As summer heat up, so too do the working fluids in your truck. While the OEMs do a great job at heat management, they aren’t always perfect.

OEMs can only test so many scenarios and combinations. Many times our lives don’t fall within their parameters, whether that be because of things we have done or just that we are the 5% that fall outside of their parameters.

If you are serious about towing, then the last thing you want to worry about is a slipping transmission due to overheating transmission fluid. When you have a load on the truck, that transmission is working. The fluid inside of the transmission is applying the pressure to the frictions and steels to keep you in that gear. As the fluid heat up it thins out and the applied pressure can actually drop.

If the pressure drops below what is needed to hold, then the clutches start to slip, creating more friction (heat). This friction not only heats up the fluid more, but it also, wears parts faster. It doesn’t take much when you are loaded down to burn up a gear.

So, what is the solution?

The first solution is always check your fluid levels. Having too much or too little fluid can cause problems. When checking your transmission fluid, make sure the engine is running. Unlike engine oil, the transmission oil is measured with the system running. There are usually two sets of ranges on the dip stick; cold and hot. If you are checking your oil before you head out, use the cold range. If you have been driving, use the hot range.

Another solution is to add a larger external transmission oil cooler. Companies like BD Diesel Performance have module coolers that are designed specifically for our trucks. They can accommodate a wide range of lines (5/16” to 5/8”) and come complete with a fan mounted on it.

BD uses an extruded core that provides up to 22% of additional cooling over a standard bar and plate design. This may not seem like a big percent, but the coolers are rated for up to 33,930 BTU’s per hour of use. According to BD, that is roughly a combined load of 30,000 lbs.

So, take our advice while it is still nice outside and we haven’t hit our summer season yet, now is the time to make the necessary upgrades to ensure that when it is 100+ outside, you are cool inside your cab listening to the radio driving to your location and not sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow.

For more info, check out dieselperformance.com.