I dont tow very much at all and I have never really had a transmission get hot. So, if one does get hot, how do you cool it down?
How do you keep it from getting hot?
Without gauges, can you tell when one does start to get hot?
What really happens when they get hot, and what does ti affect?
Thanks for any info/advice.
Wheelo

 

I believe when it gets to hot it starts to slip.

 

Well if you have guages and the tranny overheats, I think I would do this. Pull over, put the tranny in neutral and turn the heater on. Automatic transmissions only circulate fluid in neutral, thats why its best to check the dipstick with the engine at idle and tranny in neutral.

 

It will get hot if the transmission is hunting. That is shifting in and out of overdrive. If it's doing this you lock it out of overdrive. You may have to not use overdrive at all if towing heavy.

 

Actually, it gets hot when it slips.

The best way to keep a tranny cool is to not let it sip too much in the first place. Turn the OD off it you are towing and the tranny is jumping in and out. Back off the throttle and let the OD lock up without slipping. You can watch your RPM's and tell when the tranny is locked. When you add fuel the RPM's don't jump up. When they do jump up that's slipping is causing mucho heat when towing.

On a straight & level turn the OD on and let the CDT work. When another hill comes up take the OD off and let the tranny lock up BEFORE you hit the hill. When the tranny is locking up help it out by backing off the throttle alittle.

The more air you can move through the radiator the cooler your tranny will run. Fluid does not flow in park, unless you have a Georend tranny.

 

So it is "ok" to turn the OD on or off while running at highway speeds? Or any speed for that matter? It seems to me you would want to atleast take your foot off the accelerator. Any input?


James

 

Hey thanks, my uncle said something about shutting the O/D switch off. thanks for everybodys input,
Wheelo

 

In normal conditions you do not have to take your foot off the pedal. Let the transmission do what it was designed to do. When you lock it out of OD it makes a down shift and locks into third.
If going out of OD makes an unaccepatable spike in rpm's, then ease off the throttle.

 

I have towed heavy on my nissan frontier (bear in mind heavy is 5000#) Locked my OD out until I was on flat level ground and let the transmission shift. If just felt like too much load on my tiny V6 to tow 6000# at 70 miles per hour and 2500 RPMs.
In daily driving, I drop it out of OD all the time to keep the truck from jumping to the "passing" gear (second) and redlining the engine.
My advice, just listen to your truck. if its hunting for a gear, lock out OD. Like any other gear drop. take your foot off the fun pedel until you know what it will do.