Transmission Thermostat Delete Pros vs. Cons

[Eddie 70]

I have been reading some of the threads about the trans thermostat and will probably remove mine to try and help it have a longer life. (Pro, hopefully) The job seems easy enough if you flip the "Pill" which is what I will do. I am at 110k miles. I have been changing 1 gallon of fluid since around 60k miles every 15k miles. Trans performs good at this point. I believe in preventative maintenance!

 

Anyone that has removed the thermostat, have you noticed any negatives? I was wondering if it messes with the trans computer in any way. My truck is completely stock as far as tune goes.

 

Tell me your Pros and Cons if you have done this mod.

[CamGTP]

No cons here, did exactly what is needed.

 

We are just making it like the 6L80e's in the previous body trucks, they never had a thermostat in those and never had problems. There is another thread going on about this today too.

[truckguy82]

45 minutes ago, Eddie 70 said:

I have been reading some of the threads about the trans thermostat and will probably remove mine to try and help it have a longer life. (Pro, hopefully) The job seems easy enough if you flip the "Pill" which is what I will do. I am at 110k miles. I have been changing 1 gallon of fluid since around 60k miles every 15k miles. Trans performs good at this point. I believe in preventative maintenance!

 

Anyone that has removed the thermostat, have you noticed any negatives? I was wondering if it messes with the trans computer in any way. My truck is completely stock as far as tune goes.

 

Tell me your Pros and Cons if you have done this mod.

Cons

-slightly less efficient, probably significant difference in extreme cold

Pro’s

-it likely, but not definitely, increases the transmission life span

 

if you live in florida, it’s an easy decision, remove thermostat

 

if you live in alaska, it’s an easy decision, leave thermostat

 

if you live in NY, eh, your call

Edited July 30, 2020 by truckguy82

[Bob2C]

My 6L80e runs about 185 on the highway. Around town when up to temp it about 195. Most times it never gets to 195 for me. All my trips are short. I’m towing in a few weeks and I’m curious where it will settle at on the highway. I replaced factory fill with AMSOIL Signature at 24k (about 10 quarts). I do have the max tow package. I’ll probably do the thermostat delete after my trip when the weather cools a bit. I’m in Virginia so we don’t have extreme heat like the south although it’s been damn hot [emoji3062] lately for the last month.


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[Eddie 70]

I believe I will give it a shot tomorrow. The good part is, it is easily reversible. Should be pretty easy. Still pretty clean for 2014 with 110k miles.

[Grumpy Bear]

I did mine (pill flip) after the first winter and now have 123 K miles on it. Flawless miles. Mine runs colder than most as I also lowered the water thermostat to 170 F. And it still stays over the TCM minimum in the winter to 0 F. Want it warmer? Leave the factory 207 F water stat in place and your good to lower than it will turn over. I don't know how many times I've posted this in the dozens of related threads on this topic. 

 

Look, as Cameron noted earlier. This thermostat thing was NEW in 2014. As long as automatics have been around they've been radiator cooled without a stat. 

 

As far as fuel, even in the winter....I've logged every mile since I got it at 1300 miles in both states. It is more fuel efficient bypassed. Why? Because it heats the fluid until the fluid is warmer than the water. GM did not have the good sense to machine a minimum flow bypass into the casting like every other thermostat maker on the planet. That first winter it didn't get up to temperature for nearly 100  miles during the coldest months. Now she's up the heat in about 20 miles.  

 

[Bob2C]

I did mine (pill flip) after the first winter and now have 123 K miles on it. Flawless miles. Mine runs colder than most as I also lowered the water thermostat to 170 F. And it still stays over the TCM minimum in the winter to 0 F. Want it warmer? Leave the factory 207 F water stat in place and your good to lower than it will turn over. I don't know how many times I've posted this in the dozens of related threads on this topic. 
 
Look, as Cameron noted earlier. This thermostat thing was NEW in 2014. As long as automatics have been around they've been radiator cooled without a stat. 
 
As far as fuel, even in the winter....I've logged every mile since I got it at 1300 miles in both states. It is more fuel efficient bypassed. Why? Because it heats the fluid until the fluid is warmer than the water. GM did not have the good sense to machine a minimum flow bypass into the casting like every other thermostat maker on the planet. That first winter it didn't get up to temperature for nearly 100  miles during the coldest months. Now she's up the heat in about 20 miles.  
 

Do you by any chance know the torque specs for the bolts? Got one for the lines and one for the body




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[Eddie 70]

 

 

This guy taps the housing and puts in a plug which I will not be doing. But he says he has done it multiple times on several vehicles he works on. He also says the torque spec is 15ft.lbs for the mounting bolt.

Edited July 31, 2020 by Eddie 70

[Eddie 70]

1. Another Pro is, it only takes about 30 minutes to complete. I even watched a video about how to reset my ipod so I could listen to it on my garage stereo while working. It says my last post was 56 minutes ago. I have flipped the "Pill" and reassembled everything, wiped my tools down, cleaned everything up, washed my hands and done. Only lost maybe an ounce or two of fluid.

[Eddie 70]

This is how much fluid I lost during the job.

[Grumpy Bear]

Can't wait for the test results! 

[rav3]

1 hour ago, Eddie 70 said:

This is how much fluid I lost during the job.

I've got to laugh at myself when I saw this post on my phone. I couldn't make out what you used as a catch pan. The light reflection makes the outer area look silver like. Now I can see you cut the center out of your oil catch pan. Bet it makes it harder to take to Advanced Auto to get rid of! LOL

[Eddie 70]

4 hours ago, rav3 said:

I've got to laugh at myself when I saw this post on my phone. I couldn't make out what you used as a catch pan. The light reflection makes the outer area look silver like. Now I can see you cut the center out of your oil catch pan. Bet it makes it harder to take to Advanced Auto to get rid of! LOL

I cut the lid out because oil came out of my truck so fast the tiny hole could not handle it. I have since gotten the Fumoto valve and that is no longer a problem. I always drain the pan back into the empty oil containers and take it back that way. I built this rack and put the pan handle over the 1x4 and let it drain into the used container. Easy peasy.

 

[Eddie 70]

4 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Can't wait for the test results! 

I'll have to drive it to work one day next week and see how it acts. It used to be about 195*F when I got to work. It's about 40 miles one way.

[CamGTP]

I'll place a bet and say it stays right around 165 after that long of a drive.

 

To answer the question about torque specs, snug is the spec.