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Are you scared of the mountains!!

et2
Explorer
Explorer
Are you scared of taking your toad and MH's over the mountains ( let's say out west). If your loaded and within your weight capacity and towing capacity of the rigs you own, would mountain driving stop you from taking a trip?

The reason for the question is some people seem to think one engine might not be capable because, well ,it's just not one of the big boys ( I'm referring to diesel vs diesel).

I'm really dumbfounded by the reasons. You'll have to go 30 mph, or it's gonna struggle, or your coach is too big, etc. So, if your rig is maintained and in top working condition, and within it's designed capacities would a mountain out west stop you in your planning?
63 REPLIES 63

JetAonly
Explorer
Explorer
I lived on the West slope of Colorado and worked in Denver. I have been over the divide well over 800 times. Lizard Head, Red Mountain, Wolf Creek, etc. The goal going up is to not over heat the engine or transmission. The goal going down is to save the service brake for an emergency stop, that is never touch them. Gas engines and diesel engines have different Brake HP for the same displacement. Keep your RPM slightly below peak HP with less than full throttle, use the transmission to select a gear that does that while keeping temps in control. Going down, select a gear that allows you to not use the brakes. That gear will on or two lower than what you came up on.
2000 Monaco Dynasty
ISC350

BrianinMichigan
Explorer
Explorer
With my TH400 transmission going up isn't the problem it's coming down. down shifting into 2nd will work to a degree but then the engine rpm's want to get away from you. You practically have to start at next to zero at the top and slowly go down still braking all the way.
1990 GEORGIE BOY 28' 454 4BBL, TURBO 400 TRANS,
CAMPING: WHERE YOU SPEND A SMALL FORTUNE TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON.

Passin_Thru
Explorer
Explorer
I just hammer on it and hope for the best. Actually, I have 4.4 million miles and the only pass I hate is Deadman Pass on I 84 in Oregon because they make you go too slow and I'm afraid some Maroon will run into my backside. Really, I don't care if I go fast or slow, I just like to look over the country, weave toward everything I look at and drive 45 in the L lane. If my trans temp gets to high I put my hat over the gauge. Everyone knows they aren't accurate. LOL

Press any key… no, no, no, NOT THAT ONE!

Daveinet
Explorer
Explorer
Although I have not looked on mine, I understand there is a port to measure the pump pressure near the linkage. I have read that one can pull the plug and thread in a temp sensor in the hole and use that to give a read out on the dash if you want a real time temperature display without reading it off the OBD port.
IRV2

tropical36
Explorer
Explorer
Appreciate the info and obviously you guys forgot more about transmissions than I never knew. Some of this, I was aware of and evidently Ford is another story, cuz the very same coach on a Ford chassis has a much higher GCVW rating.
"We are often so caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey."

07 Revolution LE 40E_Spartan MM_06 400HP C9 CAT_Allison 3000.

Dinghy_2010 Jeep Wrangler JKU ISLANDER.

1998 36ft. National Tropi-Cal Chevy Model 6350 (Sold)

Daveinet
Explorer
Explorer
tropical36 wrote:
I agree with the output temp. before the cooler. Now would you happen know how it's done on a GM4L80E, cuz they will go into limp mode, without warning, when too hot, even thought the engine temp. is still OK.
The 4L80E has the temp sensor just after the pump, so it is seeing the temperature in the pan. I think the practical reality is, that even though sensing after the TC may make sense, the internal temperature of the fluid feeding the trans tells you when there is a problem. One of the issues with monitoring fluid temp after the TC is that the later 4L80/85E trans TC is designed to slip all the time. It is controlled by a PWM valve that varies the clutch pressure. The clutch is a patented clutch which is porous, so the fluid actually pumps through the clutch material, so the clutch will keep cool, even though it is constantly slipping. Obviously this generates a lot of heat - hotter than the typical trans. The computer doesn't really need to know that temp, because it measures slip and monitors slip over time. If the fluid starts temp starts to heat to a run away condition, the PWM valving increases pressure to reduce slip. There is an assumption made about the cooling capacity. Since heat is developed over time, the inlet temperature still ends up being a valid indicator.

As far as the computer going into limp mode without warning. There are a lot of things that happen before that point, as the trans tries to save its self. All the clutches for each gear are PWM fed, so the pressure is increased, any time the slip is excessive. Before the trans goes into limp mode, the shifting will become a lot more crisp, as the computer tries to reduce slip. A good OBD interface will let you know what the computer is thinking, as you could monitor PWM comands.
IRV2

rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Explorer III
tropical36 wrote:
rgatijnet1 wrote:
Transmission fluid is the hottest coming out of the torque converter. Pan temperature is the temperature of the fluid after it has gone through the cooling radiator and is OK to monitor but it really doesn't tell you how hot your fluid got before it was cooled. Since the transmission fluid life is determined by the maximum temperature that it sustained, the output temperature, before the radiator, is the best place to monitor it.
Allison transmissions put their internal sensor at the torque converter output to give a good accurate reading of the maximum temperature the fluid has reached.

I agree with the output temp. before the cooler. Now would you happen know how it's done on a GM4L80E, cuz they will go into limp mode, without warning, when too hot, even thought the engine temp. is still OK.


On the GM4L80E transmissions after 2006, GM recommends using Dexron 6 transmission fluid. This is much like Allison changed from Dexron 3 to Transynd fluid. I know that when I made the switch to Transynd, my transmission operating temperatures went down. Perhaps you should check to see if you can switch from Dexron 3 to Dexron 6 fluid and see if that helps.

tropical36
Explorer
Explorer
rgatijnet1 wrote:
Transmission fluid is the hottest coming out of the torque converter. Pan temperature is the temperature of the fluid after it has gone through the cooling radiator and is OK to monitor but it really doesn't tell you how hot your fluid got before it was cooled. Since the transmission fluid life is determined by the maximum temperature that it sustained, the output temperature, before the radiator, is the best place to monitor it.
Allison transmissions put their internal sensor at the torque converter output to give a good accurate reading of the maximum temperature the fluid has reached.

I agree with the output temp. before the cooler. Now would you happen know how it's done on a GM4L80E, cuz they will go into limp mode, without warning, when too hot, even thought the engine temp. is still OK.
"We are often so caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey."

07 Revolution LE 40E_Spartan MM_06 400HP C9 CAT_Allison 3000.

Dinghy_2010 Jeep Wrangler JKU ISLANDER.

1998 36ft. National Tropi-Cal Chevy Model 6350 (Sold)

brandonrv
Explorer
Explorer
My first time through the mountains was in my friends Jayco super C. I happened to be driving it.

I was scared even with the exhaust break. 30 MPH up the hill was my favorite part.

I handed driving duty over as soon as I got out of the mountains and passed right out hah.
2014 Fleetwood Bounder 35k

dubdub07
Explorer
Explorer
The tranny in my MH rarely sees 180 degrees. Nice thing about the mountains is the temp is usually around 70 degrees. Our MH spends most of its life in the mountains.
2013 Fleetwood Discovery 40G
TOADS: 12 Jeep JKUR Wrangler, 16 Cherokee Trailhawk, 15 Grand Cherokee, 13 RAM 1500 Longhorn (not a toad) American STEEL = American profits
RET USAF MSGT (26yrs) and still DoD ATC.
DW,DS,DD in the MH w/Westley the killer PUG!

hipower
Explorer
Explorer
Sorry for the double post. Couldn't get it to delete or edit out.

hipower
Explorer
Explorer
The ideal scenario would be dual temp gauges. One on the torque converter output and one on the cooler output. Then you would know how hot the fluid actually gets and how well your trans cooling system is working.

Beyond that measuring the fluid temp anywhere is better than not measuring at all.

hipower
Explorer
Explorer
The ideal scenario would be dual temp gauges. One on the torque converter output and one on the cooler output. Then you would know how hot the fluid actually gets and how well your trans cooling system is working.

Beyond that measuring the fluid temp anywhere is better than not measuring at all.

rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Explorer III
Transmission fluid is the hottest coming out of the torque converter. Pan temperature is the temperature of the fluid after it has gone through the cooling radiator and is OK to monitor but it really doesn't tell you how hot your fluid got before it was cooled. Since the transmission fluid life is determined by the maximum temperature that it sustained, the output temperature, before the radiator, is the best place to monitor it.
Allison transmissions put their internal sensor at the torque converter output to give a good accurate reading of the maximum temperature the fluid has reached.