Originally Posted by UnregisteredUser

There are a couple of guys from Junction or thereabouts wandering around here somewhere, and I'm missing the Western Slope something fierce myself. There's nothing wrong with the way you wrote it, not at all. It just got me to thinking that it just about had to be Douglas Pass, being near Rangely and also during the holiday shopping season. And the thought of going over that hill in overdrive just make me cringe.

There were quite a few deep fried transmissions happening when the energy extraction folks from the flatlands started showing up in the area a few years ago. And lots and lots of wrecks, too, between the critters and the winter roads and a great number of drivers who had no experience dealing with either.




Right up until the energy extraction boom I swore that it'd take dynamite to get my *** off of the mountain, but after a few years of the boom I couldn't wait to get away from it.

Are you there for work or for college?

So where did you head to? I just moved here from south dakota, which was flat and boring. I took a job at the hospital here in Rangely, and so far love it here on the western slope.


They're common as dirt, really. In addition to HeyYou's good advice, you can order the parts online from PATC.

If you're going to be doing a lot of out of town driving so you'll be going up and down the mountain a lot you might want to install a deep transmission pan, too. The same energy being dissipated in a greater quantity of fluid means lower internal temperatures and greater transmission lifespan.

I kinda hate to recommend throwing so much stuff at the problem because it's easy enough to spend about half the value of the (stock) transmission on all the parts, but on the other hand smoking off an automatic transmission is no fun and these trucks have a tendency to do just that.



It'd be a good investment (as HeyYou said), but be sure to install a bypass valve for cold weather. The rule of thumb is to shoot for 150-180 degrees in the pan, and about 30 degrees higher on the hot side (going out to the cooling system). Too cold is not quite as bad as too hot, but it's still not good.

Originally Posted by nmanchester

My family and I moved here because i took a job at the hospital.

Originally Posted by nmanchester

We moved here 3 months ago from south dakota which is flat and boring.

Originally Posted by nmanchester

So where did you head to?

Originally Posted by nmanchester

I think im going to just change to a deeper pan instead of the cooler for now and see how things go after i add the external filter and remove the check valve.

Originally Posted by UnregisteredUser

It's always good having a job, especially these days. And one that takes you to the Western Slope? Bonus! Especially if you're an elk hunter, and especially right about now when the migration is coming into full swing.



Yeah, but when the wind blows it makes up for it.



Our destination is 500 miles nearly due south of Meeker, but we're taking a circuitous route to get there. At the moment were in Las Vegas, NV and as soon as I finish up a big project we're pulling up stakes and heading for New Mexico.



That seems to be a good plan, since you've got winter on your side for a while yet. It's important to get that check valve out ASAP now that you've overheated the transmission. Varnishes that can stick that darn valve begin to form at 240F, which you probably hit. It's right around 240F that the Trans Temp light comes on, I believe. PATC's got a cute little chart of the bad things that go wrong at various transmission temperatures.

Originally Posted by nmanchester

I like to hunt but i have to wait anouther 3 more months to get a license or pay the out of state fees, no thanks!

Originally Posted by nmanchester

I did see that chart and i definitely will be getting the parts as soon as i can should be in two weeks. Thanks alot for the help!