Automatic Transmission heats up in the mountains

[jerry]

On my last two trips through the mountains, my automatic transmission heated up considerably. The first time was going over Monarch Pass in Colorado and it got Hot, Hot. Upon getting home I had the fluid changed. On the second trip,through Blueridge Mts. , it started getting pretty hot (approaching caution color-orange) when we topped the mt. and started down, allowing it to cool down. In a few months we plan on another mt. trip. Any suggestions on keeping the transmission temp. cooler? A friend suggested I replace the fluid with Royal Purple Synthetic Transmission Fluid. Does the synthetic fluid make that much difference? I have an 03 Ford PS 7.3.

Thanks , Jerry
03 Ford ps 7.3
06 Cardinal LE, 30'

[roger5438]

Do you have an oil cooler for the transmission oil? Rigs built with a towing package come with one added to system. I have a 06 ford psd with towing package and was able to pull out of death valley a month ago and keep temp at 200 deg. by not rushing, longest climb i've ever seen.
roger

[campswithcritters]

The synthetic fluid will take the heat better with less thermal breakdown however not likely to lower the temperature much. Several owners of the older model Fords have found the trans cooler to be to small for the system. I have heard of 2 fixes, one consists of a larger aftermarket cooler and the other fix is to find a used cooler off a later model with the 6.0 engine. Basically you just need more cooler area before you cause damage to that trans, which can get expensive quickly. Heat is the enemy of any automatic trans.

[Heat84]

Campingwithcritters DOES SAY IT ALL.
YOU HAVE TO INSTALL A COOLER FOR TRANMISSION WHICH ADD A LITTLE MORE FLUID AND COLD PASSES BY AND HELPS KEEP DOWN THE TEMPERTURE. IT WILL COST YOU A LOT LESS THIS WAY INSTEAD IF BREAKING DOWN AND HAVING IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE COST FOR REPAIRING TRANMISSION IS UP THERE GOOD LUCK.

[lapriester]

The only solution is: THE biggest stacked plate auxiliary transmission cooler made by True Cool or Tekonisha. 40-50K range, installed in series with your stock cooler. Not the Hayden type aluminum finned coolers that aren't fit for cooling a VW transmission. You also absolutely must have synthetic ATF in your transmission. Dino fluid is not suitable for any towing rig....period.

Many earlier 99-2003 Ford owners buy and install the auto tranny cooler from a later Super Duty with the 6.0 and diesel engine. That is a huge stacked plate cooler and they are usually available in places like eBay for a reasonable price. Pay now or pay more later is a truer statement for auto tranny owners than for anything else.

Larry

[Diesel Dave 04]

Jerry, You can get a Ford V-10 cooler from ford part # is XC3Z-7A095-CA
it is a little larger then the 7.3 Cooler about 2 inches taller . it will bolt right in where yours is and you just have to give the lines i small tweak If you really want to go all out the Ford 6.0 Tranny cooler is huge. but it is like $300.00 It also will bolt in easy but the to lines come out the bottom so you cut yours and splice into them. the 6.0 is the way to go but cost more. the V-10 coolers cost me $140
Try turning off yout A/C when climing the moutains this will help because the tranny cooler is behind the A/C condenser and it is getting preheated air if the A/C is on. One thing I did with my 99 was added a extra cooler infront of the A/C condenser so with the air on i was still gettein cool air to the tranny cooler. the line off the front of the tranny is the hot oil comming out of the tranny it should go throught the rad. then out and into the cooler then back to the rear of the tranny.