Trany cooler update

[TrepMan]

OK the wagon is in the "shop" today, told the shop to put on the hitch AND the transmission cooler. I decided it could not hurt and for $125 it was cheap insurance.



Now, the shop just called to say on this particular wagon to put the additional transmission cooler on would require cutting into something or other (I can't remember his exact words but it was more than just tieing into an existing line) and strongly suggested NOT doing it as they are NOT a dealer or Trasmission shop.



Soooooooooo, hitch is being installed and we'll pick it up in a few hours w/NO transmission cooler.



Now, any suggestions on how to make sure I don't overheat the existing trasmission and what preventative maintenance I should have done/do to keep it working?

 

[Ken Neeley]

Call Pierre and have him send you one of his Buck Roger's cooling units custom designed for your tranny!!!

 

[TrepMan]

But wouldn't that require me to be tethered to my garage?? I don't know if they make a long enough tether to get me to the lake and make sure no one runs over it LOL

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Trep, one thing a lot of people neglect to do is change their tranny filter. Do that, check your fluid to make sure it's good and red, not too dark or smelling burnt. If so, then it's been getting hot. But change the filter for sure, and top off the fluid. Plus your boat is light and you will be towing short distances for the most part right? Also in the early AM before it really heats up outside. Don't fret too much. But call a qualified shop to price it out for your own peace of mind. Then buy a TRUCK you WUSS!!!!! LOL Kidding! Durn fever! Ahhhhhh!!!!!! Please God, send me a boat!

 

[TrepMan]

I guess I will be going only short distances now!



I wish there was a Trany temp gauge like the engine temp gauge so i'd know when/if something is going wrong.



thanks!

 

[Staci Matheis]

Relax, Michael.....



With all the towing I've done over the years - everything from motorcyles with a Pinto in Missouri's Ozarks to my Nitro 180 with a Jeep going to and from Florida through your mountains in Georgia - I've never added an aftermarket transmission cooler and I've always towed in over-drive. (Except the Pinto 'cuz it was a stick.)



Only time I've ever had tranny problems was with my first SUV - a 1984 Chevrolet S-10 that I bought new in May 1984. In the 170,000 miles and 5 years I owned it, I rebuilt the tranny three times. However, the transmissions they used that year were known for having lots of problems.



Following the S-10, my 1989 Nissan Pathfinder (96,000 miles), 1992 (231,000) and 1997 (currently 87,000) Jeep Cherokees have never so much as whimpered!



me!

 

[Staci Matheis]

On second thought..... What we need to do is retro-fit your car with a Fuller RTAO16710CAS..... 10 Speeds! Overdrive! And AUTOMATIC!! I've got a 2000 Kenworth out front we can use..... Only problem is that we'd have to mate it with a 12.7 liter, 470 HP Detroit diesel..... Don't know if your suspension would handle the weight.....



:^)

me!

 

[TrepMan]

Bring that tranny down and the diesel too! We'll put aftermarket airshocks up front and back, set her up with cat-back exhause (she's already got true dual exhausts), custom headers, 20inch chrome wheels fitted with Pirelli Pzero's at 245-35-20 tires!

 

[Staci Matheis]

Dual Exhaust is good..... But we're gonna need pipes that are unrestricted and about 5" in diameter.....



I'm kinda partial to Goodyear G764's..... Size 275/80R24.5..... But we may have to modify your wheel wells slightly..... They stand 41" tall and are 10" wide..... The center point of your axles will be about 20" off the ground - but that gives plenty of clearance for the exhaust!



24.5" Polished aluminum wheels would be better - that will save us about 30# of un-sprung weight on each corner. Even with that savings, each tire and wheel combined will weigh about as much as you or I!



Shocks? I'm not quite sure what we'll do there..... We may have to borrow several sets from Bigfoot!



me!



(BTW..... If you see Bigfoot going down the highway..... It's being pulled by a Volvo 770 that was sold to them by one of the guys in my office!)

 

[Bob G.]

Hey Trep,



Buy a new Chevy/GMC fullsize truck and you get the auto transmission temperature gauge for free!!! Or you could get the transmission fluid and filter replaced more frequently (Maintenance Schedule B)and tow in 3rd gear.



Bob G.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Trep,...RELAX and go fishing!! You're pulling a lightweight aluminum boat for cryin' out loud!!!! as the Aussies say,.."No worries Mate!"

 

[JEFF WHITE]

scptt,if that is the trans im thinking of,i pulled at least 5 out for bad shifting,finding out it was the computer tearing it up.put the 18 speed in with the 3406E bumped up 550 hp and set the road speed to 95mph so it will run,not like those castrated cats there selling now!!will barely run 70mph down hill!! the signature series cummings with the 600 hp sounds better yet!allison makes a good auto for that application.seen one in a kenworth w900.man it would run!



and now for the mods to the front end!!

 

[TrepMan]

Bob - Maybe in 5 years, I just convinced the wife to NOT buy the $30k honda van to replace the old one! I want to retire BEFORE i'm too old to go fishing!



Scott - Sounds like a plan, now can it all be done for under $99.99???



Mac - Alright already, hitch on, checked the height, wiring works great. Now I just gotta wait till SUNDAY and the family is off for a day on the water!!!

 

[Staci Matheis]

Jeff -



We don't have a shop, so I don't get to "see" any kind of problems with equipment. However, I have heard of those problems from fleets that run them.



I'll also tell you that I HATE driving them in the "auto" mode..... I've driven several. They never shift where I'd like them to and they seem to hang in-between gears far too long. Using the "hold" mode is an entirely different story..... In that mode, you use the up and down buttons on the lever to shift to whatever gear you want whenever you want. Shifts are accomplished quickly with no hang-ups.



The stretch of highway near our office is HEAVILY covered by the Illinois Highway Patrol - so I have to be pretty careful of the 55 mph speed limit for trucks..... All the same - when I knew it was safe, there have been a few times when some of those Bad Boys would hit 90 and still be climbing! It never ceases to amaze me how a BIG diesel engine just keeps pulling!



Treppie -



I hate to tell you this..... But $99.99? You can only change about 1/3 of your oil for that!



me!

 

[TrepMan]

Scott = Just trying to stay on budget for retirement SOME DAY!



Hitch and wiring hookup fine, going to be 80 here tomorrow got a lunch plan with the boys on Allatoona.



What the tech at the shop said is the transmition is a closed system, with no provision to easily add an additional cooler. He said he'd have to literly CUT into the existing line and patch a T in, and he didn't want the liability of a potential fluid leak and ruining transmission. Like I said earlier I was very impressed with this shop's proffesionalism and honesty. Heck, how many independant auto shops wouldn't have taken my $125 anyway! If your in the north Atlanta area the shop is Unitied Auto on Alpharetta Hwy 1/2 mile south of HW 92.

 

[Steve Helscher]

Trep, I pulled my 16' Pro DeepV Combo with a 75 for a summer with a 96 Sable sedan until I got our truck. She did fine. A trip from Springfield when I brought it home from BPS and then 500 miles to north central MN. There were some short trips too. Take it easy, check your fluid and don't push it. You'll be fine.

 

[Wayne Barfield]

You crazy Americans. If you would get yourself a good pickup like the Tundra V8 you wouldn't have to worry about a towing problem.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Wayne, aren't you from GA? Start your own little country down there did ya? Tundra? As nice as they are, they ain't American. Sure, they'll last longer, but will they rust as quick? Huh, well will they? NO! so there........ I think!

 

[TrepMan]

Steve -thanks for the confidence, towed her sunday with no problem. Didn't even know she was back there except for the fact that my whole rear windows was BOAT!



Wayne - I tried, couldn't find a new/used Truck (any brand) that would A) tow my boat, B) have an automatic transmssion, C) hold 2 adults and 2 carseats safely, had less than 50K miles and D) for less than $10,000 cash! I work from home so when I bought the wagon last year it was a backup for my wife's Honda van (rated to tow 3500lbs easily). The van is totaled and my new/used car for use about 2-3k miles a year is a 99 saturn 4 door (see options a-d above).



Yes Rob GA is our own little country and we like it that way! Now if we could get more $$ put towards non-college public education we might snaak out of bottom 90% nationaly!