Transmission cooler

[ocracokenc]

I tow a 23' Bay boat that is about 5,000lbs with my 2014 Silverado WT2 double cab, 4.3 EcoTec and 6L80e. It actually tows it better than my 08 with a 5.3 V8. I do want to add a auxiliary transmission cooler to cool the fluid after it leaves the radiator and goes in to the tranny. My temps do not get much higher thn empty on the highway and I tow in 5th and it does not gear hunt but in traffic or around town it wants to head towards 220. I am about 190 on the highway so I would like to keep it around 175 as much as possible.

 

I would like feedback from people who have his truck and the brand, cost and ease of installation from people who have installed one. If you could tell me how well it worked and the place you got it at also would be great. Thank you.

[bdbake01]

175 might be difficult without bypassing the factory cooler altogether and isn't necessary. About 195 is perfectly fine.

[2016 Sierra Owner]

Someone asked what the normal trans temp is and most people are at 190 loaded or not. That's what my truck runs at and I don't even tow anything.

[ocracokenc]

I noticed the owners manual stated it should be 160 to 200 to check the fluid level. So should I just leave it alone?

[bigsapper]

I regularly see 205-206 on mine. Highway driving, no trailering, no load, RCSB 2WD with the trailering kit which means it has the factory external cooler.

 

That is not a good temp to run. I'd like find out if there is a way to adjust or remove the thermostat control for the the trans cooler.

[newdude]

I tow a 23' Bay boat that is about 5,000lbs with my 2014 Silverado WT2 double cab, 4.3 EcoTec and 6L80e. It actually tows it better than my 08 with a 5.3 V8. I do want to add a auxiliary transmission cooler to cool the fluid after it leaves the radiator and goes in to the tranny. My temps do not get much higher thn empty on the highway and I tow in 5th and it does not gear hunt but in traffic or around town it wants to head towards 220. I am about 190 on the highway so I would like to keep it around 175 as much as possible.

 

I would like feedback from people who have his truck and the brand, cost and ease of installation from people who have installed one. If you could tell me how well it worked and the place you got it at also would be great. Thank you.

 

Temps would still stay around 190 or so. These new trucks have a thermal bypass valve on the trans where the lines go into the transmission. It keeps trans fluid from hitting the cooler untill it reaches operating tem which is around 190 degrees.

[HondaHawkGT]

The soft shifting nature of the 2014's transmission is a big contributor to these higher temps. They slip their clutches a LOT to get these smooth gear changes.

 

Firming up the shifts with a tuner/custom tune wouldn't be a bad idea.

[GTD]

The 6L80E is a clutch-on-clutch transmission just like the Allison. Firming up shifts where you can feel them like a TH400 is the result of a tie-up, clutch coming on before another releases--not a good idea.

[ocracokenc]

I was reading a article by a shop called Circle D and it was about making the 6L80e bullet proof. The one comment they made was that it tends to run warm compared to the 4L60e. They solved the problem with 2 coolers to keep it cooler with other modifications. I know my 4l60e would hit about 170 towing hard with a external cooler. Maybe if the installed a thermostat to get it to 190 it is designed to run hotter.

 

I did go to the dealership and GM does not offer a OEM cooler. With a thermo at 190 it would be hard to cool it with a external cooler if it wants the fluid to be that warm.

I was reading a article by a shop called Circle D and it was about making the 6L80e bullet proof. The one comment they made was that it tends to run warm compared to the 4L60e. They solved the problem with 2 coolers to keep it cooler with other modifications. I know my 4l60e would hit about 170 towing hard with a external cooler. Maybe if the installed a thermostat to get it to 190 it is designed to run hotter.

 

I did go to the dealership and GM does not offer a OEM cooler. With a thermo at 190 it would be hard to cool it with a external cooler if it wants the fluid to be that warm.

[GTD]

Sorry, back on track. I called our Chevy dealer for info and even asked on this cite if anyone with the max tow option would check to see if there trucks were equipped with auxiliary coolers like those with Allison's which makes me wonder what the diesels have for coolers, maybe one of these might be able to be adapted to a gasser?

[TJay74]

The new 6L80E also have a thermostat in them as well from what I was reading. If that is the case an external cooler may not do much.

[gone_fishing]

I wonder if the thermostat that controls the transmission oil temps is a replaceable item? If so maybe the aftermarket could make a lower temp model.

 

For those experiencing higher than average temps, maybe a larger capacity pan from PML would help: http://www.yourcovers.com/transpan_11025.php Since there is a thermostat controlling temp to around 194, a larger pan wouldn't necessarily lower temps but might help in keeping them from rising much further.

[newdude]

I was reading a article by a shop called Circle D and it was about making the 6L80e bullet proof. The one comment they made was that it tends to run warm compared to the 4L60e. They solved the problem with 2 coolers to keep it cooler with other modifications. I know my 4l60e would hit about 170 towing hard with a external cooler. Maybe if the installed a thermostat to get it to 190 it is designed to run hotter.

 

I did go to the dealership and GM does not offer a OEM cooler. With a thermo at 190 it would be hard to cool it with a external cooler if it wants the fluid to be that warm.

 

The auxiliary cooler is part of the AC condensor. The radiator inlets and outlets for the trans coolers on the 4.3 and 5.3 are in different spots. So, the AC condensor is different, the radiator is different and the lines are different.

[Jon A]

I regularly see 205-206 on mine....That is not a good temp to run.

 

Based upon what? There's absolutely no advantage to running colder transmission fluid except worse mileage. You aren't going to hurt the transmission unless it gets a lot hotter than that for extended periods of time.

[bigsapper]

Based upon what? There's absolutely no advantage to running colder transmission fluid except worse mileage. You aren't going to hurt the transmission unless it gets a lot hotter than that for extended periods of time.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/116_0308_transmission_cooler_basics/?__federated=1

 

While my temps are technically in range, they are at the top of the range. That's cruising with no load.