What Is the Boiling Point of Transmission Fluid – How Hot Is Too Hot?

boiling-point-of-transmission-fluid

Fearing your truck’s gear and other drivetrain systems are burning or getting damaged. Nearly all transmission issues start due to the fluids getting overheated or reaching the boiling point.

We’ve seen a lot of car owners searching for “what is the boiling point of transmission fluid” in order to avoid spoiling truck parts that need to run well. It’s really a deadly nightmare for busy drivers. 

Don’t panic! In this guide, we’ll talk about the transmission fluid boiling point in a simple explanation. So, Why Not We Get into That. Ready!

What Is the Boiling Point of Transmission Fluid?

Most trucks have 2 types of transmission fluid such as ATF and MTF that has different boiling rating. The ATF has 100 – 400 °C while the MTF has 220 – 315.56 °C of boiling point.

TypeNew Transmission Fluid Boiling PointOld Transmission Fluid Boiling Point
Automatic Transmission Fluid300 – 400 °C100 °C
Manual Transmission Fluid315.56 °C220 °C

As a regular truck driver, it is necessary to get the proper knowledge of transmission fluid boiling point. FYI, 80 percent of transmission fluid is made of crude oil that needs to be cool until the temperature increase.

Coming to the point, it is always good to know each and every aspect that’s related to transmission fluid boiling rating. There are 2 types of transmission fluid that all trucks used known as ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) and MTF (Manual Transmission Fluid).

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Most trucks actually designed to use ATF rather than MTF. And, both hold different levels of the melting point that is the reason why experts suggest changing them every 30k to 60k miles.

According to The Camping Advisor,

Actually, you do not have to worry so much about the transmission fluid boiling over on you. Normally, your transmission will never get that hot. The boiling point is about 300 degrees C or 550 to 600 degrees F. Your transmission will ruin long before you reach that level.

The ATF and MTF have the ability not more than 300 °C of boiling rating on average. As there is a matter of new and old transmission fluid types, the melting point might differ visibly.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

This fluid is a mixture of synthetic and crude oil for the vehicle transmission that lubricates all gears deeply. And also, the ATF is well-known for protecting valve operation, brake band rust, and other failures that usually occur due to lack of oiling.

As most people tend to avoid changing the ATF in their truck, this gets the biggest mistake gears to start to overheat. The boiling point of the new automatic transmission fluid is around 300 to 400 degrees Celsius. And, the flashpoint is 150 to 195 degrees °C.

Yet, the old and harmed ATF will start to boil like liquid when reaching 100 degrees °C. After that, it will burn or smoke the parts.

Manual Transmission Fluid

This fluid is a mixture of base oil that includes minerals and other stuff that helps all parts to cool down. Besides, the melting point of the new manual transmission fluid is 315.56 °C in general. And, the old one will melt at 220 °C.

A Helpful Tutorial You May Need!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What do I do if my transmission is overheating?

The best way to solve the overheating issue is by changing the fluid in time. You can avoid driving fast and make a habit of cooling the transmission down when it gets hot. Also, be sure to notice the sound that sometimes indicates the overheating issue.

Can low coolant cause transmission overheat?

Well, yes. If the coolant starts to leak or gets low, it may be the reason why the transmission is getting hot. Due to that, it fails to give proper air to cool down the heat. And so, the temperature starts to rise causing overheating of transmission.

What happens when you have too much transmission fluid?

Having too much transmission fluid might cause your truck to work under high pressure making it foamy. It may as well cause irregular gear shifting that will affect your car’s performance. And, it affects the whole drivetrain system badly causes failure and spoils a few parts.

Does transmission fluid burn skin?

No, it won’t burn your skin. Yet, this can affect your hand by causing irritation and redness. It may not damage your hand badly if you just wear protective gloves while changing the fluid.

Overall Thoughts

Satisfied with the explanation and facts that we just gave above about what is the boiling point of transmission fluid? Hope so. The transmission is a whole drivetrain system containing gears, prop shaft and so on that needs fluids to run the truck well. 

Just wanted to add the fact that the transmission fluid needs to be cooler to ensure a good shift strategy so that it won’t spoil the engine torque. In order to make the truck work smooth, one should definitely know its boiling point.

Otherwise, the gears won’t spin which will result in the car being inactive. We hope you get to know a lot after reading this guide. Now, See You On Our Next Article. Till Then, Goodbye!

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James Noah

Ah! Driving your King has no twist when you have zero knowledge! Yes, Noah is here with his core experiences about trucks, cars, suvs and atvs. Working as a cheif editor for Automasterx to make you satisfied with solid data driven post.

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