High tranny temps. Cost to install HD coolers?

[adamsdaddy]

I pulled our 3,500 lb trailer behind the Expy for the first time this weekend. The braking and power of the Expy make it a breeze.
The problem however is with the tranny temperature. It went as high as 238. When I kept it in a lower gear with higher RPMs that helped lower it down to 230. This peak temperature was when I was climbing the twisty Angeles Hwy and it was 98-100 degrees outside.

I'm interested in having the HD coolers installed-has anyone had it done and what was the cost?

 

[powerboatr]

do you have the towing package? I thought all eco boosts have the tranny cooler in the front before the radiator, its medium sized imo.
my temps run 199 to 205

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I drove back to Fort Wayne from Harrisburg PA yesterday 520 miles in 90 degree weather. my Tranny temps were right around 204. I have the HD tow package with the transmission cooler. I don't think your numbers are that bad considering the weight you were pulling.

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Its not hard to do it yourself. Just purchase a QUALITY cooler. You can add it as a supplement to the factory cooler or to replace the factory cooler.

 

[Barjrob1972]

I've had warmer-than-I-like temps in the past on tow vehicles and in nearly every situation I've found a thorough front-to-back and back-to-front cleaning of the cooling stack can reduce temps dramatically. Usually soaking with a mixture of liquid Tide and Simple Green works well for me.
I actually reduced the temps in my 2006 Duramax 2500 by nearly 20* and it would maintain about 75*-80* over OAT in the Texas heat with further maintenance cleanings. The cleaner (and straighter) the fins, the better.
Works with outside condensers on an HVAC unit as well.
Just a thought.

 

[Adieu]

Where are you getting tranny temp from? Bluetooth dongle + Torque?

 

[adamsdaddy]

@Adieu I am reading the temperature from the display . My 2016 gives many choices-MPG off-road and others.

@USMCBuckWild i installed a tranny cooler on a 2007 Odyssey a few months ago and that was pretty straight forward. From what I've read, the Expedition doesn't have a dipstick for the tranny. I'm not sure how I'd be able to add the correct amount after connecting up an auxiliary cooler.

Coming back from the river the highest temperature it displayed was 224. I thought that was reasonable given the outside temperature was 110.

I'll see if I can find some DIY videos on Expy cooler installs.

 

[drewactual]

Its not hard to do it yourself. Just purchase a QUALITY cooler. You can add it as a supplement to the factory cooler or to replace the factory cooler.

the ONLY concern a person should have is to install the cooler DOWNSTREAM of the OE cooler- pressures playing a big role in the function of a auto trans, and the only place you can install w/o concern for interrupting that is downstream of the OE cooler, where it is simply returned to the pan (and pressure isn't monitored)...

I've had warmer-than-I-like temps in the past on tow vehicles and in nearly every situation I've found a thorough front-to-back and back-to-front cleaning of the cooling stack can reduce temps dramatically. Usually soaking with a mixture of liquid Tide and Simple Green works well for me.
I actually reduced the temps in my 2006 Duramax 2500 by nearly 20* and it would maintain about 75*-80* over OAT in the Texas heat with further maintenance cleanings. The cleaner (and straighter) the fins, the better.
Works with outside condensers on an HVAC unit as well.
Just a thought.

excellent call!!!! i'd raise you a bottle of HVAC cleaner, though... stuff works magic... buy it next to HVAC air filters at hardware stores- spray it on both sides (entire can), and walk away...... it's worked for me on countless occasions. I once pulled 10.5k on state roads through the great dismal swamp on a summer eve- and watched the ticker creep up on trans temp, and went through a bottle of washer fluid for the windshield... those two are related, if you catch my meaning...

 

[Barjrob1972]

excellent call!!!! i'd raise you a bottle of HVAC cleaner, though... stuff works magic... buy it next to HVAC air filters at hardware stores- spray it on both sides (entire can), and walk away...... it's worked for me on countless occasions. I once pulled 10.5k on state roads through the great dismal swamp on a summer eve- and watched the ticker creep up on trans temp, and went through a bottle of washer fluid for the windshield... those two are related, if you catch my meaning...

I'll check out the HVAC cleaner and yeah, bugs. UGH! I always wash, spray, walk away, come back and wash some more. The gunk that comes out can be disgusting. I know do it at least twice a year on all my vehicles, need it or not. Plus, with the Texas summer it helps the AC work a little better.

 

[07xln]

OP you didn't tell us if you have the HD tow package or not? If you do then those temps are WAY to high. Anything over 220* for an extended period of time is destroying your trans fluid and easily cutting the life of it in half if not more. If you don't have the HD package then you need to look into a cooler and do it quick. Talk to a Ford tech if you need to. Should be a kit you can get from Ford

I tow my 8Klbs toy hauler pretty regularly and never see over 205*