High Temp on Transmission
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 2
From: Oklahoma City OK
High Temp on Transmission
I took my 10 Coupe to the track today and ran for 3 sessions, 15 minutes each.
Session 1 my Tranny fluid warning message came up, so I checked the temp... 250
let the car cool off and it went back to normal
Session 2 & 3 same thing both times, temps reaching as high as 267...
I have the A-4 Under GMPP Major guard.
Car seems to be driving fine
Any help will be appreciated.
Session 1 my Tranny fluid warning message came up, so I checked the temp... 250
let the car cool off and it went back to normal
Session 2 & 3 same thing both times, temps reaching as high as 267...
I have the A-4 Under GMPP Major guard.
Car seems to be driving fine
Any help will be appreciated.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 2
From: Oklahoma City OK
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,488
Likes: 4
From: USA
My bet is the fluid is low.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
A4's will always overheat on the track unless you add an aftermarket (larger) trans cooler.
Since your trans got hot 3 times you should probably get your fluid flushed, it may be burned now.
Since your trans got hot 3 times you should probably get your fluid flushed, it may be burned now.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Putting in a good synthtic ATF fluid and synthtic gear oil in the diff helps keep the trans and diff cooler.
If you decided to many more track days / DEs, then YES and addtional trans cooler would be a good idea.
If you decided to many more track days / DEs, then YES and addtional trans cooler would be a good idea.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 1
From: Littleton Colorado
IMO don't worry about the fluid, they use synthetic fluid and it will handle it.
This is a very common problem on the road race track. A cooler will help, a tip is to consider bypassing the stock trans cooler in the radiator, and just use the new cooler. I just did this, but have not been to the track to see if it helped and it will be weeks before I get there. Others have had sucess.
I think most people don't have an issue once they get a good cooler installed.
It not easy checking the fluid level, you need the Vette in the air enough to get under it. The trans needs to be at operating temp, at least 130 I think, and the Vette needs to be running. Open the drain on the trans and add fluid until it comes back out. You can turn the Vette off AFTER the drain plug is back in. Its also a good idea to cycle throught the gears and re-check.
I think I'll take the advice on the new diff fluid as well, I have 97k on my Vette.
This is a very common problem on the road race track. A cooler will help, a tip is to consider bypassing the stock trans cooler in the radiator, and just use the new cooler. I just did this, but have not been to the track to see if it helped and it will be weeks before I get there. Others have had sucess.
I think most people don't have an issue once they get a good cooler installed.
It not easy checking the fluid level, you need the Vette in the air enough to get under it. The trans needs to be at operating temp, at least 130 I think, and the Vette needs to be running. Open the drain on the trans and add fluid until it comes back out. You can turn the Vette off AFTER the drain plug is back in. Its also a good idea to cycle throught the gears and re-check.
I think I'll take the advice on the new diff fluid as well, I have 97k on my Vette.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
IMO don't worry about the fluid, they use synthetic fluid and it will handle it.
This is a very common problem on the road race track. A cooler will help, a tip is to consider bypassing the stock trans cooler in the radiator, and just use the new cooler. I just did this, but have not been to the track to see if it helped and it will be weeks before I get there. Others have had sucess.
I think most people don't have an issue once they get a good cooler installed.
It not easy checking the fluid level, you need the Vette in the air enough to get under it. The trans needs to be at operating temp, at least 130 I think, and the Vette needs to be running. Open the drain on the trans and add fluid until it comes back out. You can turn the Vette off AFTER the drain plug is back in. Its also a good idea to cycle throught the gears and re-check.
I think I'll take the advice on the new diff fluid as well, I have 97k on my Vette.
This is a very common problem on the road race track. A cooler will help, a tip is to consider bypassing the stock trans cooler in the radiator, and just use the new cooler. I just did this, but have not been to the track to see if it helped and it will be weeks before I get there. Others have had sucess.
I think most people don't have an issue once they get a good cooler installed.
It not easy checking the fluid level, you need the Vette in the air enough to get under it. The trans needs to be at operating temp, at least 130 I think, and the Vette needs to be running. Open the drain on the trans and add fluid until it comes back out. You can turn the Vette off AFTER the drain plug is back in. Its also a good idea to cycle throught the gears and re-check.
I think I'll take the advice on the new diff fluid as well, I have 97k on my Vette.
The Fluid in my transmission is non synthetic from the factory, I overheated the fluid (255 degrees) and when I pulled my transmission ( 2 months later) the fluid smelled like a house fire.
I also disagree with bypassing the stock cooler, if 1 cooler is good then 2 is better especially on a road course, it will take longer for the trans temp to come up to operating temps in cold weather.
Thats the correct way to check the fluid service level, but to see if it's burned just drain a little out by carefully removing the plug just enough until you get a drop or 2 of fluid then reinstall the plug
As far as you draining the fluid yourself, just let the dealership do it, they only charged me $99 for it and when it's flushed you get all of the fluid replaced as opposed to just dropping the pan where you only get about half of it out.
Last edited by runamuk; Apr 30, 2007 at 02:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,503
Likes: 2
From: Oklahoma City OK
The Fluid in my transmission is non synthetic from the factory, I overheated the fluid (255 degrees) and when I pulled my transmission ( 2 months later) the fluid smelled like a house fire.
I also disagree with bypassing the stock cooler, if 1 cooler is good then 2 is better especially on a road course, it will take longer for the trans temp to come up to operating temps in cold weather.
Thats the correct way to check the fluid service level, but to see if it's burned just drain a little out by carefully removing the plug just enough until you get a drop or 2 of fluid then reinstall the plug
As far as you draining the fluid yourself, just let the dealership do it, they only charged me $99 for it and when it's flushed you get all of the fluid replaced as opposed to just dropping the pan where you only get about half of it out.
I also disagree with bypassing the stock cooler, if 1 cooler is good then 2 is better especially on a road course, it will take longer for the trans temp to come up to operating temps in cold weather.
Thats the correct way to check the fluid service level, but to see if it's burned just drain a little out by carefully removing the plug just enough until you get a drop or 2 of fluid then reinstall the plug
As far as you draining the fluid yourself, just let the dealership do it, they only charged me $99 for it and when it's flushed you get all of the fluid replaced as opposed to just dropping the pan where you only get about half of it out.
Thanks...
