On my most recent run towing I had a chance to monitor temperatures. I am a fan of plenty of transmission cooling and already have a new 6.0 liter tranny cooler ready to install, but hadn't done so yet. It is my next project. Outside temperatures were in the mid to high 80s. Here is what I found.

On the way over to the beach up I81 to I77 through Charlotte, I ran transmission temperatures of a steady 188 degrees F with a high of 196 briefly when my GPS farted and routed my in stop and go traffic to a "short cut". My engine ran 208 degrees F with a high of 212 degrees during the same portion of the trip the transmission temperature was at its highest.

On the way home with ambient temperature virtually the same, but without the trailer in tow, the temperatures were identical.

So I have a larger cooler to install, but am asking myself if it is worth the time and bother. So far I can not see I am running any warmer towing than solo.

There is no case to be made I am running warm and my run was about my norm. Our temperatures might go about five degrees higher in July, but I doubt that will prove to be much of a factor. I guess if I were running west of the Mississippi I would be a bit more concerned.

Steve

 

I'm surprised that on an F350, there isn't a factory cooler already installed! I have not bought a new(er) truck in a long time. It would make sense for OEM coolers while they are being built if for nothing more than keeping the trans together longer till it's out of warranty. Got to be a whole lot cheaper for a cooler than warranty work on a trans.

 

There is a relatively small cooler and it is somewhat common to install a larger one or add an aftermarket cooler in series with the OEM's.

Steve