Transmission Towing Temp

[Mikana31]

It was hot yesterday and I was towing my horse trailer for about 3 hours, up and down some pretty significant hills. I noticed my transmission temp got up to 238 at a couple of points. The trailer is fairly high profile and, with the horse and tack, likely weighed about 4500#.

Tahoe is a 2013 SSV with the normal SSV options, 170k miles. As I am reading it, 238 is too hot. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Mike

 

[GreyStone]

It was hot yesterday and I was towing my horse trailer for about 3 hours, up and down some pretty significant hills. I noticed my transmission temp got up to 238 at a couple of points. The trailer is fairly high profile and, with the horse and tack, likely weighed about 4500#.

Tahoe is a 2013 SSV with the normal SSV options, 170k miles. As I am reading it, 238 is too hot. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Mike

Did your SSV come with the HD cooling options?

 

[Mikana31]

Did your SSV come with the HD cooling options?

If that's indicated by the K5L on the service parts identifier sticker, then yes.

 

[GreyStone]

If that's indicated by the K5L on the service parts identifier sticker, then yes.

View attachment 255523

Yep you got the whole package - does your gear selector have an operational Tow/Haul button?

 

[Mikana31]

Yep you got the whole package - does your gear selector have an operational Tow/Haul button?

It does, and Tow/Haul was on the entire trip.

 

[GreyStone]

It does, and Tow/Haul was on the entire trip.

Make sure your tires are at max inflation so they roll easy - and when it gets hot try locking out 5th gear, run in 4th - Curious , what size tires do you have?

 

[Mikana31]

I'd have to look to be sure, but they are what came on it when I picked it up from Denver PD.

 

[Bob2C]

I have an 18 5.3 6 speed with the max tow package and just got done towing a travel trailer with a dry weight of 4500lbs plus our crap. Trans temp in tow/haul mode on highway was 194-199 and occasionally got to 201 briefly when climbing hills. Nothing too significant. After I got off highway and did some in town driving temp went to 210, but came back down quickly once stopped and idling. I am running AMSOIL Signature in the trans if that makes any difference. I did not tow with it when I had ac Delco fluid does I can’t compare.


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[Bob2C]

Decided to exchange some fluid only after towing. AMSOIL signature has about 4K miles on it and prior I did the full exchange (10 of 12qts) and filter. Didn’t know I was going to towing. This time I exchanged a little under 5.5 qts.





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[Doubeleive]

here is what I would do
1. drain the coolant, flush it real good with just water, put in some chemical flush and straight water, run it for at least 15-20 minutes or up to 3 days.
2. drain it, flush it with straight water again, yank the radiator out and install a new one and dexcool.
3 install a tru cool 40k (inline, not bypassing the radiator), if it has a external trans cooler yank that and throw it away (the tru cool replaces it)
problem solved.