New Tahoe and Burb

C & A s Dad · August 4, 2006

In an earlier post someone mentioned they could not see the aux trans cooler on their new 2007 Burb. This got me curious so I stopped by this morning and took a look. I was able to get under the hood of a new Tahoe with a HD tow pkg, according to the window sticker. There is no aux cooler that I could find. I knew it was not visible through the grill, but once under the hood, I could see the trans lines running from the trans into the radiator and back out. They went nowhere else. I had previously thought the aux cooler may be mounted between the A/C cond and the Rad, but evidently this is not the case.

I am a huge GM fan but I cannot understand this thinking and certainly do not agree wtih it. However, I am no engineer and maybe someone else can shed some light on this.

IMO, if you are towing (or even not towing) and you have a '07 Tahoe, Burb, Yukon or Yukon XL, you should add a good stacked plate aux trans cooler.

This makes me wonder if the new Silv and Sierra will be the same way.

larry arizona · August 4, 2006

Is it possible that it is integrated with the Radiator instead of being a stand alone unit. If the extra capacity can be handled by a larger radiator then it would be a cost save to get rid of an Aux cooler.

Just a thought??

C & A s Dad · August 4, 2006

There is definately a cooler intergrated in the rad and I am sure you realize this. However, IMO there would be no way to add enough coils in the radiator to do the job. It needs some "air to cooler" transfer to move the heat out.

I just spoke via PM with another member of this forum who made the run in his 07 Burb to Disney from Maryland I believe. I will let him post what he experienced when he gets back home. From what he told me, the Burb needs an aux cooler.

Bish · August 4, 2006

To add my 2cents, I would NOT tow if it only has the radiator cooler. Looking at surface area alone, there is no way you could get enough surface area to cool. Then think about cooling with 180 degree coolant verses 85 degree air. I'm of the opinion the standard towing package cooler on the 1500(pre-2007) is not big enough to handle max rated towing.

sonjaab · August 4, 2006

If anyone remembers.... a few years back GM ran out of aux.

trans. coolers on the production lines and shipped the

trucks without them. if the owner discovered theirs was

missing the dealer would install it for N/C.................

C & A s Dad · August 4, 2006

You have got to be kidding.

I wonder did they offer to replace any the tranmissions that had been fried to a crisp.

I wish I had never heard this.

pm26 · August 5, 2006

Is it possible that the cooler is integrated with the radiator, but it functions as an oil-to- air cooler, i.e. the radiator coolant does not circulate through it and the cooler is a stand alone system, just attached to the radiator? That would be a good answer.

C & A s Dad · August 5, 2006

Hey Pete, this could be but it should would make for a expensive radiator. I had a Dodge Carvan a few years back and the trans line entered and exited the A/C condensor. I could not believe it. The cooler was incorporated into the A/C cond as you are talking about with the Rad.

Even if it is doing this, the trans temps that the owner of the 07 Burb told me about would still indicate that it needs something else. He will be back in a few days and post his temps I am sure. I just do not want to post his stuff.

Elwood 2000 · August 6, 2006

Could it be that a Broke Auto Company decided to cut corners in the interest of profitability and self preservation? I hope not, I hope they chose other methods towards profitablity and self preservations.

Possibilities like this are the ones that worry me about the new models.

CapitalTruck · August 6, 2006

Starting on the 05 or 06 Avalanche, didn't they do away with the external cooler on that also? They just upsized the one in the radiator. I don't agree with it, but I think thats what they did on the Avalanche. Maybe they did that on the new 'burbs and Tahoes.

Also, I sure do hope that the rumor mentioned above about the missing tranny coolers from years back isn't true. That would just be awful. Maybe that is why my parents swore off of GM cars/trucks.

Jansen · August 7, 2006

I have an 04' sierra 1500 with towing package. I don't think I have an external tranny cooler on mine. Looks like it goes into the radiator and back out. Maybe they done away with the external coolers in 04'. If anyone can tell me where the external cooler *should be, I"ll take a look.

Jansen

C & A s Dad · August 7, 2006

Jansen, it will be mounted right behind your GMC logo in the gril. It will be approx 5" tall and 11" wide if it is there.

Your truck may very well have the tow pkg, but I know some dealers simply added an aftermarket hitch to some trucks and call it a tow pkg. Hope this is not the case on yours.

C & A s Dad · August 7, 2006

A nice guy on RV forum I belong to just researched the "no trans cooler" on the new burbs and Tahoes. He said GM's website shows a oil to air trans cooler included on 1/2 ton trucks only when it is equipped with 4.10 gears.

I still do not understand GM's thinking. It is like they feel a 1/2 ton truck's trans cannot get hot unless it has 4.10 gears.

Jansen · August 7, 2006

Help me out. I am on the verge of ingorancy. I have a small cooler just aft of the grill nad before the radiator that is 4.5" tall by 11" wide. I was told this was for the A/C but is that the trans cooler? I have 4.10 gears.

Jansen