help: LONG TRANNY WARM UP TIME!!
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 93
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help: LONG TRANNY WARM UP TIME!!
Hi I Drive A 2003 F-250 With A 5.4 Litre Gas Engine I Have Noticed That In The Cold Temps Of -15-35degrees Celcius The Motor Will Warm Up Slightly After 3 Min But The Automatic Tranny Is Definatly Not. I Start To Drive Down The Highway I Notice That The Tranny Takes A While To Shift Into The Other Gears, During The Summer With A Moderatly Light Foot, The Tranny Would Shift At 2000 Rpm But In The Cold When The Tranny Is Not Warmed Up It Takes An Extra 300 Rpm To Shift Or Just Will Not And The Rpms Will Climb To 2200 And Hold There Until The Tranny Is Warm By The Way It Takes 6 Miles For The Tranny To Warm Up!!! I Have No Idea What Is Going On Or If Anything Is Serriously Wrong Please Help!!
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,924
Likes: 6
From: Richmond BC
sounds normal enuf to me..
the tranny fluid is just really cold and as a result takes longer to get to operating temp. and so will the tranny in general..
i wouldnt worry about it, unless the tranny starts acting up like missing shifts and such..
p.s. i notice my tranny temp. gauge has been alot slower to come off full cold, with the nasty weather.. no worries...
the tranny fluid is just really cold and as a result takes longer to get to operating temp. and so will the tranny in general..
i wouldnt worry about it, unless the tranny starts acting up like missing shifts and such..
p.s. i notice my tranny temp. gauge has been alot slower to come off full cold, with the nasty weather.. no worries...
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 784
Likes: 1
From: White Rock BC Canaduh
Hi I Drive A 2003 F-250 With A 5.4 Litre Gas Engine I Have Noticed That In The Cold Temps Of -15-35degrees Celcius The Motor Will Warm Up Slightly After 3 Min But The Automatic Tranny Is Definatly Not. I Start To Drive Down The Highway I Notice That The Tranny Takes A While To Shift Into The Other Gears, During The Summer With A Moderatly Light Foot, The Tranny Would Shift At 2000 Rpm But In The Cold When The Tranny Is Not Warmed Up It Takes An Extra 300 Rpm To Shift Or Just Will Not And The Rpms Will Climb To 2200 And Hold There Until The Tranny Is Warm By The Way It Takes 6 Miles For The Tranny To Warm Up!!! I Have No Idea What Is Going On Or If Anything Is Serriously Wrong Please Help!!
You might want to check your trans fluid level just in case, but I can't help but feel your concern is nothing to be worried about. When it hits colder than normal temps around here (Vancouver BC area) I find myself feeling that the Truck is running a little strange. From feeling every minor rough spot on the road (frozen tires) to the shift points not hitting the sweet spot as it does in normal (warmer) weather conditions.
Of course I cannot guarantee it, but I'm pretty sure you're ok.
How long has it been since you had the tranny serviced? Fluid and filter might help if it's been a long time since last service.
Rick...
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
Likes: 27
From: Long Beach, Ms.
What I believe is happening is the engine thermostat is doing its' job and staying closed allowing the engine to warm properly. However the transmission is circulating fluid through its' portion of of the radiator. A solution maybe the installation of a thermostatic bypass valve to the transmission lines. What transmission do you have? Does it have a built-in bypass?
FROM Tru-Cool 4739 MAX - Diesel Performance Parts
1999-2004 Ford 4R100 Transmission
1999-2003 Ford 7.3L Powestroke
1999-2004 Ford Lightning
1999-2004 Ford F-Series Gasoline Engine Vehicles
all of the above are already equipped with a bypass valve and the valve is not necessary
If you have any other model of transmission, you will need to check with your repair manual or parts department to see if your transmission is equipped with a bypass valve. If it is, you don't need one. We know that 1994-1996 E4OD transmissions DO NOT have a bypass and will require the unit with the bypass valve. The bypass valve will help these vehicles maintain minimum operating temps of the fluid.
FROM Tru-Cool 4739 MAX - Diesel Performance Parts
1999-2004 Ford 4R100 Transmission
1999-2003 Ford 7.3L Powestroke
1999-2004 Ford Lightning
1999-2004 Ford F-Series Gasoline Engine Vehicles
all of the above are already equipped with a bypass valve and the valve is not necessary
If you have any other model of transmission, you will need to check with your repair manual or parts department to see if your transmission is equipped with a bypass valve. If it is, you don't need one. We know that 1994-1996 E4OD transmissions DO NOT have a bypass and will require the unit with the bypass valve. The bypass valve will help these vehicles maintain minimum operating temps of the fluid.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 423
From: Long Island USA
That extra 300RPMS sounds like the torque converter not locking up until the tranny is warm.
Quite normal.
How to fix it? A thermostat bypass would probably help.
Or at that temp, maybe a heater blanket for the tranny? Is there such a thing?
Quite normal.
How to fix it? A thermostat bypass would probably help.
Or at that temp, maybe a heater blanket for the tranny? Is there such a thing?
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,881
Likes: 84
From: Wake Forest, NC
Extra 300 rpm sounds normal at those temps. Unless it's something new, or just been a while since it was that cold and you forgot, I would not worry about it. Everything works differently when it's cold.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
Its normal. I monitor trans temp. The TQ will not lock until temp are at a certain point. I can drive for over 10 minutes during the winter and my trans isn't near 100 deg F. My TQ will usually lockup before the engine temp reaches 180 deg but thats with temps around 20 degrees.
I'm shure Mark will chime in.
I'm shure Mark will chime in.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
My experience, with at least 3 cars when I lived in the frozen wasteland of the Pacific NW, was that the cars would not shift at the warm shift points until the car had been at freeway speed for a few miles. Usually the shift points were about 500rpm higher than usual. I think this is the computer delaying shift points to warm up the fluid.
I have an ATF temperature guage on my F250 and it will stay pegged at the bottom of the guage for a long time when the weather is really cold. Might take an hour or two at cruising speed before the needle gets above 150 if it is freezing out.
Course now I live in So Cal so who worries about cold temp tranny performance.
Jim Henderson
I have an ATF temperature guage on my F250 and it will stay pegged at the bottom of the guage for a long time when the weather is really cold. Might take an hour or two at cruising speed before the needle gets above 150 if it is freezing out.
Course now I live in So Cal so who worries about cold temp tranny performance.
Jim Henderson
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2007
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ok thanks every body that is what i was hoping for because it did get worse as the weather gets colder and no i dontknow what tranny type it is and i dont know what a thermostat bypass is but i appreciate the help and on a slightly warmer day than -20 celcius i will check the trans fluid. thanks again guys
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 784
Likes: 1
From: White Rock BC Canaduh
Where can I find one of these tranny heating blankets? I've got $30.00 burning a hole in my pocket.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
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From: Long Island USA
