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Trans Temp

4K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  alradco 
#1 ·
I have done some searches and tried a few things but I am still showing some excessive heat but nothing noticeable with shifting. Sorry for the long post, just trying to be thorough.

Background.
2k F250 CC 4x4 204k miles, stock trans, it does have an Edge evo on it, and some minor mods (exhaust, intake, wicked wheel)
The truck is no longer used to pull anything heavy, got rid of the toy hauler. I pull a 3 rail bike trailer every once in a while, but for the most part it will have two bikes in the back, so nothing heavy.

The truck sits a lot unless I am going to the track. Coming home from the track I heard an odd sound and noticed the Edge controller flashing read with an audible alarm and showing the trans temp up around 198, out side temp was around 100. I shut it down but it did get up to about 206, checked fluids, and then let it cool off. I didn't notice anything different in the way it pulled, if it wasn't for the gauge I wouldn't have known anything.

After doing some research, I thought I might have a flow problem. So I pulled the return cooler line off the back of the trans and ran the truck for 15 seconds. I got less than an ounce through the bypass, so I assume the bypass is functioning, but I only got about 22 ounces out of the return line. According to some posts I read the return line should have pushed 32 ounces at a minimum, so I proceeded to try and isolate a flow problem. After fighting with the inlet fitting on the main radiator for a few hours I finally pulled the hose clamp off the outlet port (duh) and tested from there. I got over 50 ounces in 15 seconds, so I assumed my trans cooler was the issue and gave a good reason to put a 6.0 cooler on it.

I put the 6.0 cooler on, flushed the transmission fluid, and changed the filter (side note, the fluid and filter only had 4k miles on it and didn't look or smell burnt). After all that I took it for a test drive. Outside temp was under 70 so it took a bit but in about 30 minutes the trans temp was showing 190. I ran the flow test again and got 34 ounces from the return line, so flow doesn't seem to be an issue. I did pull the lines from every where and make sure there wasn't anything restricting flow.

Yesterday I was riding at a local track so I decided to take it out and see if anything acted up. Outside temp was 91, total distance to the track was maybe 30 miles and the trans temp got up to 181. I didn't notice any problems other than the reading on the gauge saying it was hot. On the way home it got up to 174, engine oil temp was also 174. I did notice something different though, it used to shift in to OD around 45-47 MPH depending on how hard I was pushing it. On the ride home it was shifting in to OD around 40-42 mph.

So this is where I am at, still getting hot, new fluids, new filter, new trans cooler. I have ran out of ideas, I don't want to pull it and take it to a trans shop if there anything else I can do, I don't have any connections or acquaintances that work on Ford transmissions, so I am leery of just dropping it off, it being something simple, and I end up with large bill.

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings, any suggestions would be much appreciated.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
That's not too hot if your hauling a load up a hill. I've hit 220 at times.
 
#4 ·
I believe 240 is the recommended max. I had a list of max temps for lubes on our trucks I'll see if I can find it again.
 
#5 ·
thanks for the replies, the temp was still slowly creeping up when I shut it down. I understand on a hot day pulling heavy loads I can see over 200, but this was flat terrain with two bikes and gear in the bed (maybe 600 lbs tops), and I don't drive it hard.
 
#6 ·
STOCK READINGS
Normal Severe Service Alarm
Tranny Temp 150 - 195 195 - 200 220
Coolant Temp 190 - 200 200 - 215 215+
Fuel Press 60 - 50 50 - 45 45
EGT - pre Turbo 650 - 1200 1200 - 1250 1300

EGT - post Turbo 700 900 1000
Boost 0 - 26 27 - 28 28
Oil Temp 200 - 215 215 - 230 230+


READINGS WITH TUNERS
Normal Severe Service Alarm
Tranny Temp 150 - 195 195 - 220 230
Coolant Temp 190 - 215 215 - 220 220+
Fuel Press 60 - 50 50 - 45 45
EGT - pre Turbo 650 - 1200 1200 - 1300 1300
EGT - post Turbo 700 900 1000
Boost 0 - 26 27 - 30 30+

Oil Temp 200 - 230 230 - 235 235+
 
#9 ·
I would expect 170 or less for how I drive/haul these days. I was hoping to see a consistent 150-160 after changing to a 6.0 cooler, it just took longer to get hot (what I consider hot). In the time I have owned it, it has never hit 200, hauling anything, now I can hit 200 driving around. I guess I will just have to take it in and taking a beating at the trans shop.

If a site admin reads this, please move this to transmission problems
 
#10 ·
I would expect 170 or less for how I drive/haul these days. I was hoping to see a consistent 150-160 after changing to a 6.0 cooler, it just took longer to get hot (what I consider hot). In the time I have owned it, it has never hit 200, hauling anything, now I can hit 200 driving around. I guess I will just have to take it in and taking a beating at the trans shop.

If a site admin reads this, please move this to transmission problems
Moved it as requested
 
#13 ·
BD Power

BD Power make a larger capacity alloy trans pan with cooling fins for the F 250 4r100r trans.

This is s'posed to give 3 quarts more volume of trans fluid so it doesn't get as hot as quick and is also s'posed to have the cooling fins help keep the fluid cooler.

I added an after market cooler out front and also a in line filter that holds almost a quart - I guess i increased the capacity of my overall trans fluid bye maybe 5 quarts if you allow for the increased cooler capacity (~+1 quart) the larger sump (~+3 quarts) and the filter canister (~+1 quart).

Hauling about 4 tonnes of boat in 110 degrees F temps, over steep terrain and into a 40 knot head wind my trans temp never got above 75C (or 167f) with that system.

The only other modification I have is a water spray system, that uses a 12 v deckwash pump and a 200 liter (55US Gal) on board water tank - plumbed to garden misters at the front of the grill and controlled by a switch on the dash.

When towing and I see EGT's getting excessive or trans temps creeping up, on long hill climbs with the 4 tonnes of boat on the back - I can manually hit the switch on the dash and get a fine mist of water spray thu the 7 various radiators, heat exchangers, evaporators, that control the water cooling system trans cooling system, power steering cooling system, air conditioning evaporator, from the grill back into the engine bay and this assists the various radiators to wick excessive temp out of the fluids within due to the evaporation cooling effect.

It might seem excessive to you guys but I would venture we have equivalent temp's here in summer in our desert to your death valley. By contrast it has never snowed here, ever even in the deepest winter so essentially - we never suffer the cold temps you seem too.

Generally speaking heat is our enemy not cold - we laugh when folks talk about "electrically heated seats".... and block heaters etc...

Our enemy is heat - and when towing doubly so that's why I went to such lengths to modify my F 250 for its intended towing role.

You may not find such a need.

Ambient shade temps of 118+ f aren't unheard of here.

All "standard" vehicles struggle towing heavy loads here in steep country in our deserts in summer.

Most times its so hot the lizards are flat out getting a drink! ;)

Nuthin sucks worse than having to get under your vehicle on the side of the road in 100+ heat days when the ground temps on the tarmac can be in excess of 120f and your cars engine radiator etc are way up there as well - there's just no way your not going to get burnt trying to fix anything!

An ounce of prevention's worth a pound of cure in those circumstances.

That's my thinking on it. Worked for me.

Cheers!
 
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