Transmission Cooler

[coresuper]

Is it completely necessary to add a transmission cooler to a suburban for towing a pontoon?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Transmission Cooler

depends. would need to know more information. how far are you towing, how heavy of a pontoon, what year suburban, what transmission, which engine, etc.

If your running an SBC in a half ton suburban with a 700R4 or 4L60/4L60e while trying to pull a 5000# pontoon/trailer combo for about 100 miles, then I would say yes. add a trans cooler.

if your attempting to pull a 14' pontoon and you only have to go a few miles, not needed.

 

[canoemang]

Re: Transmission Cooler

If you don't want to add a trans cooler and you don't plan on towing distance/weight (as mentioned above), you can always use synthetic trans fluid. The synthetic trans fluid holds together better and can handle high temps longer among other benefits.

My Tahoe has a trans cooler and I still went with synthetic fluid.

Im no mechanic and this is just my 2 cents..

 

[coresuper]

Re: Transmission Cooler

The suburban is a 1500 with a 5.3 in it. The 24' pontoon and trailer, gas, etc is about 4000 lbs. I mostly tow local, but a couple times a year I will take it on vacation, but never more than 3 or 4 hours away.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Transmission Cooler

I would have a trans cooler added if it was my rig for the vacations.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Transmission Cooler

I always had one pulling a boat of any size. For a hundred bucks and a couple of hours of installation, it's cheap insurance. Think about the alternatives. My 2011 Silverado has syn tranny and diff....and engine oil, and it has not only a cooler but a temp sender with a dash monitor. Must be something to it.

Mark

 

[ssoper]

Re: Transmission Cooler

Does your Suburban already have a trailer tow package? If so, there might already be a tranny and oil cooler on it.

If you added the Hitch, it will not have the coolers.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Transmission Cooler

I would be surprised if your Suburban didn't already have a tranny cooler. If it doesn't, I had one added to the 2007 Silverado I owned previously for $150 at a well-regarded locally owned transmission shop.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Transmission Cooler

I use a 1999 Silverado 5.3L 3.73 rear end to tow the boats in my signature. It came with a trailer package which includes the tranny cooler integrated into the radiator. I decided not to add an additional tranny cooler and my Wellcraft and trailer weighs close to 7000# loaded up.

My regular tow with it is a 500 mile one way trip including a 7000' mountain pass.

I am in the process of getting my instrument cluster modified to add the tran temp gauge. You can do a lot to limit the tran temp by slowing down or downshifting up hills.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Transmission Cooler

It came with a trailer package which includes the tranny cooler integrated into the radiator.

Almost all vehicles with automatics have this type of cooler. The package probably includes a heavy duty radiator, which helps keep the transmission fluid a little cooler. But if I was towing near the weight capacity of the vehicle and/or in hilly terrain, I would add an external auxiliary cooler anyway.

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Transmission Cooler

I am in the process of getting my instrument cluster modified to add the tran temp gauge. You can do a lot to limit the tran temp by slowing down or downshifting up hills.

My 2007 2wd 3.0 liter Ranger came with automatic transmission, what the dealer called a towing package (just a hitch, as far as I could see) but no transmission cooler. I had my girlfriend's son install a cooler for me the very first thing... it ran me $100 installed. The second thing I did was buy a Scangauge which is just plugged into the OBD port on the truck and mounted to the underside of my rear view mirror. The Scangauge is programmable, and one of the options is transmission fluid temperature. Mine is set up to display digitally speed, mpg, voltage, and TFT. The display color is programmable so you can match it to your current instrument lights.

It can do much more than what I ask of it... the list of gauges it can emulate are extensive; it can read and clear trouble codes, ect.

FWIW, the hottest I've ever seen TFT is 170? running down the highway pulling the boat at 60 MPH on a very hot day. Good information to have, I would say.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Transmission Cooler

Almost all vehicles with automatics have this type of cooler. The package probably includes a heavy duty radiator, which helps keep the transmission fluid a little cooler. But if I was towing near the weight capacity of the vehicle and/or in hilly terrain, I would add an external auxiliary cooler anyway.

yeah, you are making me think about adding another cooler now.

In the process of adding the tranny gauge that Chevy leaves off the 1/2T trucks. You can sent the cluster in and get it added for less than $200.

Also good to do a full flush of the tranny occasionally. I jusy di mine at 60K. This was not done with the flushing machines. I did it myself.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Transmission Cooler

The second thing I did was buy a Scangauge which is just plugged into the OBD port on the truck ........ The Scangauge is programmable, and one of the options is transmission fluid temperature. Mine is set up to display digitally speed, mpg, voltage, and TFT. The display color is programmable so you can match it to your current instrument lights.

It can do much more than what I ask of it... the list of gauges it can emulate are extensive; it can read and clear trouble codes, ect.

My 2011 Silverado with a tow package will display transmission fluid temp, but I still use the Scanguage I used in my previous Silverado which did not have a TFT gauge. It's a very worthwhile investment and easy to install. I put it on top of the far left side of the dash.