Towing Transmission Temps

[slt]

I bought an 07 Tahoe LTZ a month or so ago and have towed my boat a couple times with it. Total weight of the boat and trailer is around 4500-5000 lbs depending on whats in the boat. Without the trailer, on long drives, the transmission avg. 175 degrees. With the boat its more around 200 degrees. Is this OK? How bad do I need a transmission cooler? THanks!

[mmmikkke]

If 99% of your miles driven are without the boat, then I'd say you're ok with running at 200 degrees once in a while.

 

But if you tow the boat 20 or 30% of the time, or more, you should add a trans cooler.

[bobcat5544]

I bought an 07 Tahoe LTZ a month or so ago and have towed my boat a couple times with it.  Total weight of the boat and trailer is around 4500-5000 lbs depending on whats in the boat.  Without the trailer, on long drives, the transmission avg. 175 degrees.  With the boat its more around 200 degrees.  Is this OK? How bad do I need a transmission cooler?  THanks!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

if you have a trans temp gauge, then you already have a trans cooler, just look though you front grill and you should see the trans cooler

 

200 is fine when towing

about 220-230 you should start being worried

[Bish]

I bought an 07 Tahoe LTZ a month or so ago and have towed my boat a couple times with it.  Total weight of the boat and trailer is around 4500-5000 lbs depending on whats in the boat.  Without the trailer, on long drives, the transmission avg. 175 degrees.  With the boat its more around 200 degrees.  Is this OK? How bad do I need a transmission cooler?  THanks!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

if you have a trans temp gauge, then you already have a trans cooler, just look though you front grill and you should see the trans cooler

 

200 is fine when towing

about 220-230 you should start being worried

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Ditto. My motto is keep it at 200 or less. If it is higher, get a trans cooler or if you have the factory unit, get a bigger one. If you are seeing 200 all day when towing, I would not change a thing. 210 and up starts to kill the trans fluid. Overheating will kill a trans in short order.

 

BTW-Synthetic is more high temp resistant but not worth the expense IMO. Besides, my tranny builder says stick to dino and change frequently. Since I have a drain bolt, I drain and fill the 4 qts (1/3 the trans capacity) in the trans pan at every oil change (5K miles) and do the filter every 50K. That way the oil stays fresh all the time.

[bobcat5544]

also since you are towing,you might want to flush you tran every 30,000 miles, and if posible use moble 1 trans fluid, it will help the life of you trans...

 

in all truth I flush mine every 15,000 but I tow my 40 ft race trailer and my 50 ft boat about the 75% of the time

[C & A s Dad]

I agree with Bobcat, you already have cooler and I would suggest a good syn fluid. I use Amsoil in mine. However, one thing that I did at the advise of an older friend of mine who owns a nationally known franchised trans shop. He told me that GM uses a really good designed stacked plate style trans cooler but it is too small. I replaced my factory unit with the same stacked plate design but increased the size to approx 12" x 12". It fit right where the factory unit was mounted but the factory quick connect lines have to be connected via hoses. No problem here, just use the hoses that come wiht the cooler.

 

Mine looks as good if not better than the factory unit.