Trans temp..........

[skidoorider]

What is the typical automatic transmission temperature that I should look for when towing pulling approximately 7500-8000 pounds through hills and heavy start and stop driving ?? Driving a 2001 Chevy 2500HD w/6.0 Vortec with 4.10 gears.

Thanks !

[Jmooney]

Anything in the 200* range and I start to get nervous after a few minutes. That said, on my 07 dodge 2500, it typically ran in the 190-200* range.

My new Ram 3500, with the new tranny cooler, only got to 180* on a recent major pull through Colorado high country.

Below is a basic matrix of damage caused by high temps

[wwsmith111]

My Tundra has the factory towing package and the Tranny temp hardly ever changes even when driving hard in the mountains towing or not. The Tundra comes with a 430 rear end and HD Tranny cooler with the tow package. I would assume your 2500HD would be similar. What kind of temps are you getting?

[Camper_bob]

IIRC, GM doesn't want it going over 240. Granted it was the 5.3, but I had my Sierra 1500 close to that once or twice, and I was worried.

Now my RAM 2500 rarely reaches 180.

[DocBrown]

Short bursts of 220/230 don't hurt anything. It's the prolonged high temps that are bad. When your trans fluid smells burned, that's the time to be concerned.

[Iraqvet05]

I have the same truck and gears, skidoorider but only pull about 5800 lbs. My trans temp is normally about 200 but on a long grade last week, it hit 230 and took about 10 minutes to come down. I read an article in Trailer Life recently that a guy with an older Silverado recommended only using the tow/haul button on long hills and leave it in OD or the trans temp will shoot up over 230. I think I had it in 3rd with the tow/haul button on when I hit 230.

[33 RLDS]

I have a 4L80E which is essentially a 4 speed version of the TH400 circa 1963. It runs about 200 degrees pulling 10K of trailer and cargo. I don't use tow haul mode. I did when I had the 5.3 and pulled a lighter hybrid but the 8.1 is a tow beast..

[Crabman]

It also depends on the air temp how hot it will run. Mine has also approached 200 on a hot day towing the 28BHS on level ground.....So I`m sure it would run hotter in the mountains. I switched to the synthetic Dexron VI from Dex III which the older GM`s had. The Dex VI has a higher tolerance of heat.

[wnokes7]

My 05 Chevrolet 3500 with the allison transmission has never been over 180 degrees, even on the hottest days of the summer.

[campingn.c.]

I'm pulling approx. 8500 lbs with your same truck so I'm a good example. When towing I usually run about 100 degrees over outside temp. Now, that's running on the flats, not the mountains, but I don't think I've even been above 200 degrees.
I have the stock trans cooler up front and drain the pan more often than probably needed.
I've considered putting a TruCool 40K on it, but I'm not convinced it's needed just yet.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by wnokes7

My 05 Chevrolet 3500 with the allison transmission has never been over 180 degrees, even on the hottest days of the summer.

Same here.

However according to a retired Allison engineer, Trans-Syd can run at 220 and tolerate short bursts of up to 350 with no problem.

From Diesel place.

It will take temperature of to 450F (when you get to the Flash Point). I'd say you could run it for long periods of time up to 250F and up to 350F for short periods of time without much damage to the fluid.

Fluid life is proportional to heat so the higher the temperature the faster it oxidizes. It has very long life at constant temperatures up to 220F.
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[norty1]

I had an after market gauge installed on my last truck and it never got over 200 deg. except in the mountains. I would pull over and let it cool when it did.

[skidoorider]

190-210.

[lx22f/c]

Originally Posted by skidoorider

190-210.

X2