Due to my wife needing to get to a hospital Sunday night a.s.a.p. , I drove 55 - 60 miles most of the time 90-95 mph where traffic allowed. She had a serious condition that put her in extreme pain with we later found out internal bleeding.

Anyway, she is home and recovering.

During this "high speed" trip the engine temps remained normal but the transmission temp climbed to 205-210.

This kinda alarmed me. I was in overdrive (obviously) and the outside temps were around 90.

When we arrived at the hospital I let the truck idle for a while and the temps lowered down pretty quick.

Is this normal? I thought there would be enough air flow at 95 mph to keep everything cool.

Which brings me to another point. I was amazed at some inconsiderate drivers on the road now days. Here I am in the left lane because I am obviously the faster vehicle and there are those left lane bandits just sitting there. I had my flashers on. When I would aproach a car I would quickly flash my brights to let them know I was aproaching so as not to alarm anyone. (we were traveling at 9pm)

Another like situation was were I have a SLOW driver in the left lane and a merging car in the right. I guess neither one of these guys wanted to let my by. I stayed boxed in for at least 2 miles. I really don't understand this. I was on his bumper with my flashers and bright lights on. Light was filling the cab of this Honda Prelude. I even layed on the horn for a while. I finally got around then both cars proceeded to blow thir horns at me. I was pretty angry but continued with the task at hand.



Your input is appreciated,

Mark

It is normal, I have dogged my truck racing others for extended periods (over 10 miles) on more than a few occassions and the allison goes meltdown while the engine stays fine.

The attitude of the drivers on the road today is crap. How do THEY know you aren't in an emergency???? You might have THEIR kids in there bleeding to death, yet they will intentionally hold you up or cut you off or continue to mess with you.

People need to drive THEIR OWN vehicle and let ME drive MINE, not try to control me from in front or the side as happens all the time.

Rant complete.

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210 is not anything to worry about.

If it was much over that, I'd look into a bigger trans cooler.

I see you are from Houston. That is where we were going. I was on 288 from Lake Jackson.

I know it well, you musta been going to the med.

I am sure some jerkoffs were blocking you there just south of pearland where the construction is.

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210 is not anything to worry about.

If it was much over that, I'd look into a bigger trans cooler.


I have run it up a good bit past 210 :)

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Pearland is exactly where we were. Just South of the construction.

Funny thing that happened. I came up to a Dodge diesel. He had some loud pipes on it cause I could hear them from inside my truck.

When he saw me coming up on him, he obviously kicked hisDodge in the butt cause he was making other cars pull to the right and making me a unobstructed path. That was very cool.

I later passed him after he pulled to the right to let me by. Very cool.

Mark

My experience is the guys in the pickup trucks will move out of the way, probably because they know what it is like to tow a load in traffic. I think it will be people in cars or small pickups that give you the most trouble.


OCDUNE

Glad to hear your wife is ok... You see the roads around here in souther Maine. Dam tourist are out in force. They don't even pull over for ambulance or firetrucks. Heck I dont' think they even pull over for the police.

Unfortunately around here it isn't tourists. People seem to vent rage in their vehicles. I guess they feel anonymous and like they have an easy escape, so they act like they never would if they were out of the car in public.

There is a race mentality in the houston area, gotta be in friont of the guy in front of you, and as soon as you get by him you gotta be in front of the next guy. Maybe we are just so prosperous that ego's are too big and its all me me me me and f everyone else.

I actually had recently a lady follow me over 7 miles to inform me that "you were going way too fast back there on the interstate by the shell station". I asked her if she was a cop, she said no, and I said "you need to be one, but until then mind your business and I will mind mine. Have a nice day". Too many Americans have no life I guess, so they spend too much time worrying about what everyone else is doing. Worse than that they will take action to try to control what you do.

Rant complete (for now).

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Good that the wife is well!

I don't think I would have the guts to idle the truck to cool it down if the wife is bleeding....

Driving here in New Orleans is not any better than Houston...To help with that kind of traffic trouble I will install a real bumper like Road Armor on my truck. Have done that before on my Landcruisers and it helped a lot...:ro)

Yeah, I am also glad that it turned out for you and that she is ok.

I want the heavy pipe bumpers along with a magnetic box of roofing nails where the spare goes and an extra windshield washer setup that sprays antifreeze out the back and dual remote controlled 50 cals on the roof........


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Mark, I'm glad everything turned out OK for your family! Here in Michigan, many people drive like they have an emergency. It unfortunately results in the opposite response of what you would be looking for. As a career paramedic/firefighter for over 10 yrs, I cringe at your story, and hope that there is always 911 (emergency service) in your area to 1)provide the earliest ALS(advanced life support). 2)provide a SAFE and fast transport to an appropriate midical facility. Like mentioned earlier, many people don't yield to emergency vehicles, they certainly won't yield to your hazard/bright lights. This was not meant to be judgemental or self-rightous, just food-for-thought.

I completely understand your point csmartindale.

In the amount of time it took us to drive to houston was less than the time it would have takedn if we had gone to the local hospital. There are many horror stories about our local hospital. Most of the people round here will drive to Houston before going to the local joint. Now sometimes we are left with no choice but when given a choice we go to Houston. Also our local doesn't have a gyn doctor on call and she needed to get to the 'Womans Hospital". We were there a few days proir so they knew exacticaly what was going on.

The Dr. that we saw said that what we did was a "gutsy move" but when we explained that there was no gny Dr. they understood.

The whole time driving I kept wondering if we made the correct move. The only thing I knew was that she was in extreem pain and where we needed to go was the best care possible.


And no, I didn't make her sit in the truck while it idled. I asked the valet to watch the truck while we went inside. It was late on a Sunday night and there was nothing going on for the valet anyway.

I'm pretty anal about my truck but thankfully not that bad.;)


Thanks to all for your positive posts.

I now need to be Mr. Mom again. So far today I have Vacuumed the house, washed dishes (in the dishwasher of corse), dove two loads of clothes, cleaned the oven, fed the kids and dog, some yard work, washed my truck, and tended to my wife's every need.


Mark

Glad the wife is ok.

I have found unfortuneately, too many people will try to slow down a REAL fast traveler than one that goes slightly over the speed limit.

While I have not had an emergency like you have, I generally will run faster until I get near a vehicle in front, then slow down and approach them at a slower pace than I was originally traveling.

THis seems to work better around here, than to come screaming up on them at 90.

:)

Hey Mark, I am feeling kinda ill......

Now that you mention it my car and truck need washing as well as some laundry and dishes too, especially after you cook dinner........what time can you be by?

.

As soon as I'm caught up around here will be fine TXChris. Don't call me, I'll call you

dude i hate when people just cruise in the passing lane.talking on the phone or talking to passenger or just an idiot inconsidrate...oops driver. fires me up. i wish when i pass i could reach over and slap them in the face. wake up!