01 SDTD 3.73 4X4 AT. I have a trip comming up to Boone NC (moutains) pulling my 12,000 lb 5er. Sooo I installed a big oil pan and a Tranny Temp guage. Problem is, I have asked several sources what temperatures I should expect and where the red line (shut her down and cool her off) is. I have gotten answers from 170 to 250 degrees. Can anyone help or direct me to a good written source. Time is short,I go next week.

Thanks Stan ZZZZzzzzzzz

 

I've always heard that for an auto about 180-220 is good and over 250 you better let it sit. Benjamin

 

I wouldn't worry until it got to 220-230. If it does get this high, find a safe place to stop, and idle in park or neutral. DO NOT SHUT IT OFF WHEN IT IS STILL HOT!

Raising the idle to 1200 RPM will help it cool faster. Don't start driving again until the transmission is below 200.

Mark

 

Stan, I tow an enclosed 28 foot tag Trailer with my show car inside, it is in the same weigh range as your 5th, I live in Southern California and the only way out is over a mountain range (not that high but its their) I'm leaving for Colorado in the middle of this month going over the Rocky Mountains, The highest grade of course is the Eisenhower 11,992 ft (now thats a hill) this will be my 5 trip over that hill and my Tranny Temps never get any hotter then 220 degrees, I watch it like a Hawk. I have a 97 F-350 4x4 Crew Cab single rear wheel, I have taken several steps in trying to keep the the 7.3 and the trans to run as cold as possible, I had the Whole Banks package installed, The 97 F-350 didn't come with an intercooler and this was part of the package along with their trans commend system (which helps in the shifting modes) They also put in their Chip and change the exhaust (This made a great improvement in horsepower which of course helps in climbing the hills) they also installed the gauge package, (trans temp, boost,and pyro.)Now after having all this done, With the addional performance, how do you keep it Cool, The first thing I did was Add the Mag-Hytec Oil pan which brings the trans up to 24 Quarts, (I also found out that if your Temp sending unit is in the case of the trans and not in the pan you get a faults reading, It reads lower then what it is) Second thing I did was put the Transgo shift kit in and added a ninety thousand pound trans cooler and the last thing I did was put in the Electronic Cyclone fan system. After doing all of this in the Normal towing flat land and small grades the trans temp runs right at 170 degrees. The only time it climbs up to the 220 mark is on long drawen out grades and when I hit the top I'll pull over (when safe) and let her cool down. I'd say if I only had one thing to do to make it run cooler I'd go to the Cyclone fan system this cools both engine and trans gives you a little more horsepower and you can control it from inside the cab and the last thing you get better milage with it. I hope this sheds some light on it for you have a good trip!!!! Fred A Smith

 

Thanks to all for the replies. You were right on. The trip was uneventfull, at least as far as tranny temps are concerned. With the outside temperature in the high 80 to low 90 range and the 5er behimd me the tranny never exceded 200 degrees. I have the Mag Hytec pan and an Auto Meter guage with the sensor mounted in the pan. I'm gonna study it awhile before I make my next move although I'm leaning toward a shift kit to stiffen the clutches.

 

Thought I'd add my .02 cents worth. My 01 F-350 auto with the 4.1 rear end was running at 215-220 degrees when driving on the freeway with the outside temp at 98 plus. This was WITHOUT towing my 13,000lb 5er. I didn't have a temp guage installed when I last towed it, so I don't know what temps it was running at then. I already went through one tranny at 19,000 original miles pulling my 5er this last year. So I just installed a BD HD transmission cooler with a 10in 12volt fan controlled by a switch on my dash. Just the size of the cooler alone without turning on the fan has cooled the tranny down to 170 over the same stretch of road at the same outside temps. It was a bit pricey, but now that the truck has 37,000 mile on her and out of warranty, and at $2,800 plus to have the transmission replaced out of my pocket I chose the best one I could find. Works perfectly and it can be mounted anywhere you can find the room. Mounted mine to the frame just under the passanger seat area.