That's why I asked my first question.

Jimmy Jo Bob apparently has a very trustworthy face.

 

did I miss something or was my question awnsered. I like peoples personal prefrences. So for everybody in here would you say that I should start leting out of it at say 200 or what. Thanks

 

i would let mine get to 200 and not over that
here is info from dieselsite.com

• When your transmission fluid reaches 200 degrees it starts breaking down.
• At 240 varnishes form and transmission life expectancy is cut in half.
• At 260 the transmissions internal seals and rubber parts harden and major damage starts.
• Above 295 you transmission start slipping, clutches burn out and carbon forms.
• With each 20 drop in operating temperature, your fluid and equipment life doubles.
• Installing a cooler before damage starts and by reducing the transmission fluid temperature by as much as 60 degrees can greatly extend the life of your transmission.

 

Muk, what did you decide to do with your trans?



Also, please not that temp doesn't say all. You see, while I was smoking my 3rd clutch pack, the temp didn't get past 210. However the spot temps did get high enough to burn the fluid while the overall temps were under 210.

 

Very good point, even though average temp of tranny may be 210, there can be hot spots at other points. Since install of my trucool, i haven't seen temp higher than 185. So based on that, anything over 190, I am going to start to wonder how hot is out, humid, etc. Then base what my actions are going to be. Towing 12K trailer in summer heat that is dry. I have yet to see higher than 185. Prior to the cooler, I would see as high as 210-215 driving around town no load.

To answer your question. W/Cooler, I'd wouldn't start worrying until temp get over 190. Without cooler, expect it higher into the 220 range or so. Won't hurt anything but that is probably what you'll read.

 

I ordered my Tru-Cool last night. Should be here Tuesday. I'm pulling a 20' Sunline Solaris TT, and last weekend in temps of about 70, I saw 190 on the flat highways of Indiana. I'm planning a trip to OR this summer and will pull a couple good grades. I don't even want to know what that stock cooler would allow outside of "flatlanderville".

 

Probably would be okay if you where keeping speed with the T/C locked. I noticed mine started climbing quickly when driving around town empty, when it was in constant slip mode.

 

I just put an Auto Meter in my truck last month. I never see it go above 170 around town. Towing 12K, it has been highest at 195. 195 was during rush hour, stop and go traffic for 15 miles and 98 degrees outside. On the highway doing 77 MPH it never goes above 170 while towing. Everything is bone stock with the exception of Amsoil fluids and Superchips programmer. I haven't set it back to stock to see the temp difference. But, I would assume that the stock setting would only be cooler.

 

Stock setting isn't necessarly cooler. But it depends on how the SuperChips runs the tranny shift points. I know I am very satisfied with the way my Bully Dog chip controls the tranny, I like it much better than the superchip I had.

 

The implication of this statement is that it may be operated safely at any and all times within this temperature range. There are two ways to think about this.

First - The answer is, "Yes" jschira is correct. Within this temperature range, the 4R100 will not catastrophically fail due to temperature. Ford says so, and they have the product testing to back them up.

Second - But Jimmy Jo Bob isn't interested in what can be done to the trans and still have it function until just after the warranty period - this is what corporate bean counters, CFOs, share-holders, and product liability attorneys are interested in. After all, Jimmy Jo Bob has to PAY for a new trans after the warranty expires.

Reality: the standard for temperature and transmission life, based on empirical data accumulated over many decades, is that average operating temperature of the trans should be about 175. That does NOT mean your tranny will die at 180 - or even 248. BUT - the hotter the trans runs, the shorter its life expectancy. Period. For every 20 degrees AVERAGE operating temperature above 175, expect your tranny life to be cut in half.

So, if your trans normally operates at 170 to180 and only rises to 200 or 210 occasionally when working hard, there really is no problem.

A few things to keep in mind - if you work your trans hard, and it often runs above 200, you need to 1) change your tranny oil more often, and 2) consider supplemental cooling to keep the average operating temperature closer to 175 (and keep max temps from getting too high, too).

Ford provides a tranny temp gauge (in some PSDs) that tells you nothing at all until your trans is well into the seal-hardening/oil scorching range. So, a REAL trans temp gauge is of more value than a supplemental cooler. You might need a cooler, but it could be a waste of money for you. You'll never know until you have a gauge.

By the way, Ford decided my PSD didn't need a trans temp gauge. That must mean my trans temp is always within operational range, because if I needed a trans temp gauge, Ford would have put one in.

 

I thought that I had said my peace in this thread, and was going to let it go, but people post such unbelieveably incorrect information, I just can't. In fact, it will take me two posts.

You can run your tranny at whatever temp you want, but dont't believe this stuff.

I don't know where this came from at all.

What a load of crap. Empirical data? From whom? It says quite clearly in my Dodge manual that 190* F is "normal". Believe it if you want, but there is abslutelu no basis for such a statement.

BTW - My early 60s Fords run on Type A tranny fluid. My 2005 Dodge runs on ATF+4 (a full synthetic). Any of this "empirical data" collected in the 60s is worthless now.

Nonsense. To follow this logic, we should refrigerate the tranny fluid to keep it as cold as possible.

Like motor oil, the additives in the tranny fluid do get used up, and the fluid must be replaced periodically in the 4R100. But when operated within normal parameters (which is 51* F-248* F, the fluid has a usedful life as specified by Ford.

 

Ahh yes, a direct quote from that often-quoted chart, which, BTW no one knows from where it came and is at least 30 years old (please see "Type A" comment above).

OK. A small nugget of wisdom

Oh no. You should have just stopped there.

That "empirical data' thing again.

Well, I guess if you accept your 60s and 70s vintage "empirical data" from testing Type A fluid and ignore Ford's current test data on Mercon, this statement could seem to be correct.

My Dodge doesn't have a gauge, just an idiot light. And yes, that is all I need. I really don't care what temp my tranny is, I just want to know if it is getting too hot. A light handles this task quite nicely.

Now, if you redefine the universe, so that your preceived reality applies, then no, the light won't work for you and you need a guage.

 

Feeling any better?

 

I'm sure he is.

And never forget - no matter what anyone says, high temperatures can never hurt an automatic transmission. Ford designed them that way.

 

A nice little misdirection post. But I won't be distracted. Whether high temps can hurt is not, and never has been, the issue. The issue is how high is "to high".

You can have any opinion that you want, but it is just that, your opinion. You can do anything that you want for whatever reason you want. If anyone wants to believe you, they can.

But I do have a problem when you state your opinions as facts or "reality". Misinformation is worse than no information at all.

I have posted Ford's "opinions". I also have posted SWRI's facts. I haven't advocated one way or another (read my posts again). I have also challenged the basis for some of the opinions presented.

The original poster can now read the numerous opinions and the precious few facts and can decide for himself.

If I ruffled feathers along the way. Too bad. Don't make public statements without being ready to back them up.