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The optimal temperature range for transmission fluid is 175 to 220 degrees. Above that, for every 20 degrees bad things happen, starting with formation of varnish at 240 degrees, followed by seals hardening, plates slipping, seals and clutches burn out, carbon is formed, and, ultimately, failure.Sep 25, 2018
Fluid Life Expectancy vs Temperature
The ideal operating temperature of transmission fluid is 175 degrees. Overheating occurs after the temperature surpasses 200 degrees, and the failure rate doubles for every additional 20 degree increase after that.
The ideal temperature for your transmission is 200 degrees. For every 20 degrees past 200, the lifespan of your transmission is reduced by a factor of 2. In other words, if you hit 220 degrees, you can expect to get about half the normal life out of your transmission.
The ideal temperature for it is 175 degrees, plus or minus 25 degrees, and when the transmission gets below zero degrees, it gets too thick. The fluid can also fail to lubricate parts when it is too cold, wearing parts down unnecessarily.
One light that you never want to see illuminated is the transmission temperature gauge warning light. Excessive heat is the enemy of your vehicle’s transmission and is responsible for many transmission problems. If you see this light come on, you should take immediate action.
Install the scan tool, start the vehicle and look for the transmission temperature. The fluid temperature should be between the 185- and 194-degree marks with an idle of 600 to 800 rpms. Remove the bolts and clips from the front fender well on the driver’s side, and locate the transmission fill plug; remove it.
Reasons for overheating include low fluid levels, leaks, burned, old or dirty fluid, or problems with the solenoid. You can ensure the long life and efficient performance of your transmission – and your car – by doing some things to make sure it does not run too hot.
Normal transmission fluid temperature is about 160-175 degrees. It might rise as high as 200-220 degrees under demanding conditions but hopefully it won’t go any higher. Transmission fluid degrades rapidly at higher temperatures. Cooked fluid and high operating temperature are transmission killers!
Yes, over cooling transmission fluid may cause some issues such as gelling up and restricting flow through the cooler lines and cooler itself, but this isn’t too common. This may occur when temperatures are consistently below freezing.
One way that you can check to see whether your transmission has been damaged is to check the transmission fluid. If water has reached the transmission fluid, then it’s in the transmission system. Transmission fluid will usually be a bright red color, but if water has infiltrated it, the fluid will turn gray.
Transmission fluid expands in heat and in order to receive accurate results, it must be under normal operating conditions. If the fluid is checked when the engine is cold, you may get false results indicating the fluid is low. Allow the engine to continue running while you check the level.
It may seem like a rather remote possibility, but engine coolant, or anti-freeze can get into automatic transmission fluid. The temperature of transmission fluid is regulated inside the engine cooling system. … Any rupture of the internal radiator tank can allow coolant to mix with, and contaminate transmission fluid.
Change the transmission fluid regularly
We recommend that you change the transmission fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, and more often if you drive long-haul routes, operate your vehicle in hot climates, or tow heavy loads. This reduces transmission wear, which in turn reduces the risks of overheating.
There really isn’t a reason to warm it up, unless you are in extreme sub-zero temps. Letting the engine idle for a couple minutes should do the trick (that is even a hot debate). If you are experiencing trouble shifting when the trans is cold, it could be an indication of upcoming issues, so get it checked out.
Question: I see lots of advice on how long to warm up a car’s engine in cold weather. But doesn’t the automatic transmission require a warm-up as well? In below-zero weather I’ve had cars barely run or shift until the fluid warms up and flows better.
Transmission fluids are also affected by cold temperatures. … As transmission fluid thickens in the cold, the synchronizers in manual transmissions cannot spin as quickly as they need to, which can severely impact the driver’s ability to shift until the fluid is warmed enough to provide proper flow – and protection.
No, you can’t leak transmission fluid into your engine. They are mechanically connected but there’s no way for fluid to get from one to the other.
If you catch a shifting issue very early, a transmission fluid flush can sometimes fix shifting issues. The fresh fluid helps clutch discs and steel discs bond and hold without slipping. The seal conditioners in the new fluid help soften the clutch piston lip seals so they seal better.
Low-quality transmission fluid – or driving without transmission fluid altogether – can cause a number of problems such as transmission failure, gear slipping, a hard time shifting, and a few more issues.
Temperatures from 230-240 have been reached with no damage to the transmission. If you are seeing temps above 225 degrees on a regular basis you should check your fluid level. Fluid levels to high may cause excessive temperature. … These transmissions will run from 200-230 in the summer months when towing in hilly areas.
Without enough transmission fluid or effective fluid, your transmission will start acting out. The ideal fluid temperature is under 175 degrees, but as fluid ages it starts to break down and lose its capacity to cool down the transmission. This is when transmission overheating occurs. At 220 degrees, varnish forms.
For every 20F degree drop in transmission fluid temperature, you can expect to extend the fluid and equipment life, thereby extending the life of the vehicle. That’s why it is very important to have a quality transmission cooler, and more importantly, to have it professionally installed.
When it comes to your hot rod you really can’t have too much of a transmission cooler, but you can certainly not have enough. You will find there are various different types of cooler designs available and each has their own level of effectiveness.
Should the cooler be installed before or after the radiator? Answer: We recommend installing the auxiliary cooler after the radiator to return the coolest fluid directly to the transmission.
If you don’t change your transmission fluid frequently, the dirty fluid will not serve as an effective lubricant and it won’t disperse heat well. This will cause wear and tear on the clutches and other parts of your transmission.
Proponents of transmission flushes will often argue that a flush is a better service because it replaces more of your transmission fluid. It’s true that removing your transmission pan or draining your transmission via its drain plug (as your car manufacturer intends) only removes about 70% of the fluid inside.
A transmission fluid change will help to restore your system to good working order and is the cheaper option. It is also a relatively simple task that can be undertaken by vehicle owners. A transmission fluid flush is more costly, but will replace all of the fluid and any contaminants that have built up in the system.
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