Thread: Transmission temp.... keeping cooool

That seems about what my '96 TDi engine runs at. My trans runs at between 80 and 95, depending on loads. I run ATF in mine still and 320 thousand and just got the 'rattle'
Other oils may run different temps though.
Cheers Scott

Very informative about the gearbox temps,

it is good if you know the ambient temperature , gearbox temp of 95 sounds hot, but if the ambient temp is 45 it's probably not so bad. How do you measure? by oil temperature or sensor screwed into the side of the gearbox?

cheers simmo

Originally Posted by troyfyn

Hi all On our trip to the north west, and thought ide see what others may have recorded. We have a 98 tdi 110, towing a Aussi swag and tinnie (about 1.1t). My question.... The electronic engine watchdog id reading on average 82deg for engine 64deg for transmission we are only sitting on 80km in fourth... What do yours run at....? and a couple of pics..... Thanks!

Great photo.

R380s run hot. They are a small box with a small oil capacity. A memeber here had a thermo coupler on his and it got to 74c in about 5 mins from cold start.

The stock oil cooler themostatic valve opens at 74c and is fully open at 88c

82 is quite cool for a Tdi towing. The only time I have seen 82 post warm up is the other week driving out to stanthorpe, that was west of the range, around 7am on a fairly cold day and low humidity and I was not towing nore had any load in my tray back. Add to that the mods I have done to reduce temp.

Not only does ambient temp play a roll, but humidity as well.

Yeh, it hasn't been that warm only 24 max so far but we are only on about 75 - 80km... When up between 90 - 100 km engine temp is around 88 and transmission about 68.....

Think it should be higher....? Mmmmmmm

I would have thought that even at 80km/h, after 15-20mins that the temp come up to 88-90 towing your load. Here on the GC if its 24c I would be on 88c towing after 20mins

The standard t/stat is set to crack at 88c on the Tdis.

Thats not to say something is wrong with your system.

It's good information to share, from your discussions were looking at 44 to 70 degrees above ambient.

I'd say 68 degrees sounds almost too good to be true if the thermostat opens at 74 deg C. But possible I guess. I wouldn't be worried about too cool.

95 degrees C is not too hot for the transmission fluid , that would not be an unusual temperature for an auto box oil temp to run at. But personally I'd be getting uncomfortable with continuous temps above 110 deg C unless it was very hot ambient, even then I'd slow down. Where are the measured temperatures coming from though? Oil outlet, oil sump or bottom of the casing? What type of oil coolers are you talking about? the legth of tube fitted to TD5 or a finned cooler? Looking at the length of tube fitted to a Td-5 , it's hard to imagine that surface area making a big difference.

Your discussions and information have motivated me to fit the trans' oil cooler I have sitting somewhere in my shed, and the thermostatic housing. I don't have the correct fittings for going into the thermostat housing and I have an oil cooler with tube connections. I'm thinking of just tapping out the threads to the closest pipe thread and using standard hose tails. The defenders are a bit congested at the front with AC condenser etc, has any one fitted a trans' cooler 6" x 8" at the front or underneath? thanks for for your information simmo

HI Simmo

Just to let you know, my temps are still running around 80 for motor and 62 for transmission... maybe mines just cool

I dont have a trans oil cooler and im towing over a tonne, maybe just back off the pedal, we plod along, and i think its healthier than fitting such mods, but i dont really know i just like keeping things stock!

more info would be better, your right......