I just had the trans rebuilt on my 96 2500 gasser. Heavy bands and clutches new rad and new aftermarket trans cooler. Syn fluid and a 2+qt pan. I put 1500 miles on it before I got to put my trabs temp gauge in. Put the gauge and just driving around town empty I can get it up to 250 on the gauge. :/ I got a 12/12 warrenty on the trans but I called the shop and he said don't worry about it is normal. I don't buy it for a min. What could it be?

 

What fluid?

 

250 is hottt. I think silver posted in a thread awhile back that his trans ran at like 155 with a trailer.

 

Atf+4 valvaline

 

That's too hot. If the temp gauge is in the pan, hit the pan with an infrared heat gun and check to make sure the temp sensor isn't malfunctioning.

Otherwise get it diagnosed quick. Was the check valve removed?

 

Normal operating temp of pretty much any trans should be about 195-205 on the gauge. This is why a stock trans runs the fluid through a cooler that is part of the radiator, where temps are kept around 195 because of the coolant thermostat. 250 is way to hot.....possibly - it also depends on where your reading is coming from. Where is your sending unit?

 

Check valve removed, sensor is in the pan, pan does not feel like its that hot, also the gauge "twitches" on its way up which is odd. I haul 10k on a fairly regular basis so I need my trans to be able to hold.. Check valve failed on my the firt time truck has 60k on it now.

 

If your pan readings are 250, you have some definite overheating. The shop that told you that is normal honestly has no clue. But, I wonder if your gauge and sensor are actually working correctly (based on how you said it twitches? Do you have a drain plug on your pan too? If so, you could run the truck just till the gauge shows operating temp, and then drain a small bit of fluid out of the pan and test its temp manually.

 

Have you checked the fluid itself? Does it smell burnt? Does it look "new" or used?

 

Color and odor are not indicators of fluid life with ATF+4.