Towing with a 97 Powerstroke auto - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Brutpwr · 08-26-2002, 01:43 AM

My clutch is slipping in my tow rig so I may borrow a friends Dads
Powerstoke F350 crewcab 4x4 to tow my rig on Labor Day. My question concerns the stock tranny cooler. Its a two pass cooler that is not much bigger than the power steering cooler on my Toyota! Is this thing going to provide enough cooling for the tranny when climbing in the Sierras? Do these trucks have a trans temp light. I do not like to tow with automatics unless they have the "largest cooler you can fit"...

Jason

Tusker · 08-26-2002, 07:27 AM

I have a 97 powerstroke with an auto. Towing at highway speeds, you will be ok. Just keep it out of O.D. on ANY hills. With the torque converter locked in (i.e. above 42 mph or so) and the O.D. off, you don't generate too much heat. Where you will get into heat trouble is going up Ice House Road. For the reasons you mentioned, I put on the largest tranny cooler I could find and ran it in series with the stock one. Even at that, my tranny reaches 190 to 200 on the hottest days going up Ice House Rd which isn't too bad. I usually have a 3,500 lb camper, rig, trailer, and stuff so I weigh in at around 16,500 lbs CGVW. Anyway, if you stay in 2nd up Ice House and it isn't too hot, you won't boil it over. I would estimate that you get around 240 degrees or so at the top with the stock setup.

BTW, stay out of O.D once you get off the freeway. A buddy recently flat towed his Samurai to Loon, and the tranny died right at the Lake. He was towing in O.D. with NO tranny cooler at all

. An expensive lessen.

Brutpwr · 08-26-2002, 11:25 AM

Thanks for the info--How would towing up Ice House Road in low range 3rd gear--will the tranny stay locked up above 20 MPH or will the grade and load force the converter to unlock. I have no problem putting a cooler in--better to be safe than sorry. I have a snap on pyrometer that I can stick down the dipstick tube to moniter the trans temp I suppose. If I can keep it at 220 or below I would not worry to much--does this sound feasible. Main problem is I'm still fixing my Toyota so the trans cooler installation will mean that much more delay in getting to the trail!

Jason

Tusker · 08-26-2002, 12:34 PM

I am not sure about the low range idea. I would be careful though. Doing that can put a lot of strain on drivelines too. If you can get a cooler, I would buy one and put one on. I paid around $60 for the largest, ribbon-core type I could find. It takes around 20 minutes to put it on. A real nice way to say "Thanks" for borrowing the truck. With the extra cooler in series with the stock, you won't overheat the tranny unless you are doing something really crazy, and even then it will take a while. Then a gauge isn't really necessary (if it were my truck thoughm it would have a tranny temp gauge in the pan though!). The best place to mount the cooler is with one edge next to the center body post behind the grill. This gets the cooler within the air stream created by the grill and will maximize heat transfer. I originally mounted mine to the side, near the headlight. At first I didn't notice that half of the cooler wouldn't be getting much air circulation over there. It wasn't nearly as efficient as the near-center mount.

Brutpwr · 08-26-2002, 12:57 PM

Yeah since it already has a cooler I'll put one in it. I did that for the last guy I borrowed a truck from when my tow rig needed a tow home... Plus it will save a major headache should the tranny catch on

My buddy lost the coolers on his Class 8 truck and the tranny fluid caught on fire twice. He's lucky the truck did not go up in flames!

Jason

smurfsdad · 08-26-2002, 03:46 PM

I put 180,000 miles on a 97 f250 crewcab 4x4 psd with auto, towing almost everyday. Dont worry about it. If it gets hot the OD light on the end of the shifter will start flashing. I towed my bronco and a cj7 on a gooseneck from NV to the con a few years ago and the hottest the trans got was on hwy 49 between Auburn and Cool. Icehouse road is cake.

Brutpwr · 08-26-2002, 05:28 PM

Thanks for all the info--I'll probably still carry my portable snap on pyrometer and velcro it to the windshield or something. Doesnt make sense to burn anything up--leaves less $$$ for the trail rig mods... not to mention the clutch I need to replace.

Jason

Brutpwr · 09-09-2002, 01:58 PM

Didn't get a chance to install a cooler... Checked the transmission temp at the top of Ice House Rd and it was 230 so it looks like a cooler would help a bit. My boss grosses about 21000 total in his Powerstroke and he has not had a problem but his tranny must be getting hot--he has not towed up any 8% grades thou.

Jason

Tusker · 09-09-2002, 05:24 PM

So my estimate of 240 degrees wasn't too far off. Not bad for an engineer 'eh?

Thanks for the update.

Brutpwr · 09-10-2002, 12:19 AM

Oh yeah( we tried the low range idea but the gearing was too low 20 MPH (or 25MPH reving out a bit) where as the truck would climb easily at 30MPH in high range.

Jason

08-26-2002, 01:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
Brutpwr Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 481 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 3,850	Towing with a 97 Powerstroke auto My clutch is slipping in my tow rig so I may borrow a friends Dads Powerstoke F350 crewcab 4x4 to tow my rig on Labor Day. My question concerns the stock tranny cooler. Its a two pass cooler that is not much bigger than the power steering cooler on my Toyota! Is this thing going to provide enough cooling for the tranny when climbing in the Sierras? Do these trucks have a trans temp light. I do not like to tow with automatics unless they have the "largest cooler you can fit"... Jason

08-26-2002, 07:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tusker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Member # 2752 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 2,043	I have a 97 powerstroke with an auto. Towing at highway speeds, you will be ok. Just keep it out of O.D. on ANY hills. With the torque converter locked in (i.e. above 42 mph or so) and the O.D. off, you don't generate too much heat. Where you will get into heat trouble is going up Ice House Road. For the reasons you mentioned, I put on the largest tranny cooler I could find and ran it in series with the stock one. Even at that, my tranny reaches 190 to 200 on the hottest days going up Ice House Rd which isn't too bad. I usually have a 3,500 lb camper, rig, trailer, and stuff so I weigh in at around 16,500 lbs CGVW. Anyway, if you stay in 2nd up Ice House and it isn't too hot, you won't boil it over. I would estimate that you get around 240 degrees or so at the top with the stock setup. BTW, stay out of O.D once you get off the freeway. A buddy recently flat towed his Samurai to Loon, and the tranny died right at the Lake. He was towing in O.D. with NO tranny cooler at all . An expensive lessen. __________________ 86 Samurai w/gun rack, 92" WB, VW 1.9 TD, Toyota 5-speed and dual cases with 4.7 gearset, Toyota axles with Longfields, 5.29's, ARB's f&r, YJ's, 35's, FJ-60 power steering, high steer, ............. <>< <>< <>< Hey, if this rig is for wheelin', what are all these animal parts doin' in here?

08-26-2002, 12:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tusker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Member # 2752 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 2,043	I am not sure about the low range idea. I would be careful though. Doing that can put a lot of strain on drivelines too. If you can get a cooler, I would buy one and put one on. I paid around $60 for the largest, ribbon-core type I could find. It takes around 20 minutes to put it on. A real nice way to say "Thanks" for borrowing the truck. With the extra cooler in series with the stock, you won't overheat the tranny unless you are doing something really crazy, and even then it will take a while. Then a gauge isn't really necessary (if it were my truck thoughm it would have a tranny temp gauge in the pan though!). The best place to mount the cooler is with one edge next to the center body post behind the grill. This gets the cooler within the air stream created by the grill and will maximize heat transfer. I originally mounted mine to the side, near the headlight. At first I didn't notice that half of the cooler wouldn't be getting much air circulation over there. It wasn't nearly as efficient as the near-center mount. __________________ 86 Samurai w/gun rack, 92" WB, VW 1.9 TD, Toyota 5-speed and dual cases with 4.7 gearset, Toyota axles with Longfields, 5.29's, ARB's f&r, YJ's, 35's, FJ-60 power steering, high steer, ............. <>< <>< <>< Hey, if this rig is for wheelin', what are all these animal parts doin' in here?

08-26-2002, 03:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
smurfsdad Registered User Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 324 Location: Nevada Posts: 4,005	I put 180,000 miles on a 97 f250 crewcab 4x4 psd with auto, towing almost everyday. Dont worry about it. If it gets hot the OD light on the end of the shifter will start flashing. I towed my bronco and a cj7 on a gooseneck from NV to the con a few years ago and the hottest the trans got was on hwy 49 between Auburn and Cool. Icehouse road is cake. __________________ Family, Friends, riders and racers, its who we are.

09-09-2002, 05:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tusker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Member # 2752 Location: Fairfield, CA Posts: 2,043	So my estimate of 240 degrees wasn't too far off. Not bad for an engineer 'eh? Thanks for the update. __________________ 86 Samurai w/gun rack, 92" WB, VW 1.9 TD, Toyota 5-speed and dual cases with 4.7 gearset, Toyota axles with Longfields, 5.29's, ARB's f&r, YJ's, 35's, FJ-60 power steering, high steer, ............. <>< <>< <>< Hey, if this rig is for wheelin', what are all these animal parts doin' in here?

08-26-2002, 11:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
Brutpwr Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 481 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 3,850	Thanks for the info--How would towing up Ice House Road in low range 3rd gear--will the tranny stay locked up above 20 MPH or will the grade and load force the converter to unlock. I have no problem putting a cooler in--better to be safe than sorry. I have a snap on pyrometer that I can stick down the dipstick tube to moniter the trans temp I suppose. If I can keep it at 220 or below I would not worry to much--does this sound feasible. Main problem is I'm still fixing my Toyota so the trans cooler installation will mean that much more delay in getting to the trail! Jason

08-26-2002, 12:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
Brutpwr Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 481 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 3,850	Yeah since it already has a cooler I'll put one in it. I did that for the last guy I borrowed a truck from when my tow rig needed a tow home... Plus it will save a major headache should the tranny catch on My buddy lost the coolers on his Class 8 truck and the tranny fluid caught on fire twice. He's lucky the truck did not go up in flames! Jason

08-26-2002, 05:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
Brutpwr Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 481 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 3,850	Thanks for all the info--I'll probably still carry my portable snap on pyrometer and velcro it to the windshield or something. Doesnt make sense to burn anything up--leaves less $$$ for the trail rig mods... not to mention the clutch I need to replace. Jason

09-09-2002, 01:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
Brutpwr Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 481 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 3,850	Didn't get a chance to install a cooler... Checked the transmission temp at the top of Ice House Rd and it was 230 so it looks like a cooler would help a bit. My boss grosses about 21000 total in his Powerstroke and he has not had a problem but his tranny must be getting hot--he has not towed up any 8% grades thou. Jason

09-10-2002, 12:19 AM	#10 (permalink)
Brutpwr Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 481 Location: San Jose, CA, USA Posts: 3,850	Oh yeah( we tried the low range idea but the gearing was too low 20 MPH (or 25MPH reving out a bit) where as the truck would climb easily at 30MPH in high range. Jason

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