Fortin 4 speed wide gear questions

[OffRoadGeorge]

I recently bought a used Hustler Concepts Class 1 Buggy with a Fortin 4 speed wide gear transaxle with torque converter. I’m looking for some guidance on temperatures and oil pressure from people who run this trans.

First I find that it runs perfect 220 in first through 3rd gear, when you get into 4th and go over 50 for a couple of miles the temperature will shoot up to 250 right away. If you slow to 35-40 in 4th the temperature drops right away back to 220. For cooling the Oil is run through a large aluminum radiator with fan and also secondary lines to the main radiator, with large overflow.

Second is Trans Oil Pressure. I’m getting mixed signals, Fortin says should be 50-60 PSI at full throttle. But the guy who raced it said he and several other racers found that if they run at 70-80 PSI the trans runs better and lasts longer.

Please if you’re running this trans and can share some insight it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in Advance - OffRoadGeorge -

[Grant Lenk]

On our car the TC pressure is set between 60-65 psi at full power, we have two gauges on the TC: one in, and one out of the cooler. running the car hard the fluid coming into our cooler is between 250-300. The temp you should worry about is out of the cooler, ours running hard is between 180-210. I find it hard to believe running the TC at a higher pressure saves the tranny. Make sure tho you change the fluids every race that is important! I would call fortin, what TC is in the car?

[OffRoadGeorge]

Thank you!

Looks to me that the temp sending unit is screwed into the radiator. Do you know if this is the in or out temp reading?

It is a TCS I think, will check when I get home.

[co pilot mclovin]

your best bet is to call little doug and he will give you all the info you need.

[Grant Lenk]

George,
It is hard to say if it is in or out without looking where the sender is placed on the cooler (favoring the inlet or outlet), with that being said, is this cooler strictly TC fluid? do you also have a cooler for the trans gear oil? Sounds to me like all of your questions are regarding the TC so calling TCS would be a good idea, they are in Havasu AZ i believe, great people and fast service. (928) 453 4020

[OffRoadGeorge]

Thanks for TCS number.
The TC oil goes thru a external oil pump, and separate radiator with large resivior.

Wow I may not have changed all the oils...When I changed the TC oil did I also drian the gear oil? In the front of the trans, there are 2 smaller lines that run up to the main radiator. When I loosen the fitting looks like red trans fluid.

Is this the gear oil cooler you asked about?

Also is this different than trans oil? Should I change this as well?

Thanks again for helping out!

[Grant Lenk]

Yes, the gear box oil will be red. if my memory serves me right there should be a fitting on the top of the tranny and on the passenger side, along with two lines on the nose cone. Our gear oil is cooled by a cooler and returns back to the tranny. You will want to change this oil every race, that is infact if you dont pull the tranny out to have it serviced. the gear oil we use is redline shockproof gear oil, stuff works great!

TC i am remebering has the 2 lines out of the drivers side, AUX pump, tank, radiator, heat exchanger. You will also want to change TC oil every race. The TC oil will be red but thiner than the gear oil, which is also red (thicker) and will have a poor smell to it, cheep insurance with an expensive TC/Tranny. The gear oil should take 5- 5 1/2 quarts (double check on me with fortin, and with the size of your cooler it may differ).

When changing the TC oil (we run redline ATF) you will want to completely drain the system and also spinning the AUX pump to get all excess out (not with the motor). When refilling, make sure all lines are tight and fill converter tank a little past the full screen in the tank (again this is how it is on our car is, your components may differ). Run the car making sure when the fluid goes below the screen in the tank you fill it to the screen. the screen is where you want your fluid level to be when it is all said and done.

Good luck with it all! and will see you out racing!

[OffRoadGeorge]

Grant,
You are the Man! thank you very much had I not run into you on Race Dezert I surely would have messed up my tranny!
I've been hanging out with the Long Beach Racers so I'll see you at the races.

Is Missing Lenk a shop that does services?

Thanks,
George

[desertdirt]

we also run the same setup. as lenk stated, the tc out temp isn't the worry as it will most likely peg any guage that is on it. Our car under race conditions tends to see about 220-230 on the tc in. also our tc pressure is 50-60 psi. when we were dealing with heating issues we found out from talks with rusty at tcs, and ronn weddle that flow was the biggest factor in keeping the tc cool. it should be in the ballpark of 1.5gpm or more(i think). Hope this helps ya

[GEARDOC]

Lugging the motor in 4th gear(50MPH) is a likely candidate for the high temp. Need to get the RPMs and MPH up and get airflow across the coolers.

P.S. Hey Grant. Got your tranny on the stand now. Checking the history shows the R&P are 3 years old. Still mags good and will probably change it after Laughlin. Jerry

[OffRoadGeorge]

Thanks Gear Doc. Doug Fortin said the same thing that I have to keep the RPM up.

I will also lower the PSI from 70 to 60 as Grant Lenk and desert dirt suggest.

Hopefully no rain this weekend, plan to test n tune in Barstow.