Transmission Temps While Towing
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
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If you have the color info screen in the dash cluster, arrow up to the top option and then press the right arrow to see the transmission temp displayed in degrees F. The analog Guage on the dash is vague, I've only seen it move from normal once, and that's when I was creeping up a steep winding road with 6k plus pounds of trailer behind me and the Trans temp hit 236. the needle had started creeping right of the normal range but not to the yellow area yet. I had never seen those kinds of Temps (granted it was end of July, 98 outside and I was climbing up to 6500ft at 25mph). I pulled off and put her in Park, and let it cool down to normal Temps, took 5 or 6 minutes, then I continued on over the summit without issue.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 833
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From: El Cajon, California
Yeah it is, we usually go out for the major holidays. Halloween, thanksgiving, New Years, but we also go out on off weekend as well. Luckily a big part of our group are either retired or can get work off whenever so they always save us a spot. Lol.
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 667
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I have a 2013 F150 FX4 5.0L, 33" Tires (275/70/R18), 2.5" Level, 5* tuned. i recently bought a 2007 weekend warrior FK2100 Superlite and took it out on its maiden voyage to the desert this past weekend. there's a pretty large grade hill i have to cross to get there and on the way there at night temps were in the mid 70's my truck pulled it no problem i just had a little bit of an issue when it got steep and the 5.0 was trying but i could only go so fast. anyway on the way home we left around noon and the temps were in the high 90's (98* most of the time) 3/4 of the way up the hill my trans temp started rising higher and higher took a look at the temp readout on the cluster and it was at 230* and climbing by the time i got over it was at 235* and the needle was in the yellow. waited about 10 minutes for it to cool off and we were on our way with no more heating issues. my trailer fully loaded was right at around 7500#'s which is under the tow rating of my truck. do you guys have any suggestions of what to do to help keep trans temps down? im thinking of possibly either adding or replacing the transmission cooler with a larger unit as well as a larger capacity trans pan with cooling fins. thoughts? any help is appreciated. thank you.
Your trans is working harder due to the taller tires. In your place I'd have the transmission in "M"anual, and choose the gear that will maintain speed on the grade, and leave it there. While a gear is engaged and the torque converter locked, there is little to no heat buildup. Try it again next time and see if that doesn't have the transmission heat moving in a cooler direction. Sure you can mod the trans, but using it differently will save you having to spend the $$$ -- as well as saving wear.
edit: another thing you can do to save heat and wear is to shift it before you get onto the grade.
Last edited by JLTD; Jun 18, 2016 at 06:29 PM.
