[A/S] transmission temps = transmission life

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jon,

Suggest you go into your local transmission repair shop and ask to see their
chart showing temperature ranges and their relationship to life of the
transmission.  After all, that's where you'll go when you have to fix it.
They are the guys who will tell you what you should have done before you
ruined your transmission. That might be a worthwhile piece of information.

For perspective, I have a 1978 Ford E-250 460 CID V8 with factory trailer
towing package and three modifications I made: (1) replaced the standard
three core radiator with a 5 core radiator, (2) replaced the 190 degree
thermostat with a 150 degree thermostat and (3) replaced the 10,000 pound
transmission oil cooler with a 30,000 pound cooler. I'm the original owner.
The truck has close to 300,000 miles on it, 90% of it towing.

Twenty four years ago, my know-it-all mechanical engineer brother-in-law
told me emphatically that I was going to ruin the engine and transmission by
changing my truck's cooling system.  Haa!

We're still using the truck. Last winter, it towed our Airstream 15,000
miles in the southwestern states. This winter, it has towed our Airstream
9,000 miles in the southeastern states. We're not casual weekenders.

During the last few days, we've been traveling north from New Orleans. The
outside temperatures have been in the high 80s, I've maintained a 60-70 mph
speed on the Interstates, the a/c has been going full blast and the needle
in my temperature gauge has been pegged just below the letter "N" in the
word "Normal." Even when parking in the campground after a day's run, the
needle never goes above the letter "N."

Why do I mention all this detail? The way I figured it (24 years ago) was I
could pay to have my truck set up to be trouble free for the long haul by
the guys in my performance shop or I could pay to have it fixed in East
Podunk by strangers. I chose the former and would do it again.

Transmission Temperature=Miles of Transmission Life:

175 degrees=100,000 miles/ 195 degrees=50,000 miles/ 215 degrees=25,000
miles/ 235 degrees=12,500 miles/ 255 degrees=6,250 miles/ 275 degrees=3,000
miles/  295 degrees=1,500 miles/ 315 degrees=750 miles

It's your truck. It's your choice. Pay now or pay later.

Terry 
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net

1977 31' Airstream Excella 500,
Certified scale weight 8,795 #s,