Titan Towing Transmission Temp (high normal)

memsu · Oct 8, 2015

So, I just took delivery of my new Forest River Surveyor 240 RBS. Unloaded it weighs 4800 lbs and towing it home I had about 400 lbs of water from our demo of how everything worked. My 08 CC Titan with big tow package had no issues pulling on the interstate with tow mode and in 4th gear. However, driving home I got behind a guy doing 40-45 mph in a 55 on a hilly curvy road. As you know these speeds are where the Titan likes to hunt gears. My transmission temp hit the high normal mark, but didn't go over it. From what I've read we just need to downshift and keep the engine RPMs up to pump more transmission fluid through the cooler. When I got home backing up a hill in my yard to the parking area for the RV heated up the transmission as well. I guess next time I'm shifting into 4 LO to back it into the parking spot.

I guess I long as I'm not over that white line (high normal) I'm good. I just changed the transmission fluid, so I don't have old fluid in the transmission. Anyone know how hot the transmission fluid is running at that mark?

tanker1983 · Oct 8, 2015

The lack of RPM's and the lack of airflow over the cooler in forward and reverse contibuted to the heat. The best you can do is what you did. Keep the RPM's up by manually downshifting in tow mode when behind slow drivers. An additional Trans Cooler will help, too.

AZPRO4X · Oct 8, 2015

Try and keep the rpms around 4000-4200 especially when climbing & put a Tru-cool transmission cooler on. The backing up temps are normal so you just have to keep a eye on it. When the gauge hits the 1st mark that's about 220° so you don't want to stay there too long, short spurts isn't a big deal.

jbawden · Oct 9, 2015

^^^I completely disagree with this high RPM advice that you keep posting, its totally unnecessary. 45mph and hilly I would just hold 3rd gear, the truck will do fine. If you command 4th in those conditions the torque converter will continue to drop out of lock up and heat the fluid dramatically. Choose the gear that is appropriate that stops the the tranny from dropping out of lock up or adjust your speed. Advising high rpm just so you can keep going 70mph is unnecessarily hard on equipment.

thumperpaul · Oct 9, 2015

I don't care if I have to cruise below the posted speed, as long as my tranny stays cool. I have dropped down to second gear while towing up an extreme grade.

memsu · Oct 10, 2015

Update:

Towed my travel trailer up to a campground just off the Blue Ridge parkway today. On the way there it was rolling hills and a little mountain climbing. The Titan definitely prefers 3rd gear. I was able to keep the transmission temperature from hitting the first white mark, but there were a few occasions it got about 1/2 way there. During those times I had it in 4th since the terrain wasn't too hilly, but more of a slow constant climb to the top of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

SuperTighty5.6 · Oct 10, 2015

Sounds like you need a pml tranny pan and maybe trans cool mod with all the towing and hills you drive around.

AZPRO4X · Oct 10, 2015

jbawden said:
^^^I completely disagree with this high RPM advice that you keep posting, its totally unnecessary. 45mph and hilly I would just hold 3rd gear, the truck will do fine. If you command 4th in those conditions the torque converter will continue to drop out of lock up and heat the fluid dramatically. Choose the gear that is appropriate that stops the the tranny from dropping out of lock up or adjust your speed. Advising high rpm just so you can keep going 70mph is unnecessarily hard on equipment.

Been doing since the day I bought my T, these motors like high RPMS & do just fine, it's not hurting anything to keep it wound up. Plenty of people that have been around this forum that haul things agree with me
We don't even do 45 on surface streets around here, if you aren't at least 70 on the hyw you're impeding traffic. We have miles of 7% + grades to deal with not just little rolling hills.
IDK, I don't baby my truck & im not scared to use it...

Titan Towing Transmission Temp (high normal)

memsu

tanker1983

AZPRO4X

jbawden

thumperpaul

memsu

SuperTighty5.6

AZPRO4X

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