Temperature rising as distance increases!
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 56
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From: South Carolina
Temperature rising as distance increases!
80 f100 l6--new 160 degree thermostat with automatic tranny just installed in place of manual 3 speed,tranny cooled thru radiator,but on 90+ degree day truck is running a touch warm,actually temp slowly increases as driving distance does,is tranny just overloading radiator,and will add on cooler help or cure this problem?Thanks for any input.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Williamson, NY
An add-on tranny cooler will help reduce the demands on the radiator. If you do not drive your truck in cold climates you can bypass the radiator and just run the tranny fluid thru the add on cooler alone.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
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From: So Cal
It takes a long time for the tranny temps to level out. It may take an hour or two before the maximum heat gets into the fluid. This is due to all the metal in the tranny acting like a heat sink which slows down the amount of heat being sent thru the cooler.
Ditto the engine.
It is summer, things will run a tad warm. Just because you have a 160 Tstat doesn't mean the engine will run at 160. It just means the Tstat will open at 160 and then it is all up to the heat load as to how high it will go. If you live where it is cold you are not going to like that 160 Tstat, froze my tush off once too many times in 30 degree weather to go back to a 160. Lots of other issues with a 160, like sludge formation, rich running, possible catalytic converter clogging, "sand" from the converter getting sucked back into the engine, etc. Most modern engines run best with the factory rated Tstat. Not sure what an 80 needs, but I bet it is something like 180-195.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Ditto the engine.
It is summer, things will run a tad warm. Just because you have a 160 Tstat doesn't mean the engine will run at 160. It just means the Tstat will open at 160 and then it is all up to the heat load as to how high it will go. If you live where it is cold you are not going to like that 160 Tstat, froze my tush off once too many times in 30 degree weather to go back to a 160. Lots of other issues with a 160, like sludge formation, rich running, possible catalytic converter clogging, "sand" from the converter getting sucked back into the engine, etc. Most modern engines run best with the factory rated Tstat. Not sure what an 80 needs, but I bet it is something like 180-195.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
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All of the advice was right on the money. cujo8 mentioned something interesting. Using a stand alone cooler for the trans, and bypassing the radiator. Some might argue, but I agree. I drive in hot climates, and have found that transmissions can, and will run hotter than engines. This means the heat from the trans, gets exchanged to the engine, producing higher engine temps. Do not atempt this in cold climates, as the engine is responsible for warming the trans. In most cases, the internal radiator heat exchange, as well as an external trans cooler should be adequate.
Consider a trans temp gauge to verify temps at normal operation. Depending on load, this will help determine if you are keeping the trans cool enough.
Consider a trans temp gauge to verify temps at normal operation. Depending on load, this will help determine if you are keeping the trans cool enough.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
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What is the condition of the radiator? An easy way to check is to place your hand on the surface(or close to it if you can) and feel for cool spots. If you have any cool spots after the truck has reached operating temp the radiator is most probly the problem as that means you are not getting water flow in those areas. If the radiator has the auto cooler in it than it should work with your setup. I live in LA. and it gets real hot down here and I have a factory installed trans cooler in front of the radiator and then in the radiator and have no issues whatever. It is a tow vehicle with 200,000 miles on the factory trans. The cooler in front of the radiator cools the fluid than it runs in the radiator where the fluid is kept at a consistant temp regaurdless of outside temps. I personally think that your radiator is at fault.
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Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: South Carolina
OK, thanks for all the great input, I have changed tstat to 180 and now going to install a cooler in series with radiator,question is: tranny to cooler,then radiator,or tranny to radiator then cooler. Thanks for any input.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
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My truck from the factory is set up through the external cooler first then to the radiator cooler which makes sense if you think about it. The external cooler removes excess heat the radiator cooler maintains a constant temp. If you do it the opposite way final temp going to the tranny is going to be dependant on outside temperatures. If the cooling system is working properly the temp in the radiator should not vary much even under extreme load.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 16
From: Kuna ID
I bypassed the rad. part of my tranny cooler. I noticed that the temp can change quicker now. If I pull a hill and it gets hot, it will cool down much quicker. My tranny still gets to normal operating temps, and actually starts warming up(to operating temp, not overheating) quicker than before. I am also using my old A/C condenser as a tranny cooler, so it is much bigger than any aftermarket cooler I have seen.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: South Carolina
The opening in front of my radiator is not as big as the radiator itself---the original radiiator was smaller--do I need to make this opening the size of radiator that I have now for full capacity of radiator? Thanks for everyones input!