17mpg. Tranny temp?

[sicwitted44]

Hey guys just took my first road trip in my 08 kr Ccsb. Not towing. 640 miles starting in n.w. Montana headed east over the Rockies to the oilfields in n.d. Set the cruise at seventy and got 17 mpg hand calculated. Really happy with that. Coolant and oil temps sat at just over 190. Tranny got up to 180 a few times. Wondering if you guys know the safe temp for the tranny to run at?

[superduty6.4]

Originally Posted by sicwitted44

Hey guys just took my first road trip in my 08 kr Ccsb. Not towing. 640 miles starting in n.w. Montana headed east over the Rockies to the oilfields in n.d. Set the cruise at seventy and got 17 mpg hand calculated. Really happy with that. Coolant and oil temps sat at just over 190. Tranny got up to 180 a few times. Wondering if you guys know the safe temp for the tranny to run at?

I've seen posts that once it gets up to 220 plus then it's time to start watching it a little closer. I typically average 155-170 depending on what I'm doing. The highest I've seen is 194 towing so I would say you don't have anything to worry about.

[blackcloud2k]

Your safe with those temps. The rockies are a real pain in the arse for trannys. Alot of people tow and drive "hills" claimed as mountains, but dont understand what a real grade is when you are pulling a long pass. Going up to one of my main areas of work I go over #5, and while towing the toys to go play I go over #2 and #3 often on this list. They SUCK, especially while towing. Like was said, when temps get into the 220's I back out of it and let things cool down.

10 Toughest Tows In America - Black Mountain - Diesel Power Magazine

[jermcd]

Safe with thos temps for sure and your mpg at 75 sounds good too!

[drewactual]

there is such a thing as being too cold, too.. but, the concerns running too cool are generally the loss of o/d.. if you break 220, you need to be concerned- if you break 240, you need to considered dropping the pan and getting as much of the burned fluid out as you can- above 260, hard parts get a nice coat of varnish, and plates disintegrate..

[sicwitted44]

Thanks for the info guys, that graph is pretty cool drew. When I get back home ill get my traction bars on and I will post some pics of the truck. By the way black smoke you got me thinking about that air dog 2. Got anymore info on that?

[blackcloud2k]

What kind of Info do you want? It raised my MPG's about 0.5 MPG, it filters better. The motor seems to run a bit quieter than it did before as well. I change the filters every 10k (they cost about $40 for the set) and I change my stock filter on the motor every 30k. It is easy to install yourself with basic hand tools (with exception of the fuel line seperators which you can rent from napa). Took me about 1.5 hrs to install with out dropping the fuel tank or raising the bed. Just need a skinny forearmed friend to get the lines off the tank. Above all its a piece of mind that you are actually filtering the fuel, and you dont get dousched in fuel everytime you change the frame mounted filter.

[drewactual]

I fully concur w/ Mr. Cloud...

I installed an airdog 150 a few weekends ago.. the entire op took me about 8 hours, but I could do it again in likely less than two.. I dropped the tank completely, and moved extremely slow as it was the first time I had an opportunity to get to know my truck..

folks who say you gotta drop the tank or lift the bed are out to lunch.. you can use a camera like on your cell phone and get a good pic of the basket lid, and you can reach the assembly if you enter from the passenger side rearish' of the tank.. it's actually easy to reach from that angle, and my arms ain't small.. take a pic once you've removed the feed line, snap the new line on, take a pic to make sure it's right- and you're pretty much done with the tank portion of the install..

I have pic's in another thread if you're interested...

the only place I had trouble, and it's absolutely my fault: I didn't realize the OE low pressure pump was a common chamber pump.. upon prime of the system, I had fuel spraying, and from the abandoned return line.. once I figured that out (another picture with the camera in a place I couldn't fit my head) it was as easy as installing about an 18" fuel line w/ clamps that looped the inlet and the outlet of the OE pump.. 'problem' solved..

in that same thread, I have pic's of the provided pick up tube, and the OE pick-up 'sipper' tube... they are the same ID.. the OE has a bend in it, and such that it clears the float mechanism of the basket..

grrrr... blah blah blah... here: Installing AirDog 150 tips, because the instructions are annoying..