Hey everyone, my last car was an '87 GXL 5-speed. When driving, especially in stop-and-go traffic, the tansmission would get hot. So hot, I could basically call the carpet-covered console next to me a "leg warmer" My '88 GXL does not do this, so I was wondering if anyone knew what was causing it? The tranny was in very good shape (I never had any problems shifting it or anything), and I changed the gear oil, but to no avail. I don't have the car anymore, but I was just hoping someone out there might know about this.
Thanks

 

Are you sure it was the tranny? Do you have the exhaust heat shield on?

 

Dude.... Did you last car have a custome exhaust on it?????

My 89 GTU was fine... until i ripped out the stock cats and put a full racing beat system on it... then.. WOW....

My present car... an 88TII modded out the ***... its got a BNR stage II turbo and a racing beat system and the heat comming from the shifter area is retarded!!! and i HAVE the heat shields on!! If you pull the shifter boot down and grab the metal base of the shiter... woo hooo thats hot!

Also.. there is some factory insulation in the shifter area that sometimes gets "misplaced" when people work on these cars... that can let a LOT of heat into the cockpit..


Is you new car a Dog-o-matic??? that could have a bit to do with it as well as the exhaust is lightly different for the dogomatics and the tranny is physically bigger.

 

No, both cars are 5-speeds, and the '87 was hot even with the stock exhaust on. Afterwards, I did put aftermarket exhaust on from Rotary Performance, but the pipes are on the passenger side of the tranny, and the whole thing was hot, even the driver's side (next to me). I did remove the heat shields when I put on the aftermarket exhaust, but like I said, it was hot even before, so that's why I'm thinking it was the tranny.
Also, it was intermittent. Once you got out on the highway, sometimes would be hot and stay hot. Sometimes it would be hot and cool off. Or sometimes it just wouldn't get hot at all......the thing was pissing me off 'casue I couldn't figure it out

 

Move to Alaska, that'll fix it.

 

LOL! Good advice, but it should probably be meant for the poor sucker who bought it from me!

 

i know what you mean, my car is the same way! great during the winter, i can run without the heater on no problem. and my right leg never EVER gets cold.
its a 89 TII
and one of my other cars was the same way, (an 87 N/A)

kinda gets anoying,.... also a little freaky.

 

You need to make sure the heat shields are in place over the exhaust. Without them, you will overheat your transmission, and burn the undercoating off. Not to mention causing the hot floor....

Now, are you SURE it is the transmission? How's the fluid level? Any noise? I'd be willing to bet it's the exhaust.

 

My old auto tranny used to boil the fluid out of the pan, hitting the exhaust, causing the biggest *** smoke screen on the interstate, stopping traffic and what nto...
it was bad.

 

i have envestigated the same thing that happens with my 87 na and i replaced the bushings in the shifter area and that helped alot , but also my bushings were in like 5 pieces... but i do agree with the leg warmer stuff, i asked the same question earlier and alsmost everone on the thread said theirs does it to........so your guess is as good as mine


Djadict_d