trans temp while towing?

[buelldude]

Hey,
for the guys that tow all the time, what temp are you at on the trans temp?I just got a trailer(8x14x7 enclosed), what should I see for a temp?

[RVGuy]

I frequently tow my 30 foot travel trailer weighing over 9000 lbs loaded and have never seen temps over 200. I can't say there is a typical temperature. My temp varies considerably depending on the type of towing and how hard the tranny is working.

[buelldude]

my temp stays under 150 most of the time. I started towing this trailer and seen that it went to 150. I don't know what a high temp is for this truck.

[TLA]

Barely operating temp. Expect it to run higher during warmer weather. There have been a number of posts on this issue, so you might want to do a search and read up on it. One time, hauling hay, I got the overheat warning running in OD. Changed to synthetic Dexron, at least 10 degree temp drop under similar conditions.

[Johnson]

I have seen temps as high as 240 deg while pulling my 38' enclosed over the Jackson hole pass and again while pulling the pass over the bighorn Mts. on Alt-14 hwy went to 4 low and temps dropped to 200 right away.
3500 4x4 D/A 2002

[deerhunter7]

GM says 170 to 210 is normal working temps. Over 210 not good .

[Corey S]

Mine usually runs 140 to 150 when empty. During these cooler months, tho, it takes a long time to get there (about 30min).

With an open car trailer, about 5500lbs, it'll usually go up about 10deg.

With the 24' enclosed car trailer, about 9500lbs, it's usually 180 to 190deg. Towing from CA to Topeka and back in September, tho, it would hover between 190 and 200. And that's at 80+ mph on the flats, and 70+ mph on all the hills. :D

[ 12-17-2002: Message edited by: Corey S ]</p>

[Maverick]

Winter months:

T/H on-------usually 150 or less
T/H off------190

Summer months:

T/H on-------usually 170 or less
T/H off------190

City driving stop light to stop light with T/H off will heat my tranny to over 200. As you can see from my numbers the tranny does a good job of cooling. As far as changing to synthetic oil and a deep pan......I don't thing its much of a gain. I do regular tranny flushes every 25K with new a filter and fill up with Dextron III. Tranny is still strong at 112,000. Truck is loaded 20K or better almost everyday.

[hdmax(mike)]

The day I picked my truck up the transmission temp hit 210* in very heavy city driving. (lots of stop and not much go) I never seen more then 170-180* after that even while towing GCVW of 16000# plus.

A few weeks after purchase of the truck I went with the deep transmission pan and Mobil 1 ATF (synthetic) and it stays below 160* while towing.

Bad thing about the synthetic and deep pan is in cold weather it takes about 40 miles to see 120* and never see 140* so getting it to shift into 5th gear takes atleast 6 miles sometimes 10-12 miles if it is really cold out.
Using tow/haul can and does drop it back below 100* sometimes. Most of the time it stays above 110-120* in tow/haul. I just hope with these low trans temps the transmission last forever :D

[ 12-17-2002: Message edited by: hdmax(mike) ]</p>

[JimErickson]

My 2001 3500 averages about 180-190 empty in summer.

Towing a 16000 lb fifthwheel I have seen 220 on a long uphill in Arizona.

Once while towing heavy trailer up a long, steep, windy mining road I actually had the high tranny temp light come on. Luckily I was near the top. I was in T/H mode also.

T/H mode doesn't seem to make any difference for me. Temps are the same either way.

I have regular pan loaded with Transynd.

Jim

[Stage 1]

Towing in mountain w/13K lbs Autohauler,highest reading was 190 degrees(2nd gear@3000 RPMs)for about 5 mile long grade. The outside air temperature was around 55 degrees F. This was a fairly steep grade, somewhere around 7% I think.

Maverick,
Do you tow outside of Palmer on the highway to Fairbanks, I remember some prety good hills their. Used to drive that road a lot from Fairbanks to Alyeska Mountain. Leave Friday afternoon and back to Fairbanks late Sunday night.
As I remember rear tire traction limit us to about 65/70 MPH for most of the winter trips. Back then the roads were mainly ice, however the cold temp gave quite a bit of friction for the tires. It was lots of fun to drive on the roads w/ no other cars along w/ nothing else around in the interior! Summer runs were full throttle chevy big block w/ no speed limiters through the interior. Likely to many campers on the road to do that now.

[Maverick]

Stage 1,
I do run north to Fairbanks once and awhile. I try to hook up with AKDmax when I do. Most of my freight go to the Kenai Peninsula. Mostly Soldotna and Kenai. It is a nice ride to Fairbanks though. There is a crap load of campers up here in the summers months. Slows me down quite a bit.

[ 12-18-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>

[dmaxster]

In 80 to 90 degree weather and heat.....I have never had mine go over 200.....I was pulling 22500 with all the goodies....so if it goes over 200 I would start to watch........Later dmaxster