Transmission Thermostat Delete

[dbbd1]

Flipping the spring and plunger (?) around so that the trans fluid always flows through the cooler.

It seems easy to do but is it worth doing? Since the trans cooler is in the radiator, once the engine heats up to 195*, the trans fluid will too anyways.


EDIT- the line I was looking at that goes through the radiator is engine oil not trans fluid. On my Yukon, the trans had a separate cooler, so this mod should have some benefit.


Am I gaining anything?

Thoughts?

(I live in an area where we rarely see temps into the teens or over 100*)

 

[JollyRoger01]

I wouldn't do it. I would opt for a cooler or larger cooler (if you already have an external cooler) I had a customer w/ a 05 1500 try this and his tranny wasn't going into lock up during the winter temps, but he also had a large cooler already installed.

 

[dbbd1]

For now, I have decided to keep things as they are. Supposedly, these trannys and the dexron VI are fine at the temps I see. Ideally though, I would like to modify the stock thermostat to simply open sooner, say about 160 or 170. On my thermostat (and another I bought "to play with") it is stamped "180" and with, what I believe, is a date of mfg code. But, in reality, it doesn't seem to open and start until about 190. I do have the aux "HD" cooler.


To be continued...







.

 

[Kpwweb]

If you are looking for some additional cooling and "heat soak", you can get a cast aluminum tranny pan--with fins. I put one on and it definitely helps some. It still heats up to the same temp eventually--as set by the thermostat (my gets to about 180F, BTW), but it takes longer (due to the mass of the aluminum tranny pan) and seems to cool some as well--especially on the highway with airflow.

I'm not talking an astronomical difference, but I can tell some difference. The extra fluid capacity is bound to help as well...

 

[dbbd1]

I'm still on the fence about that. For less cash I can put a 40k Tru-cooler on it.

Did you get the standard depth? The extra capacity one looks like it hangs waaaaay down.

 

[adventurenali92]

I'm still on the fence about that. For less cash I can put a 40k Tru-cooler on it.

Did you get the standard depth? The extra capacity one looks like it hangs waaaaay down.

I went with this exact cooler on my 2006. Replaced the stock trans cooler wth it and I’m extremely happy. I only see high temps near 180 and above in heavy stop and go city traffic jams. Which I’m rarely in because I live up in the mountains. But once I start moving again that cooler brings temps back down pretty quick. I have no regrets on the money I spent on my try cool cooler.

 

[Kpwweb]

I got the standard depth. Like it a lot.

With trans coolers you have to be careful you don't introduce too much pressure drop. On the 6L80 the fluid goes from the cooler to the bearings--definitely don't want to reduce the flow through them! The flat-plate or stacked-plate coolers are the best for minimal pressure drop.