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Actual MT82 temperature

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Does anyone have a temp sensor installed in their MT82 and know how hot the oil gets after a session? I was at an event recently and my shifter area got way too hot to touch so I can't imagine how hot the trans got.

I've heard that it's nothing to worry about, that the MT82 doesn't get that hot, etc, but the shifter area getting that hot is worrying.
 
Welcome to TMO and great question. One of the early concerns on the MT-82 was the low volume of fluid in the trans. I never did put a sensor on it but I did manage to have many issues with mine. It was rebuilt twice with the third failure getting a new trans. All covered under warranty of course.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Yes, they get hot!!! After a 20min run, without my oil pump setup on, the tranny gets to 300 degrees!!! With a small oil cooler the temps stayed below 270 degrees. Then with a Setrab 915 setup, the temps stay below 200 degrees (limited testing due to engine failure)..

Several of my earlier failed MT82's had lots of Blue on the gears.. Now that the tranny is cooler... blue is gone... but they still fail... (on number 5... I think, lost count)
 
Yes, they get hot!!! After a 20min run, without my oil pump setup on, the tranny gets to 300 degrees!!! With a small oil cooler the temps stayed below 270 degrees. Then with a Setrab 915 setup, the temps stay below 200 degrees (limited testing due to engine failure)..

Several of my earlier failed MT82's had lots of Blue on the gears.. Now that the tranny is cooler... blue is gone... but they still fail... (on number 5... I think, lost count)

Oh boy... guess I'll go ahead and replace trans oil as well.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Yes, I had a Stage 1.... But thats with mainly stock internals. That one lasted two seasons ( the best os far). I think that was tranny number three?? or was it 4??... The stage 3 is with all the gears forged and has a much higher torque limit.. Come to think of it that means the present tranny is number six?? (as in removed and repaired)..... Would have gone the Tremex road long time ago, but did not want to change the clutch, drive shaft etc and do like the gear ratios.

The Stage 3 will cost me much less then a tremec in the end.... (I really do hope!)
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
8,356
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
Changing fluids all the way around is often the cheapest maintenance known to man. Over the years with many performance cars coming through our shop we often found folks will change the oil and brake fluid fairly often, but seem to fail to check the rear diff or the tranny. I constantly changed the rear diff fluid in my Spec Miata many years back ( after two race weekends ) and was the only one competing in our area that did not replace a rear end in a year. Only using this as an example as folks constantly think it is with cars with a ton of torque , and a lot of the heat is generated by the sticky tires on our track beasts today.

Fluid changes should be viewed as normal maintenance, and many things will last longer than expected if you take care to change on a set regimen, or view the discoloration with skepticism. Lastly , don't forget to consider changing your antifreeze on a more regular basis than " Never," because this can breakdown just as easily with all the temperature variations from track events. Bringing this up , as we often saw cars 4-5 years old with the same antifreeze that came in them new, and it looked like pond scum.
 
Changing fluids all the way around is often the cheapest maintenance known to man. Over the years with many performance cars coming through our shop we often found folks will change the oil and brake fluid fairly often, but seem to fail to check the rear diff or the tranny. I constantly changed the rear diff fluid in my Spec Miata many years back ( after two race weekends ) and was the only one competing in our area that did not replace a rear end in a year. Only using this as an example as folks constantly think it is with cars with a ton of torque , and a lot of the heat is generated by the sticky tires on our track beasts today.

Fluid changes should be viewed as normal maintenance, and many things will last longer than expected if you take care to change on a set regimen, or view the discoloration with skepticism. Lastly , don't forget to consider changing your antifreeze on a more regular basis than " Never," because this can breakdown just as easily with all the temperature variations from track events. Bringing this up , as we often saw cars 4-5 years old with the same antifreeze that came in them new, and it looked like pond scum.

Oh for sure. I sent my trans and diff oil off for UOA and am interested to see what comes back. I changed motor, trans, and diff after a single event, but that's $200 in fluids alone. If I could get maybe one more event out of the trans and diff oil, I'd be happy.
 

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