2008 Tahoe Z71 Rebuild - DOD Failure - DOD/AFM Delete & Performance Upgrades (201k miles)

Marky Dissod · Dec 8, 2024

SmokesMagee said:
... definitely going to invest in a separate transmission cooler ...

Every 4L60E behind a V8 that does not live in a permanent winter NEEDS an air-to-ATF cooler.
Every 4L60E behind a V8 that only lives in a permanent winter NEEDS a coolant-to-ATF heat exchanger (it's not a cooler, gottdamnt).

If the vehicle works or plays hard, upgrade the air-to-ATF cooler, followed by the radiator.
Don't forget: sooner or later, you WILL need to rebuild the 4L60E, with upgrades.

SmokesMagee · Dec 8, 2024

Marky Dissod said:
Don't forget: sooner or later, you WILL need to rebuild the 4L60E, with upgrades.

I definitely know this. Just getting a few miles out of it before I do. Transfer case, and front dif too.

Marky Dissod said:
If the vehicle works or plays hard, upgrade the air-to-ATF cooler, followed by the radiator.

Radiator is cracked, it's repairable but a different cooler is in mind for transmission, and radiator.
Any insights as to selecting the right part for the job?
Edit; I know about panels, that's about it.

I didn't know there was a two types. I'm from Michigan. So it's cold 6 months of the year
But not that cold. So I suppose I'd most likely never see coolant-to-atf

Marky Dissod · Dec 9, 2024

In Michigan, you definitely need your ATF warmed every winter regardless.
For the summer, bypass the ATF warmer, especially if the vehicle is working or playing hard.

j91z28d1 · Dec 9, 2024

Marky Dissod said:
In Michigan, you definitely need your ATF warmed every winter regardless.
For the summer, bypass the ATF warmer, especially if the vehicle is working or playing hard.

I know you're not going to agree but this has been thoroughly explored on this site and others. do not bypass the radiator end tank cooler at any time. while I might add some heat on a cold day, the tranny Temps when used hard will always always he hotter than the cold side of the radiator end tank. you always run fluid thru there first and then put to any add on cooler.

at some point with a larger add on cooler guys have see it raise the coolent temp because of blocked airflow. they find laying it flat down low has helped. foggy here even has a fan in his.

there's a 30 plus long thread here where the guys towing big rigs work thru to the best combo over a few years of towing. this thread should be a sticky bit it's worth a read if you can find it.

again, my opinion. at no time should you bypass the radiator fluid cooler, tranny or oil. if you need added cooling, loop in front mounts after there.

Geotrash · Dec 9, 2024

j91z28d1 said:
I know you're not going to agree but this has been thoroughly explored on this site and others. do not bypass the radiator end tank cooler at any time. while I might add some heat on a cold day, the tranny Temps when used hard will always always he hotter than the cold side of the radiator end tank. you always run fluid thru there first and then put to any add on cooler.

at some point with a larger add on cooler guys have see it raise the coolent temp because of blocked airflow. they find laying it flat down low has helped. foggy here even has a fan in his.

there's a 30 plus long thread here where the guys towing big rigs work thru to the best combo over a few years of towing. this thread should be a sticky bit it's worth a read if you can find it.

again, my opinion. at no time should you bypass the radiator fluid cooler, tranny or oil. if you need added cooling, loop in front mounts after there.

Bon apetit!

Keeping coolant and transmission temps under control when towing in the summer heat

Hi All, the 2012 XL Denali is a towing beast, but after the cam upgrade, new HD torque converter, and adding the Tru-Cool 40K in front of the radiator, the engine itself is running warm now that we're getting into spring. Hauled our 6500 lb camper down to Virginia Beach this weekend in 83º...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Foxy · Dec 9, 2024

That's a great set up. I would say 100% use the ARP head bolts and resurface the heads before putting them back on. A side note but it's not a must do I would recommend porting the heads also. But you'll definitely want to take them to a head shop and have them resurfaced and pressure tested before installing them back on.

mikez71 · Dec 9, 2024

Marky Dissod said:
Every 4L60E behind a V8 that only lives in a permanent winter NEEDS a coolant-to-ATF heat exchanger (it's not a cooler, gottdamnt).

Ya know, I've been thinking about that, wouldn't every cooler be a heat exchanger? There's no way to add cool without heating something up. You dump ice on it, but now you're warming the ice..

I know, if it was not heating any autoparts or auto fluids, its being transferred to the outside environment. Cooler...

Marky Dissod · Dec 9, 2024

mikez71 said:
Ya know, I've been thinking about that, wouldn't every cooler be a heat exchanger?
There's no way to add cool without heating something up. You dump ice on it, but now you're warming the ice..
I know, if it was not heating any autoparts or auto fluids, its being transferred to the outside environment. Cooler ...

OK, every cooler is a heat exchanger - but every heat exchanger is NOT a cooler.
Radiator sheds its heat to the ATF, and the air - but the motor oil heat exchanger sheds its heat to the coolant.
Radiator is a coolant cooler, though.

MD-Wood · Dec 9, 2024

Mevotech makes some nice suspension parts that are real upgrades to GM parts.
Also as far as rear end look into Truetracks, they are nice tough limited slips that lock up solid. They use a different oil though, be aware of that.
Lastly, look into Tick Performance for cams, they have a nice line of staged cams and complete kits.
I run a stage one towing cam in my daily driver silverado, with dod afm delete, oil pump upgrade, timing set upgrade, link bar lifter upgrade(not happy with the noise from them), trunnion and spring upgrades comp cam pushrods and shorty headers

Geotrash · Dec 9, 2024

MD-Wood said:
Mevotech makes some nice suspension parts that are real upgrades to GM parts.
Also as far as rear end look into Truetracks, they are nice tough limited slips that lock up solid. They use a different oil though, be aware of that.
Lastly, look into Tick Performance for cams, they have a nice line of staged cams and complete kits.
I run a stage one towing cam in my daily driver silverado, with dod afm delete, oil pump upgrade, timing set upgrade, link bar lifter upgrade(not happy with the noise from them), trunnion and spring upgrades comp cam pushrods and shorty headers

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd read similar comments about the link bar lifters, so I ended up going with Chevrolet Performance lifters when I did my cam swap/dod delete in my '12. Sorry yours are noisy, but I'm grateful for the datapoint.

I'm also considering going to Mevotech (their expensive line) control arms and tie rods for my '07. I put Moog parts on it when I bought it back in 2018, but it's only seen 50K since then and the dust boots on the lower ball joints are already shot and they're starting to chatter when I turn the wheel on a chilly day. That's the last time I'll put Moog on anything again. Good to see a vote of confidence for the Mevotech stuff.

2008 Tahoe Z71 Rebuild - DOD Failure - DOD/AFM Delete & Performance Upgrades (201k miles)

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member

SmokesMagee

TYF Newbie

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member

j91z28d1

Full Access Member

Geotrash

Dave

Keeping coolant and transmission temps under control when towing in the summer heat

Foxy

TYF Newbie

mikez71

Full Access Member

Marky Dissod

Full Access Member

MD-Wood

TYF Newbie

Geotrash

Dave

Similar threads

Forum statistics

Latest posts