Transmission overheating

[Deleted member 64156]

Cheval Bleu engine and transmission…before fix.

On a 2024 Dark Horse Mustang, the catalytic converters, like most catalytic converters on modern vehicles, operate at very high temperatures during normal functioning.

Normal Operating Temperature:

• Typically, catalytic converters run at temperatures between 1200 and 1600 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Under normal conditions, you might see internal temperatures around 750 to 1150 degrees Fahrenheit (400 to 600 degrees Celsius).

Higher Temperature Ranges:

• During heavy engine loads, the temperature can increase, potentially reaching 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In some cases, especially on the highway, temperatures of 1100 to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit have been observed.
• An inferred temperature of 1680 degrees Fahrenheit at wide open throttle (WOT) has been logged in a modified Mustang.
• Some sources suggest that the stock tune on a Mustang kicks in CAT overtemp at 1650 degrees Fahrenheit.

Overheating and Potential Issues:

• If the catalytic converter experiences excessive heat, such as from engine misfires, it can exceed 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and potentially melt the internal substrate.
• Unburned fuel entering the catalytic converter due to issues like misfires can cause it to glow cherry red and wear out prematurely.

In summary, the catalytic converters on a 2024 Mustang Dark Horse get extremely hot during normal operation to perform their function of reducing emissions. However, excessive heat can indicate a problem and should be addressed promptly.

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[AZ_Ryan]

The title of this thread is about transmissions overheating, but you posted an essay in catalytic converters...I'm confused

Are you actually having a problem, or just questioning Ford's engineering?

 

[MAT1955]

@Fornula Russell Champion ..... are you implying that the proximity of the overheated cats is causing the transmission to overheat? Like @AZ_Ryan I don't get your point.

 

[NWFreerider]

If it was a warranty issue, the car would be at a dealership, which it clearly is not.

 

[GrabThatBlue]

Looks like an AI post again.

 

[Deleted member 64156]

The title of this thread is about transmissions overheating, but you posted an essay in catalytic converters...I'm confused

Are you actually having a problem, or just questioning Ford's engineering?

Hi Ryan-

yes we have an issue with the transmission over heating at Sears Point under below average temperatures. (55 degrees to 65° ambient air temperature…

from cold pits the transmission is overheating within 13 minutes while short shifts stay under 6,000rpm & shifts between 5-7gears.

 

[Deleted member 64156]

Hello all- yea AI helped out by pulling all possible info available on the web…truth be told my mechanic Tony aka(Fix It Again Tony) pointed it out to me as the engine had to come out to replace the right front clip since I hooked it into the tire barrier on the outside of Turn 1 when I pointed a faster big winged car by on my inside and lost all the air on my car and lost the downforce @ 123mph.

we are adding a large 20” x 14” x 6.5” fanned cooler(thx Jegs) in front of the radiator to cool the transmission. Then on top of that we are going to delete the cats(thx Team Beefcake) for good measure.

 

[MAT1955]

@Fornula Russell Champion ..... coming from a family that built race engines I am absolutely astounded that with what you describe you are doing - that you had not already installed specialized bespoke transmission coolers as well as some auxiliary electric cooling fans. Not to be rude but the narrative (racing atmosphere) you are describing makes me wonder who the hell is on your race team and where in the world they were trained? I have to think this is just a troll/AI exercise because your "story" just doesn't ring right with me. Do not mean to offend, just sayin'.....

 

[Big Bird]

Hello all- yea AI helped out by pulling all possible info available on the web…truth be told my mechanic Tony aka(Fix It Again Tony) pointed it out to me as the engine had to come out to replace the right front clip since I hooked it into the tire barrier on the outside of Turn 1 when I pointed a faster big winged car by on my inside and lost all the air on my car and lost the downforce @ 123mph.

This seems more like a very long-winded excuse than anything else. Next time you can just admit that you had a little whoopsie and crashed your car while out on the track. It happens.

Regardless, this thread is certainly a very strange way to introduce yourself.

 

[Ken H.]

Based on the picture alone, I can see how the proximity of the cats to the trans could add heat to the trans. Whether that’s an issue or not, I don’t know. Makes me think.

 

[Zig]

Just another reminder to jet hot your headers.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Delete.

 

[Deleted member 64156]

-The work on resolving our Dark Horse Automatic Transmission overheating issue is almost complete. Our recorded best lap from earlier this year at Sonoma Raceway, on the 2.52-mile configuration, was a 1:43.3 on the 5th heat cycle, using Toyo RR 295/30/19 tires, square, mounted on handling package wheels. Our car is a base model with correct front adjustable camber plates from Ford Performance.

-This was a laid-back lap, short shifting at 6,000rpm and only using 5th, 6th, and 7th gears. This gentle driving approach was necessary to prevent the automatic transmission from going into the red and causing the car to enter limp mode.

-COMPLETED WORK on the 10-speed automatic quasi handling package base model.
1. Removed both Cats and replaced them with equal-length headers purchased from Beef Cake Racing. (The cats were sandwiching the transmission and could reach 1,600 degrees, and were darkly discolored from excessive heat.) LTH claims a potential gain of up to 70 hp from their high-performance track-only headers.
2. Removed the thermostat valve that only opens at 180 degrees to allow transmission fluid to flow through the air-to-fluid auxiliary transmission cooler.
3. Removed the OME air-to-fluid auxiliary transmission cooler and replaced it with a larger one (not as large as the one described in a post above) with a 650cfm fan and mounted it with custom-fabricated aluminum brackets tied to existing bolt holes from the factory and positioned it in front of the AC condenser radiator coil, which is located in front of the engine coolant radiator and fan.
4. Installed a transmission cooler fan “switch” inside the driver's cockpit, which will be flipped on as soon as we fire up the engine on pit road.
5. Lastly, we are replacing the two OME cone-shaped air filters with the blue Steeda ones that they claim improve torque by +2lbf-ft and +3hp throughout the entire rpm range during a 3rd gear pull on their dyno up to near 7,000rpm.

-In-car video of a Joe Gibbs Toyota with Kyle B. starting 8th(love him or hate him), as Kyle is lined up behind Joey L. in his Rodger Penske Mustang for the start on the 2.52-mile course, shows those top drivers consistently running a 1:39 laps from the beginning of the race. These are considerably fast laps, representing the high watermark for what a completely sorted stock car with new sticker slicks and a skilled driver can achieve.

-We primarily drive this same 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway course configuration, which most clubs use during their HPDE, featuring the carousel and fast 7. All Mustangs are welcome, even by The Golden Gate Lotus Club(who are a super laid-back group).

 

[LouG]

Shouldn't it be called Cheval Noir?
Is the colour saisir bleu?

 

[CliffClavin]

-The work on resolving our Dark Horse Automatic Transmission overheating issue is almost complete. Our recorded best lap from earlier this year at Sonoma Raceway, on the 2.52-mile configuration, was a 1:43.3 on the 5th heat cycle, using Toyo RR 295/30/19 tires, square, mounted on handling package wheels. Our car is a base model with correct front adjustable camber plates from Ford Performance.

-This was a laid-back lap, short shifting at 6,000rpm and only using 5th, 6th, and 7th gears. This gentle driving approach was necessary to prevent the automatic transmission from going into the red and causing the car to enter limp mode.

-COMPLETED WORK on the 10-speed automatic quasi handling package base model.
1. Removed both Cats and replaced them with equal-length headers purchased from Beef Cake Racing. (The cats were sandwiching the transmission and could reach 1,600 degrees, and were darkly discolored from excessive heat.) LTH claims a potential gain of up to 70 hp from their high-performance track-only headers.
2. Removed the thermostat valve that only opens at 180 degrees to allow transmission fluid to flow through the air-to-fluid auxiliary transmission cooler.
3. Removed the OME air-to-fluid auxiliary transmission cooler and replaced it with a larger one (not as large as the one described in a post above) with a 650cfm fan and mounted it with custom-fabricated aluminum brackets tied to existing bolt holes from the factory and positioned it in front of the AC condenser radiator coil, which is located in front of the engine coolant radiator and fan.
4. Installed a transmission cooler fan “switch” inside the driver's cockpit, which will be flipped on as soon as we fire up the engine on pit road.
5. Lastly, we are replacing the two OME cone-shaped air filters with the blue Steeda ones that they claim improve torque by +2lbf-ft and +3hp throughout the entire rpm range during a 3rd gear pull on their dyno up to near 7,000rpm.

-In-car video of a Joe Gibbs Toyota with Kyle B. starting 8th(love him or hate him), as Kyle is lined up behind Joey L. in his Rodger Penske Mustang for the start on the 2.52-mile course, shows those top drivers consistently running a 1:39 laps from the beginning of the race. These are considerably fast laps, representing the high watermark for what a completely sorted stock car with new sticker slicks and a skilled driver can achieve.

-We primarily drive this same 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway course configuration, which most clubs use during their HPDE, featuring the carousel and fast 7. All Mustangs are welcome, even by The Golden Gate Lotus Club(who are a super laid-back group).

70 hp? Please tell me you don't seriously believe that.

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