I've been reading up on the 203 thermostat for my 97 and see how it help overall operation. My question is if i put it the 203, will it raise the operating temp on the tranny? I still have that sad excuse for a tranny cooler from the factory, a bigger cooler is on the list(any recommendations for a good cooler?) of things to get asap. Also will it be a problem to run the 203 as i live in texas and it can get pretty hot here.

 

No issue. The cooler is in the bottom of the rad.
Temp is lower at the bottom.
The colder stat was for emission reasons.

Bill

 

x2 what bill said.
I put the 203 stat in last winter and have never had a problem with the tranny temps-even towing. I guess on a hot day on a long hard pull it would, but with a bigger cooler shouldn't ever be an issue. you will love it in the winter! Truck runs beter after reaching operating temps, and the heat blows much hotter in the cab!

 

eBay Motors: TRANSMISSION COOLER HD 40,000 GVW TOW TOWING TRU-COOL (item 170204153118 end time Oct-19-08 10:47:36 PDT)

This is a cooler that I just bought as several other members are also using. You can also order the thermo valve from this guy as well, about $30.00.

The only temp. that a 203* stat will effect is your engine and how fast it warms up to a better operating temp. Put a large Tranny cooler on and you will be set.

Rog

 

thankyou for the help, i'm a little paraniod about trannsmissions since in my last truck i went through 3 in 5 years to the tune of 6k spent total. So keeping the tranny in my new truck happy, is a priority.

 

You can feel the upper and lower rad hoses.
In the streets the lower will even feel cold at times.
On the hwy it will balance. But is not a problem due to
the % of fluid flow to the cooler in a E4OD. When the TC
is locked it sends more fluid to the cooler than unlocked.

I have ran the 203 with no cooling fan. (light load)

Bill

 

Bill,

That's backwards. There is more fluid to the cooler when the converter is unlocked. That's because the trans requires more cooling when the converter is unlocked compared to locked.

 

Mark

I believe above to be true for the 4R not the E4.

http://www.sonnax.com/tech-articles/TASC-TIP-06-06.pdf

Bill

 

Hmmmmmmmmmm....maybe I extrapolated a bit too much. I never worked on an E4OD, but all the other Ford electronic automatics flow less fluid when locked. Maybe this one is different, I don't know for sure. It doesn't make sense to flow more when locked then unlocked, but that was the first electronic automatic at Ford and they might have had it backwards.