Hot engine/ Trans problem...related?

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LauraEd Swank

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Dec 28, 2000
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Location
Durham, NC
On a recent trip to SC, we had a problem with the Trac in 95 degree heat and stop and go traffic (AC on of course). The temp guage would quickly climb to the upper 1/4-1/8 of the gauge, not quite as far as the last black tick though, and never climbed from there into the blank zone. Rolling off from a stop, the transmission would shudder a bit then bump harshly into second from first. Other transitions were normal. Once moving and the temp came down, everything operated normally. These seem related but I'm not sure why.

Any other hot weather ST'rs have a rapidly climbing temp gauge? Or, am I in need of a new thermostat?

And any ideas about the relation to the trans problem?



The vitals:

75K on the odometer

Trans fluid flushed and changed at 50K. Condition and level of fluid is normal.

Antifreeze flushed and replaced at 50K. Condition and level is normal.

Fan/Fan clutch seem to be operating fine.

Never a check engine light or a tossed code.



Ideas??



Thanks.

Ed
 
Possible sticking thermostat. not enough flow at low rpm, maybe. Thermofan cluthes are not really easy to diagnose, without an rpm strobe meter. You may have some resistance when engine is hot at idle. The thing, is it enough to spin the fan at needed rpm. Only a stobe can tell.
 
What TRACket Paul said, + check the cooling fins of you radiator to see if it's packed with dirt, mud, bugs etc. Blast it out at a car wash if so. :)
 
Original thermostat is in. Any idea of the relation to the transmission? It's getting hot under the hood no doubt, but it never heads into the "uh oh" zone, so that was the least of my two worries. The trans has me worried.

Thanks.

Ed
 
When my thermostat was bad & the truck got hot the transmission acted really funky. Matter of fact the transmission messing up is what really got my attention. I put in a new thermostat & everything has been back to normal ever since. This happened probably 10,000 miles ago BTW
 
It's the original thermostat. Popular vote is for that. I'll have that replaced Friday and see how it goes. I can only hope it cures the trans buck.



Thanks for the input everyone. Time to head back to my cave.



Ed
 
I would suspect the thermostat as well, and the excess heat can effect your transmission.



However, when you are in heavy traffic on a very hot day you can expect the engine coolant temperature to increase. The problem is that while idleing in heavy traffic, your fan is turning at it's slowest speed and not really moving that much air through the radiator. Once you can get the vehicle moving above 25-30 mph, there is enough air moving through the radiator that the fan is not needed.



That's the beauty of using an electric fan, since it operates at maximum speed and moves the most air through the radiator when the vehicle is stuck idleing in heavy traffic. You can add and electric fan as backup to the belt driven fan, or remove the belt driven fan completely and only use an electric fan. They save gas, free up HP and are more reliable than belt driven fans.



...Rich



 
My ST is in the 95 plus degree heat every summer, and the temp gauge does not move much past what I see year round-about in the middle of the gauge when warm. The fact that it's moving up that high would suggest to me (1) t-stat, or (2) a leak in the system, not allowing the pressure to reach the proper point.
 
I change a thermostat every other year. Maybe it is excessive, but I would rather be safe then sorry. You might want to change out your belt too. I just did mine today, along with flushing my power steering system.





Tom
 
Thermostat is my diagnosis, also, to start. Cheap and easy fix. Factory thermos

are junk, at best and only get worse from there. Also, any time you break a

hose or connection loose from the cooling system, it is a good idea to flush the

system as this may dislodge junk and particles from the system preventing proper

sealing (thermostat seat), and hence, proper operation of the cooling system as it

was designed from the factory. Also, on the new computer controlled vehicles,

if the coolant temperature sensor detects an over-threshold limit on coolant temp,

it sends a signal to the pcm (powertrain control module) to go into a safety mode,

which means such things as retarded spark timing, quicker up-shifts on the trans-

mission (no slip on the trans shifts means less heat(no slip=no friction=no or less

heat)) to keep the vehicle from "suiciding" itself.
 

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