I’ve swapped a 2004R in place of a 350. I’m running the cooling lines through the stock radiator. The radiator and lines are clean (I flushed them) and flowing good. I have a torque converter lock up installed and it’s working properly, (when running in fourth gear and lightly applying the brakes, the engine rpm’s increase). I have the cooling lines hooked up so that the top line from the radiator (flowing out) goes to the bottom line on the trans (flowing in).

I have a temperature gage hooked up with the sensor in the transmissions oil pan and I’m getting temperature above 230 degrees. May go higher, I just don’t push it anymore. The car seems to drive well, down shifts when it should, up shifts well, it does snap a little but not much when going into second and third gears.

What could be wrong and what should I check for? Do I have something not properly setup with the TV cable? I have full throttle on the carb when I press the pedal to the floor, and that’s how I set the TV cable.

Should I be checking the TV plunger inside the transmission as a possible problem?

I’m in the process of installing an auxiliary cooler for the trans but worried something else is not right.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

THANKS

I run the exact same setup - 2004R and just the radiator cooler, pan mounted sending unit, and NEVER see temps in excess of 170. 230 is way too hot - figure it out before you ruin the trans. A couple of things come to mind:

1. Do you trust that the gauge is accurate? Are the gauge and the sender a matched set? Do you have access to an infrared thermometer to verify your 230 reading?

2. Mine is set up so that the fluid enters the rad at the bottom and exits the rad from the top. I don't think it's terribly critical, though.

3. The TV cable should be set using a pressure gauge. There is a test port on the driver's side of the trans. Set it so that pressure statrs to increase at the slightes movement of the throttle.

I'd really verify that temp reading as a first step.

2. Mine is set up so that the fluid enters the rad at the bottom and exits the rad from the top. I don't think it's terribly critical, though.
Very important. Keeps the rad trans cooler free of air by filling up from the bottom.

I hooked up another gauge to verify the temperature and it still reads high, however I did not use the sender for the new gauge but used the same one that was in the pan already. I guess I can change it and see if it could be the problem.

I will also look at getting or borrowing an infrared thermometer.

I did set up everything with a pressure gauge, but maybe at this point if the gauge and sender turn out to be OK, I might need to go back to step one and re-check everything with the pressure gauge again. I'm just at a loss right now.

One thing I noticed last night, after re-setting the TV cable that with the carburetor held at full throttle, I was able to pull the cable out just a little. Is this OK? Is something not right?