High Temps 2011 Yukon XL Denali

[Klewis]

What is best way to lower engine temp while driving or towing in hot Arizona conditions? Should I install a bigger transmission cooler in place of stock cooler? I’m trying to avoid hitting 235 degrees while towing. Any advice?

 

[swathdiver]

What is best way to lower engine temp while driving or towing in hot Arizona conditions? Should I install a bigger transmission cooler in place of stock cooler? I’m trying to avoid hitting 235 degrees while towing. Any advice?

Welcome to the forum Kirk. See post #290 in this thread: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/useless-information.97483/page-29

Is 235 the coolant or transmission temperature? The transmission can take it, you just want to change the fluid a lot sooner after the trip. You can certainly install a larger external trans cooler and or put in a lower temperature thermostat for the cooling system. The problem with most aftermarket thermostats is that they are unreliable.

How much weight are you towing? What does the Denali weigh fully loaded on those trips?

 

[BG1988]

What is best way to lower engine temp while driving or towing in hot Arizona conditions? Should I install a bigger transmission cooler in place of stock cooler? I’m trying to avoid hitting 235 degrees while towing. Any advice?

2500HD series
Max Trailering Package

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Folks are already chiming in with their suggestions and perspectives, and I'm sure that other folks will chime in as well.

 

[Klewis]

Welcome to the forum Kirk. See post #290 in this thread: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/useless-information.97483/page-29

Is 235 the coolant or transmission temperature? The transmission can take it, you just want to change the fluid a lot sooner after the trip. You can certainly install a larger external trans cooler and or put in a lower temperature thermostat for the cooling system. The problem with most aftermarket thermostats is that they are unreliable.

How much weight are you towing? What does the Denali weigh fully loaded on those trips?

Welcome to the forum Kirk. See post #290 in this thread: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/useless-information.97483/page-29

Is 235 the coolant or transmission temperature? The transmission can take it, you just want to change the fluid a lot sooner after the trip. You can certainly install a larger external trans cooler and or put in a lower temperature thermostat for the cooling system. The problem with most aftermarket thermostats is that they are unreliable.

How much weight are you towing? What does the Denali weigh fully loaded on those trips?

The 235 is the engine coolant. I tow a trailer to San Diego that weighs about 6000-7000 lbs and my Denali hits 235 on freeway with slightest uphill grade. I’ve read on this forum that the engine runs hot and that is normal but it always freaks me out . I’m not sure what the Denali weighs fully loaded. I will eventually buy a diesel to tow but have to keep using the Denali in mean time.

I’m trying to keep the wear and tear down on engine and I figured extended trips towing and running engine at 235 would not be good.

Also, I don’t remember exact trans temp but it was definitely closer to 230-240 on the hills. I was thinking if I lowered the trans temp my engine coolant would run cooler as well. Am I way off?

I’ll review that thread you linked as well. Thanks!!

 

[swathdiver]

The 235 is the engine coolant. I tow a trailer to San Diego that weighs about 6000-7000 lbs and my Denali hits 235 on freeway with slightest uphill grade. I’ve read on this forum that the engine runs hot and that is normal but it always freaks me out . I’m not sure what the Denali weighs fully loaded. I will eventually buy a diesel to tow but have to keep using the Denali in mean time.

I’m trying to keep the wear and tear down on engine and I figured extended trips towing and running engine at 235 would not be good.

Also, I don’t remember exact trans temp but it was definitely closer to 230-240 on the hills. I was thinking if I lowered the trans temp my engine coolant would run cooler as well. Am I way off?

I’ll review that thread you linked as well. Thanks!!

Are you viewing that temperature via the gauge on the dash or another way by chance? You can go to a 60/40 water to coolant mix to bring the temps down some. A larger trans cooler may help a little, it will help the trans more than the motor temps. Does your truck have an engine oil cooler too? If not sure, are there 1/2 inch lines running into the radiator tank on the driver's side?

@Doubeleive Wes, did your Denali come with the little 500 watt fans or was it just the fewer blades? Thinking of ways Kirk can cool his truck down while towing. Show him your Tru-Cool if you don't mind.

 

[Klewis]

Are you viewing that temperature via the gauge on the dash or another way by chance? You can go to a 60/40 water to coolant mix to bring the temps down some. A larger trans cooler may help a little, it will help the trans more than the motor temps. Does your truck have an engine oil cooler too? If not sure, are there 1/2 inch lines running into the radiator tank on the driver's side?

@Doubeleive Wes, did your Denali come with the little 500 watt fans or was it just the fewer blades? Thinking of ways Kirk can cool his truck down while towing. Show him your Tru-Cool if you don't mind.

I have 1/2 inch lines running to top of radiator on drivers side. I was reading temps from gauge in Denali so probably not super accurate. I think I need to upgrade to a 2 or 3 core radiator and a bigger trans cooler. I have the dual electric fans.

 

[Doubeleive]

Are you viewing that temperature via the gauge on the dash or another way by chance? You can go to a 60/40 water to coolant mix to bring the temps down some. A larger trans cooler may help a little, it will help the trans more than the motor temps. Does your truck have an engine oil cooler too? If not sure, are there 1/2 inch lines running into the radiator tank on the driver's side?

@Doubeleive Wes, did your Denali come with the little 500 watt fans or was it just the fewer blades? Thinking of ways Kirk can cool his truck down while towing. Show him your Tru-Cool if you don't mind.

mine came with the dual 500w 5 blade fans, and the oem trans cooler was a little itty bitty thing
kirk you can check you glove box for the list of codes and see if one of them say's K5L (heavy duty cooling package) , if it's not listed then you can upgrade the oem cooling fans to the dual 700w used ones are generally about $125 (they are plug-n-play) and you can add a true-cool 40k transmission cooler fairly easily as well those also run about $125 (new) I do not tow anything regularly but I do drive it pretty hard here in central California and with the true-cool and a B&M deep transmission pad my trans temps dipped from 220 way down to 165 usually it's less depending on the season 120-135, I can make it get to 180 if I try really really hard but it's hasn't gone past that since. Engine has never budged except once up at about 8000 feet it went up to maybe 230 because I was pushing it 90+ on big upgrades and it was 70deg's out in the summer at that elevation, even then the trans temp stayed at 165.

 

[swathdiver]

mine came with the dual 500w 5 blade fans, and the oem trans cooler was a little itty bitty thing
kirk you can check you glove box for the list of codes and see if one of them say's K5L (heavy duty cooling package) , if it's not listed then you can upgrade the oem cooling fans to the dual 700w used ones are generally about $125 (they are plug-n-play) and you can add a true-cool 40k transmission cooler fairly easily as well those also run about $125 (new) I do not tow anything regularly but I do drive it pretty hard here in central California and with the true-cool and a B&M deep transmission pad my trans temps dipped from 220 way down to 165 usually it's less depending on the season 120-135, I can make it get to 180 if I try really really hard but it's hasn't gone past that since. Engine has never budged except once up at about 8000 feet it went up to maybe 230 because I was pushing it 90+ on big upgrades and it was 70deg's out in the summer at that elevation, even then the trans temp stayed at 165.

Thanks Wes. I find it odd that GM didn't give all the Denalis the 700 watt fan motors. Even my little 5.3 has them!

 

[Doubeleive]

another thing to consider also is the radiator, my personal recommendation is if the radiator is 5 years old or older then replace it, run some citric acid thru the system and flush everything out real good, use a good brand name radiator or a new oem one, the cheapy ones have problems.

here is the fans you can use dual 700w 7/9 blade they will fit right on and plug in the same and nothing else needs to be modified.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2009-Cadil...Hummer&hash=item4b777f85e3:g:3wkAAOSwiiZei1fQ

and the true-cool
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tru-Cool-M...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649