Trans build IMO getting hot.

maccwall

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Your first post, you said that your ECT was around 190 running a longer distance (40 miles) than this last test (20 miles) which got you roughly 215 ECT and it was only 10deg warmer ambient temp. Something isn't adding up to me. In that short of a drive on flat ground, the TFT will not be getting hot enough to warm ECT that much with its tiny little heat exchanger, and that is if the exchanger is totally clean (most efficient). When the exchanger is plugged up, there is obviously less surface area for the trans fluid to exchange its heat with the coolant and therefore the coolant will not pick up its heat there. This can be verified with a temp gun, flir camera, or independent transducers, but your primary source of the heat problem seems to be your coolant. There certainly may still be something up with the trans or more likely the converter, but it will not drive fine on flat ground and create THAT much heat, then affect coolant temp that much, in my experiences...

Yes sir, hence why we are replacing the entire radiator. Everything seems to point in that direction.
 

maccwall

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Nov 22, 2013
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Ok, update. Replaced the radiator with an OEM radiator. Drove the truck this morning to take my horses swimming which is only 15 miles from my house. Ran 60-65 mph. Going there, the trans temp reached 191º, which is fine with me. Coolant temp was varying from 184º to 197º. Ambient temp, 74°. When I left an hour later, the beginning tranny temp was 146°. When I turned on my street, it was at 221º, ECT was at 199º but the fan clutch came on and it dropped like a rock, down to 186º. Trans temp barely came down. By the time I reached my drive it was at 217º. Roads are relatively flat. Ambient temp was up to 81º. I still need to flip the trans cooler but IMO, this is still too high of a temp. My cooling system in this truck is pretty all new now, even the thermostats were replaced. New Radiator, trans cooler, trans lines, water pump, fan clutch and yet the temps are still high. I am going to contact Jim and let him know. Can I hear opinions please?
 

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Chevy1925

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Ok, update. Replaced the radiator with an OEM radiator. Drove the truck this morning to take my horses swimming which is only 15 miles from my house. Ran 60-65 mph. Going there, the trans temp reached 191º, which is fine with me. Coolant temp was varying from 184º to 197º. Ambient temp, 74°. When I left an hour later, the beginning tranny temp was 146°. When I turned on my street, it was at 221º, ECT was at 199º but the fan clutch came on and it dropped like a rock, down to 186º. Trans temp barely came down. By the time I reached my drive it was at 217º. Roads are relatively flat. Ambient temp was up to 81º. I still need to flip the trans cooler but IMO, this is still too high of a temp. My cooling system in this truck is pretty all new now, even the thermostats were replaced. New Radiator, trans cooler, trans lines, water pump, fan clutch and yet the temps are still high. I am going to contact Jim and let him know. Can I hear opinions please?

Work with Jim and go from there. No builder likes to hear what a forum has to say about an issue when we are not there to physically there to see or know what he has done. The fact Josh vouches for him like he does says ALOT. let him dive in and see what he can do.
 
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maccwall

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Tothemax: I do not know the brand of torque converter is in the transmission. I'll have to ask. I was told it was a billet torque converter. And yes, I ALWAYS put it in tow mode. One thing that comes to mind that I have not mentioned is that Jim also installed and EFI lIve tow tune on the truck a year prior to the build. Not sure if that may have anything to do with it.

Mike L. and Bdsankey: As far as the cooler, I am guessing old style but the high temps were occurring prior to even updating the cooler. The new cooler did not really change anything like I hoped. The image is before the updated lines were installed. I am planning on flipping it tomorrow.
 

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Mike L.

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Tothemax: I do not know the brand of torque converter is in the transmission. I'll have to ask. I was told it was a billet torque converter. And yes, I ALWAYS put it in tow mode. One thing that comes to mind that I have not mentioned is that Jim also installed and EFI lIve tow tune on the truck a year prior to the build. Not sure if that may have anything to do with it.

Mike L. and Bdsankey: As far as the cooler, I am guessing old style but the high temps were occurring prior to even updating the cooler. The new cooler did not really change anything like I hoped. The image is before the updated lines were installed. I am planning on flipping it tomorrow.
You have their new style cooler, believe it is chinese, not very good. Flipping it does no good. As far as your lines; make sure you got the lines with the larger hose ends. The smaller ones are a bottle neck and will run hot.
 

maccwall

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What do you recommend as far as coolers? I know you have one correct? The kit I bought is 1/2" ID hose, 10AN fittings.
 
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maccwall

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Mike L. forgive the delay in getting back to you. Fittings for the trans lines are 1/2".

And just so you are aware, I did not have any overheating issues prior to the build. I traveled to Wyoming last year, towed through a mountain pass in the Big Horn mountains loaded and had no issues with it getting hot and have been to numerous rides before the build happened. Prior to the build, I started having issues with it jumping out of lock up and not going back in, mostly when I would pass a slow moving vehicle on the highway. The suggestion was to replace the valve body and unfortunately that did not solve the issue but the trans still was not overheating unless it came out of lock up and then I had to drive slower till I could pull over, shut it down for 30 minutes and continue on. I opted for a build at that point and that fixed the lock up issues but created the overheating issue. I have, at this point, replaced everything in the cooling system, some on his suggestion like the cooler, radiator and the lines, but he did find the water pump was leaking so that was replaced and the fan clutch was not functioning so that was replaced as well, as well as the thermostats for good measure. ECT is normal184º-195º! 213ºF unloaded in 88º temps doing 60-65mph for the transmission is not, so honestly, I do not think it is my lines or my cooler. IMO, at this point and time, it is something internal in the transmission and it is going back so he can figure it out. I am not angry about any of this, frustrated, yes, and I know Jims work is impeccable. Shit happens, unfortunately it has happened to my truck.. I appreciate everyones comments and suggestions. I am talking to Jim this morning and will find out what torque converter he used as I do not know and it seems to be a question that needs to be answered... LOL.
 
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08lmm72mm

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From every post I've read and from my own experience that once you build the trans in these trucks the stock cooler just isn't adequate any more imo. Only way to keep them cool is running an aftermarket cooler other than the ppe one ( either Mike L's, mishi.) . I suspect the stock location right behind the front bumper doesn't help in the slightest.
 

Mike L.

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From every post I've read and from my own experience that once you build the trans in these trucks the stock cooler just isn't adequate any more imo. Only way to keep them cool is running an aftermarket cooler other than the ppe one ( either Mike L's, mishi.) . I suspect the stock location right behind the front bumper doesn't help in the slightest.
Cooler being behind the bumper works just fine. You get some fan blade action there as you won't when the cooler is raised up in front of the fan clutch.
 

maccwall

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Nov 22, 2013
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Another update. Truck is back in the shop after discussing everything with Jim, he is convinced that there is a restriction somewhere within the fluid flow of the transmission. When he flushed the old radiator, he had alot of debris removed as he flushed a number of time to make sure it was clean as apparently it as pretty dirty initially (see post somewhere above) hence why he suggested the radiator replacement so his thoughts are since we did get a slight drop after replacing the rad, that something may have been left in the heat exchanger that did not initially get removed during the flush but worked it's way out during operation and has caused a restriction somewhere within the fluid flow and since we are on a time crunch with my trip coming up, the best solution instead of going through each component and trying to figure out where that restriction is is to replace those components. He named them all off but there are a few I can't recall. Torque Converter, stater valve, some other valves, something in the valve body... ETC. You folks that know transmissions will know what he would be replacing. I have the utmost confidence that this will get resolved as I think he is just as frustrated with it as I am. Oh and the TC is a Suncoast. I'll update when it is all said and done. I am also having a down pipe installed while the trans is out.
 

Hate2Looz

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I would have made sure to flush all of the trans cooler lines and external cooler, while the old radiator was out/before the new radiator was installed. If there was debris in the old radiator, everything in that cooler fluid circuit is contaminated.