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Beat the Heat
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There's More To Coolers
Than You Think: |
| It's no secret that heat kills
automatic transmissions, and in high-performance
street-strip applications, the problem is especially
acute. Small diameter torque converters coupled with
stop-and-go traffic greatly increase the heat level in
an automatic transmissions. In most cases, the extra
performance heat under the hood can have the same effect
as heavy loads, trailer towing and desert conditions. |
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| How
Hot is Too Hot? |
| The ideal operating temperature for
an automatic transmission is between 175° F. At
approximately 240° F, important additives in the ATF
begin to cook. The result is the formation of varnish
inside the transmission. At approximately 260° F,
internal transmission seals (which are typically
namufactured from a polyacrylate material) begin to
harden. The end results are leaks, both internal and
external, simply because the seals lose theire
elasticity. At approximately 295° F, transmission clutch
plates begin to slip because the oil is breaking down
further. At approximately 315° F, seals and clutches
effectively burn out. Carbon forms in the oil and for
all intents and purposes, the transmission is junk. Just
for your information, a typical transmission will die
within 1000 klm's if subjected to 300° F + heat. |
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