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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. … If water is in it when cold, it will freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
200-225 is very common when the ambient air temp is 80-100 degrees and your transmission is under an increased load. 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.
#1 Cause of Failure
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.
Allowing the car to idle in neutral, while sitting at red lights, in congested traffic or at rail road tracks, reduces the strain on the transmission, allowing the transmission to cool.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Idling the engine for the first 30 seconds to 1 minute is not to warm the engine up but rather to get the oil circulating through the engine. If you idle an automatic, the transmission does warm up a bit due to the torque converter. In a manual, you have to drive the car in order to warm the transmission up.
Although newer synthetic fluids can withstand higher temperatures we still recommend this (270F) as a maximum temperature.
#2: Overheating CVT
The belt-driven CVT transmission is cooled by transmission fluid. If there’s been a fluid leak, a glitch in the computer or some other problem, the transmission could begin to overheat. … You may be low on transmission fluid, or the fluid you already have may need to be exchanged for fresh fluid.
Manual transmissions generally need transmission fluid changes more frequently than automatic transmissions. The average recommended interval for manual transmissions is around 30,000 to 60,000 miles. For automatic transmissions, the recommended interval is around 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
Transmission gears wear out and start slipping.
Slipping gears are usually due to normal wear and tear, which causes them to not engage properly and to slip in and out of sync. … Worn or rounded out gears don’t properly link together so this can cause a bumpy shift and slippage as you accelerate and drive.
But if the engine coolant level is low, the coolant won’t immerse the transmission cooler properly. So the cooler won’t release the heat necessary for the transmission to cool off. The heat continues to increase in the transmission, causing parts to expand and pressures to build.
The reason for checking when both hot and cold is transmission fluid expands as it is heated. … So, when checking if it’s hot, you can’t do that check if you just drove 50 miles across the desert because the fluid will have expanded. Transmission fluid expands and keeps expanding the hotter it gets.
Perform a hot check at the first opportunity after the transmission reaches a normal operating temperature between 71°C to 93°C (160°F to 200°F).
Check the fluid. Dip the tip of your index finger into the fluid on the dipstick and rub the fluid between your finger and the tip of your thumb. The transmission fluid on the dipstick should be pinkish and almost clear. If it looks or smells burnt or has particles in it, have a mechanic drain and change the fluid.
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.
Pull the dipstick out again and check the fluid level. If the engine is cool, it should be at the upper end of the “COLD” mark. If the engine is hot, the level should be at the upper end of the “HOT” mark. If it’s lower, you should add some amount of automatic transmission fluid.
A coolant temperature sensor (CTS) (also known as an ECT sensor or ECTS (engine coolant temperature sensor) is used to measure the temperature of the coolant/antifreeze mix in the cooling system, giving an indication of how much heat the engine is giving off.
Anything under 235 is normal temp for these engines, and is where they are designed to run. As for the trans, anything under 220 or so is fine. Even 220 isn’t bad if your towing. if it has the factory DEX VI in it, it is good to around 235-240 without much breakdown.
Running temp on the Edge is usually about 180 +/- 10 degrees and the factory gauge is at 210-220… Trans temp varies just as much between factory gauge and Edge. My LB7 was the same way. Unfortunately I now have a bias against the factory gauges, and analog gauges even though I shouldn’t!
Yes these engines should be given a bit of warm up time and not worked hard until up to operating temperature. Also should be given a few moments to cool down before shut down for the same reason, also this will extend the life of your turbo.
When the temperature drops, transmission fluids with poor cold-flow properties can thicken and cause elongated and hard shifts until the fluid has warmed up enough to flow properly. Switching to a high-quality synthetic transmission fluid will help.
The vehicle will make noise when cold for several reasons. If you belts are loose at all, it may take them a while to warm up and grip the pulleys the way they are designed. … Cold fluids will also cause noises. The power steering pump, engine oil, and transmission fluid all needs to warm up before they work properly.
Automatic transmissions that shift hard, jerk or shake during a shift change may mean your transmission fluid needs changed or fluid level is low. In manual transmission vehicles, abnormal gear shifts could indicate damaged gear synchros, worn clutches or other, more severe issues.
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.
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