2006 duramax tranny getting hot???

[trophyhunt]

If the cooler is partly plugged, will a flush get it all out?

[Dan-o]

Just curious how many miles on yours.

I also have a 2006 Duramax /Allison. 
Just got back from Colorado yesterday.
About 88K miles on it now.

17.3 MPG to Colorado and back, cruise set at like 72. 
I was disappointed in that.

Sorry for the thread jack. 
I will be following

[92xj]

Replace that fluid asap, it’s trashed
Buy a larger pan to hold another gallon of fluid and don’t worry about trying to upgrade a cooler right now.  Unless you can’t unplug it, if it really is plugged. 
I got a larger pan on my Cummins last year and rarely exceed 175 while towing 8k up cabbage hill in the summer. 

[trophyhunt]

162,000 on the truck, coach was saying the cooler is prob fine, he recommends changing inside and outside filters, as well as fluid.  Also check lines to make sure they aren’t kinked and pull return line and start engine, fluid should pump out pretty good.  I like the idea of a bigger pan! I was going slow up chinook, coach was saying that hill is a bad one, steep and low speeds can heat up tranny.

[Mudman]

First of all if it was at 280 degrees it is likely toasted.  Fluid is junk for sure.  Second idiot light gauges arent that accurite.  Third you SHOULD smell it if its burnt.  Smell it, does it stink or normal odors?   Your clutch linings will literally be falling apart if ya bake em at 280 so I was told by expierenced tran tech years ago.   I would look at cooler plug from dirt bugs etc.  Also is fan working properly at temp?  Example my Ram never exceeds 170.  I just did Blewitt with toy hauler loaded at speed in heat as well.  With price of fluids and such I would spend my $ at GOOD tran shop for diagnoses if needed.

[trophyhunt]

Fluid doesn’t smell bad, had another guy smell it as well, he thought it smelled normal. I’m hoping my gauges are off. My fan kicks on and cools the water temp very well.

[HntnFsh]

Those temps dont sound right. 100 over ambient is normal temp for an Allison. If the fluid doesnt smell burnt it probably isnt. You have to drop the pan on those. No drain plug. The internal filter is considered a lifetime filter. Saying that I dropped my pan and and changed the filter on my LBZ last year. When you change the spin on, only run Allison filter and make sure the magnet is in place. You can do a double dump on the tranny fluid if your concerned. Dump, fill, run a bit, dump, and fill again. Considered to be as close to 100% new fluid as you can get. Ive heard good and bad about bigger pans. Dont really think they are the cats meow myself, but thats just me. You get that extra gallon of fluid hot its going to take longer to get it cool.

Go over to the Duramax forum and ask questions or do a search. Lot of very knowledgeable people over there to help you out.

[Moose Master]

I would call the folks at Puyallup Transmission.  I'm on my second Duramax and tug alot.  They have ALWAYS  been good with my Transmission problems no matter which vechile I own and never have oversold me.  AT A minimum flush and have them pull the pan.  Chinook Pass is not that bad of a tug so get it checked out.  Happy Trails.

[HntnFsh]

Did you figure anything out Trophyhunt?

[trophyhunt]

Yes, well, actually no I guess. lol.  So this weekend I changed the inside and outside filters and changed the fluid.  I was gonna take a pic of the fluid but I was just too covered in it.  The fluid didn't look bad to me, didn't smell burnt.  I'm not sure why it got hot, but I don't think it got as hot as my gauge said.  Maybe it was a combo of things, steep hill at low speeds, old fluid???  Not sure, but I ran it this weekend and its smooth as always.  I'm pulling my trailer up to buck creek this weekend, I'll give her hell on the way up and see what happens.  I did pull a hose off the tranny cooler outlet, and ran the motor.  It's definitely not plugged, pushed out about 5 quarts in 20 seconds, no kinked hoses.

[Sandberm]

Must be the gauge huh? Chevys are famous for their gauges going wonky? Electrical snafus?

My 2010 Colorados rpm gauge quit working at around 50,000 miles, soon after the engine temp gauge started to read inconsistently. Rather then buy a new gauge cluster for $900-$1500( depending on who you talk to) I bought a Scan Gauge II($200 ish) and have it plugged in and mounted below the AC controls so i can keep an eye on the engines temp.

Good luck

[Elkaholic daWg]

Must be the gauge huh? Chevys are famous for their gauges going wonky? Electrical snafus?

My 2010 Colorados rpm gauge quit working at around 50,000 miles, soon after the engine temp gauge started to read inconsistently. Rather then buy a new gauge cluster for $900-$1500( depending on who you talk to) I bought a Scan Gauge II($200 ish) and have it plugged in and mounted below the AC controls so i can keep an eye on the engines temp.

Good luck

I've had my cluster rebuilt on my 05 as it was doing weird stuff for a while. (like oil pressure gauge running the gamut.....0 to pegged speedometer losing 50 MPH at highway speeds.) Since there is a low oil pressure alert that was not going off I didn't go bonkers. No problem with the 07 yet

[trophyhunt]

My fuel level gauge has been acting up as well the past couple years.

[300rum]

Depending on what year you have, change your fuel pump as soon as possible. 

My fuel level gauge has been acting up as well the past couple years.

[jackelope]

Look up how to clean your cooling stack. Maybe the cooler is plugged with bugs and debris and such blocking air flow. It's an issue on anything, but I think I've heard these trucks are more prone to this becoming an issue. Stuff accumulates between the cooler and the radiator and blocks air flow. Trans fluid goes through the radiator part of the radiator as well in that truck.