towing temperature question

[turboedmsp]

Well i went on a trip in my hoe. pulling a 5000lb travel trailer + gear (not sure how much that weighed at least another 600+ lbs). Let me first start off by saying never tow anthing using ethanol. I was getting 5mpg with that ****. I then put in gas mileage was better 7-9mpg. I have 3.42 gear with 22" wheels i don't think this was a good combination for highway pulling. I was struggling to do 65mph on Interstate 10 between houston and San Antonio. ( kind of hilly) was really reving going up those hills. I noticed trans temps at 238 max and water temperature going up sometimes to the 3/4 mark on the gauge and then back down to just above the half mark (normally where it is). I wanted to know is this temperature variation normal or do i possibly have a fan going out?

 

[Gambler]

That is pretty high. Your tires are the same diameter as normal, so that probably didn't hurt you much. Your gear ratio is definitely not optimal for towing though, which is why you were struggling. If you are going to do towing regularly, you should get the auxiliary transmission cooler. There is this one from GM, or there are many aftermarket ones, just look them up at autoanything.

 

[ZX1100F1]

The trans temp of 238 degrees is excessive and so is the engine coolant temp if it is reaching the 3/4 mark.
The 3.42 gear set and 22" wheel/tires are not well suited for towing a travel trailer and I also would be willing to bet that if you scale your trailer it may weigh more then you think, this is often the case.

I don't think you have a fan going out, just working this particular Tahoe harder then I would recommend, in hot and humid conditions you have to go a little easier on your tow vehicle as well.

 

[sgmstr]

If you continue to drive when the transmission's temperature is over 200 degrees, you will most likely damage the transmission mechanism. Also be sure to change your transmission fluid more frequently b/c it will burn out and will not protect your transmission.

I have 4x2 5.3L 3.73 ratio on my Hoe with 20 inch OEM rim. I try not to tow anything heavier than my two Sea Do jet skies that weigh about 2,500 lbs with the trailer and about 600lbs payload. With that the transmission temperature exceeds 200 degrees on a very hot day even with the transmission cooler. It just happened to me last week when I went to Palm Springs and Lake El Sinore.

I would not recommend towing anything over 5,000 lbs since you have 3.42 gear ratio although the book says you can tow up to 7,100 lbs. (i.e. 7,100 lbs under normal condition). It would be too heavy for your Hoe. I recommend that you get a transmission cooler and/or change transmission fluid more often.

 

[AlohaJeff]

On a warm day driving up Highway 18 to Lake Arrowhead the trans temp will read 220 degress. That is without any trailer and no real load other than 3 passengers, two of which are 6 years old or younger. I've tried it with the A/C on and off and it makes no difference in trans temp. The factory transmission cooler on our Yukon is pretty small and before I tow anything I'll be swapping the factory unit out for a larger and hopefully more effective cooler.

Aloha

 

[Armycop]

I, on the other hand..

have towed my cars using my 08 SLT (w/towing package) and never saw tranny temp's above 184! The trailer (18' open, twin axle) weighs 1700lbs., the T/A weighs in at 3860lbs. That's 5,560lbs., plus another 400 of tires, tools, canopy, etc. traveling 230 miles one way. I saw 12.4 mpg average for the trip. The 'Yuke rides on stock rubber (the 20's) and comes with the 4:10 gears.

So, it's a question of setup; get your rig set up to tow and you shouldn't have any problems. A tranny cooler is a must-have item for loads approaching 5000lbs. using your current configuration.

 

[SAUDILTZTAHOE]

On a warm day driving up Highway 18 to Lake Arrowhead the trans temp will read 220 degress. That is without any trailer and no real load other than 3 passengers, two of which are 6 years old or younger. I've tried it with the A/C on and off and it makes no difference in trans temp. The factory transmission cooler on our Yukon is pretty small and before I tow anything I'll be swapping the factory unit out for a larger and hopefully more effective cooler.

Aloha

I am having the same problem as you are, where my trans temp would reach 201- 205 with just normal driving not towing any thing and when that happened the truck feel heavy, speed builds up so slow and throttle response gets so weak.

 

[Armycop]

I am having the same problem as you are, where my trans temp would reach 201- 205 with just normal driving not towing any thing and when that happened the truck feel heavy, speed builds up so slow and throttle response gets so weak.

Cooling's the name of the game, boys. Engine's nothing but a big air pump. If you cool the incoming air charge, you produce more horsepower. SaudiLTZ, you have another problem; ambient air temperatures are much higher to start with, so you're fighting both engine and air temp's. For you, I would recommend two tracks: either enlarge the intake tract(aftermarket intake), or get bigger/more radiators to combat the coolant/tranny heat.
Hotter air means less oxygen molecules getting to the combustion chamber; cooler air=denser air.
While in Kuwait/Iraq in 2007, we drove the 6.2L Tahoe's. Made great power in the mornings, but by noontime, with outside temps climbing through 100F I would notice the loss of power.

 

[SAUDILTZTAHOE]

Armycop, i agree with you on that, but i think what causing this whole symptoms is that the MAF is getting heat soaked and the IAT sensor is built in the MAF too so it's getting false reading from being heat soaked. I got that information from the Trailblazer SS forum, they are experiencing the same exact symptoms i am experiencing and the fix for them was: http://www.vectormotorsports.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=9&category_id=32&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=28

So i think that would be the real fix, i say that because there's no deference between the LS2 the 6.0 and LS4 which is the 5.3 our engines, i take that back the new 5.3 has the AFM. But Both engines uses the same wiring harness, sensors and same PCM i think. That'a why i think it would work for us.

 

[Armycop]

there's an option!

Yea, that could work! Cheaper fix than installing a bigger radiator too. If you go this route, make sure to post up your results. Will be alot of help to others who are experiencing loss of power due to heatsoak.

 

[HBTahoe]

Gear Ratio

does anyone know how to find out what gear ratio is on the 2007 Tahoe's?

I just bought a 2006 Fleetwood Gearbox 23ft toy hauler which has a dry weight of 6000lb and i want to know what gear ratio i have. The 3:73 has a max tow of 6700lb and the 4:10 has a 7700lb.

FYI, i have a 2007 Tahoe LS, Tow PAckage, 4x4, and tranny cooler. I have purchased all the hitch equipment (Sway bars, Weight Dist hitch, brake controller, etc)

let me know. Thanks.

 

[GMTech48]

does anyone know how to find out what gear ratio is on the 2007 Tahoe's?

I just bought a 2006 Fleetwood Gearbox 23ft toy hauler which has a dry weight of 6000lb and i want to know what gear ratio i have. The 3:73 has a max tow of 6700lb and the 4:10 has a 7700lb.

FYI, i have a 2007 Tahoe LS, Tow PAckage, 4x4, and tranny cooler. I have purchased all the hitch equipment (Sway bars, Weight Dist hitch, brake controller, etc)

let me know. Thanks.

give me the last 8 of your vin & I'll let you know

 

[HBTahoe]

tow questions n a 2007 tahoe 4WD LS

Thanks, i found a service manager to help me at my local dealership and found out that i have 3.73 gear ratio. however, he was not able to tell me if i had a tranny cooler or what my tow rating was. can you find this out? let me know. Thanks GMtech.

here is my VIN# 1GNFK13007R312919

 

[GMTech48]

you can find out by looking through your frt. grille ...the cooler will be mounted in frt of the a/c condensor if you have one.

your tow rating with a 373 rear is 7200

 

[HBTahoe]

Thanks. i just bought a toy hauler and need your advice again. My 23ft Fleetwood Gearbox weighs about 6000 lbs (dry). i plan on using it for both camping and dirt bike riding. when i go to the desert, the most bike's ill have in it is 2 quads (350 lbs each). in regards to camping, i will most likely never bring my quads but will have at least 4 adults and camping gear + 120 gallon fresh water. i have the 3.73 gears. FYI, i plan on doing some mountain uphill driving too when i go camping. would i be ok with this set up? should i upgrade the gear ratio to 4.10? if not equipped, should i get a tranny cooler? let me know. Thanks

 

[GMTech48]

a 410 would be perfect but expensive especially if you're 4wd....absolutely get a trans cooler.

6000 lbs sounds heavy for a 23 footer...are you sure that's not the GVW? GVW is NOT the trailer weight...I would guess that trailer weighing somewhere in the mid 4000

 

[HBTahoe]

The trailer weighs 5817 dry but this is w/o the generator and added options such as a/c. would i still be able to pull? The GVW on this trailer is over 11K.

 

[GMTech48]

yes with a limit of 7200 you should be ok WITH a trans cooler.

 

[HBTahoe]

does a weight distribution hitch increase my tow capacity?

 

[GMTech48]

no