Is my M35A3 tranny running hot???

[MAJ MALFUNCTION]

I have not driven our A3 much since we purchased it, but I've started using it as a fuel truck (put an aluminum 500 gal tank in the back) lately, so it's getting much more use now.

I've noticed the needle on the transmission oil gauge (on the far right side of the dash) getting pretty far over to the right with heavy use on hot summer days. Yesterday it was all the way over past 275 (gauge only goes to 300, or so).

The -10 says that 160 to 200 is normal operating temp, but our truck's tranny almost always gets hotter than 200. Is our truck going to burn up the tranny running like this or do you other A3 owners have similar running temps?

I don't want to burn up the tranny.

Also, for any who may mention it, we've already switched out the motor oil for DEX in the Allison.

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[tractors0130]

The sender might be bad, check the trans pan temperature with a ir gun or touch it with your palm. You can also switch the wires on the sender side of the engine temp and the trans temp behind your gauge panel to see how the senders are reading. Engine and trans temp senders should be the same.

 

[bigboy44]

I did the same as post #3, I checked with the back of my fingers and could hold them there for a little while when the guage was reading 275. I then got a IR gun and checked it in several spots and the IR gun said 165. Changed the sender unit and bam it read 168 or so. Good Luck.

 

[MAJ MALFUNCTION]

Thanks very much for the feedback!

Hopefully I've only got a bad sender unit.

 

[goodguyzy]

If I remember mine will peak at 225.

 

[rosco]

As a rule of thumb...... If I grit my teeth, I can hold my hand on about 150*F. Its not at all comfortable, but can do it. If your hands are caloused up a bit, it helps.