CTX-SLPR
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Thanks Nick, I'll leave it alone.
GM 6L80 Transmission Information Thread
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That's also exactly where our 2014 Escalade runs for transmission temperature since new. I don't think I've ever seen it over 155. It's got the factory tow package, so it's got the external cooler up front as well. It's never towed anything.... But I was watching it 3 years ago when we had a 116° heatwave. 65 mph and it was just under 155° transmission temperature. It seems the OEM cooling system is quite adequate...
OP
OP
Mine is similar, except for the summer where it will top out at around 210F in stop and go traffic when temps are 110-120 out. I've noticed no difference at all in it's performance or behaviors between winter (typically runs at 130-160 and now (175-210). This is my 09 Sierra White Diamond w/external factory trans cooler...
Vegas, Phoenix, Yuma and Tucson in August.... Been there, absolutely brutal. (I'm like 900 miles NNW of Vegas, at 2600 ft altitude)
I suspect the reason my wife's Escalade has had zero issues with the transmission.... Is that she really does drive like Miss Daisy. After all, she is a school bus driver. She gets scared if she gives the Escalade more than about 1/4 throttle. I don't think it's ever been over 1800 RPM with her behind the wheel. That combined with her 50 mile round trip commute on a 55 mph State highway.... Plus the inline transmission filter I put on it sometime ago... It's hard to predict how long it will last. Lol, I probably put more wear on that transmission in one high-speed run to the hospital a month ago, then she's done in 11 years.
The 4L65e in the Hummer is probably another story all together. It's like having an Escalade or Tahoe pulling a 4200 lb trailer it's entire life.
I suspect the reason my wife's Escalade has had zero issues with the transmission.... Is that she really does drive like Miss Daisy. After all, she is a school bus driver. She gets scared if she gives the Escalade more than about 1/4 throttle. I don't think it's ever been over 1800 RPM with her behind the wheel. That combined with her 50 mile round trip commute on a 55 mph State highway.... Plus the inline transmission filter I put on it sometime ago... It's hard to predict how long it will last. Lol, I probably put more wear on that transmission in one high-speed run to the hospital a month ago, then she's done in 11 years.
The 4L65e in the Hummer is probably another story all together. It's like having an Escalade or Tahoe pulling a 4200 lb trailer it's entire life.
Hi Nick,
Thanks so much for all the information. I just stumbled across this a couple days ago, read the first 9 pages and going to finish up today. Can't wait to have a look at your YouTube channel as well. I know almost nothing about transmissions and this has been a huge education. Thank you!
I have a 2013 Suburban Z71, 6L80 that I think is original and I'm at 170k. I just bought the truck a couple months ago, drove it from Houston back to my house in Florida. I've put about 3000 miles on it so far. No shifting issues, but it seems to run hot. At 75mph on a flat interstate, unloaded with me and my wife, the DIC indicates 216 degrees with an outside temp of 90. On hills, or if I drive faster, I've seen it creep up to 225.
Took it in to have it serviced yesterday to a shop that I thought was reputable. He said I have no cooling blockages and I'm not equipped with a TBV, and also said he found a few shavings in the pan but nothing crazy.
Them tried to sell me a "new transmission" for $8450, said it was "top shelf" with a 36k mile warranty. I said finish the service and button it up. Not sure if he meant new, remanufactured, or rebuilt by him but I don't care. I'm not doing anything until I'm sure I incorporate your recommendations you laid out up front of the thread.
Still exploring options, I think I'll check to make sure the sensor is functioning properly, maybe upgrade the cooling. Sooner or later I'll need to buy or rebuild but no matter what I do I think I'd be an idiot not to make sure it is built to last.
Thanks again! Appreciate again all the time and expertise you have put in to passing on this info.
John
Thanks so much for all the information. I just stumbled across this a couple days ago, read the first 9 pages and going to finish up today. Can't wait to have a look at your YouTube channel as well. I know almost nothing about transmissions and this has been a huge education. Thank you!
I have a 2013 Suburban Z71, 6L80 that I think is original and I'm at 170k. I just bought the truck a couple months ago, drove it from Houston back to my house in Florida. I've put about 3000 miles on it so far. No shifting issues, but it seems to run hot. At 75mph on a flat interstate, unloaded with me and my wife, the DIC indicates 216 degrees with an outside temp of 90. On hills, or if I drive faster, I've seen it creep up to 225.
Took it in to have it serviced yesterday to a shop that I thought was reputable. He said I have no cooling blockages and I'm not equipped with a TBV, and also said he found a few shavings in the pan but nothing crazy.
Them tried to sell me a "new transmission" for $8450, said it was "top shelf" with a 36k mile warranty. I said finish the service and button it up. Not sure if he meant new, remanufactured, or rebuilt by him but I don't care. I'm not doing anything until I'm sure I incorporate your recommendations you laid out up front of the thread.
Still exploring options, I think I'll check to make sure the sensor is functioning properly, maybe upgrade the cooling. Sooner or later I'll need to buy or rebuild but no matter what I do I think I'd be an idiot not to make sure it is built to last.
Thanks again! Appreciate again all the time and expertise you have put in to passing on this info.
John
ilikemikes
Member
Hey Nick, I'm at 16,500 miles and 1 year on my new trans rebuild. I just recently started getting a light whining noise as I increase in speed. What are the chances its coming from the transmission? Thanks in advance.
donjetman
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No idea based on the above. Where does the noise seem to be coming from? Knowing and sharing that would help narrow down the location/source...
Time to get out the stethoscope and investigate.
ilikemikes
Member
Yeah, its a new sound that I'm trying to pinpoint. Probably cost $150 around here to diagnose. I have roughly 1500 miles and 4 months left on trans warranty. From inside the ** its sounds like its coming from middle to rear end. YT videos name a bunch of stuff. I guess I could put it on jacks and run it but have some safety concerns with that by myself. Now that I'm writing this I think I will just take it back to the trans shop and see what they say. They also cleaned/flushed my differentials and TC when they did the rebuild.
ilikemikes
Member
Transmission shop said it checked out. They also said there is a slight whining noise coming from the rear differential which is typical for vehicles close to 200k. I can’t live with that so I’ll start looking into the differential.
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Bumping the thread with a new video that covers all the parts and procedures for a complete/proper 6L80 Level One build for stock, daily driver applications. Feel free to check it out if you have some time.
Enjoy and TIA watching!
Level One 6L80 Rebuild: All the Must Haves for Your Transmission!
Enjoy and TIA watching!
Level One 6L80 Rebuild: All the Must Haves for Your Transmission!
hey quick question, i hope its in the right section, i have a 12 yukon denali (135k on the clock now, "new" jasper engine at 96k then again at 120kish then lifter/cam replacement, torque converter replaced at 96k with gm oe converter) afm delete, vvt delete, stage 1 cam, hp tune (adjusted the lock up on the TCM), i also have the tru-cool trans cooler mounted behind the lower grill (where the license plate would sit) on to the question, my wife was sitting waiting on my kids (probably running for an hour or so just idling) with it being 82ish degrees outside and stopped to swap cars with her and i noticed the trans temp was at 196 just sitting there. i started driving and it lowered down to about 180 degrees, is this normal?
i still have the trans lines going into the radiator and then out to the cooler so my guess is because there wasnt any air flow over the cooler that the trans fluid circulating through the radiator just made the trans fluid temp the same as the coolant temp? im just curious if this is something i should be concerned about or not.
i also tow a 6k camper, which were taking to charlotte, NC (we live in roanoke, VA) in about a week. @NickTransmissions
i still have the trans lines going into the radiator and then out to the cooler so my guess is because there wasnt any air flow over the cooler that the trans fluid circulating through the radiator just made the trans fluid temp the same as the coolant temp? im just curious if this is something i should be concerned about or not.
i also tow a 6k camper, which were taking to charlotte, NC (we live in roanoke, VA) in about a week. @NickTransmissions
OP
OP
@Chughart - normal.
ok one more question, ive tossed up the idea of putting a fan on the cooler with a thermo switch to come on at 180 and off at 165 just to keep the temps down in traffic or give it some extra air flow. would this be a good idea or am i over thinking it? @NickTransmissions
The trans cooler is in the outlet side of the radiator, so the trans fluid can't be brought up to the coolant temperature of the engine.
This assumes, of course, that you're not in a situation where the radiator isn't cooling and thus the outlet temperature is close to the inlet temperature (e.g. if the fans were non-functional and you were sitting still).
To be clear, I wasn't saying otherwise. My point is that it's not on the hot inlet side of the radiator where the coolant is at engine temperature, it's on the cool(er) outlet side after it's gone through the radiator. Yes, the temperature will be raised by the fluid on the outlet side, but that outlet temperature is not the engine coolant temperature.
My 2014 Escalade, new radiator last year. 183,000 miles. Afm delete of course. (Stock except for the L92 camshaft, LS7 lifters and the Melling 10296 oil pump)
The 2014 models don't have the thermostat off the transmission... I think GM got tired of replacing transmissions. My transmission temperature has always ran between 138° and 152°. Still original transmission and torque converter, still drives like new.
I do have a spin on hydraulic filter in the return line to the transmission, gets changed every other oil change. And I do replace all the fluid every 35,000 miles. I find it interesting that after replacing the dexon 6, it immediately runs about 5° cooler than before I changed it. I figure there's no substitute for clean and fresh ATF.....
The 2014 models don't have the thermostat off the transmission... I think GM got tired of replacing transmissions. My transmission temperature has always ran between 138° and 152°. Still original transmission and torque converter, still drives like new.
I do have a spin on hydraulic filter in the return line to the transmission, gets changed every other oil change. And I do replace all the fluid every 35,000 miles. I find it interesting that after replacing the dexon 6, it immediately runs about 5° cooler than before I changed it. I figure there's no substitute for clean and fresh ATF.....
have a 2007 cadillac escalade with the 6l80. I bought a 2011 chevy tahoe 6l80 both transmissions are 4x4 tail housing. What im wanting to do is put the 2011 transmission into my 2007. I have read its the same transmission, and I should just have to put the tcm and valve body out of the 2007 into the 2011? Or can I just put the 2011 transmission into my 2007 with no parts swap and just bring it to my tuner and have him flash the tcm?
Please Let me know
This escalade has been swapped with a Corvette LS3 on stage 3 came and ton of engine work and we roasted the 2007 transmission being awd. Now we are doing new trans and gonna do a 4x4 transfer case to get 2wd and only 4x4 when we want it
Can somebody tag @NickTransmissions for some reason it wont let me
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