The truck - '96 GMC Z71, 5.7, 4L60E, 3.73, factory transmission cooler (in front of A/C coil) The question - When pulling a trailer in overdrive and it starts up a small incline and the converter "unlocks" and then locks again when not under such a load, is that bad for a transmission or not? If it does it frequently, about once every couple miles, will it burn up the transmission? I won't be pulling a trailer often, but I need to haul a 3,800 lb car about 900 miles and I don't want to tear it up.
Have somebody with a diagnostic scan tool check the TPS angle. I would think running unlocked for short periods at a time would be ok. Try not to run it that way for a long time while pulling.
It's ok to tow in overdrive as long as your going fast enough to warrant that gear as in freeway speeds and mainly on flat roads. As long as the engine isn't pulling hard in OD the tranny should be ok.
I think these trucks can pull up to 5000lbs so 3800lbs isn't gonna kill it as long as caution is used.
5K in OD with a 700R4/4L60? I wouldn't even pull 5K in OD with my HD 47RE, much less the 700R4 in my blazer. I don't use OD at all with my 700R4 while in tow and neither does my dad with his '98 4L60E, regardless of trailer. I think you are refering more to the heavier duty transmissions found behind late model deisels and big blocks. THe newer Dodge, allison, and Torque shift can take some towing in OD but not a light duty transmission like a 700R4/4L60.
I tow my jeep with my 98 Z71 and I use OD when towing only when I am cruising at about 65 on the interstate. Of course it is pretty flat around here. I will drop it out of OD when I am come across any hills or inclines, but for long flat areas, OD is just fine, 118K on the truck and no problems as of yet. I do have an aftermarket tranny cooler in the truck also.
You guys are nutzzz.... I wouldn't pull in OD with my 700R4 and stress the 3/4th clutch pack just for a few dollars of fuel. :stir:
Just looked at the owners manual of a 2004 Chevy 1500 4x4 with the 5.3 and the 4l60e. It states that you can pull in "D" drive which is OD. 3:73 gear max trailer weight is 8500lbs and the 3:42 gear max trailer weight is 7500lbs. I have a couple buddys pulling 5th wheels with 1/2 ton 4x4's that run in OD. I personaly wouldn't do it but they do all the time.
"D" is not overdrive IIRC, a circle around the "D" is the shifter position for OD. Your trailer weights you are refering should be max towing weight behind the pickup without overdrive selected.
Not necessarily, my 2001 Tahoe reads "D", "3", "2", "1" IIRC. I definitely know that there is no circle around the "D", but it is the OD position. It does say that you can tow in OD, and it has the Tow/Haul Feature to change shift points. Just throwing this out there, I have no experience towing with the 2001 Tahoe, I've only pulled my trailer once with it, and the trailer was empty and there was a pretty good snowstorm happening at the time.
Yes, later models changed the shifter a little, not a big deal. I do tow in overdrive with a 1/2 ton on long flat stretches and it does just fine.
I have a 4l60e and so mines has No D with the circle (mines is D 3 2 1) and about to trailer 3000 lbs and so my question is Do I just leave it in the 3 position and drive it that way. I am about to go atleast 1200 miles and wanted to know would that be okay to just leave in that position the whole trip. I have a 5.7 vortec engine to pull it with stock everything 99 GMC YUKON Any help would be appreciated.
