The best way to cool a tranny is flow as much air over the cooler along with flowing as much fluid through the cooler as possible. Thats why running at 2500-3500rpm when towing is recommended. It flows a larger volume of fluid without putting to much stress on every thing else and the fan is moving more air across the cooler, radiator, and motor. Transmissions like to run cooler, keep them happy.

 

Bear in mind, there is such a thing as over-cooling as well. Trans fluid that isn't warmed up enough is just as bad for your trans as fluid that gets overheated. That's why lots o' folks install a temp gauge, so they KNOW what temp the trans is running at, and can adjust their driving accordingly. You wanna stay between 175, and 225, (though I think the 225 is a tad high..... I would want to stay under about 210....) A rather serious trans cooler, with a thermostatic valve, is one of the best things you can do for your trans.

Also note: Ideal temp is right around the temp of the coolant in the radiator over on the side where the trans cooler is..... That's why the radiator cooler should remain 'in the loop' AFTER whatever other cooler you may have. (and yes, I know it isn't plumbed that way from the factory either....) That way, not only does the radiator help keep your fluid cool, it also helps it warm to the correct temp faster. Nice huh?

 

Then the fluid will look less burnt when you dump it out to replace the broken parts. Neither the micro-slippage of the clutches that tears friction material away from the substrate nor the mechanical overloading that causes stress fractures in the hard parts contribute enough thermal energy to the great quantity of oil that you'll ever see them by way of temperature rise.

Just don't tow in overdrive, okay? That's not what overdrive is for, and Chrysler did their part by writing it in the owner's manual that way.

 

Do they make 4.27 gears for your truck? That would be a nice compromise.......

 

You're right, I guess it's right in saying the transmission pump is proportional to engine speed in everything but park?
But makes sense, I just feel like at that point I'm racing the engine, or maybe just because my exhaust is so loud.


Oh wow, that sounds interesting, but more than I'm looking for... lol
I would love to! Although my mechanical ability stops when it comes to automatics transmissions.
That's a good point as well.. Transgo guts in there.. and yes I agree, especially this 318, hates to lug, which is does all the time with my drivetrain setup and I do mostly highway driving, screams for a regear.

 

Oh okay, sounds good. Yeah my eyes are GLUED to my transmission temperature gauge all the time, even when just normal driving, its very intriguing to me how it heats up and cools down all the time, more than I would think. Yeah I would never let my tansmission get over 210.

I was very interested in a Derale Transmission cooler, it has an electric fan, that comes on once the transmission hits just about 180* which is perfect. I also left the stock check valve in the transmission lines because I heard about the importance of a transmission warming up as cooling down.

I'm not sure if this is correct, but I don't have the factory towing packing, thus not having the Aux transmission cooler, but with my 180* thermostat on the motor I feel like that somewhat aids in my transmission temps staying down with cooler coolant running through the radiator.

Ah okay, sorry, I did not know. Automatics confuse me.. to a degree. But, makes sense, I wish there were more gears in this transmissions sometimes. Or even a lower first gear and a gear in between O/D and Drive.

I've looked but had no success, that would probably be ideal. I believe that is a ford thing.

 

No worries! I certainly do understand not wanting to spool the thing into noisy mode for an all day drive. The engine will run happily like that all day and all night, but to most folks it just feels all kinds of wrong and they get to watching for dents coming from the underside of the hood.

Fortunately, hoods dented by ballistic spark plugs are (literally) a Ford problem.

Not being at all judgmental: Are you maybe bumping up against competing interests in the truck? Tall tires and an open exhaust are going the wrong direction for a tow rig, where you want minimal rotational inertia and oodles of bottom to midrange power. With taller tires on stock gears and an open exhaust it's a wonder the thing gets out of its own way without a trailer on.

The only second generation Rams that should struggle with two ton behind are the V-6 models that struggle if you just take on an obese passenger while the fuel tank is above half.

 

Not being at all judgmental: Are you maybe bumping up against competing interests in the truck? Tall tires and an open exhaust are going the wrong direction for a tow rig, where you want minimal rotational inertia and oodles of bottom to midrange power. With taller tires on stock gears and an open exhaust it's a wonder the thing gets out of its own way without a trailer on.

The only second generation Rams that should struggle with two ton behind are the V-6 models that struggle if you just take on an obese passenger while the fuel tank is above half.[/QUOTE]

Oh yea, I'd agree to that, that was another idea of mine, get smaller tires. Although I don't think my tires are huge, I do notice a huge difference in power over stock size, which I was looking to overcome with a gear change.

Here's a question, Theoretically speaking, if I had done a tire and gear change that had the engine at no different RPM than stock, would the added weight of the tires play a roll or would that just not be really be a factor?

 

Unreg. Can you explain why an open exhaust hurts a tow rig ? So what is your best set up for the exhaust in towing? Shortys or long tubes, Cat ,no cat, muffler no muffler?

 

Shorties are actually better for low-end to mid-range torque/power. High-flow cat, (as it is federally mandated...) and free flowing exhaust of the right size for your application is where it's at. The muffler has pretty much zero affect in the lower RPM range, so, pick one that sounds good to you.

Dual exhaust is technically "better", as you have more flow area for the exhaust gases to get out. Of course, it is also more expensive..... An appropriately sized single exhaust can do the job almost as well as a dual system, for a lot less money..... Just size the pipe right.

I plan on shorties, high-flow direct fit cat, and 3" pipe, to a single-in, single-out muffler. Cheap, and effective. (and can sound decent too.)