Towing with a voyager?

[WickedShelby88]

My 92 Voyager has the A604 which has an external cooler from the factory and already has a frame mounted hitch and wiring. I'm wondering if anyone has used a tow dolly to tow something like a lancer before? I have no reservations really about towing the lil L body sans drivetrain back with it I plan on picking up since its in the same direction, but this is a heavy car for a trans that isn't known for firm shifts. Also if the trans should be fine should I go ahead and leave it in 3rd on the way? Maybe I should beg someone to help me with their truck.

[Ondonti]

when you say external cooler do you mean the one in the radiator?

[WickedShelby88]

No there is one in radiator along with one mounted in front of it that is about half as high as the radiator. Looks factory but is a nicely sized unit.

[black86glhs]

Stay out of overdrive and you should be fine.

[turbovanman²]

I think Lugert used to tow his race car around all the time, as did Russ Jerome.

[WickedShelby88]

Yeah I'm thinking keeping in 3 will be the best insurance as well. That 3-4 shift is always quirky anyways with this thing. Never soft but sometimes it all but slams into 4th even at slow speeds.

[Vigo]

i towed my neon with the family 97 3.3/604 caravan once, worked fine.

4th gear is pretty weak on a stock 604 so i would also agree leave it in 3rd.

[WickedShelby88]

Don't think I will be towing with it this run, but thanks for the heads up:thumb:
I wonder if its not so much that 4th is week but that the difference in ratios from 3rd to 4th is hard on the clutch packs.

[turbovanman²]

Replace the stock cooler, junk. Get a real aftermarket unit, they do a much better job, :thumb:

[WickedShelby88]

Yeah good call Simon. I did notice it shifted a lot better when the temps were cooler.

[Vigo]

I wonder if its not so much that 4th is week but that the difference in ratios from 3rd to 4th is hard on the clutch packs.

I say 4th is weak because it is actually a smaller clutch pack with less plates. Most 4spds are like that.

[WickedShelby88]

Well what might be causing the hard 3-4 upshift? It is pretty intermittent and only acts up when warm. Could a simple fluid and filter change fix that?

[SebringLX]

Well what might be causing the hard 3-4 upshift? It is pretty intermittent and only acts up when warm. Could a simple fluid and filter change fix that?
Probably.

4th gear (OD) is the weak link. Proper fluids (ATF+4) is key to making these transmissions live.

Feel like I'm beating a dead horse with this now... seems this comes up in regards to this transmission all the time.

[Vigo]

well, fluid is a big part of the problem, but so is people not knowing how to do a proper re-learn on the older stuff after a rebuild and people overheating the trannies with no real cooler and never changing the fluid.

The right fluid and a big cooler will make you 604-awesome like me. Ive never broken one other than burning up 4th (right fluid and external cooler, 120k) on my intrepid after a long 130mph run, and at that point i couldnt complain.

I have literally snapped a 670 output shaft in half while driving, though, and those arent nearly as picky so take from that what you will.