Transmission overheating.....

[shottel]

My truck is a 2014 Hemi 8 speed 3.92 that I ordered new. Currently has 72k miles. Since 2015 I've experienced trans overheating issues that continue to this day. Rough summary:
-first time I see the issue trans temp light comes on while towing a small boat, 275F, goes to 285F and cuts engine power requiring me to limp home. Whines loud on downshift, shifts are abrupt and make bang sounds. Dealer (AKA Northwest Dodge in Houston) says can not duplicate (duh you aren't towing a boat for an hour). In again later for same issue a few times, can not duplicate.
-start taking pics of the gauge for proof, take it in to same dealer in 2017, they replace the transmission. Still notice temps just around town driving in Houston of 240. Issues before that were all while towing.
-on trip from Houston to San Antonio two months after new tranny, NOT TOWING ANYTHING, and I have to pull over 5-6 times each way to let truck cool as it is knocking on 275, back into dealer.
-dealer replaces 2014750-AD, transmission oil heater. Short ride by tech gets temp up to 220F so no dice. dealer replaces 52014892-AC, coolant three way valve and claims victory.
-I get truck back and generally have not seen anything above 200F, though haven't done much towing.
-I did tow the boat in 95F weather for one hour each way a week ago, its first real challenge. Barely broke 200 at one point, victory confirmed.

Then this weekend.....
-going from Houston to Dallas, 80 MPH, not towing. I happened to look at trans temp guage about 1/2 way point and it is like 220. First time I've seen it over 200 since September. Kept trucking, reached about 240 about the time we needed a pit stop. Truck sat for 5 mins, then back on the highway where the temperature quickly dropped to 180ish where it stayed for the rest of our trip, 1.5 hours more doing 80.
-Coming home, same story, I watch the temp rise up after about 2 hours, gets to 248. I pull over for gas/snacks, truck sits for 10 mins, we get back on the highway but again quickly gets down to 180 where again it holds for the rest of the trip, 1.5 hours.

Exhausted with this, I guess i'm going back in yet again....thoughts?

 

[huntergreen]

Tow hard and blow the dam thing up.

 

[Pettybilt]

I have a similar problem in a 2015 with 3.92
Highest mine has been is 230, but it will whine during downshifts and bang into gear.
I've had my trans replaced@ 35k miles.
I never noticed the old trans get above 190, even pulling.
The original trans was replaced cause it had 1-2 flare and the fluid was burnt
Beginning to wonder if these transmissions are living up to all the hype.

 

[Hemi395]

Sounds like something in the thermal management system isn't allowing the transmission fluid to go through the trans cooler. 275F is WAY too hot for any transmission...

 

[Dennis Tracy]

My truck is a 2014 Hemi 8 speed 3.92 that I ordered new. Currently has 72k miles. Since 2015 I've experienced trans overheating issues that continue to this day. Rough summary:
-first time I see the issue trans temp light comes on while towing a small boat, 275F, goes to 285F and cuts engine power requiring me to limp home. Whines loud on downshift, shifts are abrupt and make bang sounds. Dealer (AKA Northwest Dodge in Houston) says can not duplicate (duh you aren't towing a boat for an hour). In again later for same issue a few times, can not duplicate.
-start taking pics of the gauge for proof, take it in to same dealer in 2017, they replace the transmission. Still notice temps just around town driving in Houston of 240. Issues before that were all while towing.
-on trip from Houston to San Antonio two months after new tranny, NOT TOWING ANYTHING, and I have to pull over 5-6 times each way to let truck cool as it is knocking on 275, back into dealer.
-dealer replaces 2014750-AD, transmission oil heater. Short ride by tech gets temp up to 220F so no dice. dealer replaces 52014892-AC, coolant three way valve and claims victory.
-I get truck back and generally have not seen anything above 200F, though haven't done much towing.
-I did tow the boat in 95F weather for one hour each way a week ago, its first real challenge. Barely broke 200 at one point, victory confirmed.

Then this weekend.....
-going from Houston to Dallas, 80 MPH, not towing. I happened to look at trans temp guage about 1/2 way point and it is like 220. First time I've seen it over 200 since September. Kept trucking, reached about 240 about the time we needed a pit stop. Truck sat for 5 mins, then back on the highway where the temperature quickly dropped to 180ish where it stayed for the rest of our trip, 1.5 hours more doing 80.
-Coming home, same story, I watch the temp rise up after about 2 hours, gets to 248. I pull over for gas/snacks, truck sits for 10 mins, we get back on the highway but again quickly gets down to 180 where again it holds for the rest of the trip, 1.5 hours.

Exhausted with this, I guess i'm going back in yet again....thoughts?

I have a 2016 1500 HEMI with 2100k miles. I tow a 4500 lb trailer (maybe 5000 lb loaded). I had issues towing from the beginning, loud howling, temp to 269. loss of power. Dealer "can't reproduce conditions" so nothing done, issues remain. Santa Cruz Ram and VW. They promote them as having a "towing package", but in reality, they only have the receiver portion of a hitch and an electrical plug for a trailer. I've been conned. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Burla]

My thoughts is mechanically heating transmsion fluid for fuel economy is a fkin joke and someone should be hung by the neck til dead over it. Intsead, they likely got a promotion. I'm guessing you both have 8 speed? I might have some ideas with the 6 speed, but I have zero helpful info on 8 speed, srry fellas, raw deal.

 

[Burla]

Does anyone know of a way to turn off the pre-heated function of the 8 speed? It's just stupid to expect people to buy new trucks anymore. The tech makes no sense, now they go a step further and even heat diffs, man I am sorry dudes this just aint the way things work. The object was always to keep fluids as cold as possible, and now Ram actually wants to literally make the oil as hot as possible and to use the thinest oils ever, and this was supposed to be a good idea?

5k pound trailer is nothing, these trucks should handle that w/o much effort. You WERE conned, everyone who bought these transmsions were.

 

[Wild one]

Does anyone know of a way to turn off the pre-heated function of the 8 speed? It's just stupid to expect people to buy new trucks anymore. The tech makes no sense, now they go a step further and even heat diffs, man I am sorry dudes this just aint the way things work. The object was always to keep fluids as cold as possible, and now Ram actually wants to literally make the oil as hot as possible and to use the thinest oils ever, and this was supposed to be a good idea?

5k pound trailer is nothing, these trucks should handle that w/o much effort. You WERE conned, everyone who bought these transmsions were.

You can disconnect the cooler lines to the heater assembly and just tie them together on the top of the transmission.I don't know if it'll throw a code,but it shouldn't as the cars with the A8 don't heat the fluid like the trucks do.

 

[shottel]

Wanted to provide an overdue update on this topic that is now solved:
-to extend from the start of the thread, I used hose clamps to cut off the coolant flow at the 3 way valve hoping that it was the issue, didn't make a difference. Note that the 3 way valve and transmission cooler/heater had already been replaced.
-so I took the truck in again earlier this year, threatened the service advisors life for his "can not duplicate" for the 7th time. He said only thing they could find is fluid level was 2-3 quarts too high. Said I won't talk to him (man I was borderline in that service bay), so got to have meeting with Service manager and lead tranny tech. They drove around for two weeks, can not duplicate. I get truck back, I can not duplicate. Apparently the tech, when replacing the transmission, didn't check the level after install. JFC, excuse my French. Having the extra fluid in it I guess expands under temp and causes flow problems. I can't break 200 now, actually when towing it stays cooler than normal driving.
-my guess as to original over temp issue: transmission cooler/heater, mainly because I've seen a few stories now of over temp highway conditions resolved by replacing that part, who knows for sure. They have rev'd the part number over the years so maybe design changes to address the issue.

So problem seems to be solved now, long painful path to get here. I just hope this second tranny, that I've roasted a few times, will make it to my sell point at 150k.

Hope this helps someone.

Scott