The outside ambient air temp was a cool 63 degrees outside.
By the time I reached the Hw79/Palomar Mt. Rd (S. Grade Rd.) split, my tranny was a whopping 288 degrees! This picture of my gauges is proof positive...the one on the left (blue) is on the transmissions oil "in" line (post-stock cooler) and is reading 252 degrees; the one on the right (red) is on the tranny oil "out" line (pre-cooler), which is reading nearly 290 degrees...ouch!
Even though that's not burning the oil, so to speak, it is seriously shortening the oil-life down to about 15k miles from what should be 100,000 miles.
This issue has been posted on JeepForum.com and JK-Forum.com and the reasons for this are many, not the least of which is a poor design from the factory as to where the stock-transmission cooler is mounted inside the housing of the engine radiator.
I suspect that I have also compounded the problem with the Warn PowerPlant Winch sitting so high in front of the JK grill.
However, I have a solution to the problem which will be a two-pronged approach. I plan to do what most of you all do, and install an auxiliary transmission cooler in line with the stock cooler, but, as a secondary solution, I am swapping out the stock transmission oil pan and replacing it with the Rock Krawler Deep Sump oil-pan. The larger oil-pan will add about two-full quarts of oil capacity, aiding in cooling and all but eliminating oil pump starvation when inclined on those level 10 off-road hills and rocks! Here are some photos of the B&M Transmission cooler and Rock Krawler oil pan I will be installing...
Here are the web-site links for the items I will be installing in the near future:
Rock Krawler Heavy Duty Deep Sump Tranny Pan:
http://www.rockkrawler.com/?r_intro=1
Note: The Tranny-Pan doubles as a skid-plate, eliminating the need for the stock skid plate which I will have to remove anyway as recommended by AEV when I install the 3.5 inch Premium Lift Kit.
http://www.rockkrawler.com/?r_intro=1
Note: The Tranny-Pan doubles as a skid-plate, eliminating the need for the stock skid plate which I will have to remove anyway as recommended by AEV when I install the 3.5 inch Premium Lift Kit.
P.S. I after the installations are complete, I will repeat my run up to Palomar Mt. and post my temp readings/results.