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Topic ClosedSilverado Tow/Haul Mode
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pentachris View Drop Down
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Silverado Tow/Haul Mode
    Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 7:16pm
Originally posted by HuronSailor

Not to get too far off topic, but FYI I have never seen my tranny temp hit 200 while pulling the rPod. The max I've seen is around 185.

Good to know. I was wondering what was normal, what was high, and when should I pull over. A brief look around the web pointed to something around 215 as the high side of acceptable.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 4:29pm
For what it is worth, my experience has been the about the same as Huron's.  I can't recall ever seeing anything above 185 which, I think, is plenty safe.  I think you'll be fine.
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pentachris View Drop Down
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2012 at 7:36pm
Back from our first trip with the new truck. 70 mph using T/H mode into a STRONG head wind on the way there. Transmission stayed mostly in 4th gear and the engine ran at about 3000 RPMs, but occasionally dropped to 3rd and went up to ~4000 going uphill. The high speed combined with the strong wind equated to about 6.5 MPG. Ambient air temperature was around 82F, and the tranny temp warmed up to 192-194F, and peaked at 196F once or twice.

On the drive back, the wind was a little lighter, but still gusty, varying from tail wind to cross wind. Again, I drove at 70, but this time without using T/H mode. Transmission wanted to run in 5th with the engine running at about 2200 RPMs, but frequently dropped to 4th and 3000, and only seldom dropped to 3rd and 4000. Once or twice on downhill runs, it went up to 6th and something around 1600. Average mileage on the trip home was 8 MPG. Ambient air temp was around 62, and the tranny temp warmed up to around 186 or so.

I've got a trip in about two weeks that will be non-interstate, so I'll see what mileage is like at more reasonable speeds. I think the transmission did way too much shifting when I wasn't in T/H mode, but that may have been because of the speed at which I was traveling, so that trip will be a test of that as well. My preliminary thought, though, is that T/H mode is probably the way to go.
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Posts: 704 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2012 at 11:23pm
My Silverado seems to like it best between 60-65 so that's where I normally try to stay. That usually lets me get up moderate inclines without too much downshifting, keeps the trans temp around 185, and helps a little on fuel economy, usually in the 10-12 MPG range. I have pulled at 70-75 but the gas consumption goes way up as you know. 

So I just find a good station on XM, stay in the right lane, and let everybody go in front of me where I can keep an eye on them, ha.

From what I've been able to gather temps over 200 for extended periods can cause the trans fluid to break down relatively quickly. Maybe there's some transmission mechanics that can help me out here.
.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 9:45am

You definitely want to do multiple runs with and w/o tow-haul, at different speeds.  I've found with my TV just moving up from 60 mph to 65 mph prevents a lot of downshifts on gradual inclines.  So I stick with 65 as much as possible.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 2:27pm
Something does not sound right......maybe. Ying Yang
 
Mine has the 4speed AT with 3.42 rear gears and the worst I have gotten was in the low 9s.  That was in Appalachia with a very strong headwind.  Mine usually "likes" 65-70mph and is turning about 1800RPMs.  On hills, downshifting and jumping in the neiborhood of 2500RPMs.  Like Huron, I usually get around 10-12mpg.
 
I suggest as the others.....experiment a bit with tow speeds, etc.  to see if you can find something your particular truck package "likes".
 
I assume you are NOT running E85.  This reduces MPG.
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pentachris View Drop Down
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 4:05pm
Thanks for the continued input, guys. More experimentation is definitely necessary - as much as possible, actually! It's drudge work, I know, but someone's got to do it... Wink

You are correct, David, I was not running E85. To the contrary, I think I was running about half E10, half 100% gasoline on the way down, and all E10 on the way back. I hope I offend no one here by saying this, but it's my opinion that ethanol is great for corn farmers and crap for most everyone else.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 4:37pm
One other thing that occured to me is cruise control.  Personally, I never use it when towing....the couple of times that I have tried were very unsatisfactory.   The truck would shift and turn very high rpms at times to maintain the desired speed.
 
When towing, I drive with my tachometer and "seat of the pants" feel.  I'll let it gain speed downhill and let it lose some uphill.  I can kind of anticipate when the engine load is getting to where the truck would want to downshift and modulate the gas pedal to keep it from shifting excessively. 
 
You may also want to make sure that the Pod's brakes are not dragging.  Drive down the highway a bit and then stop at a rest stop and feel the aluminum wheels and see if they are hot. 
 
It just seems to me that your truck is working much harder than I would expect.
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 5:38pm
I was using cruise control. I will probably not use it when not on the interstate, though, because I want to be able to be more responsive to changing road situations. I'll do some experimenting not using it on the interstate as well, just to compare comfort vs performance.
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Posts: 315 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2012 at 7:11pm
The EPA estimates that straight ethanol (100) should give you about 23-25% lesser mileage because it contains less energy per gallon than pure gasoline.  Running E85 in my flexfuel Silverado drops my mileage by at least 20%.  In my part of Minnesota, pure gasoline costs about 30 cents/gallon more than gasohol.  The state has mandated 20% ethanol next summer.  If price percentages stay about the same, I am going to start to burn pure gasoline again...the extra mpg will more than make up for the higher cost.
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