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Transmission fluid temperature range?

Rodzlla

Well-Known Member
Messages
85
Location
Northern Virginia
Mike,

I bypassed the stock radiator trans cooler and installed a stand alone unit. I would like a confirmation of the accepable trans fluid temps range for my 2006 H3. Can you help me out? I want to be sure I am okay now.
 

amrg

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,317
Location
Qatar
I've read on several sites that 160-180 is the range you want. What are you reading?
 

poncho1965

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,263
Location
Ridgecrest, California
Mine runs low 170's when ambient temp is 80 or below. 180's to 200 now that temp is 90 to 108. Highest fluid temp I've seen is 240 while climbing a 5000 ft pass.


Mike
 

Rodzlla

Well-Known Member
Messages
85
Location
Northern Virginia
Just hooked up the scangaugeII today. I guess it is in the 180 to 190 range mostly. However, I wanted to know at what temperate to get concerned. If I see it creep toward whatever that number is,I can do something to hopefully save my trans. That is why I am looking for the safe operating range...
 

stangster

Active Member
Messages
29
Location
Liechtenstein
Here (alps), I usually get between 190 to about 205, depends if im gunning it or not ;) had it up at 215 when I was pulling a trailer. No, problems so far.
I do have a thermostat installed, so the cooler actually is connected from 180 upwards, because of our winters.


Sent from my Iphone
 

elkgrunt

Member
Messages
13
Location
janesville,CA
I did the by-pass also, and have never seen it get above 140 degrees in 100 degree weather.It usually ran 180 to 200. Heat is the killer of tranny's. You can read a lot of things on the web about heat and tranny's , and what it comes down too is if you keep it below 175 it will last you a lot longer.
 

Sennin

Well-Known Member
Messages
453
Location
South Africa
Here's a quick question, I have ordered myself the 45,000 BTU tru-cool max oil cooler and its en route. I'm seriously considering installing it in conjunction with the integrated cooler. Will it be better to let the atf from the tranny go to the external oil cooler before passing to the integrated one? To be honest I'm scared the external one wont be able to handle the heat load when towing up a hill combined with the reduced airflow the Lightforce lights create.
 

Rodzlla

Well-Known Member
Messages
85
Location
Northern Virginia
My trans temps seem to be just fine. I have ScanGauge II and watch trans and coolant temps alot now. Dont recall it getting to 200 degrees on trans temp.
 

poncho1965

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,263
Location
Ridgecrest, California
My trans temps seem to be just fine. I have ScanGauge II and watch trans and coolant temps alot now. Dont recall it getting to 200 degrees on trans temp.

Depends on where you live. We see 115 degrees here. I've had a high trans temp of 240. I installed the cooler (26000 BTU) and bypassed the radiator cooler to avoid cross contamination. Gives me piece of mind. I would go with a larger cooler next time. The install is not bad but mine is ghetto, like where Zach lives. There is a few install threads on here.


Mike
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,505
Location
Meridian, ID
I run mine bypassed completely to avoid the radiator taking out the trans if it leaks but also run a thermostat to avoid overcooling, some say you can overcool some say you cant. I just did it and am happy.

If my trans dies tomorrow I cant bitch it has been overheated so many times. I have hit 240 almost every day every summer for a few years. The highest I ever hit was 256. They say at 260 your trans is done and expect to be needing a new one within a 1000 miles. Idk how mine is still going. That was 2 summers ago. Then I installed the cooler and the hottest I will go on my typical daily commute is 205. Much cooler then before. I would say 30-40 degree difference.
 

Zach

Mall Crawler
Messages
4,812
Location
So Cal
I run mine bypassed completely to avoid the radiator taking out the trans if it leaks but also run a thermostat to avoid overcooling, some say you can overcool some say you cant. I just did it and am happy.

If my trans dies tomorrow I cant bitch it has been overheated so many times. I have hit 240 almost every day every summer for a few years. The highest I ever hit was 256. They say at 260 your trans is done and expect to be needing a new one within a 1000 miles. Idk how mine is still going. That was 2 summers ago. Then I installed the cooler and the hottest I will go on my typical daily commute is 205. Much cooler then before. I would say 30-40 degree difference.


Not to mention loosing fluid.
 
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