olskooldodge

With my stock truck towing in the summer is always a problem. The tranny and the engine always heat up when pulling heavy loads. I have read all the threads about different mods but which work the best? Change the radiator, put on an intercooler? Its making use of three different tranny coolers now but I still can smell the tranny fluid when pulling a hill on a warm day. What is the best fix that wont cost a fortune. I haven't heard much about the fan, is there an upgrade for it? Would replacing the gears with 354 instead of the 307 help or hurt in the temp. dept? If there isn't a good fix for this I may have to get a newer truck and I would rather drive this old one!

Crossy's son

Well the engine temperature going up is because the 89-91 Non intercooled trucks have SUCKY radiators. non i/c trucks also have open impeller water pumps and they don't push as much water.

The 91.5-93 I/c trucks have Crossflow radiators and its a little thicker and cools MUCH better. they also have a closed impeller water pump that is better. The radiator upgrade you'll need a different water neck (where it goes into the engine)...Different rad. hoses and maybe some custom mounting, i'm not sure though. The i/c water pump bolts right on.

That will help ALOT, also ditch the clutch fan and put on some good electric fans, [stress the engine less]

The intercooler will only bring down your EGT's (exhaust gas temps). If your truck is stock (fueling) then you shouldn't have to worry about EGT's getting too high.

I'm not sure what to tell you about the tranny, With that many coolers and its still heating up, i'm thinking your torque converter is slipping so bad is heating up and making it like a heater for you fluid. Do you have the factory underbed transmission cooler w/fan??? If so,,, wire the switch manually so you can turn it on when you want instead of the factory temp sensor, the factory fan will kick in when the tranny is already blow up.

Hope this helps? I'd look into a cooling system upgrade, And if you have a factory under-bed tranny cooler, Wire the fan to a switch in the cab.

Brandon

olskooldodge

Brandon,
I have the underbed cooler wired to a switch already. I propably need to get a temp gauge mounted in tranny line so I will know for sure what the temp is. All I know now is I can smell the fluid when pulling hard and I was suspecting the torque conv. wasn't helping the situation but the tranny shifts and feels fine. I had heard about the radiator and was considering it but had not heard about the water pump. I will try that first while I am trying to locate the thermostat housing. I am sure the junkyard is the best place to find one but where is second best? Is there any aftermarket company making them? I can only imagine what the dodge dealer would want for one!

Hey thanks for the ideas!

Ward

Crossy's son

People parting out trucks is the best.

Also message "redlinear" on ebay. Hes great to deal with and he parts these trucks out daily . Thats who we got our thermostat housing off of a few years ago.

I'm thinking a converter upgrade would help you out with the temps.

Thunderhog

The Converter is a double edged sword, at least for me. Much cooler on the road, and under load, however, stuck in trafficc it builds heat pretty fast! I learned to just kick it into Neutral when stopped. A small price to pay for cooler towing!

Mike T.

I have the stock tranny cooler in front, A derale 25,000 GVW w/fan under the bed,a deep derale pan with cooling tubes and an upgraded TC. Towing approx. 7500# in 80-85degs. weather my tranny temp never went over 140degs. (pan temp.)

Mike