Transmission housing/console heating up? Kilbys??

[VX KAT]

On my trip, I noted the tranny housing/console heated up the longer I drove. Specifically the passenger side, to the right of the winter button area. The square hole/cup holder area also got so warm, it made my water bottle really warm. Recall I have the full Kilby skid plates on. I can only imagine how I'm cooking my tranny!

It only happened on prolonged driving, of around 4+ hrs, and actually pretty dang hot, after around 8 hrs.

Anybody else notice this? With or without Kilbys?

Unfortunately I can't recall what it was like BEFORE I installed the Kilbys.

Jack & Paul (pbkid & RallyDude) suggested I get the Kilby plate vented, with kind of a reverse scoop thing to reduce heat.

[Triathlete]

Venting the plates may cause you to get hung up on obstacle when offroading.and could possibly compromise the strength of the plates. I would look into a tranny cooler...mounted in an area with airflow or one with a fan.

[VX KAT]

Venting the plates may cause you to get hung up on obstacle when offroading.and could possibly compromise the strength of the plates. I would look into a tranny cooler...mounted in an area with airflow or one with a fan.

Yeah, I think that's why Jack suggested the scoop be reversed so opening is to the rear. It would reduce the chance of getting hung up....unless I wheel in reverse I guess

[etlsport]

mine heats up pretty good too without plates. The bolts holding the front of the seats get super hot. Anther member posted a photo of gummy worms left on his passenger floor board and they had all melted together

[RallyDude]

I noticed etrailer had tranny coolers for between $30 and $50 with all the hardware. I planned on getting one as I've always been concerned with high-speed mountain driving on long steep grades with an AT. Seems like cheap insurance and probably would be cheaper than having someone vent the Kilby's. Besides cooling, it would be good for the AT, as there would be more AT fluid in the system, keeping the tranny cleaner and cooler between flushing. For severe usage like towing or mountain driving, I think a tranny cooler on a AT vehicle is a cheap wise mod.

[VX KAT]

I noticed etrailer had tranny coolers for between $30 and $50 with all the hardware. I planned on getting one as I've always been concerned with high-speed mountain driving on long steep grades with an AT. Seems like cheap insurance and probably would be cheaper than having someone vent the Kilby's. Besides cooling, it would be good for the AT, as there would be more AT fluid in the system, keeping the tranny cleaner and cooler between flushing. For severe usage like towing or mountain driving, I think a tranny cooler on a AT vehicle is a cheap wise mod.

I had no idea they were that "cheap". I'd have to have my mechanic do the install. Wonder how involved a job it is...i.e. $$$? It sure would be cheap insurance.

I sure did do a ton of mountain driving, many 9,000, 10,000, 11,000 ft...maybe that's the reason it got so hot on Day 2...I drove the mountains all day, and again coming home.....hmmm, I think you've got something there RallyDude...it was on the days I did the most mountainous driving.....

[johnnyapollo]

Don't we already have a tranny cooler? Or is this for something heavier? I know there's lines going towards the front (if you ever get a tranny flush they use those to recirc the fluid).

-- John

[Y33TREKker]

Are we sure it's the transmissions creating all the heat at the transmission tunnel and not the proximity of the catalytic converters?

[VX1032]

VXKAT the heat up is pretty normal I believe. I know I have had the same issue with drinks in the "cupholder" before. Specifically on my 8 hour drive from Pittsburgh to Uwharrie last fall.

[Triathlete]

Are we sure it's the transmissions creating all the heat at the transmission tunnel and not the proximity of the catalytic converters?

This is a big possibility also. The cats get very hot when functioning normally!

[Y33TREKker]

This is a big possibility also. The cats get very hot when functioning normally!

They actually HAVE to be hot to function normally. If a warm trans tunnel becomes too much of a worry for some, another option would be to wrap the converters with high-temp exhaust wrap. It will lower the temps underneath the trans tunnel, and on the drivers' side, have the added benefit of lowering the operational environment near the trans-selector switch which has proven to be another issue with VX's.

Incidentally, transmissions also require the trans fluid to run at high temps to operate correctly. The main reason trans coolers are suggested is when a particular vehicle is going to be used for towing. In those instances, the trans fluid will be heated too much, and an external/aftermarket trans cooler reduces temps back down to normal. A trans cooler installed and run under normal driving conditions won't necessarily hurt anything, but it will cause the trans fluid to take longer to get up to normal operating temps (especially in colder weather), so trans shifting tendencies will be affected until adequate temps are reached.

[Riff Raff]

Wow, this is an excellent thread with lots of idea's and possible solution's. Great stuff!!!

One transmission cooling idea I had was maybe running some sort of ram-air/air-duct system underneath the VX that would channel frontal cold-air to blow alongside the transmission housing itself to help dissipate heat. Much like how NASCAR uses a ram-air ducting system to blow cold air on their brake's. I think something simular could be custom rigged to blow cold air alongside the transmission housing and the air ducting could even be routed directly "above" the KILBY's skidplate level.

The ram-air cooling effect would not be as radical as a dedicated in-line transmission cooler; and would only be operational at sustained forward speed, thereby keeping the temperature of the trans fluid within normal operating range. Just a thought.

[Luna X]

It must be a long distance driving thing... the only time ours overheated and the light came on was on the drive home from L.A. when we bought it.

For the past 5 months of around town driving, there have been zero problems.

A trans cooler is something I have plans on adding before next summer... installation shouldn't take more than an hour....

[atilla_the_fun]

Mine does the same thing. I first noticed it on my cross country drive, when my hand felt warmth from above the e-brake. I investigated and found that the bolts holding the seats were very warm. After that drive I really only notice it on either hills, or drives of over 45 minutes. Its a little disconcerting, given the reputation that our transmissions have as being heat sensitive.

I changed my transmission fluid to mobile 1 ATF, and the heat issues were delayed a bit when driving. The fluid that I took out was unfortunately still very red and looked moderately clean. I say unfortunately because it would have been nice to have had a culprit.

I have been having some antifreeze leakage. I know that the transmission cooler lines go through the lower part of the radiator. Given the VXs penchant for overheating on a hot day, this problem may arise do to a degradation of the radiator's cooling capabilities over time.

It would be nice for everyone with this symptom to to list the miles on your car/radiator and transmission I have ~99,000 miles on both the engine/radiatior (and I believe the radiator has never been changed) and the transmission. The radiator was removed two months before my cross country trip to replace a busted waterpump and timing belt by the local acura/isuzu/subaru dealership. This repair has not solved my coolant leakage problems.

[Ldub]

IMO, unless your trans temp warning light comes on, you don't have a problem.

Here's some interesting reading:

http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=35674

This part makes me especially wary...



I have a trans cooler that I have yet to install.
When I do get around to installing it, I plan to include a valve controlled bypass, that will render it non-functional during all but the most extreme temp conditions. The addition of a trans temp gauge will also be included, so I won't be basing the use of a cooler on "feelings"...