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Old 08-21-2017, 07:26 PM   #1
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Tranny temp

I have read many threads about tranny temp must be cooler than like 165 but my 2016 GMC sierra with the 5.3 always rides at 195 when it's warmed up . I think it's thermostatically controlled . Is this correct ? Should I think about a tranny cooler? I'm towing a brand new 2108 271RL sunset trail starting this Saturday for the first time
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Old 08-21-2017, 07:45 PM   #2
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I suggest you ask the service manager (not the salesman) at the dealership where you purchased your truck what GM has to say.

Myself, I've never owned a pickup either GM or ford that didn't run at or around the 200 degree mark when I was towing. When it was easy going, temp usually was under 200. Tough towing conditions it would run around 200 or some over. Those temps don't bother me. I think that's normal.
There, that's my 2 cents worth.
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Old 08-21-2017, 08:16 PM   #3
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Usually run around 195. Been like that since I bought it.
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Old 08-21-2017, 08:30 PM   #4
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Thank you Lord I will definitely ask the service manager
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Old 08-22-2017, 06:39 AM   #5
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Also ask him about installing an external cooler for the tranny.
Myself I think it would be a good idea if you don't have one already.
If you get into mt. towing you will notice a rise in temps on the tranny.
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Old 08-22-2017, 11:04 AM   #6
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Temps rise due to shifting, not necessarily towing.
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Old 08-22-2017, 11:22 AM   #7
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Temps rise due to shifting, not necessarily towing.

Towing creates shifting. Which in turn creates higher temps.
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Old 08-22-2017, 08:14 PM   #8
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Mine never gets hot. I posted a temperature for mine while I was towing somewhere on the forum, but I don't remember where or what it was. On my way home last night from the eclipse, I was scrolling through the driver info center while I was refueling. The tranny was 136 degrees.
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Old 08-22-2017, 10:05 PM   #9
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Mine never gets hot. I posted a temperature for mine while I was towing somewhere on the forum, but I don't remember where or what it was. On my way home last night from the eclipse, I was scrolling through the driver info center while I was refueling. The tranny was 136 degrees.
Do you have a 2016 Gmc truck with a 5.3 and were you towing? I'm trying to see if all same year or newer chevy or Gmc pickups all run the same tram temp one they warm up 195 ish and if I should be taking it in for service or get a tranny cooler installed
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Old 08-23-2017, 06:43 AM   #10
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Mine never gets hot. I posted a temperature for mine while I was towing somewhere on the forum, but I don't remember where or what it was. On my way home last night from the eclipse, I was scrolling through the driver info center while I was refueling. The tranny was 136 degrees.

Curious -- were you towing the 5er, and how long had you been stopped when you seen a 136 degrees?

Here is a good link with lots of info.
http://www.crossroadsowners.com/foru...ado-11709.html
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Old 08-23-2017, 08:21 AM   #11
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It's interesting that this thread was started. We just finished a 2000 mile trip with my parents and during the trip my dad and I were comparing stats on our trucks.

My truck is a 2004 Chevy 2500HD with the Duramax and Allison 5 speed transmission. My dads truck is a 2010 Dodge with the Cummins and 6 speed transmission. Both of our trailers are similar in size, weight and floor plan style. Both of us ran around 195 - 200 for trans temps and I was around 200 for engine temp with him being more around the 190 range. For gas mileage we also averaged pretty close with me around the upper 11 mpg and my dad in the lower 12 mpg range (this was for the entire trip, the best we got was upper 12 mpg and again my dad just slightly higher). This included flat roads, some 6 1/2% to 10% grades and both head winds and tail winds and traveling on the interstates at 65 mph.

It was interesting to compare seeing the differences in our trucks. Specially with our truck being 6 years older and having over 100,000 miles more than their truck. I just found it interesting and thought I would share.
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Old 08-23-2017, 08:34 AM   #12
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Good post Phil. Thanks.
It seems to me I remember reading some where that Transmission temps should run up around the 200 degree mark.
I do remember when we had a Winnebago class A and the fluid in the tranny got so hot it down shifted the tranny until it could cool it's self down to a safe temp.
When got back from that trip, I took the MH into a local transmission shop and had an external cooler put on. He warned me not to install to big of a cooler. He claimed it would damage the tranny by not letting heat up enough.
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Old 08-23-2017, 11:28 AM   #13
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Just my 2 cents, my F-250 5R110 transmission has a built in thermostat that does not open until 160 degrees, until that point it just circulates inside the transmission, once it hits 160 it opens up lets the fluid travel up to the radiator and external air cooler. My temps run around 170 to 180 depending on situation. I know too hot is a bad thing but not sure about too cool, from everyone I ever talked to about transmissions heat is what kills them but too cool has never seemed to be an issue.
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Old 08-23-2017, 06:31 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Lloyd View Post
Good post Phil. Thanks.
It seems to me I remember reading some where that Transmission temps should run up around the 200 degree mark.
I do remember when we had a Winnebago class A and the fluid in the tranny got so hot it down shifted the tranny until it could cool it's self down to a safe temp.
When got back from that trip, I took the MH into a local transmission shop and had an external cooler put on. He warned me not to install to big of a cooler. He claimed it would damage the tranny by not letting heat up enough.
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Just my 2 cents, my F-250 5R110 transmission has a built in thermostat that does not open until 160 degrees, until that point it just circulates inside the transmission, once it hits 160 it opens up lets the fluid travel up to the radiator and external air cooler. My temps run around 170 to 180 depending on situation. I know too hot is a bad thing but not sure about too cool, from everyone I ever talked to about transmissions heat is what kills them but too cool has never seemed to be an issue.

You jogged my memory.
The tranny shop did not tell me it would damage the transmission.
He said to big of a cooler would not be good in our part of the country--if--I was going to be running it in the winter in really cold weather. He said there was a chance the cooler could freeze up.
Sorry for the wrong info.
Man, that was 25 years ago. Hard to remember back that far.
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Old 08-23-2017, 07:34 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by dkilmer17 View Post
Do you have a 2016 Gmc truck with a 5.3 and were you towing? I'm trying to see if all same year or newer chevy or Gmc pickups all run the same tram temp one they warm up 195 ish and if I should be taking it in for service or get a tranny cooler installed
No, I have a 2013 Silverado with a Duramax/Allison 6 speed. Do you have a tow package? If so, there should already be a transmission cooler.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd View Post
Curious -- were you towing the 5er, and how long had you been stopped when you seen a 136 degrees?

Here is a good link with lots of info.
http://www.crossroadsowners.com/foru...ado-11709.html
No, I didn't tow my 5er to the eclipse. I had to drive the truck to take all of my telescope and camera gear. I had been stopped about 5 minutes when I saw 136. That was after about 450 miles of continuous driving.
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:20 PM   #16
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No, I have a 2013 Silverado with a Duramax/Allison 6 speed. Do you have a tow package? If so, there should already be a transmission cooler.


I have a tow package but not the max towing package-- no extended cooling.
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Old 08-24-2017, 10:00 AM   #17
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Good post Phil. Thanks.
It seems to me I remember reading some where that Transmission temps should run up around the 200 degree mark.
I do remember when we had a Winnebago class A and the fluid in the tranny got so hot it down shifted the tranny until it could cool it's self down to a safe temp.
When got back from that trip, I took the MH into a local transmission shop and had an external cooler put on. He warned me not to install to big of a cooler. He claimed it would damage the tranny by not letting heat up enough.
Thanks Lloyd and your welcome.

We really don't use the truck much but for towing so I usually don't pay that much attention to the trans temp when we use it without towing. If I remember right it probably runs about 50 to 60 degrees cooler, so probably around the 135 - 145 range about the same as DavisK.
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Old 08-24-2017, 04:20 PM   #18
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We just came back from a 10,500 mile trip from Fl to California, Oregon, Washington and back.
My 09 Silverado 3500 with LMM Duramax and 6 Speed Allison runs between 165 and 185 degrees. In slow and steep grades it reached 207. Chevy considers 165 to 200 normal. You don't want it to go above 215 which is also the normal engine operating temp. If it does heat up pull over but leave it running so the fan can help cool it down.
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Old 08-24-2017, 07:40 PM   #19
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My transmission temp goes to 190 immediately after the truck warms up and can get over 210 when towing up steep hills or descending steep hills and if I should pull over and let it cool if it goes over 215 , I will be pulling over a lot in the hillls! Uhg! Perhaps the tranny is different on my 2016 GMC Sierra and it's designed to get that hot ?? The dealership told me that tran temp is thermostatically controlled at 190 - hmmm .... does anyone else have a 16 or 17 chevy 1500 with 5.3 that does this or is it just mine???
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Old 08-27-2017, 09:18 PM   #20
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Curious -- were you towing the 5er, and how long had you been stopped when you seen a 136 degrees?
On my way home from Virginia International Raceway this evening I took this picture. This is towing. I was about 100 miles from the race track when I took this picture.
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File Type: jpg IMG_0417.jpg (140.9 KB, 8 views)
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