Transmission fluid
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 29
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From: NW Oregon
Transmission fluid
I own a 97 F 350 crewcab P/S diesel, auto tanns. all factory equiment.
My problum is when Im towing and pulling mountain passes, my tranney ,twice now, has "puked" out tranny fluid when it starts to heat up. Im told i'ts comming out the breather tube.
I have been useing off the shelf mercon fluid. Some others are saying the fluid im useing is not good enough quality. When the tranny starts to heat up on pullin hills, the fluid foams up and spits out the breather tube. My tranny temp meter shows 160 deg. normal, 208-210 pulling hills while towing.
My question is what type of fluid should I use or do I just need a additive to keep from getting hot?
one Ford dealer told me to use only motorcraft trans. fluid. The others are too cheap in quality. Sounds like salesman speak to me.
What does this forum think? what kind should I use?
Patrick
My problum is when Im towing and pulling mountain passes, my tranney ,twice now, has "puked" out tranny fluid when it starts to heat up. Im told i'ts comming out the breather tube.
I have been useing off the shelf mercon fluid. Some others are saying the fluid im useing is not good enough quality. When the tranny starts to heat up on pullin hills, the fluid foams up and spits out the breather tube. My tranny temp meter shows 160 deg. normal, 208-210 pulling hills while towing.
My question is what type of fluid should I use or do I just need a additive to keep from getting hot?
one Ford dealer told me to use only motorcraft trans. fluid. The others are too cheap in quality. Sounds like salesman speak to me.
What does this forum think? what kind should I use?
Patrick
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Transmission fluid
Hmmm, the 200+ fluid temp is a little bothersome. Do you do a lot of towing in the hills? I would probably recommend a larger tranny cooler. Choose one at about the total weight of the truck and trailer. If yours has the factory cooler you might only need a little extra.
Alternatively I might recommend using synthetic fluid. Not sure if they have better anitfoam characteristics, but they hand;e heat better.
How heavy a load are you pulling? I had a 250 with E4OD and I pull about 8,000 and my truck loaded up weighs about 7,000. I have towed in dessert heat up hill for mile upon mile(The Grapevine and easter Oregon) and never had a problem loosing fluid.
One other thing to look for is maybe a loose atf filter in the pan. If it is loose they suck air and will make foaming worse.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Alternatively I might recommend using synthetic fluid. Not sure if they have better anitfoam characteristics, but they hand;e heat better.
How heavy a load are you pulling? I had a 250 with E4OD and I pull about 8,000 and my truck loaded up weighs about 7,000. I have towed in dessert heat up hill for mile upon mile(The Grapevine and easter Oregon) and never had a problem loosing fluid.
One other thing to look for is maybe a loose atf filter in the pan. If it is loose they suck air and will make foaming worse.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 29
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From: NW Oregon
Transmission fluid
Thanks Jim,
I agree a different tranny cooler should be installed. I tow a 30 ft. boat on a triple axle trailer. Together it weighs around 9000 lbs. I towed to Anacortus Wa. from Salem Or. Last summer. The fluid blew out just as I arrived.
Just last week I towed to Lake Shasta, while pulling thru the mountain passes, It was in the 90 deg. heat my tranny temp got up to 210 deg. when it started to blow out tranney fluid. After I cooled down it was fine, and didn't leak again. Even on the return trip.
You think a bigger trans. cooler and Synthetic fluid will fix my problum?
Patrick
I agree a different tranny cooler should be installed. I tow a 30 ft. boat on a triple axle trailer. Together it weighs around 9000 lbs. I towed to Anacortus Wa. from Salem Or. Last summer. The fluid blew out just as I arrived.
Just last week I towed to Lake Shasta, while pulling thru the mountain passes, It was in the 90 deg. heat my tranny temp got up to 210 deg. when it started to blow out tranney fluid. After I cooled down it was fine, and didn't leak again. Even on the return trip.
You think a bigger trans. cooler and Synthetic fluid will fix my problum?
Patrick
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Transmission fluid
I would probably go with a bit bigger cooler. From what I hear and have read, you want your ATFto run between about 140 and 190. I think I read for every 10 degrees above 190 you loose something like half the life of the tranny.
So a bit cooler is first since you don't want to toast any seals and stuff. Then the synthetic is optional since it will stand up to heat better but with a cooler, heat should be less of an issue. You could go with just syn and no extra cooling but I think the seals will get over heated even if the fluid is OK.
I like syn almost as a religious matter so if it was me I would go with both. You would probably be OK with just the cooler if you didn't want to try syn.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
So a bit cooler is first since you don't want to toast any seals and stuff. Then the synthetic is optional since it will stand up to heat better but with a cooler, heat should be less of an issue. You could go with just syn and no extra cooling but I think the seals will get over heated even if the fluid is OK.
I like syn almost as a religious matter so if it was me I would go with both. You would probably be OK with just the cooler if you didn't want to try syn.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 86
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From: Kentucky
Transmission fluid
The bigger cooler will help the most in my opinion. Any time you are allowing the tranny to get hot enough to emit fluid you are doing damage to the tranny. It may not be noticeable at first, but you can be sure that you are decreasing the life of it. I would change fluid and filter after any time that it emitted fluid.
