Hot Oil Question
12-04-2010, 05:44 AM
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Hot Oil Question
Last week I had my 4 door jeep loaded full with equipment for a 4 day stay in the mountains, the wife, kid and dog. The outside temp was around 40. We had driven on highways for the last 4 hours, then headed off road up a steep rocky mountainside road when I heard a pinging noise. Then we smelled something burning, and a light came on in the dash that said "HotOil". I stopped the jeep, opened the hood and checked the oil and it was full. I had just changed the oil myself right before the trip using Penzoil 5W-20. Has anyone ever experienced this? Would an oil cooler help?
12-04-2010, 05:53 AM
#2
JK Jedi Master
The "hot oil" message means you overheated the automatic transmission.
An aux trans cooler will almost always fix that.
Otherwise, wheel in 4lo.
Minimize use of "1" and "2". Stay in "D" as much as possible, with the O/D off.
This will allow the transmission to get to 3rd more often, where the torque converter will lock.
An unlocked torque converter generate a lot of heat very quickly.
Turning the A/C on will force the fan to come on, drawing more air through the stock trans cooler.
An aux trans cooler will almost always fix that.
Otherwise, wheel in 4lo.
Minimize use of "1" and "2". Stay in "D" as much as possible, with the O/D off.
This will allow the transmission to get to 3rd more often, where the torque converter will lock.
An unlocked torque converter generate a lot of heat very quickly.
Turning the A/C on will force the fan to come on, drawing more air through the stock trans cooler.
Last edited by ronjenx; 12-04-2010 at 05:59 AM.
12-04-2010, 06:28 AM
#3
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Thanks guys will be ording one today, my falt for thinking that Chrysler would have put a better trany cooler on Jeeps. I just never sean "HOT OIL" message before on anything that I have owned before. This site is the best, again thanks 
12-04-2010, 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by ronjenx
The "hot oil" message means you overheated the automatic transmission.
An aux trans cooler will almost always fix that.
Otherwise, wheel in 4lo.
Minimize use of "1" and "2". Stay in "D" as much as possible, with the O/D off.
This will allow the transmission to get to 3rd more often, where the torque converter will lock.
An unlocked torque converter generate a lot of heat very quickly.
Turning the A/C on will force the fan to come on, drawing more air through the stock trans cooler.
An aux trans cooler will almost always fix that.
Otherwise, wheel in 4lo.
Minimize use of "1" and "2". Stay in "D" as much as possible, with the O/D off.
This will allow the transmission to get to 3rd more often, where the torque converter will lock.
An unlocked torque converter generate a lot of heat very quickly.
Turning the A/C on will force the fan to come on, drawing more air through the stock trans cooler.
12-04-2010, 07:02 AM
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Originally Posted by willywaxer1
Welcome to the hot oil club! Its your tranny oil, not engine. Get yourself the $50 B&M tranny cooler and be done with it. You're lucky there wasn't any fire. Be sure to write Chrysler and let them know how happy you are with their design.
12-04-2010, 09:09 AM
#6
JK Junkie
I was reading the thread on the install of the cooler and I did not see anyone installing one of these on a 2010 model JK? Did Jeep change something on them such as a better OEM cooler or does a 2010 also need the aftermarket cooler? Never have had my hotoil light come on? Thanks
12-04-2010, 09:22 AM
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Qc ??????
WTF- Does Chrysler have anybody working in QC? What a bunch of idiots. This has been a well known problem for years and they still can't fix this? Did they fix it for '11? 
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12-04-2010, 09:22 AM
#8
JK Jedi Master
I was reading the thread on the install of the cooler and I did not see anyone installing one of these on a 2010 model JK? Did Jeep change something on them such as a better OEM cooler or does a 2010 also need the aftermarket cooler? Never have had my hotoil light come on? Thanks
12-04-2010, 09:26 AM
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I was looking at an '11 Sahara yesterday.....and there is a large, finned radiator in front of the regular radiator. Is that the tranny cooler? Has the problem been taken care of?
12-04-2010, 09:29 AM
#10
JK Junkie
Is the large thin cooler that sits in front of my radiator the same OEM tranny cooler that is on earlier than 2010 models? Or has it been made bigger by Jeep for 2010?