hot while towing
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Nova Scotia
hot while towing
I have a 1995 extended cab long box F250 HD 5.8l with 4.10 gears.I tow a 28ft. camper that is @7300lbs +gear and water for a total of close to 8000lbs.The problem I have is heat.The engine runs a bit hotter than normal but the main problem is the trannie runs VERY hot.It has a cooler on it.Is this too much for this truck to pull?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 998
Likes: 23
From: Tennessee
hot while towing
I don't think the weight is the problem. I have a 35' Holiday Rambler that should weigh about 8500 loaded that I use to pull with a 86 F150 SC 4X4 with a 351 E4OD and 3:55 gears and it never got hot even on 500 mile pulls with a few 6% grades thrown in for good measure. The temperature gauge would rise a little on the hills but it never overheated or read hot.
Greg
Greg
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Hamilton Ontario
hot while towing
Maybe your tranny cooler is not large enough? I put a H/D one in my tow vehicle , with a temp gauge. Check to see If you have a large tranny cooler. If you don`t , I would put one in. Then for good measure , buy a tranny temp. gauge to keep an eye on things.
Remember that excessive heat is bad for your transmission!
Good luck
Sty
Remember that excessive heat is bad for your transmission!
Good luck
Sty
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 3
From: Lincoln USA
hot while towing
One other thing you may want to consider doing is having a shift kit installed in the tranny. The kit will decrease the amount of time the tranny takes to complete a shift. This decreases the amount of time the clutches are partially engaged and thus slipping. This slipping is a major contributor of heat in the tranny.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Nova Scotia
hot while towing
I found a pin hole in the lower rad hose ,which I have to change.If the fluid got down would that afect the trannie cooler that much?
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 508
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hot while towing
Hmmm. Reading between the lines, it sounds like you have just the the in-radiator tranny cooler. For heavy duty tranny cooling, you should also have a separate cooler mounted ahead of the radiator.
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Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Nova Scotia
hot while towing
Changed the lower rad hose,got the air out of the system,went for a drive without a load and it's still fluctuating between the o and the m of "normal".I didn't think it used to.Anybody have any other ideas?
Postmaster
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 0
From: South Ga
hot while towing
so it's not running hot, just warmer than you want it?
could be sticking t'stat, when changing coolant sometimes good idea to change it depending on how long it's been in the truck. i guess a '95 has one, i've never changed my '96 but on the '79s i've changed both - and if you do alot of pulling maybe a lower degree t'stat during the summer, 165-175 if available, could help. But, i'm no expert
when i pulled a large boat to the coast a few weeks ago, my '96 stayed in the normal range with a/c running. It would be at the highest during stop light, then on open road would drop never getting above the "m"
hope this helps,
i have but one shade tree in my yard
could be sticking t'stat, when changing coolant sometimes good idea to change it depending on how long it's been in the truck. i guess a '95 has one, i've never changed my '96 but on the '79s i've changed both - and if you do alot of pulling maybe a lower degree t'stat during the summer, 165-175 if available, could help. But, i'm no expert
when i pulled a large boat to the coast a few weeks ago, my '96 stayed in the normal range with a/c running. It would be at the highest during stop light, then on open road would drop never getting above the "m"
hope this helps,
i have but one shade tree in my yard
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 0
From: Oak Harbor WA
hot while towing
Well, can you make sure the guages are all working properly?
Are any codes coming up? Well, it doesn't sound unusual to me.
My truck's guages bounce all over the place, I have found that as long as it stays in the normal range- I'm fine. But I haven't heard of this being a problem in a newer truck though...
Either that, or you may have something wrong with the cooling system that none of us know about. Have you had your tranny serviced?
If that doesn't help, then you might want to think about an auxillary oil cooler, radiator cooler, or just a bigger trans cooler.
I installed all 3 on my truck, and it does run cooler. My tranny cooler is over twice the size of one of those wimpy factory ones.
Are any codes coming up? Well, it doesn't sound unusual to me.
My truck's guages bounce all over the place, I have found that as long as it stays in the normal range- I'm fine. But I haven't heard of this being a problem in a newer truck though...
Either that, or you may have something wrong with the cooling system that none of us know about. Have you had your tranny serviced?
If that doesn't help, then you might want to think about an auxillary oil cooler, radiator cooler, or just a bigger trans cooler.
I installed all 3 on my truck, and it does run cooler. My tranny cooler is over twice the size of one of those wimpy factory ones.
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 46
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From: Nova Scotia
hot while towing
I think I'll put in a real gauge to check the temp.Yes it's running warmer than usual.Tranny is going to be serviced this week comming up.And yes I may have to go to a cooler thermostat.Taking it to my brother-in-law (mechanic)tommorrow to see if he can help.
Postmaster
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,933
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From: South Ga
hot while towing
Just wondering, if you leave the truck in park with a/c running does it run hot? Not sure but could that help determine if it is cooling system vs transmission helping it run hot.