I have a fairly new to me 977L and the oil temperature gauge keeps wanting to creep into the red. I guess this is the torque convertor temperature.It did it today after having run for a couple of hours with an ambient temperature of about 70 degrees. I am trying to plow through the service manual but I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. What might cause this? Does the torque convertor have a its own cooler? What does the torque convertor share oil with? Does the torque convertor use the same oil as that checked under the seat?
Yes it is common oil with the trans and steering clutches. The most common cause is loss of oil flow through the convertor. The best way to approach this is to put a 600 PSI gauge in the plug hole in the filter cover. Check pressure in all gears at low idle and full throttle with warm oil. Pressure should be around 400 and hold 90% of full throttle reading at low idle. After you do that test put trans in neutral and check pressures at low idle with steering pedals up and fully down. Write down all readings and come on back. What was the problem you just had? steering linkage? if it's out of adjustment it will lose pump flow and cause that problem. Later Bob
I haven't had any problem except the gauge creeping to the red. Since my first post I have found that the torque converter has its own cooler behind the grill. Perhaps the place to start is to clean it.
Yes start there and also carefully touch the cooler lines from the torque to the cooler to make sure both are warm all the way. There is a bypass in the cast iron block between the lines near the torque. Check fan belts too. Later Bob
I've only owned it about a month and haven't changed any filters except for the engine oil. Could a plugged filter cause loss of oil flow through the convertor? Maybe wishful thinking but I'm trying to go for the cheapest and easiest possible problems first.