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High Speeds and ATX Life

new 4/9/02


Just a few thoughts, mechanical thoughts since I am not your confessor.

I have never had a car so poised at speed than my SHO, it is comfortable and safe.

OTOH, IL has made 40+ a felony, so forget fines and losing your lisc, you could go to jail. It has gotten ugly. I have slowed down a lot.

I am assuming you had the road to your self and did not endanger anyone else?

I got up very early one Sunday morning and drove 100 miles to Bloomington at warp drive speed, (got 3 tickets - one I beat, 2 sent me to one day drivers school) But soon afterwards I lost my ATX.

I don't know where the divide is but at some sustained speed I don't think the ATX can lose heat as fast as it makes it.

Say you drive 100 mph. that requires 65.8 wheel HP, at 20% loss your ATX must lose .2 x 65.8 HP ~ 14 HP cooling load.

At sustained 135 mph you need 156 wheel HP so the ATX cooling load is .2 x 156 ~ 31 HP. I wonder if the small OE ATF radiator can do that? The key issue is sustained, if you jump out and pass someone your ATX gets hot and then recovers. But if you make a lot of uninterrupted HP for several minutes on the dyno, road-racing or very high speed runs I wonder if you might not bake your tranny.

BTW, when my ATX went it had Mobil 1 ATF in it, which tested OK, but the slipping ATX caused the engine to over heat.

Has anyone else noticed a possible link between sustained high speeds and ATX failure?

Tim


You are on to something. I noticed lately that my tranny temp gauge has just been breaking 100 degrees (its still cold here) but on the dyno after 3 quick runs it was over 180 degrees

Kirk J Doucette
Stormtrooper
97 White


Ps. I also use the TCI 24000 GVW cooler in addition to my factory one.

Kirk J Doucette
Stormtrooper
97 White


I suggest those who may plan sustained speeds over 100 mph may want to invest in an aux ATF cooler. They are much cheaper than a SHO ATX rebuild.

Tim


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