Towing

[NOVICETOWER]

Using an 04 Titan Off Road with Towing Package and towing an 8,000 travel trailer. At 45-50 mph on level road with no wind tansmission fluid gauge rises to high normal level and drops when speed is reduced. Anyone have similar problems, especially with a tow and in the mountains?

[titansurveyor]

Originally Posted by NOVICETOWER

Using an 04 Titan Off Road with Towing Package and towing an 8,000 travel trailer. At 45-50 mph on level road with no wind tansmission fluid gauge rises to high normal level and drops when speed is reduced. Anyone have similar problems, especially with a tow and in the mountains?

Yep, I had the same experience. I'm not sure why it does this. The dealer didn't have an explanation either. Hopefully it's nothing serious. If they all do it I'm sure it will be fine.

[apunreddy]

Originally Posted by titansurveyor

Yep, I had the same experience. I'm not sure why it does this. The dealer didn't have an explanation either. Hopefully it's nothing serious. If they all do it I'm sure it will be fine.

Check the manual... If I am right there is a brief description in the 5-9 section of the manual about a protection mechanism...

[roadtripper]

I also tow about an 8,000 lb. trailer with my CC 4x2 off-road & big tow. I had the tranny temp rise like that once so I dropped the tranny in 4th, the temp dropped right away. I now tow in 4th and have not again had the temp run on the high side.

[KY TITAN]

Originally Posted by roadtripper

I also tow about an 8,000 lb. trailer with my CC 4x2 off-road & big tow. I had the tranny temp rise like that once so I dropped the tranny in 4th, the temp dropped right away. I now tow in 4th and have not again had the temp run on the high side.

this is because i think you are always supposed to tow in 4th with the Titan. it reduces tranny stress and therefore temperatures. i know with my dads Silverado, you arent supposed to tow in overdrive, or whatever the highest gear is. this is with the tow/haul mode as well

[Zardoz]

All modern automatics use a lockup torque convertor. This is a set of clutches that
lock up the tonque convertor and eliminate it from the drive train. If you are in 5 th
gear with the torque convertor unlocked and you are on a hill or pulling hard the auto
temp will go up. If you are in 4th with the torque convertor locked temp will stay
normal. I saw the same behavior on some bad BLM roads when I was loaded to the
max going up a 4 mile 12% grade. I had to pull into 3rd gear before the temp went
back down to normal normal. Gas milage is better with the torque convertor locked
also. You will see a small drop in RPM when the torque convertor locks in 4 or 5 th
gear. Please note the auto tranny has never overheated it just runs on the higher
side of normal.

Zardoz

[SUBTITAN]

Remember that heat is the biggest reason for transmission failures, so if your find yourself debating between gas milage or high temps always fail on the temp side and tow in a gear that keeps your temps in the normal range.

[stevemis]

Originally Posted by SUBTITAN

Remember that heat is the biggest reason for transmission failures, so if your find yourself debating between gas milage or high temps always fail on the temp side and tow in a gear that keeps your temps in the normal range.

Absolutely 100% correct. I burned up a 700R4 in no time flat. The new transmission came with a B&M temperature gauge, and I check it constantly.

The trans cooler side of the radiator on my old truck wasn't providing adequate cooling.

*Every* truck with an automatic transmission should have a temperature gauge. It's a $10 part that can save you thousands.

-Steve

[MattD]

Amen Steve but I would like to amend your last statement to say:

*Every* truck with an automatic transmission that will be used for towing/hauling and any vehicle with an aftermarket stall converter should have a temperature gauge.

[Rocket67]

Guess I am screwed...my SE doesn't have the gauge for the transmission.

[Clint]

Am I wrong? I thought with tow/haul mode all you do is turn it on and it changes the shift points in the computer commands to the transmission. You shoudn't need to turn the overdrive off.

Clint

[travism]

Originally Posted by Clint

Am I wrong? I thought with tow/haul mode all you do is turn it on and it changes the shift points in the computer commands to the transmission. You shoudn't need to turn the overdrive off.

Clint

Yep, you're right that tow mode will change the shift points. But it won't keep it out of overdrive. Always tow in 4th. If you insist on towing in overdrive on flat roads, then keep a sharp eye on the tranny temp and knock it into 4th if the guage starts to inch higher than normal operating temp.

[skyhammer]

I am pretty sure that the tow mode only changes the shift points in the first 3 gears.

[rvandam]

Originally Posted by Rocket67

Guess I am screwed...my SE doesn't have the gauge for the transmission.

You must not have the big tow package then. I have an SE with BT, and have the Trans. temp. gage.

[loufish]

No Big Tow=No trans guage
When towing in 5th, the trans will unlock the converter before it downshifts to 4th, under load. It might not ever lock the converter if you're towing max rated, or close.
When I'm at the bottom of a hill, and I've been towing in 5th, no problem, I'll drop it down to 4th manualy right at the bottom, that lets the converter lock up to keep the tranny heat down.