Improve Tow Performance

[Cole123456]

All,

i've been reading for forum for a bit, but never registered until now.

Last year i bought a 2003 Yukon XL 2500 Quadrasteer.

I tow a 6000lb+ travel trailer with it.

It tows pretty well, except over the pass (cascade mountain range in washington state). (i have never taken it to the rockies yet).
When i go over the pass, i have to slow down, get in a lower gear, and travel at a highish RPM. (don't remember exactly, was early in the summer) and it gets WARM.

i am trying to figure out what kind of things would make sense to do improve its towing performance.

It is purely a leisure vehicle, not a daily driver. (either its towing the travel trailer, or we are taking a day trip in it while on vacation, or pulling our boat).

I'm concerned about heat, it managed fine when going over the pass. Both the transmission and engine temps where elevated, but they didn't go to a point where i'd be worried.

From a cooling concern perspective, do electric fan swap make sense, or is it not as good?

Thoughts? I've seen talk about cat back exhaust, shortie headers, CAI, maybe a CAM shaft, etc.

I would appreciate any ideas. The goal is not to make a race truck, but i kinda realize thats what i'm asking for.

Or if there is a better forum to ask this on, let me know.

Cole

 

[Rivieraracing]

Welcome to the forum Cole, nice to see neighbors join up on here (I'm in Oregon!)

I'm assuming your truck is still pretty stock, so these are what I recommend:

--BIGGER trans cooler (stock one is tiny if you even have one)
--Switch to 05-06 stock electric fans
--Get a Black Bear tune (for power and shifting improvements as well as turning on the stock function for the electric fans to operate like an 05-06 truck)
--CAI ( to allow the motor to breath better which allows for more power for the BB tune)
--Exhaust (replacing at least the muffler with a magnaflow or even getting a cat back system like a Corsa Sport, which I have and love)

Those are what I'd recommend for now, what motor do you have?

 

[Cole123456]

Since i have the 2500 (3/4 ton model), my understanding they all came with the 6.0L and the 4L80E transmission. ( i know its the 6.0L engine)

So the stock transmission cooler is pretty small even on the 3/4 ton? When the transmission got warm, i could swear i heard a fan kick on and hold the temp. I didn't know that, would i talk to a transmission shop about getting a bigger cooler installed or? is this something a somewhat handy person could do themselves?

My plan is to look for the stock fans in a junk yard, when i have time. Or can i just order a :
http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-620-653-Dual-Assembly-Chevrolet/dp/B003QVFUMS/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp
and be done? i hate to say it, but my time is worth something, so sometimes its just easier to order new.

From a CAI, does soemthing like
http://www.autoanything.com/air-intakes/61A1817A0A0.aspx
PowerCore® Intake with Air Box
Includes revolutionary PowerCore® air filter, a high-flow, oil-free filter that doesn't need servicing for 150,000 miles, yet it's three-times more efficient than traditional cotton gauze performance filters

make sense? or? i don't want to be constantly having to oil the stinking thing. or do the ones not in a box work better?

Cole

 

[jdpber]

yea the stock cooler is about 4"x8" for the tow package.. bigger the better.. i have a 14"x18" (look at my signature it takes up the entire grill) it is almost the size of the radiator.. and it is a 3/4" core.. cools like a dream..

 

[Cole123456]

yea the stock cooler is about 4"x8" for the tow package.. bigger the better.. i have a 14"x18" (look at my signature it takes up the entire grill) it is almost the size of the radiator.. and it is a 3/4" core.. cools like a dream..

so you'd recommend something like:

http://www.etrailer.com/Transmission-Coolers/GMC/Yukon+XL/2003/D13105.html?vehicleid=2003749872

or?

is that the stock location? i'll have to look at it when i get home and measure it.

 

[jdpber]

the stock location is low at the frame rales.. mine is mounted in the center of the radiator for best air flow..

the link above is a good size cooler.. thats about 2.5-3X larger than the stocker..

I dropped a nice amount of COIN on a built trans and thats when i upgraded the cooler to protect my investment.. it tows like a dream..

 

[Cole123456]

knock on wood, i'd rather not have to replace the transmission (right now), and it seems to be working fine.. i know they dont' last forever, but i've heard the transmission in the 3/4 ton models are a lot stronger then the ones in the 1/2 ton models. is that true? (and i bought the yukon used, and who knows it might have a rebuilt one in it, i don't have any service history)

of course i know down the road, i'll end up having some problem at some point, but if i can kick the can down the road a while. (considering the miles i drive are so low, and its a weekend vehicle)

 

[jdpber]

the 4l80 is a much stronger trans than the 4l60.... the 4l80 is what comes in the 2500 hd trucks and is behind the non alison dmax.. it is a good trans.. but like all trans if they are pshed HOT for long preiods of time and stressed they will fail.. the stock coolers have a tendency to gum up and reduce flow..

adding a nice large cooler will only help you..

fyi you can build the 4l80 to hold alot more power than the 60. so if you end up rebuilding in the future.. it is worth the extra money to over build the trans as insurance.. the labor is the expensive part not the parts. just remember that..

 

[Cole123456]

the 4l80 is a much stronger trans than the 4l60.... the 4l80 is what comes in the 2500 hd trucks and is behind the non alison dmax.. it is a good trans.. but like all trans if they are pshed HOT for long preiods of time and stressed they will fail.. the stock coolers have a tendency to gum up and reduce flow..

adding a nice large cooler will only help you..

fyi you can build the 4l80 to hold alot more power than the 60. so if you end up rebuilding in the future.. it is worth the extra money to over build the trans as insurance.. the labor is the expensive part not the parts. just remember that..

That makes sense about the labor part. I'll remember that if i ever get to the point where i have to rebuild the transmissions. In the mean time, i'll just plan on upgrading the cooler.

Cole

 

[jdpber]

a good cooler will help alot.. trans oil temps getting too high is the leading cause of trans failure..