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Old Feb 18, 2010 | 07:52 PM
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Transmission Temperature

For those of you with aftermarket transmission temperature gauges. What temperatures do you run unloaded and loaded?
 
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Old Feb 18, 2010 | 07:57 PM
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Mine runs about 150-165* every day on a 12,000 lbs truck.
When I tow my dump trailer loaded with a GCVW of 21-22,000 lbs I have not seen any thing over 185* but I also have added a 2nd cooler.
 
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Old Feb 18, 2010 | 09:03 PM
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Mine usually runs 80 to 100 degrees above the outside air temperature. Most I've seen is probably around 180-190 pulling a mountain in the summer.
 
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Old Feb 18, 2010 | 09:06 PM
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i average 165* unloaded, just got my gauge last week though...
 
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Old Feb 18, 2010 | 10:54 PM
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With my ScanGauge II, my tranny runs from 0 to around 150. If it's at 150, then I'm usually really working it with a snow plow on the front. At that point, I usually just aim the front end into the wind and let her cool down. I'm looking to add a Mag-Hytec Hi Cap Tranny Pan this year. Don't like my trans getting hot at all.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 05:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Pinky Demon
I'm looking to add a Mag-Hytec Hi Cap Tranny Pan this year. Don't like my trans getting hot at all.
A larger pan isn't going to help. A bigger cooler is what you need to cool the trans.

But cooling it below 150°F is going to cause more problems. It won't be getting warm enough to drive off moisture that can collect in a trans. I would not want my trans to operate below 150°F.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 05:15 AM
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Mark would the tranny pan off an 08+ help with the real filter in it ?
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 08:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky
A larger pan isn't going to help.
Not true, at least with the Mag-Hytec. First of all it's made of aluminum which has better heat transfer. Second it has ribs which add surface area to help cooling even more. Third it has higher capacity which means the tranny fluid has more time to cool before being cycled back through the system.

I have the M-H pan and a Diesel Site tranny filter on my truck and it runs around 140* F when up to temp. running unloaded. When plowing snow it may be a bit higher. Heat will kill the tranny over time.

http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/337645
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by thedaddycat
Not true, at least with the Mag-Hytec. First of all it's made of aluminum which has better heat transfer. Second it has ribs which add surface area to help cooling even more. Third it has higher capacity which means the tranny fluid has more time to cool before being cycled back through the system.
Not true of ANY pan made of ANY material.

There are so many things wrong with your reasoning, where should I start?

First, in order to transfer heat from the pan to the air around the pan the air needs to be cooler. It isn't. It is heated from heated dumped from all of the coolers up front. Also the exhaust is there so there is also radiant heat warming the pan.

Next, there is a thing inside the pan known as the boundary layer effect. This means that there is fluid inside the pan against the pan surface that doesn't move much, if at all. So the same fluid is touching the pan, not hot fluid. This really inhibits heat transfer.

As for the larger capacity, what that will do for you is make it take longer to heat up, but by the same increased capacity it will take longer to cool off.

A larger pan is good for the bling effect. It does NOT help cool the trans.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Nice Work Truck
Mark would the tranny pan off an 08+ help with the real filter in it ?
That pan with the new filter will help the filtering, but not the cooling.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 06:48 PM
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mine runs around 165 towing or not.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky
That pan with the new filter will help the filtering, but not the cooling.

My tranny temp is fine I would like to increase the filtering.
Also I am going get in flushed do to the new LV fluid.
I want to get all the old SP fluid out and only the new LV in.

Thank you for all your expertise on the forum.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2010 | 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Mark Kovalsky
Not true of ANY pan made of ANY material.

There are so many things wrong with your reasoning, where should I start?

First, in order to transfer heat from the pan to the air around the pan the air needs to be cooler. It isn't. It is heated from heated dumped from all of the coolers up front. Also the exhaust is there so there is also radiant heat warming the pan.

Next, there is a thing inside the pan known as the boundary layer effect. This means that there is fluid inside the pan against the pan surface that doesn't move much, if at all. So the same fluid is touching the pan, not hot fluid. This really inhibits heat transfer.

As for the larger capacity, what that will do for you is make it take longer to heat up, but by the same increased capacity it will take longer to cool off.

A larger pan is good for the bling effect. It does NOT help cool the trans.

OK, since you seem to be up on all the ins and outs of it perhaps you can explain why my tranny temp runs cooler than most others here. It obviously can't be that the tranny pan has anything to do with it(according to your reasoning) so what is it then???

Have you ever had a M-H tranny pan in your hands? Do you know what the internals look like? You must have an air temp sensor under your truck to state for a fact that the air is warmer than the tranny pan. So tell us, what is the air temp under the truck. I will give you that it takes a while to get things warmed up due to the larger volume of fluid but my temp probe installed in the provided port of my M-H tranny pan tells me you are wrong about this one....
 
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Old Feb 20, 2010 | 12:34 AM
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Originally Posted by thedaddycat
OK, since you seem to be up on all the ins and outs of it perhaps you can explain why my tranny temp runs cooler than most others here. It obviously can't be that the tranny pan has anything to do with it(according to your reasoning) so what is it then???

Have you ever had a M-H tranny pan in your hands? Do you know what the internals look like? You must have an air temp sensor under your truck to state for a fact that the air is warmer than the tranny pan. So tell us, what is the air temp under the truck. I will give you that it takes a while to get things warmed up due to the larger volume of fluid but my temp probe installed in the provided port of my M-H tranny pan tells me you are wrong about this one....
I'm with him. And what type of gauge are you using to get your transmission readings Mark?

150 seems high for me. I couldn't get it to 140 over the summer in 90 degree heat pulling 3,500 lbs. with 300 lbs. of gear in the back in stop and go traffic.

150 only comes around when I have my 7' 6" Western Poly straight blade on the front blocking air to the trans coolers driving around, or when I am pushing a foot or more of snow in 4wd. That seems more than fine to me to boil off any "moisture" that may come around. Besides, annual fluid flushes, not just dropping the pan and draining, but actual flushes with a machine will more than take care of any moisture.
 
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Old Feb 20, 2010 | 06:09 AM
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I have a trans temp guage located in the deep section of my pan(4R100) right next to the pickup for the filter. I welded a bung in the pan so I could install the guage there. I have yet to have the fluid temp go over 135/ 140 degrees. Have not towed with it since installation last summer.
 
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