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Transmission Thermostat Delete Pros vs. Cons

Eddie 70

By Eddie 70
in Engines & Drivetrain

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mikeyk101 Senior Enthusiast

mikeyk101

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, BlaineBug said:

 

Yes, one part number is an AD Delco part number and the other is a General Motors part number, it's the same thermostat, but if you search them individually and uniquely on eBay, you'll see that the prices vary by about double depending on which one you use as your search term!

I kind of see what you mean. But use the filter in ebay and select brands of ACDelco, AC Delco, GM, General Motors, and OEM and you will see close to the same results for both. There seem to be several of aftermarket thermostats being marketed under the GM part number and they are cheaper. But if you search genuine brand ones, you end up with very similar results. Certain things I will use aftermarket but after getting bit using an aftermarket coolant thermostat, that is another added to the list that I will only use the OEM part or OEM alternative for replacement.

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11bravoZ71
11bravoZ71

Results are in    STL010 average open highwaytemp is 140 Heavy city use  is up to 197f  stays at around 197 if I idle for an extended period    flipped stock thermos

silveradosid
silveradosid

i did the flip on the weekend, i have 120k miles on my transmission. it was 82 f outside and i drove 80 mph for 30 miles and the temp stayed at 156. before it was always above 200. when it was above 2

14burrito
14burrito

Little 5 quarts ATF rejuvenation followed with the new ATF thermostat being installed. Curious to see if driveability will change at all and interested to see how ATF temps are altered.

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BlaineBug Enthusiast

BlaineBug

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, mikeyk101 said:

I kind of see what you mean. But use the filter in ebay and select brands of ACDelco, AC Delco, GM, General Motors, and OEM and you will see close to the same results for both. There seem to be several of aftermarket thermostats being marketed under the GM part number and they are cheaper. But if you search genuine brand ones, you end up with very similar results. Certain things I will use aftermarket but after getting bit using an aftermarket coolant thermostat, that is another added to the list that I will only use the OEM part or OEM alternative for replacement.

 

The one I ordered appeared to have all of the GM markings on the thermostat housing including the GM box and packaging.  I'll inspect and post pictures when it arrives.

  • Like 1
mikeyk101 Senior Enthusiast

mikeyk101

Posted
Posted

There were a handful of OEM at the lower price but most of them were more. You still can definitely can find good bargains on eBay.

BlaineBug Enthusiast

BlaineBug

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, mikeyk101 said:

There were a handful of OEM at the lower price but most of them were more. You still can definitely can find good bargains on eBay.

As an ebay seller myself that's typically my go-to.  I don't use Amazon much, considering that I'm not a prime member, it's much more difficult to find "free shipping" as with Amazon you have an order minimum to achieve that.  On eBay I can buy items that are just a few dollars and search for free shipping.  It's a different approach - most of Amazon is fulfilled by Amazon, whereas ebay is ALL seller fulfilled.

  • Like 1
Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted

 

2 hours ago, BlaineBug said:

 

The one I ordered appeared to have all of the GM markings on the thermostat housing including the GM box and packaging.  I'll inspect and post pictures when it arrives.

 

1 hour ago, mikeyk101 said:

There were a handful of OEM at the lower price but most of them were more. You still can definitely can find good bargains on eBay.

 

For things like this I use Rock Auto and am sure of the parts origin.  Often cheaper than Ebay. When it isn't....I still by RA. 

  • Like 1
BlaineBug Enthusiast

BlaineBug

Posted
Posted
Just now, Grumpy Bear said:

 

 

 

For things like this I use Rock Auto and am sure of the parts origin.  Often cheaper than Ebay. When it isn't....I still by RA. 

I've had a couple of Salty experiences with Rock Auto.  You also have to be careful of lining up warehouses otherwise you can potentially get charged for shipping multiple times.  I've had the wrong parts delivered and/or incorrectly advertised online, where I had to buy them locally when everything was already torn down.  And then when requesting a refund on a "packaged deal" (brake jobs, specifically) they give you peanuts for the parts that didn't work.

There are other PAIN IN THE ARSE stories about Rock Auto as well, and plenty of positive ones as well.

Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, BlaineBug said:

I've had a couple of Salty experiences with Rock Auto.  You also have to be careful of lining up warehouses otherwise you can potentially get charged for shipping multiple times.  I've had the wrong parts delivered and/or incorrectly advertised online, where I had to buy them locally when everything was already torn down.  And then when requesting a refund on a "packaged deal" (brake jobs, specifically) they give you peanuts for the parts that didn't work.

There are other PAIN IN THE ARSE stories about Rock Auto as well, and plenty of positive ones as well.

 

I've had one experience of the wrong part packaged in the right box. They sent me the right part on a single call and ate the shipping. No return either. They sacrificed the part to make me happy. Been using them for years now. I've even had them toss in parts for free. Like a gasket I didn't know I needed. My brother has used them for as long as they have been around. Has some stories of the early days that will raise doubts but the longer they ran the better they got. 

 

Use it or don't. I was just saying.......

BlaineBug Enthusiast

BlaineBug

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

I've had one experience of the wrong part packaged in the right box. They sent me the right part on a single call and ate the shipping. No return either. They sacrificed the part to make me happy. Been using them for years now. I've even had them toss in parts for free. Like a gasket I didn't know I needed. My brother has used them for as long as they have been around. Has some stories of the early days that will raise doubts but the longer they ran the better they got. 

 

Use it or don't. I was just saying.......

 

When it comes to a brake job, I can't wait for them to ship, especially if I do not want to reassemble everything with the old parts.  That's the issue, really, the waiting for the items to arrive, especially considering you thought everything was ready to go when the original package arrived.

With that said about 8 years ago I was doing a power steering pump (hydroboost with brakes as well) for a friend's Chevrolet Express 3500 van.  Advance Auto Parts shipped me a CORE RETURN (as in caked with oil and grease!) as the NEW power steering pump.  I'm not sure how in the heck that happens, and although I returned it at the store, I hope they didn't think I was scamming them!

Edited by BlaineBug
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Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, newdude said:

 

 

Gonna pop them in here for everyone's reference.  6 speed only just to keep things simple.  

 

2014-2018 4.3 V6/6L80:  Transmission cooler in right radiator tank, lines flow from transmission to cooler, cooler to transmission.  V6 are equipped with the TBV.

 

4.32014-2019.jpg.072cee2119d7b086676be2ae38a530c4.jpg

 

2014-early 2016 5.3/6L80 and 2014-2015 6.2/6L80 (yes, these exist):  2014-early 2016 transmission cooler setup had a cooler in the left tank of the radiator, and then the aux cooler is a part of the condenser assembly aka the Combi-Cooler. 

 

Flow would be transmission to the left lower inlet at the left radiator tank cooler, out of the top to the aux cooler (via pipe #14 below), then aux back to the transmission (via pipe #5 below).  Equipped with TBV. 

 

If the TBV is "flipped" or SureCool, these year trucks, the transmission cooling loop would operate like all the 2013 and prior 1500s where the flow was constant all the time as they had no TBV.

 

5.32014-early2016.thumb.jpg.8d60114d69685bc40317866631cfbd65.jpg

 

 

Late 2016-2019 5.3/6L80 "Limited/LD" (still K2XX platform):  GM ditched the transmission cooler in the left tank of the radiator.  The aux cooler on the condenser (the Combi-Cooler) is now the ONLY cooler brick for the transmission. 

 

Equipped with TBV.  I'm 99% sure flow is transmission to the left side of the cooler (via pipe #15 below) and then from the cooler back to the transmission (via pipe #6 below).

 

late2016-2019classic.jpg.8828f6169ffd6cd57253f0e49b3fcb0e.jpg

 

Side note on these trucks.  When bypassed (flip or SureCool) these ones actually keep pretty cool.  When I had mine, on a hot summer day making WOT pulls I struggled to see over 165F.  Winter time however, it keeps TOO cool and would actually LOSE temperature.  It'd get to like 105-110F and when cruising at highway speeds it would drop to 95-99F.  Shifts feeel like a transmission right after a cold start.  I installed the GM lower temp TBV and it drastically improved temps for the winter and improved shifts.  

 

Question @newdude. Rock Auto list radiator GM part #21902 as the unit used for the 4.3 V6 with NHT. A bit thicker. 1.1" instead of the non-NHT 7/8". You didn't speak to the NHT V6. Can you confirm this RPO and part# and line routing? PLEASE 🤩

 

More Information for GM GENUINE 21902 (rockauto.com) 

Edited by Grumpy Bear
Grumpy Bear Senior Enthusiast

Grumpy Bear

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, BlaineBug said:

 

When it comes to a brake job, I can't wait for them to ship, especially if I do not want to reassemble everything with the old parts.  That's the issue, really, the waiting for the items to arrive, especially considering you thought everything was ready to go when the original package arrived.

With that said about 8 years ago I was doing a power steering pump (hydroboost with brakes as well) for a friend's Chevrolet Express 3500 van.  Advance Auto Parts shipped me a CORE RETURN (as in caked with oil and grease!) as the NEW power steering pump.  I'm not sure how in the heck that happens, and although I returned it at the store, I hope they didn't think I was scamming them!

 

Years ago I changed 6 starters on a Mustang I6 bought with a lifetime warranty from Advanced. Last one I took back I bounced off the counter. We had a relationship by now. :crackup:He asked me what I was so upset about considering the replacements were free. I said, "No one should be so good at this that it can be done in 15 minutes in the snow". Book time was almost two hours. Three bolt starting requires allot of disassembly to reach that top bolt. 

 

Anyway, I took the last rebuilt apart myself. Internal relay contacts were not squared up even close. Fixed that and sent the car to the wrecker about 8 years latter with that starter in it. 

  • Like 1
BlaineBug Enthusiast

BlaineBug

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Years ago I changed 6 starters on a Mustang I6 bought with a lifetime warranty from Advanced. Last one I took back I bounced off the counter. We had a relationship by now. :crackup:He asked me what I was so upset about considering the replacements were free. I said, "No one should be so good at this that it can be done in 15 minutes in the snow". Book time was almost two hours. Three bolt starting requires allot of disassembly to reach that top bolt. 

 

Anyway, I took the last rebuilt apart myself. Internal relay contacts were not squared up even close. Fixed that and sent the car to the wrecker about 8 years latter with that starter in it. 

 

Their rebuilds are junk, man.  Had issue with their starters and alternators too.  JUNK!

  • Like 1
newdude Senior Enthusiast

newdude

Posted
Posted
On 8/26/2023 at 1:23 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Question @newdude. Rock Auto list radiator GM part #21902 as the unit used for the 4.3 V6 with NHT. A bit thicker. 1.1" instead of the non-NHT 7/8". You didn't speak to the NHT V6. Can you confirm this RPO and part# and line routing? PLEASE 🤩

 

More Information for GM GENUINE 21902 (rockauto.com) 

 

 

There wasn't an NHT option for V6.  NHT max trailer was only 5.3 and 6.2 for the K2 pickups.  

 

That 21902 wouldn't work because the transmission cooler will flow on the left side of the radiator, engine oil on the right side.  The V6 radiators have engine oil on the left and transmission on the right.  Radiator 84186716/21895 is the only radiator that fits the V6.  

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