Towing with AC running

[byacey]

Re: Towing with AC running

The GM 4L60 or 4L80 transmissions don't generate much heat once the torque converter clutch is in lockup operation in 3rd or 4th gear. The fluid slippage in the torque converter is what generates the majority of the heat. I can't speak about Ford or Chrysler, but I'm sure they are similar.

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Towing with AC running

Put an aftermarket tranny cooler on it... They are cheap and make a heap of difference... I had an explorer that had an auxillary one that came stock... However, I overheated it pulling a heavy load... was going up and down hills for about three hours and it was about 105 degrees out. The tranny was just rebuilt and had a warranty so I wasnt worried.. Got where I was going and saw the fluid on the trailer... It overheated, seal expanded and it leaked fluid. Paid 50 bucks for an aftermarket cooler and ran the lines from the stock auxillary cooler to the aftermarket one. I never had another problem.. After running it for a while and then stopping and letting it idle, i could go out and feel the hoses and feel what was probable a 20 degree temp change from the stock cooler to the aftermarket.

In short... in most situations, the tranny will overheat b/f the motor... and the motor has a guage... run the ac, watch the guage, if motor gets hot turn ac off and sweat... tranny does not have guage and it will ruin b/f you know it..

 

[davidfhare]

Re: Towing with AC running

Put an aftermarket tranny cooler on it... They are cheap and make a heap of difference...

[cut]

In short... in most situations, the tranny will overheat b/f the motor... and the motor has a guage... run the ac, watch the guage, if motor gets hot turn ac off and sweat... tranny does not have guage and it will ruin b/f you know it..

Thanks for the advice. I do have the "tow package" which supposedly should not require a transmission cooler. However, I think installing an aftermarket one would be a good insurance policy as you pointed out just in case. I'm already out of warranty so a new transmission would be out of my pocket. As an aside, is this something an average DIY person could handle or am I better off having it done by a pro?

Thanks to everyone else for their suggestions. I think I feel better about running the A/C while on the highway, but will leave it off in stop-and-go traffic as the extra load on the engine is noticeable when I turn on the A/C.

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Towing with AC running

I got mine at Auto Zone. Had it installed it in about 45 minutes... Maybe an hour. I found it to be pretty simple, but it probably wouldn't cost too much to get it done by a pro.

Best of luck... Let me know if you need some pointers... but it does come w/ instructions.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Towing with AC running

stock explorers have transmission coolers. don't know whether the towing package upgrades it or not.

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Towing with AC running

stock explorers have transmission coolers. don't know whether the towing package upgrades it or not.

all automatic trannys have a cooler of some sort...
The plain jane cooler is integrated with the engine radiator. it has a separate section in the bottom where the transmission fluid circulates.
Most explorers with the towing package came with an auxillary cooler that was bolted behind the bumper and in front of the radiator..... So, the fluid in these vehicles used two radiators to cool the fluid.
I am recommending adding another radiator (an aftermarket one) so that the fluid is cooled by all three.
I did this to mine after it overheated once while pulling a heavy load. It helped a lot, and the $50 cost is a lot better than a $1500 tranny rebuild.

 

[BrotherDave0770]

Re: Towing with AC running

I agree with the last poster, buy another tranny cooler and plumb it so that its input line is the output line from the existing tranny cooler. If I remember correctly, Chrysler recommended this kind of set up with the 440 six pack and Hemi cars back in the day.