Dodge Transmission Temps

[92xj]

What trans temps are you guys seeing while towing during the summer time?
At what temp do you start to worry a little?

I've never had an issue, but have always been curious at what temp is too hot.  I notice my engine temp increase to 210 while towing, but I think that is acceptable.  The transmission temp, if I remember correctly, seemed to be about 10 degrees higher than without a load. I want to say around 163, but not positive on that number.  I am towing this weekend and pulling some passes and I just don't know what temp is to warm.   

[Mudman]

220 take notice.  240 damage can occur.  From trans mech years ago.  Many people don't use 4 low on slow gravel roads.  My 2001 powerstroke would bake 235degrees towing uphill 20mph roads.  Everyone needs temp gauges.

[Magnum_Willys]

220 Or Under I don’t worry.  Creeps above 220 I don’t like it and at 240 AC is off, Heater on, windows down to help cool it.  Wouldnt drive Above 240 for more than a minute or two. 

[92xj]

These 220 and 240 numbers are for transmission or engine?

[DRobnsn]

Transmission, not engine.


I see around 160-175 depending on outside temps and weight. Agree with the others, see 240, you should probably get it changed after.

[92xj]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

[follow maggie]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

Pull over & run the engine in park

[Buckmark]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

By a Ford 

[Woodchuck]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

That rig has secondary fans that will kick in when it pushes much past 200 that do an amazing job. I wouldn't sweat pulling hills with a trailer in your rig anywhere. Put her nose in the air and let her eat. 

[baker5150]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

Pull over & run the engine in park

NO. If it’s a 47 or 48re it doesn’t pump fluid thru the cooler in park. You have to put it in neutral.  Your much better off getting the TC to lock and keep driving. You’ll push more fluid that way and you won’t build heat thru fluid coupling.
The radiator fan will full lock at 218 degrees and cool things down FAST you’ll know it too   She pulls hard

That’s 218 coolant temp.

[92xj]

Thank you gentlemen.

[Mudman]

Older Fords are worse at this than Dodge.  As stated my 01 was hot.  Changing fluid isn't the problem, over 240 the disks/clutches fall apart.  Delaminate due to heat.  245 is death beginning.  Also he is correct about park cooling.  It no no work.  Unless custom trans.  Neutral.  Driving at speed it is very hard to cook a trans if your 35mph and up.

[Born2late]

One of my dodges tends to run hot when towing. I put a super cooler tranny cooler on it with a manual switch. works great, Might look into it. Mine is on a 98.

[grimace]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

Pull over & run the engine in park

NO. If it’s a 47 or 48re it doesn’t pump fluid thru the cooler in park. You have to put it in neutral.  Your much better off getting the TC to lock and keep driving. You’ll push more fluid that way and you won’t build heat thru fluid coupling.
The radiator fan will full lock at 218 degrees and cool things down FAST you’ll know it too   She pulls hard

That’s 218 coolant temp.

If it has a after market valve body like BD sells it will circulate fluid in park.


G

[huntnfmly]

Anybody know where a person can get a transmission temp gauge installed?
Bonney lake sumner area

[KFhunter]

One of my dodges tends to run hot when towing. I put a super cooler tranny cooler on it with a manual switch. works great, Might look into it. Mine is on a 98.

I did the same, tucked it up under the bed but it's automatic on/off

I try not to hit 200 because then 220 comes fast,  so if it's climbing up to 200 I start taking corrective action (shift down, turn off AC) then rather than wait until its too hot and have to park.
I've had to tow a big load of hay in 4L due to transmission temps, but it was slipping, that was my 3rd rebuild I think 

next truck for farm duty will be manual, I'm sick of auto's!

[baker5150]

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

Awesome.  I've never been anywhere close 200 or above.  Will for sure watch it this weekend towing passes.  What's the best and quickest way to cool it down?

Pull over & run the engine in park

NO. If it’s a 47 or 48re it doesn’t pump fluid thru the cooler in park. You have to put it in neutral.  Your much better off getting the TC to lock and keep driving. You’ll push more fluid that way and you won’t build heat thru fluid coupling.
The radiator fan will full lock at 218 degrees and cool things down FAST you’ll know it too   She pulls hard

That’s 218 coolant temp.

If it has a after market valve body like BD sells it will circulate fluid in park.


G

Yes,  It’s actually an easy mod if your willing.

[baker5150]

Dodge/Cummins trans cooler systems are a terrrible design.

Heat exchangers with no bypass
Trans coolers with a bypass that sticks
Check valves that block flow
No flow in Park
A TC that builds heat faster than a priest....you get the idea.

If its a rig you plan to keep, just gut the entire system and get some Derale coolers up front, as big as you can fit.
It was one of the best things i ever did to my truck.  I was able to squeeze two 45k btu coolers in place of the stock cooler.  As well as a 35k under the bed with a fan on a switch
I also installed a shift kit and drilled the hole for Park fluid flow and a TC lock up switch.

It was either that or do a manual swap. This only ran me around 700 all together.

I never have heat issues anymore. I keep my TC locked as much as possible, and watch my temps.  I have a Pan temp, Hot line temp, and computer read out on my programmer.

FWIW. The computer sensor is incredibly inaccurate.  Ive sen it as far off as 20 degrees.
Analog gauges are the only way to go.

[KFhunter]

Dodge/Cummins trans cooler systems are a terrrible design.

Heat exchangers with no bypass
Trans coolers with a bypass that sticks
Check valves that block flow
No flow in Park
A TC that builds heat faster than a priest....you get the idea.

If its a rig you plan to keep, just gut the entire system and get some Derale coolers up front, as big as you can fit.
It was one of the best things i ever did to my truck.  I was able to squeeze two 45k btu coolers in place of the stock cooler.  As well as a 35k under the bed with a fan on a switch
I also installed a shift kit and drilled the hole for Park fluid flow and a TC lock up switch.

It was either that or do a manual swap. This only ran me around 700 all together.

I never have heat issues anymore. I keep my TC locked as much as possible, and watch my temps.  I have a Pan temp, Hot line temp, and computer read out on my programmer.

FWIW. The computer sensor is incredibly inaccurate.  Ive sen it as far off as 20 degrees.
Analog gauges are the only way to go.

I also added a mag hytek pan so it holds a lot more fluid

[ctwiggs1]

Dumb question but is there any easy way to measure transmission temp??

[Crunchy]

My truck has a screen that will show me the temp but I rarely look at it. 

[KFhunter]

Dumb question but is there any easy way to measure transmission temp??

depends on the truck


The old dodge had two measures for temps   engine fan and idiot light.      1st the engine fan would come on but you wouldn't know for sure if it was trans temp or coolant temp, then the idiot light would come on once it was too late 

added a trans temp guage to a pillar cluster.   also added boost guage and fuel pressure

[baker5150]

Dumb question but is there any easy way to measure transmission temp??

depends on the truck


The old dodge had two measures for temps   engine fan and idiot light.      1st the engine fan would come on but you wouldn't know for sure if it was trans temp or coolant temp, then the idiot light would come on once it was too late 

added a trans temp guage to a pillar cluster.   also added boost guage and fuel pressure

 

Pan temp at the very least, add in a hotline temp if you tow heavy, hot, and often.

[DRobnsn]

Older Fords are worse at this than Dodge.  As stated my 01 was hot.  Changing fluid isn't the problem, over 240 the disks/clutches fall apart.  Delaminate due to heat.  245 is death beginning.  Also he is correct about park cooling.  It no no work.  Unless custom trans.  Neutral.  Driving at speed it is very hard to cook a trans if your 35mph and up.

I'm not talking about running it at 240 through all the gears, for hours. If you get it hot on one pull in one gear for a few minutes, change the baked fluid....   

[Dan-o]

I've only had one Dodge truck, but the transmission rarely got hot.

That's probably because it was usually in a repair bay.

[DRobnsn]

I've only had one Dodge truck, but the transmission rarely got hot.

That's probably because it was usually in a repair bay.

Who's fault is that? You bought it...     

[Mudman]

Older Fords are worse at this than Dodge.  As stated my 01 was hot.  Changing fluid isn't the problem, over 240 the disks/clutches fall apart.  Delaminate due to heat.  245 is death beginning.  Also he is correct about park cooling.  It no no work.  Unless custom trans.  Neutral.  Driving at speed it is very hard to cook a trans if your 35mph and up.

I'm not talking about running it at 240 through all the gears, for hours. If you get it hot on one pull in one gear for a few minutes, change the baked fluid....

I know.  Wasn't trying to say that.  Just pointing out the problem is clutches not fluid if ya bake it and if ya cook it the old fluid will buy ya longer time of use as new fluids actually speed its demise.

[92xj]

Current engine temp, 217, current trans 183.
Pulling 8.5k  towards la grande

[Woodchuck]