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

[RooTBeeRthe1st]

200+ is normal for the 6L80. Those temp vs transmission life charts floating around the internet are for 1970s era fluids and transmissions.

You're really not supposed to run the fluid cooler than 180f I've heard

 

[Doubeleive]

heat kills, and I drive it hard. I can make a transmission and stock cooler hit 230-240 just driving, I am happy it's not getting that high currently but I would like it to stay a little bit lower. My 03 Silverado would sit at 180 all day no matter what I did to it and all it had was whatever the small portion of the radiator cooler it used.

 

[mikeyss]

You're really not supposed to run the fluid cooler than 180f I've heard

I have owned my Tahoe for 4 years and I drive 10 miles round trip to work. My trans only ever gets between 100 - 140 degrees in that short drive. This was even when I had the stock cooler. My trans shows no issues with this, and I've only changed the fluid once when I put in my stall converter. I still only see 140 in the city with 100 degree outside temps.

 

[Geotrash]

I have owned my Tahoe for 4 years and I drive 10 miles round trip to work. My trans only ever gets between 100 - 140 degrees in that short drive. This was even when I had the stock cooler. My trans shows no issues with this, and I've only changed the fluid once when I put in my stall converter. I still only see 140 in the city with 100 degree outside temps.

All I can say is that I've changed *my* frame of reference for transmission fluid temps based on all of the reading I've done over the past couple of years. I tried to set up my transmission cooling system this year so that it would stay between 175ºF and 200ºF for 90% of all of the driving I do, and not exceed 235ºF in any but the most extreme circumstances while towing our camper. I'm sure you'll have no problems running cooler than what GM technically recommends. I've seen nothing that explains *why* they recommend it, only that they do.

 

[Geotrash]

heat kills, and I drive it hard. I can make a transmission and stock cooler hit 230-240 just driving, I am happy it's not getting that high currently but I would like it to stay a little bit lower. My 03 Silverado would sit at 180 all day no matter what I did to it and all it had was whatever the small portion of the radiator cooler it used.

Yeah, my '02 Suburban ran cooler, too. These 6L80s definitely run a lot warmer. Fingers crossed that we'll be able to keep ours cool on our upcoming big trip out west!

 

[alpha_omega]

Are you guys running headers or stock manifold? If headers do you have them wrapped? What about your trans cooler lines?

 

[Geotrash]

Are you guys running headers or stock manifold? If headers do you have them wrapped? What about your trans cooler lines?

Stock manifolds, stock cooler lines for both the engine and transmission, with the exception of the mods I made to place the Derale cooler into the transmission cooling circuit.

 

[RooTBeeRthe1st]

Are you guys running headers or stock manifold? If headers do you have them wrapped? What about your trans cooler lines?

Sad stock manifolds
Haven't touched the lines.

 

[Doubeleive]

stock manifolds, lines are stock up to where the factory cooler was. but maniac behind the wheel.

 

[Tozan]

How long do these transmissions average in miles before rebuild or replacement?