Gearbox Overheats When Towing Caravan

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Gadget2k10

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Messages
8
Hello Everyone --- New Here :)


Truck Specs:-

Make - Ford

Model - Maverick GLX LWB

Engine 2.7 TD

Transmission - Manual

Year 1997


I have owned the truck about a year and towed with it 9 times so far and last week was just unbearable.

Under normal driving conditions, day to day use its fine apart from thirsty even steady driving at 56mph.

However, when im towing our Swift Challenger 440 SE its absolutley cooking the transmission and last week we was 40 miles away from home on a site.

Driving back (about an 1 1/2 hrs on A1) there was immense heat coming up thorugh the gear stick cover to which both mine and our lasses legs were burnt.

It has done this every time I tow with it but this last journey was just agony and could'nt wait to get out of the truck.

Can anyone advise me on this? :doh

kind Regards :bow
 
change oils in gear box.

check theres nothing covering the oild cooler, ( bottom of main rad )
also check for blockage of rad

just a starting point.
 
thats odd, but as Zippy says get those oils checked and changed, hopefully some gearbox experts will be along shortly with some tips./...
 
Hmm, I feel there may be some heat shield or insulation missing from your transmission tunnel somewhere that is allowing heat to come up into the car, possibly under the plastic centre console / gaiters ??

I regualrly tow a heavy box trailer at approaching the T2's weight limit of 2.8t and deploy most of the 170+hp it now has, and I do not get any heat into the cabin, nor any gearbox issues.

It has the correct 75w-90 oil in it and Dexron in the transfer case.

( Last trip to the scrap merchant via private roads I weighed in at nearly 7tonnes, it was like dragging a boat anchor through porrage!! )
 
My Gear Lever covers have never sat correctly, im forever trying to tuck them back under the carpet, but surely that amount of heat is not good? especially when you can smell the transmission fluid in the cab :)
 
that sounds like briggies troubles then

search for his earlyl posys
 
#is it definitely the gearbox getting hot, or is it the catalytic converter, as they get very hot, and as timbo says insulation missing, :nenau:thumb2
 
manual id still say change oils theres not rad for the manul box.

im with Tezzer then insulation missing
 
As I said in an earlier post, I towed 2 tonne for nearly 300 miles non stop on a hot day and I had fitted a temperature gauge and it occasionally got to 90 C, the gear lever was just warm and no excess heat coming in.
The engine is hot, heat is transferred to the box and there is also the exhaust close by, and the box is working harder, you are also burning more fuel per mile, this heat has to go somewhere.

I think that running at 90 C would be the norm, so there must be either a faulty gaiter on the gear lever or else your box is getting much hotter than 90C You need to check the temperature of the gear box. I fitted a temperature sender in a spare threaded hole on the drivers side of the gearbox, run the cable to a meter in the cab, through a grommit in the floor.
You could try a thermometer that will go over 150 C and place it in the threaded hole or loose on top of the gearbox after a run, put some insulation over the thermometer after you have placed it in position, leave it there for say 5-10 minutes and check it.
The temperature will be a few degrees lower than the box, but it gives you a clue where to look.
Hope this helps,
Best regards,
Rustic
 
Bust gaitor letting heat into cabin.
There are proper rubber gaitors underneath the ones you can see on the gearstick. If I remember right the T2 gaitors are bolted on with 6/8 self tappers underneath the consul.

:augie
 
Definately the Gear Box getting hot :( only when under strain of towing, as posted before it can physically mark yer leg with hot air burns in the cab. under normal everyday use I can drive as far as a full tank lets me (480 miles, 244 Miles Towing) and it's just generally warm as to be expected.

So i'll give the Transmission Oil a change and see how it goes :) Whats a good type to use and is there a coolant additive i can use in the box that would help too?

Regards
 
Transmission Tunnel should get warm, but you shouldn't get heat in the cabin that burns you.

Have you checked under the consul to see if it has a bust gaitor seal. Easy to remove its only held on with self tappers.

If you get gear oil make sure its is GL4 spec not GL5 or all the brass in gbox will get destroyed.
 
If the heat is burning your leg, then the carpets would be on fire also!!!

Is there maybe something stuck up underneath that is obstructing or channeling airflow where it shouldnt..?
 
If the heat is burning your leg, then the carpets would be on fire also!!!

Is there maybe something stuck up underneath that is obstructing or channeling airflow where it shouldnt..?

Hot air at 80 C will burn you if there for long enough, 60 C water can scald easily.
Does seem like the Gaiter.

If it was made of aluminium instead of rubber, .... Would it be an Ali-Gaiter? :lol:lol
 

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