NV4500 and 50 SAE GL-4 Synthetic Trans Fluid

[Mopar1973Man]

Just an quick update. I just make a trip up on the mountain getting ready to do firewood cutting. So this trip was just only the truck. I climbed the grade at the posted speed limit of 20 MPH for 8 miles and the most I got for transmission temperatures was 140*F that with 800-1000*F EGT's most of the way up the grade. Then proceeded to cruise around most of the forestry roads looking for firewood spots and seeing what roads and such are gate is shut or open. After traveling around up there for a total of 40 miles only seen a max temperature of 140*F and low of 130*F just drifted between to the two marks the entire time. I went from roughly 1,700 feet at the valley floor to a high of 6,500 feet the temperature up here was roughly 55*F.

 

Now after hitting the valley floor and hitting the highway again back to 65 MPH it only rose to 140*F for the trip home. As for the valley floor temperature it was 75*F. I should be traveling this road very soon with the trailer and logs and we'll see how much it changes.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[TFaoro]

Keep us updated  

[abner99]

On May 19, 2016 at 0:15 PM, Mopar1973Man said:

First off let me say... I've followed some of the advise here and double checked a bunch of stuff. The transmission is over filled enough that the sensor is submerged in fluid constantly even in 5th gear and transfer case in neutral. As for the shift quality after nearly 1,000 miles already is still really tight feeling and not sloppy. As for transmission fluid temps empty running I see no more that 130*F tops at 68 MPH after 40 miles of driving even climbing grades. If the morning temperatures are down around 45*F it takes nearly a full 20 miles to rise off of the 100*F mark of the gauge. At midday with 75-80*F temps outside its barely reaching 130*F with flat travel might bump 140*F if climbing a 7% grade.Remember this is all empty truck and no towing... Now you might question the number of the fluid temps from the gauge I've used 2 different thermometers to verify the temperature reported by the gauge and alway darn close to the same value. No I did not install fast coolers nor did I change anything since installing the transmission on the temp gauge other than adding enough fluid to keep the sensor submerged.

 

 

As you see the first few days after the transmission install MPG was bit low. After working hard and pulling thee RV down south and back which would say the break in period of the transmission occurred. Now with the job I had in New Meadows, ID and running back and forth to McCall climbing a 7% grade doesn't seem to bother the MPG's like in the past.

 

 

Other that that I will say I'm pleased with Weller Trucks transmission rebuild it very tight and precise feel in the stick now compared to before.  As for the transmission fluid I would have to say at this point of the game which is early yet but its a good solution for future fluid for NV4500.

 

What program is that. Is that on your phone. 

[notlimah]

Its from his tablet running an OBDii MX

[Mopar1973Man]

As for temps like today I had a 60 mile round trip down canyon to look at a stall issue on a truck. Even on my way back home climbing the canyon again. It hovered like this all the way home.

 

[TFaoro]

Still some ABS issues I see... that's frustrating

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Just now, TFaoro said:

Still some ABS issues I see... that's frustrating

 

 

Front wheel bearings are bad. (Tone rings)

[Dieselfuture]

10 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Front wheel bearings are bad. (Tone rings)

Oh man don't say that, my light for abs and brake just came on recently too. But it comes and goes. I did drilled and tapped front hubs and put a grease fitting in and put about 20 pumps in, that was 2 years ago. 

[TFaoro]

Huh, I must have missed it in your other thread. Glad you got the computer issue figured out.

 

Looks like your temps are staying nice and cool. I'd like to do a comparison with ATF in my trans compared to gear oil. Not sure where to put the probe though because my plug requires a sealing washer. Might just have to drill and tap the PTO cover.

[leathermaneod]

On June 1, 2016 at 3:36 PM, Dieselfuture said:

Oh man don't say that, my light for abs and brake just came on recently too. But it comes and goes. I did drilled and tapped front hubs and put a grease fitting in and put about 20 pumps in, that was 2 years ago. 

You can drill and tap your hubs to grease your wheel bearings?? How do you do this??

[Dieselfuture]

1 hour ago, leathermaneod said:

You can drill and tap your hubs to grease your wheel bearings?? How do you do this??

I found a post on line maybe cummins forum where some one did it and other too, claiming you can make your hubs last 500k or so if you grese them every 50k. I don't know if much of it is true but from what I hear from factory it beraly has any grease in there and people had their hubs lock up on hwy before, so I did it. Try researching it a bit more.

[Mopar1973Man]

Be careful. The grease idea is great but over doing it will create ABS issues. Like my whole ABS problem is because the graphite in the grease is getting into the tone wheel and screwing up the speed sensors. So even though there is nothing wrong that I can tell of my bearings I'm going to have to replace the unit bearings because of grease getting into the tone wheel area.

 

Weather changed from yesterday to today. I had a run yesterday down deep in the canyon where the weather made it to 95-97*F. Running along at 65 MPH the most I seen was 160-165*F not quite to 170*F this was strictly all highway. Still that is nothing to cry about. Then today cloud cover moved in and dropped the temperatures and even after climbing a steep grade of about 8-14% for 5-6 miles at 15-20 MPH I barely made 110*F. Of course climbing at those grade angles and driving slow will create some serious EGT's. Again made little impact on transmission temperature. So transmission temperature are more about outside temperature and pyrometer (EGTs) has very little to do with it.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[Mopar1973Man]

First load done... Extremely happy with the performance.

 

Heading up the mountain this morning at about 9am it was about 65*F and the most I seen in transmission temp was 160*F dragging 1,800 pound empty trailer up 8 miles of steep road. Spend the better part of the day cutting and loading. Being slow about it being I'm a bit out of shape yet.

 

So here is the load 2 cords roughly of red fir still a bit wet yet.

 

 

So I went back down grade in 2nd gear riding the exhaust brake most of the way down. At the very bottom where I hit the highway I seen 160*F from descending 8 miles of steep grade. When I started off the top at 2pm it was about 85*F. When I hit the valley floor it was much warm like 97*F. As for steepness of the grade I could leave my exhaust on and it would hold my speed constant at 18 MPH most of the way down.

 

 

So now my 25 mile run back home is a mild up hill run with cruise control lock when I could running 65 MPH. The most I seen was 170*F even with 800-1000*F EGT's. So I would have to say that even with summer heat and towing, slow dirt roads, climbing and descending it did very good. 

Edited June 4, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[KATOOM]

Thanks Moparman.  Keep up the testing data.....

 

Also, I think its worth noting for comparisons that my transmission runs very cool (or should I say "normal") unless I'm pulling a LOT of weight and up long grades for continuous miles.  Short jaunts no matter the speed are hardly enough to cause any upper temperature readings.  Thats not me trying to squash your good results either but merely pointing out that if you want to put that oil to the test then get at least 10k behind you and head out up the long freeway grades.  If it stays as cool as you've already experienced then thats fantastic.

 

For example, I can tow my 14-15k 5th wheel up the local mountain highway which goes from 600 feet elevation to 5500 feet in about 40 miles.  Doing that in close to triple digit weather and the transmission will be fine until I pull the very last stretch.  Doing it in the cold winter weather and 170* would be warm.  That said, I've yet to pull this hill after installing the RV275's, so if I can maintain 4th gear throughout most of that grade then I'm sure the overall temperature will be much lower.

[Mopar1973Man]

1 hour ago, KATOOM said:

but merely pointing out that if you want to put that oil to the test then get at least 10k behind you and head out up the long freeway grades. 

 

First off there is no freeway here. Again like I said before the I90 is 5 hours away to the north and I84 is 2.5 hours to the south. I've got no real reason to get on a interstate. Typically I might use it for 60 miles from Ontario to Boise that all. Highway wise is all 2 lane roads and 45-65 MPH speeds period. Beyond that steep climbs into the forest haul firewood and my trailer is my normal hard working environment like the on road I use to get into the forest is actually posted for 20 MPH speed limit for 8 miles steepest part is about 12% grade but it not very long.

 

If some is will to pay for fuel I jump on the interstate and drive any where you want... Until someone comes forward to pay for the fuel you have to take what I can give. As for mileage I'm closing in on 2k miles already.

[KATOOM]

Thats not what I meant.....  It doesn't matter if you're on the freeway or highway because I never tow faster than 60 mph either, and the hottest temperatures I've ran have been on a 2 lane highway too.

[Mopar1973Man]

There are some people that claim the only way to see if it will hold up is towing at 80 MPH on the interstate.

 

12 minutes ago, KATOOM said:

because I never tow faster than 60 mph either

 

I typically set the cruise for the RV at 55 or 60 MPH because of the speed limitation on the tires. This last trip I ran the utility trailer hard and fast at 65 MPH pushing the limits of the tires. Still in all with all the towing some 120 miles or more never had any problems yet. As for the firewood run I figured it would be the toughest being the slow speeds and lack of cooling wind under the truck.

 

[AH64ID]

Slow speed may have less cooling but you also have the gearing advantage on your side so less torque is needed at the flywheel to get the required torque to the wheels. At slow speeds the required torque to the wheels is also less. 

 

That doesn't mean that slow speed cannot create heat but it has more things going for cool running than high speed. 

 

Who said to tow at 80 mph on the interstate??? 

[Mopar1973Man]

3 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

Slow speed may have less cooling but you also have the gearing advantage on your side so less torque is needed at the flywheel to get the required torque to the wheels. At slow speeds the required torque to the wheels is also less. 

 

But when you are towing trailers and heavy weight up and down grades torque value still is increased, exhaust temperatures are still increased, roughness of the road increases rolling resistance, etc. So there is other factors that could add to the heat.

[AH64ID]

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

But when you are towing trailers and heavy weight up and down grades torque value still is increased, exhaust temperatures are still increased, roughness of the road increases rolling resistance, etc. So there is other factors that could add to the heat.

 

Absolutely, but it's still not as much power going thru the transmission.