Trans leaks fluid at 165*?

[kc2006]

Got a question about my trans. I use the truck for plowing, and the trans normally stays about 150 degrees while plowing, this is with an 800lb dump insert, 800lbs of salt in the bed, and the plow blocking the front. Last year I tried pulling a friend out that was stuck, the trans got up to 165 and started leaking fluid. So I had the trans flushed and went on my way, it was good all summer then this winter it was ok. Last month, plowed each day for 2.5 weeks straight, seemed like it was fine but the snows were small. Then I tried pulling my brothers truck out and it did the same as last year, 165and started leaking fluid. This time I just topped it off because I haven't had time to get it flushed yet.

This weekend we got 18" of snow, I was taking it easy, and the trans kept getting hotter, a few times it went to 165 and started dribbling fluid.

The thing I dont get is, 165 is a normal temp. I could see if I was at 210 or 220 and it was dropping fluid. Anyone know why it's doing this at 165 only?? I have the good 6.0 trans cooler on the truck, sunnex valve tricumulator spring, the truck has 125,000 miles, I drained the trans and changed the filter at 105,000 then it was flushed just this year. I do have a superchips programmer on it, and it was on the performance setting, but I dropped it down to the tow safe settting the other day. Trans shifts fine and really giving me no other issues.

[SmokeyWren]

With your load and the plow, 165° is not even warm yet. So don't worry about 165° if you know that your gauge is accurate. As long as your tranny temp is less than 200°, then enjoy your workhorse.

Expect higher tranny temps when towing heavy in the summertime, but when working in freezing temps, you shouldn't see over 200° very often. And you don't have to take any action unless your tranny temp hits the red line of 225°

If your ATF is overflowing out the vent tube, that indicates either you have too much ATF in the tranny, or else your tranny is getting hotter than 220°. Or maybe you have something in the tranny other than MERCON ATF? So check the level of the ATF with a hot tranny. You want it full per the dipstick, but not overfull.