Transmission problem

[wildcard]

I recently took my car on a 2 hour drive up the highway w/ the AC on. My temperature was a little higher than normal but it usually is with the AC on. After getting off the highway I turned off the AC to let my coolant cool off a bit. So I am off the highway leaving from a dead stop and it is taking an extremely long time for the transmission to shift. I've had this problem before so I pulled over to check my fluid. While it still had a hint of redness to it there was definitely a hint of brown to the fluid. Let the car sit and cool off for a while and haven't run the AC since and haven't seen any problems with the transmission since. The transmission only has 25k miles since the last rebuild. My transmission guy told me to flush it out and drive it. If its still acting up to bring it to him and he'd rebuild it only charging me for parts. Why do these cars run so damn hot with the AC running? Is there something I can do to combat this? I've also thought about installing an oil cooler, but want something with screw in type fittings...no hose clamps! I'm also wondering if I should run a temp sensor gage. Was just wondering if any of you have run into this problem and what have you done? Sorry for the long read.

 

[mikestertwo]

How hot is "a little higher than normal"? What thermostat and radiator are you using? Any mods?

 

[wildcard]

The car is stock with the exception of a few minor bolt ons like air intake stuff and exhaust. My temp gage usually hovers around 200, but on the day in question w/ the AC on it was around 215. On a normal day driving on the highway w/ the AC on my temp is at 200, but I didn't think 215 was really that bad. The radiator is factory and was recored in 2004 due to an enormus amount of calcium build up from sitting a year before I purchased it in Oct 2003. Thermostat is a 195.

 

[mikestertwo]

The car is stock with the exception of a few minor bolt ons like air intake stuff and exhaust. My temp gage usually hovers around 200, but on the day in question w/ the AC on it was around 215. On a normal day driving on the highway w/ the AC on my temp is at 200, but I didn't think 215 was really that bad. The radiator is factory and was recored in 2004 due to an enormus amount of calcium build up from sitting a year before I purchased it in Oct 2003. Thermostat is a 195.

You really shouldn't be running a thermostat any higher than a 180. A lot of guys will run a 160 in the summer but you will have to have a chip that is burned for a 160 so the fan will work properly. What chip does the computer have in it? Stock chip? Is your electric fan working? It does sound like your trans is running hot also...hot engine...hot trans! A trans cooler is always a good idea.

 

[wildcard]

I saw a nice fan mounted trans cooler on gbodyparts. A little pricey but it looks like it will do the job. I would just have to figure out where to mount it. As for the prom chip, I am not sure whats in there. The car was raced back from one of the previous owners. I'm wondering if it did have a aftermarket chip what would happen if I had a 195 thermostat in it? I will take it out and provide information concerning it.

 

[38turbo]

Get a 160 thermostat and a cooler fan switch from hypertech
cooled mine down quite a bit never gets over 190

 

[wildcard]

I was changing the oil today and found that plastic clip that holds the tranny cooler lines apart from each other. I can imagine that if these lines were sitting side by side that this would cause some cooling issues?

 

[mikestertwo]

I was changing the oil today and found that plastic clip that holds the tranny cooler lines apart from each other. I can imagine that if these lines were sitting side by side that this would cause some cooling issues?

The clip just keeps them from rattling against each other. Not a cooling issue.

 

[wildcard]

You really shouldn't be running a thermostat any higher than a 180. A lot of guys will run a 160 in the summer but you will have to have a chip that is burned for a 160 so the fan will work properly. What chip does the computer have in it? Stock chip? Is your electric fan working? It does sound like your trans is running hot also...hot engine...hot trans! A trans cooler is always a good idea.

The factory chip is still installed on my car.

 

[mikestertwo]

The factory chip is still installed on my car.

Get rid of the stock chip. It has too much timing in it for today's gas. Get a chip from Eric (Turbotweak). It will solve a lot of drivability problems. Put a cooler thermostat in it.