your OBD post.

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I think once you take it to your mechanic he'll find the leak. Have you crawled under there at all to have a looksee??