[CVTitan05]

Hey everybody, having a small problem, that i think might turn into a big one if left unhandled.

Just this weekend i was going out to go riding in Ocotillo Wells, so i went and picked up my little enclosed trailer (16' long) and was bringing it back to the shop where my RZR is at. Well on my way there, i noticed the trans temp going up, quite a bit, with just an unloaded trailer. Now if i maintained speed for a few minutes, it would drop back down, but never got over the first mark on the temp gauge. The temp went up everytime from taking off from a stop, then maintaining speed it dropped slowly back to normal, but if i was in stop and go repeatedly, it wouldn't go down, and just kept rising.

So i ended up not taking the trailer, and my father towed it out there for me. I ended up with just 2 dirt bikes in the bed.

Well even with just that, i still had the temp go up on me in stop and go! Then once on the freeway it was fine, until i had to climb a 6% grade for about a mile, and it rose and hovered just under the 2nd line (not the H mark).

The truck has an external trans cooler that is visible from the lower bumper hole. Is it not working somehow? Or is this totally normal?

 

[honda250xtitan]

Hey everybody, having a small problem, that i think might turn into a big one if left unhandled.

Just this weekend i was going out to go riding in Ocotillo Wells, so i went and picked up my little enclosed trailer (16' long) and was bringing it back to the shop where my RZR is at. Well on my way there, i noticed the trans temp going up, quite a bit, with just an unloaded trailer. Now if i maintained speed for a few minutes, it would drop back down, but never got over the first mark on the temp gauge. The temp went up everytime from taking off from a stop, then maintaining speed it dropped slowly back to normal, but if i was in stop and go repeatedly, it wouldn't go down, and just kept rising.

So i ended up not taking the trailer, and my father towed it out there for me. I ended up with just 2 dirt bikes in the bed.

Well even with just that, i still had the temp go up on me in stop and go! Then once on the freeway it was fine, until i had to climb a 6% grade for about a mile, and it rose and hovered just under the 2nd line (not the H mark).

The truck has an external trans cooler that is visible from the lower bumper hole. Is it not working somehow? Or is this totally normal?

My 06 had the same issue. even just going up hills it'd overheat with no trailer. i couldn't figure it out before i sold it. theres a bunch of pre 08 titans that have posted this issue on here. Good luck finding it man, hope its something easy.

 

[CVTitan05]

Thanks bud, im hoping its as simple as needing a trans service, it looks to be due, so im gonna do it soon. If i have to, a deeper pan, another cooler, and bypass the radiator.

 

[HRTKD]

Check the fluid level first. Then check the mechanical clutch fan. With the engine at temperature - and turned off! - spin the fan with your hand. It should be stiff to turn. If it spins freely then the clutch is bad. Since the temperature is coming down when you're moving that tells me the fan might be the culprit. It isn't drawing enough air across the radiator and the transmission cooler to keep the transmission fluid cool. It could also be that your transmission is on its way out.

 

[CVTitan05]

Ill check that asap!

It shifts great, fluid level is good, and doesn't smell too burnt, but is a little dark, so i dont think the trans is bad or going bad just yet.

 

[HRTKD]

The fluid shouldn't be at all dark. A transparent pink is just right.

 

[CVTitan05]

Yeah i could see it being pink when its brand new, but after 30,000 miles when its due for a change, you cant tell me it will still be pink, no matter how you drive.

 

[HRTKD]

I changed mine out at 33,000 miles and it was still a nice pink. I had a sample tested and it came back just fine.

 

[CVTitan05]

Well i think i found part of the reason as to why it was getting warm. After getting under the truck to do the first oil change since i had it, i noticed that the previous owner had bypassed the internal cooler inside the radiator (not a surprise), but also bypasses the factory external cooler? So it was only running on a little cooler in the front (which looks like a cheap one). So i hooked up the factory external cooler as well as the aftermarket one. So we'll see how it all goes later.

When i have the cash im going to pull both of the coolers out and buy one really big nice one that will fix it for good.

 

[HRTKD]

It's not uncommon for the transmission fluid to bypass the line going through the radiator. In my Titan the fluid goes like this: transmission -> radiator -> oem cooler -> aftermarket cooler -> transmission.

 

[CVTitan05]

It's not uncommon for the transmission fluid to bypass the line going through the radiator. In my Titan the fluid goes like this: transmission -> radiator -> oem cooler -> aftermarket cooler -> transmission.

I understand that, but the previous owner bypassed the oem cooler as well. so it was only going through the aftermarket cooler. I plumbed it to go through the oem and aftermarket cooler together.

 

[HRTKD]

That's a good first step. If it was me, I would have cleaned out the innards OEM cooler first. Especially if the lines weren't capped off securely.

 

[CVTitan05]

Yes, i agree, i did that as well, i blew out the cooler with a little compressed air to make sure it wasnt full of something, and to check if it wasn't leaking. All checked out good to go.

 

[Milkc3]

I tow frequently, had the same issue, found a pretty simple solution, that just results in slightly lower mpg's. Before I would tow a double axle trailer up and down mountains, pretty ****ty terrain in western md, and every up hill my tranny temps would climb right up to the top, (now this was in tow mode, but in D for drive). Solution, keep it in tow mode, but switch from drive to 4, no problems.

 

[CVTitan05]

I tow frequently, had the same issue, found a pretty simple solution, that just results in slightly lower mpg's. Before I would tow a double axle trailer up and down mountains, pretty ****ty terrain in western md, and every up hill my tranny temps would climb right up to the top, (now this was in tow mode, but in D for drive). Solution, keep it in tow mode, but switch from drive to 4, no problems.

Yes, i am doing this, but im even putting it in 3rd trying to keep the temps down, and then they are manageable, but rpms are very high, 4th isnt enough to keep the temps down.

 

[HRTKD]

Yes, i am doing this, but im even putting it in 3rd trying to keep the temps down, and then they are manageable, but rpms are very high, 4th isnt enough to keep the temps down.

That is my exact experience. I keep it in 3rd gear and below 45 MPH. I can go uphill all day long that way. It's a good balance that keeps both the engine and the transmission cool.