What is your transmission temperature
I am asking those that tow with a class A gas and have a transmission temperature gauge. What temp does your gauge show while you are towing? I am set up to tow my Jeep GC behind my 2001 Workhorse cha...
Forum Discussion
From somewhere I seem to remember that the typical tranny is meant to run with a temp of at least 180 degrees by design. I measure pan temperature and run a pair of tranny coolers in front of the radiator and never see anything below 180. Climbing mountains I often times see 225 or more.
Edit: Here is a quote from a Haynes GM Transmission overhaul manual:
"Since normal engine coolant temperature is lower than normal transmission fluid temperature, the transmission fluid chamber transfers heat to the engine coolant, cooling the transmission fluid."
They are referring to the tranny fluid being routed through a "chamber" in the engine radiator. Now the thermostat in a typical engine is 195 degrees so by implication the tranny fluid must typically run higher than that to be receiving any cooling effect. And in fact the tranny fluid would get heated by the engine fluid up to that point.
I don't run my tranny fluid through the radiator since I avoid cold weather locations where it helps to warm up the tranny fluid on cold mornings.
Edit 2: From my GM P3 and P/G official 1994 Chassis manual the following is provided in chapter 7 for the 4L80-E transmission:
Transmission Fluid Checking Procedure:
"NOTICE: The automatic transmission fluid level must be checked with the vehicle at normal operating temperature 82 to 93 C (180 to 200 F)."
And a few pages back where they talk about and show the temp sensor inside the tranny:
"After the vehicle has been started, transmission temperature should rise steadily and stabilize between 90 and 115 celsius depending on load."
90 C = 194 F and 115 C = 239 F
So somewhere between what a lot of people are experiencing and what GM says the way things should be there seems to be a large gap. I'm quite comfortable with my tranny running above 180 and into the 200's all the time. But I run synthetic and change it out completely on a regular basis too.
Edit: Here is a quote from a Haynes GM Transmission overhaul manual:
"Since normal engine coolant temperature is lower than normal transmission fluid temperature, the transmission fluid chamber transfers heat to the engine coolant, cooling the transmission fluid."
They are referring to the tranny fluid being routed through a "chamber" in the engine radiator. Now the thermostat in a typical engine is 195 degrees so by implication the tranny fluid must typically run higher than that to be receiving any cooling effect. And in fact the tranny fluid would get heated by the engine fluid up to that point.
I don't run my tranny fluid through the radiator since I avoid cold weather locations where it helps to warm up the tranny fluid on cold mornings.
Edit 2: From my GM P3 and P/G official 1994 Chassis manual the following is provided in chapter 7 for the 4L80-E transmission:
Transmission Fluid Checking Procedure:
"NOTICE: The automatic transmission fluid level must be checked with the vehicle at normal operating temperature 82 to 93 C (180 to 200 F)."
And a few pages back where they talk about and show the temp sensor inside the tranny:
"After the vehicle has been started, transmission temperature should rise steadily and stabilize between 90 and 115 celsius depending on load."
90 C = 194 F and 115 C = 239 F
So somewhere between what a lot of people are experiencing and what GM says the way things should be there seems to be a large gap. I'm quite comfortable with my tranny running above 180 and into the 200's all the time. But I run synthetic and change it out completely on a regular basis too.
