[Dale Wiley]

One thing that has a lot to do with the failure ratio of these tranny's is the cooling aspect of them.

Depending on the type of truck and how the tranmission is cooled will
affect the performance and life of the trans.

Most of the automatics are cooled by tubes running through the radiator tanks. Diesels run cooler than gas, but if your transmission fluid gets 200 degrees or over, it breaks down and hastens the demise of the trans.

Since most vehicles do not have pyrometers to monitor the trans temp, you may not know if the temp is up there, or even what it actually is.

Another thing a lot of people do is start the engine and drop the trans in gear. That just send a spike of fluid looking for the first weak seal or gasket it can find to blow out.

My wifes Mustang overheated on the way home the other night because of a stuck thermostat and it pegged the gauge. I had her just pull into the dealer ship, had a new thermostat intalled, (a sta flo one, it can not get stuck closed, only open) and had a full trans service done on it.

I just came from my local transmission shop talking to the owner. I am probably going to buy a 93 F 250 4X4 with a AOD tomorrow and wanted him to put a shift kit in it, and install one of his add on cooling kits as well. It won't compelety solve the inheriant problems, but it may make them longer in coming.

If I was abusing my trucks like you plowing guys, I would probably look at a beefed up trans cooling and a pyrometer to monitor the trans temp.

I must have been listening to Schwab too much, because I am starting to think his Class 6 idea with the roll off stuff is pretty damn good. I have tapped myself for this years spending, but in 2006 I am going to look real hard at that concept.