07 Silverado NEW 4L60E overheating

[raabdunn]

Hi all, new to this forum. I apologize if this topic has been covered before. Here goes:

 

I have a 2007 Silverado 1500 4WD with about 130k on the dial. About 2 months ago I was driving down the road and I got a warning to shut my truck off because my transmission was overheating. I looked at the trans temp and it was pegged at 275. I shut it down and limped it to a transmission shop. After $1200 of diagnostic work they told me my TC blew up and threw shards all over the transmission and that I would need a rebuild for another 6500. I said no thanks I'll just order a new 4L60e from JEGS (with a new TC of course) and throw it in myself. While there were metal fragments in the pan, I don't think that the failed TC caused the overheating issue.

Fast forward to now and the new trans is in. I drove it to work this morning and the trans got to 190. I believe it would have gone higher as it was still climbing up until I shut it off. Not catastrophic but very concerning nonetheless.

I flushed my fluid lines and trans cooler before installing the new trans. 

What do you all think? Should I start with a new cooler/lines and see if that fixes my issue? 

Something to note, the instructions from JEGS states that their transmissions come with an aftermarket pan, and my dipstick readings may be innacurate. They instruct you to fill the transmission to proper level (12-13 qts.) I took this into consideration and filled mine with the 11.2 stated as capacity for my truck. The fluid is very high on the dipstick. Perhaps the excess fluid is causing overheating as well? 

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. 

[newdude]

I'd replace the lines and the radiator, and the aux cooler if it has that as well.  Then, drop your pan and check the magnet for debris.  Sounds like there's an obstruction somewhere.  Trans without the aux cooler just flows through the radiator, with the aux cooler it flows the radiator then the aux cooler and then back to the trans.  

 

190F isn't bad per say, but if it got there fast, that's bad.  

 

Also, did you check the trans with the engine running?  

Edited January 31, 2022 by newdude

[raabdunn]

20 minutes ago, newdude said:

I'd replace the lines and the radiator, and the aux cooler if it has that as well.  Then, drop your pan and check the magnet for debris.  Sounds like there's an obstruction somewhere.  Trans without the aux cooler just flows through the radiator, with the aux cooler it flows the radiator then the aux cooler and then back to the trans.  

 

190F isn't bad per say, but if it got there fast, that's bad.  

 

Also, did you check the trans with the engine running?  

 

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm going to go ahead and get the radiator, a new aux cooler, and new lines and see if that fixes the issue. 190 isn't terrible, but it was climbing steadily without signs of slowing down. Only reason it didn't go higher is because I got to work and shut the truck off.

 

I did check it with the engine running. Trans was around 150-160 degrees.

 

Anybody else have any ideas?

[richard wysong]

newdude hit it , theres an obstruction somewhere. fluid level won't affect temp unless very low, I would think the after market pan would be deeper so lower reading would be normal. have you checked it after driving it?

[Brenden Burnham]

Sounds like the pump can't pump due to obstruction.  Is where you should check.  Check for pump valve's being stuck.  and check the filter screen in pump being clogged.  Keep im in mind ALL fluid flow through the filter screen so if that is clogged then bad news.

Edited January 31, 2022 by Brenden Burnham

[raabdunn]

Update:

 

Drove home last night and the transmission was fine. Shifted fine and got up to 165 degrees. This morning I'm driving in and after about 20 minutes on the highway, my rpms started fluctuating. I got off the highway and the truck has a pop shift inbetween all gears. A small one from 1/2 and a huge one from 3/4. In fact I have to take my foot off the gas for it to shift or else the RPMs will just keep climbing. This is causing the heat issue. I'm guessing I didn't do a good enough job to ensure the TC was spinning freely before I bolted it up to the pressure plate. Could this be the issue of a binding (or not locking) TC? Thanks again.

By the way I have a new CEL. I'll scan it after work today. 

[dna9656]

I don't think a new radiator is ness. you can "rod out" (run a nylon brush through the tranny cooling tube in the radiator to clear it out. I would do this after removing both the pressure and return lines so yo can get any crap in there out of the circuit completely. You should do this with the aux cooler if possible. You can do a flow rate check on the aux cooler, it should flow at the same rate as the trans flow rate (or better but should it flow at a lower rate to maintain pressure; I donno) I would think had not the TC been installed correctly you would have heard an expen$ive noise on initial start up.

When I had my 4L60 E rebuilt and up graded to 4L70E it didn't shift right, I forget the symptoms but I remember the fix; the shop added a friction modifier (additive) to the tranny. It was a shop that had a lot of local recommeds from guys I know that would know who to go to. He explained it all but I don't recall. It did have something to do with the TC. The fix didn't work so the shop replaced the TC, the filter and fluid. That took care of the problem.  My tranny guy says to use the genuine AC Delco Trans Fluid and nothing else, he says there's something in there that's not in the other brands. Now before we get into that discussion about how by law all tranny fluid ( after year X ) is compatible I know this is what he told me and I haven't had any problems since and I have also changed the fluid lines since the rebuild but not for any symptoms that appeared I did it just because they are rubber, back in the day the were made of brake line stock and didn't deteriorate. I have since installed an aux cooler (twice the size of GM's) and did a fluid (btw I will pay the man to do the next one) and filter change. While in the middle of this I saw a 3" tranny pan was available so I knew increased oil capacity isn't a bad thing, besides the new pan came with a drain plug so I ordered it! then I learned that I already had a 3" drain pan from GM I THINK. The 3" pan could have been part of the upgrade from 4L60 E to 4L70 E for all I know because I don't know what pan was standard. Reading your post I am wondering about that. Well I kept the new drain pan because of the drain plug, also I have a 3" rare earth magnet, neo whatchacallit. A side bar: I had 2 of these magnets in one hand, they came together as magnets will but they stuck to each other with so much force the meaty side of the palm of my hand got caught between the 2 magnets,  a chuck of flesh  came with the magnets when I took it off my hand, yeah, it (expletive) hurt! I had to put one magnet in the bench vise and pry them apart. End side bar. I put one of these super magnets on the pan to catch the metal that comes off in all trannys and btw I keep one on the oil filter as well.

Sorry for the long winded response but i thought you guys might benefit from my story.

[Brenden Burnham]

44 minutes ago, dna9656 said:

btw I will pay the man to do the next one

Laughing out loud at that one.  No doubt I will do same and will be making sure is done every 6 months.  Since my tranny issue's a couple weeks ago I have been doing so much research and watching so many videos on them it really makes you realize how much there is to transmissions.  In my mind there is two things to know about vehicles.  Everything else and then the tranny lol.  

 

I do know the really good Transmission builders out there harp so much about the needed maintenance on the transmissions and 99% of the issues come from the lack thereof, filter gets dirty, clogged up then a domino effect that goes down hill real fast.  . Like to think of the pump as the heart of the system and if there is any flow malfunction most of if not all issues come from that.  And also 99% of the time the sporadic issues again are from the lack of flow of fluid in the Transmission.  Like you said if issue was the TC then most likely would of heard at initial start.

[raabdunn]

2 hours ago, Brenden Burnham said:

In my mind there is two things to know about vehicles.  Everything else and then the tranny lol.  

 

Ain't that the truth! I can rebuild a motor no problem but man am I a newb when it comes to tranny issues!

 

When the tranny slips the temp spikes up. It will go back down a little until it slips again which is why I concluded the overheating issue isn't the cooling system but something internal. Could the TC not be locking? 

 

3 hours ago, dna9656 said:

While in the middle of this I saw a 3" tranny pan was available so I knew increased oil capacity isn't a bad thing, besides the new pan came with a drain plug so I ordered it! then I learned that I already had a 3" drain pan from GM I THINK. The 3" pan could have been part of the upgrade from 4L60 E to 4L70 E for all I know because I don't know what pan was standard. Reading your post I am wondering about that.

 

This tranny came with a pan already fitted with a drain plug which I'm pretty happy about! It seems similar if not the same size as the OEM pan on my old tranny. I'll measure it today after work. I'm also just going to take some fluid out and run it trusting that the dipstick reading is true (which is what JEGS told me to do although the guy didn't really seem too knowledgeable). My reasoning is that if the pan was bigger, that would mean the stick would show I would need additional fluid beyond normal OEM capacity. If it was a smaller pan then I probably overfilled (which is what is showing on the dipstick).

 

Honestly don't really know at this point. Kind of at a loss.

[Brenden Burnham]

4 minutes ago, raabdunn said:

Honestly don't really know at this point. Kind of at a loss.

Well let us know.  What was told to me and I will pass on to you, should take it in to tranny shop let them do a deep scan.  Should be able to tell you exactly what issue is by doing that.  Hope you get it resolved soon.

[Brenden Burnham]

10 minutes ago, raabdunn said:

 

Ain't that the truth! I can rebuild a motor no problem but man am I a newb when it comes to tranny issues!

 

When the tranny slips the temp spikes up. It will go back down a little until it slips again which is why I concluded the overheating issue isn't the cooling system but something internal. Could the TC not be locking? 

 

 

This tranny came with a pan already fitted with a drain plug which I'm pretty happy about! It seems similar if not the same size as the OEM pan on my old tranny. I'll measure it today after work. I'm also just going to take some fluid out and run it trusting that the dipstick reading is true (which is what JEGS told me to do although the guy didn't really seem too knowledgeable). My reasoning is that if the pan was bigger, that would mean the stick would show I would need additional fluid beyond normal OEM capacity. If it was a smaller pan then I probably overfilled (which is what is showing on the dipstick).

 

Honestly don't really know at this point. Kind of at a loss.

With mine the anylasis was that the Piston locked up which is common on these transmissions and caused the 3-4 clutch pack to get damaged.  1-2 and reverse all fine 3rd gear works only sometimes after high rev's and letting off gas.  4th gear absolutely no go.  Mine going in shop tomorrow, tranny being built for me as we speak.  

 

But yours's being new obviously should not have issues.  Hope you get it sorted soon.

[raabdunn]

7 hours ago, Brenden Burnham said:

Well let us know.  What was told to me and I will pass on to you, should take it in to tranny shop let them do a deep scan.  Should be able to tell you exactly what issue is by doing that.  Hope you get it resolved soon.

 

I'm going to take it into a shop tomorrow, but I'm not confident they'll be able to fix the problem. I think I found it. I checked for codes, got a P0717 Input Speed Sensor low voltage. Quadruple checked and neither my old or new trans have an external ISS. I unplugged the trans connector and found the new trans is a 13 pin, where as my old one is a 15 pin. Not too happy about that. So now I'm digging into wiring schematics to see if those two pins are in fact causing the code.

 

Anyone know if I can just get the TCM reflashed to allow for the 13 pin tranny?

[raabdunn]

If anyone is wondering, I took the truck to a tuner shop and they hooked it up to HP tuners, deleted the ISS and did a couple other small things and now the truck runs tip top. Thanks.