Jump to content

Grill Air flow

Red_5

Recommended Posts

Red_5 Enthusiast

Red_5

Posted
Posted

I was looking at the very large openings on my '15 SLT grill and was wondering if it had better air flow than a Denali grill for instance. I like the looks of the Denali grills, thought about upgrading the grill, but I wouldn't want to reduce air flow through the various heat exchangers while towing.

 

Before buying my truck I was thinking about a Ram Eco diesel and I was on one of their forums. One of the aftermarket tuner types mentioned that the different grills from different trim levels didn't flow as well as others and the Eco diesel needs all the cooling help it can get while towing.

 

Looking at several of the aftermarket grills, they seem to reduce air flow over the SLT grill too.

redwngr Senior Enthusiast

redwngr

Posted
Posted

Cooling is part of establishing the tow rating.

 

There should be less cheating on ratings now that they are all using the sae rating method.

 

Denali 1500 is not offered with a Max Tow package.

 

(but you can get a Denali 2500 or 3500 or 3500dually)

Red_5 Enthusiast

Red_5

Posted
  • Author
Posted

^^Yes, I had thought about the 2500+ having the Denali grill and being able to keep things cool. Maybe the larger trucks have larger heat exchangers? I would guess so anyway.

Jon A Senior Enthusiast

Jon A

Posted
Posted

Some aftermarket grills certainly could be a problem, but the Denali grill is fine. If you look closely and compare, it's at least as open as many of the various Chevy grills. If you want to improve airflow to the radiator while towing, the best way to do it is a custom tune that turns the fans on more aggressively.

Red_5 Enthusiast

Red_5

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Some aftermarket grills certainly could be a problem, but the Denali grill is fine. If you look closely and compare, it's at least as open as many of the various Chevy grills. If you want to improve airflow to the radiator while towing, the best way to do it is a custom tune that turns the fans on more aggressively.

What I would mind is the appearance and better protection of the Denali grill but I don't want to hurt cooling. I haven't towed with this truck yet so much don't have a baseline to compare. I was hoping someone here already knew the answer.

 

Does turning up the fan speed help at freeway speeds or only in traffic?

Cosmic Charlie Enthusiast

Cosmic Charlie

Posted
Posted

Part of the 2500 plow package is the large bumper opening where the stock external tranny cooler is located ... once you know it it's easy to spot ...

jhplak325 Enthusiast

jhplak325

Posted
Posted

Part of the 2500 plow package is the large bumper opening where the stock external tranny cooler is located ... once you know it it's easy to spot ...

The non plow package HD's have the same opening.

Chris Senior Enthusiast

Chris

Posted
Posted

Is transmission cooling a problem while towing with 1500s?

Yes and no. more cooling wont hurt when towing in the summer, but the new trucks have a low temp bypass thermostat in the trans cooling circuit. It will not start cooling the fluid until it reaches a minimum operating temperature. Older trucks you can throw a big ass cooler in and then have over cooling issues in winter (i did and dont really have a winter).
Jon A Senior Enthusiast

Jon A

Posted
Posted

Does turning up the fan speed help at freeway speeds or only in traffic?

 

As long as you're not going over 130 MPH or so, the fan helps a bunch.

 

 

Is transmission cooling a problem while towing with 1500s?

 

A couple people have gotten warnings for high transmission fluid temps but it's pretty rare. IIRC all have been with 5.3's and the stock cooling system. Long 2nd gear pulls up hills heats things up more quickly than staying in 3rd gear (easier to do with the 6.2). Better fan settings and a lower temp thermostat will take care of it.

 

However, that was for the 6-speed. I'm not aware of anybody having issues with the 8-speed though it hasn't been available with the 5.3 very long.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Grumpy Bear
      Joke Thread

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

    • Grumpy Bear
      The Peckish Synapse

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      You're better read than that Atlas. 😏   British science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke formulated three adages that are known as Clarke's three laws, of which the third law – that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" – is the best known and most widely cited.   Stribeck and the pivotable Hersey Number isn't voodoo nor snake oil. That part is physics. It's what marketing and bean counters do with it that is snake oil and voodoo.    Stribeck is the relationship between Hersey and the Coefficient of Friction. Within the Hersey Equation if viscosity and viscosity is 'Dependent' on.......heat.......and.......viscosity index or the temperature to viscosity slope.    Specifically Hersey is the viscosity AT THE TEMPERATURE IN THAT LOCATION FOR THAT SLOPE.   Hydrodynamic lubrication exist when the film thickness in the location is 3X the Ra roughness of the surface. This is irrespective of the hardness of the substrate. To obtain that thickness X viscosity is required for Y velocity at Z load. That's a lot of moving parts. It is also impossible to maintain in an ICE but nearly possible with a turbine under constant load.    What does that mean? Error heavy and operate light. Wear is inevitable but the rate of wear and the milage obtainable are a function of prevailing conditions and HABITS. The only penalty is viscous drag and at fractions so low as to be well worth the effort. Double the life, half the manufacturing carbon foot print. Greed is the only impediment.    The materials generated by SwRI are the RESULT not an estimation or a hypothesis.    Don't delude yourself sir, EV's have as many pitfalls as ICE's. We just don't know what they are yet and it will take longer to sort as MARKETING and GREEDY CEO's have had more time to polish the turd they are selling. 
    • Grumpy Bear
      The Peckish Synapse

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      You can always count on greed to prey on ignorance and stupidity.    Friend bought a 2019 Ford Flex and asked me about using Valvoline R&P 5W30 in it. Told him give the miles on it and the fact it wasn't yet using oil that it was a good plan. He uses a Valvoline quick change shop for his oil service.   First they tell him that isn't the oil the OEM recommends. He told them he didn't care what the OEM thought. Then they floated the, "But it will void your warranty"    His reply was it's a 2019, there is no warranty and informed them their knowledge of the law was lacking.    Then they tell him 'But it will ruin your motor"!.    Mine to ruin he says. Finally they give in and charge him 150% the semi-syn price    Point it the brainwash is so embedded that even the service industry is drunk on their swill. The public is right behind them. Echoing the same lies on every forum and media platform. If the end goal is indeed EV then I'd say that ship is about built. 
    • CamGTP
      Gas Prices

      By CamGTP · Posted

      Diesel hit $6.00 here today at the truck stop.   Payed $2.79 for E85 today too.
    • richard wysong
      Electrical Problem - solved

      By richard wysong · Posted

      Thanks for posting, I'm sure it will help someone

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...