# How does your Transmission when your plowing versus when your not?



## Dieselman19 (Oct 26, 2003)

I wondering what was normal transmission temp. when your plowing and what it is when your just driving around. Im having a problem with my temp getting to hot when im plowing and the truck is shifting funny when it gets hot, it peaked at 200 degrees last time i plowed so i put a tranny cooler and had the fluid flushed now it runs around 120 when im not plowing, so we will see what happens next time i plow.


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## Jpocket (Nov 7, 2005)

My new truck when towing in hot weather runs around 200 degrees never goes above, when just driving around it stays around 100, unless you run it for a long time.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

I dont think 200 is bad while plowing. Was just looking at aftermarket gauges from Banks, their safe "green" operating range is 170 to 240, above that is yellow then red. I would be worried about the shifting, however. I've heard that the factory trans temp gauges aren't very good, they show low all the time and only read hot when its real hot, kind of like an idiot light. I've worked the pants of our Chevies at work and can't get the factory trans gauges up hardly at all, even towing a 10k trailer up a long long hill! I've always used B&M trans temp gauges on my plow trucks and been real happy with them.
I think 120 is about right for normal driving, 200 should be okay for working it.


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## SkykingHD (Jan 31, 2002)

*trans oil temps*

Be careful to not take to much heat out of the transmission fluid. The snow plow prep trucks have a large transmission oil cooler that is air to fluid then it goes into the radiator and it "tempered" to the proper temperature then sent to the transmission. You need to keep this in mind.

When plowing my oil temp goes to 230 at times. When towing a trailer across the desert from Needles to Barstow CA the oil temp was below 140. Oh and when the temps were the highest the outside air temp was 0 F. That is how hard snow plowing is on a transmission.

Dave


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## dunedog (Oct 30, 2004)

Heat is the 'Enemy' of all transmissions...period !:realmad:


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

SkykingHD said:


> Be careful to not take to much heat out of the transmission fluid. The snow plow prep trucks have a large transmission oil cooler that is air to fluid then it goes into the radiator and it "tempered" to the proper temperature then sent to the transmission. You need to keep this in mind.
> 
> When plowing my oil temp goes to 230 at times. When towing a trailer across the desert from Needles to Barstow CA the oil temp was below 140. Oh and when the temps were the highest the outside air temp was 0 F. That is how hard snow plowing is on a transmission.
> 
> Dave


Mine goes through the transmission first, then through the auxiliary cooler then back to the trans. I thought they were all like that. I agree that the fluid has to carry some heat to work effectively, but I don't think I'd worry about it ever getting too cold, at least if the truck is working. In fact those gauges that I mentioned had a yellow section below the green section, too. I like to use 4 low whenever I have a chance, it works the transmission a lot less and the trans temp will run a good 20 degrees cooler. Try it and watch the gauge and you'll see what I mean. Good idea for tough places where theres a lot of back and forth and rough terrain or tight places. Obviously it takes too long to use 4 low on anything big and wide open. I have one driveway that is 1/4 mile of gravel winding through the woods, sharp turns and up and down little hills, 4 low is perfect because I can't use any speed there anyway.


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## NickyBombs (Dec 9, 2005)

*Watch the temperature?*

I would get real worried about the temp and shifting problems. That's almost the first sign that your transmission is ready to take a crap.:crying: I've burned a few plow truck trannies in my day and thats a sure sign. Just be ready with another plow truck when it finally dies.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Might want to hit the Ford forum with this question, if you haven't already.


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## Dieselgeek (Dec 15, 2003)

I personally would install a "real" guage instead of the using and relying on the factory guage. By the time you notice a severe hike in temps, its usually too late...


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## Ice Scream (Nov 11, 2005)

You keep your Trans as cool as possible. If you can keep it below 200 deg. that is great, it should not exceed 250 deg.it will burn up. 220 should be your upper limit. Stop and let it cool down. Aftermarket temp gauge is a must gor accurate measuring....


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## SkykingHD (Jan 31, 2002)

*tranny oil temps*

I have a Dodge Cummins with automatic transmission. If the transmission fluid is below 65F the transmission will not go into overdrive. They make the transmission stay in direct drive. I also agree that you need to see what the manufacture of the truck wants. He designed it and if you follow his repair and service procedures you have the right to complain if you have a problem. If you DON'T do as published in the manuals then you have NO right to complain. But you will have the right to PAY.... this sounds like something my dad would say to me.... a little humor here...

Dave


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## Dieselman19 (Oct 26, 2003)

thanks for the information, i do have an after market gauge, thats how i knew what the temp was doing


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## sawbones25 (Nov 12, 2005)

Click Here...

Click the link, look down near the bottom of the page.


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## Dieselman19 (Oct 26, 2003)

Great site thank you !


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## john-boy (Dec 20, 2005)

*tranny temps*

another issue is...were u plowing with the tranny in overdrive?? always turn the overdrive off if ur running a heavy load. another suggestion is to run synthetic atf, cost more but well worth it with a ford tranny. I smoked one at 52000 behind a powerstroke, went to synthetic oil and have another 130,000 strong.


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## BDB (Nov 24, 2005)

I am by no means a trans expert, but my father owns a transmission shop. I leave my truck run more than the average guy. I have 175,000 miles on my 1999 7.3 nothing done to the transmission....bone stock. Superchip programmer set at 70hp 150 tq setting and 4" Exhaust. I have never plowed with the over drive off. Let me tell you I travel at least 20MPH if I can! Maybe faster...time is money! The over drive souldn't kick in that low. I pull a 24' car trailer in OD. Wait, you say these trucks you can shut off OD. Just kidding. The front pump seal between converter and trans started to leak a very tiny 2" puddle when I shut it off. He says, my father, that's from letting it idle with no load on it. It just spins on the shaft and wears out the seal. So we took it apart for sh... and giggles. All parts, clutches gears everything looked 90% new...175,000 miles??? Sure didn't'n look like that many. We replaced converter...didn't have to...and the seal. Most cases that is the weakest link, the converter. It's like the shoe maker theory... maint? What's maintenance you always talk about. Engine oil every 5,000 mi but that is it! My dad also had worked on a 1997 F350 RC 7.3 PSD 27,000, yes that is correct. After the first went out around 10,000 the owner put in a temp gauge. Didn't help...supposedly owner operator never let it get over 200 deg. SMOOOOKED:yow!: You can't imagine he would want to smoke it. He is now on the third try. My dad got the pleasure to fix it, our first his third, mid season last year. Haven't seen him since but who knows. But all he plows is large shopping malls with it. That could be the tale to his problems. So what is the answer you say...just don't beat the crap out of it and hope for the best. Shifting hard is good as long as its not slipping to get there. More slip in the clutches means more heat when shifting.


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## Luppy (Oct 6, 2003)

When I plowed with automatics I always installed a transmission cooler and never worried about it. Never monitored the temps, and never burned up a tranny when plowing or otherwise.


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## daninline (Nov 1, 2004)

Everyone is right just keep it cool my drag truck never goes over 190 mostly in the mid 150 range is good for it I hate when I smote the trans but mine goes BOOM most times in that truck.

if you want to use synthetic oil you must drain out all of the old oil and I mean all of it or you will be in the shop real soon.

Also don't forget to change it when it's time since trans oil has detergent (spelling) in it that is used to keep everything clean so if you keep it in there for a long time slug and clutch material will build up and when you put the new stuf in you guessed it the suff will move right into the opening and clog the trans valve body right up and time for a trans rebuild.

Also never over fill you trans as it will have air bubbles from getting picked up from the spinning drums and we all know air and hydraulics and clutches is all bad news.

OK I made to many spelling errors time to put the Smirnoff down


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