[hpt84]

My parts are coming this week. I'm planning on picking up some Dexron VI and tackle this on Friday. I'll definitely take some pictures.

 

[hpt84]

Folks often don't get the expected results from aftermarket transmission coolers, because their was no added airflow. I strongly suggest doing it right, and installing a cooler, with it's own fan to ensure proper airflow.

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I placed the cooler infront of the AC condenser. It will get decent airflow because the only way that air move through the radiator fan is first through the tran cooler, ac condenser and radiator. I barely above 200F while towing. My goal is to simply be under 200F.

 

[hpt84]

Ok. Finally got around to doing this install. I installed a Derale 13502 Series 8000 cooler. I like the cooler build, but if I have to do it over, I'll buy a different cooler with slightly bigger hoses. The ones that came with it was really tight when trying to connect to the traverse transmission line. This took me about a full day of work because I was figuring stuff out as I go.


First step is to remove the front bumper. I recommend watching this youtube clip on removing GMC arcadia first gen bumper.

2nd gen traverse has a small trim around the wheel that 1st gen traverse does not have. 1st gen arcadia has this trim.

• Remove the black plastic cover. There are 12 plastic clip. I used a trim removal trim that I brought on amazon for $5.
• Remove the 6 screw holding bumper. You have to use a star bit for this. I also remove the hood latch bracket, so I can remove the plastic cover under the hood latch. There are 3 screws that hold that plastic cover down. If you remove the cover you can now see radiator and ac condenser.
• Remove the screws on the bottom of the bumper. There are some that hold the middle plastic and some on the side that screw into the wheel well. Most of the bottom screws holds the bottom trim to the bumper. You don’t have to remove those.
• Remove the screws from the front bumper in the wheel well. You should be able to pull the wheel well plastic back.

• You can also pull the edge trim off the front bumper by force. There are 3 green clips holding the trim to the front bumper. The trim will not come off the fender unless you compress the wheel clip on the inside.

• Under the headlamp there is a socket head screw on the front bumper that I removed on both side. I don’t think that matter. You should be able to pull the bumper off by force now. There are clip around the headlight that hold it on. You will have to disconnect the foglight, which is one big delphi connector.

Second step. Now that the bumper is off, remove everything that cover the ac condenser.

Third step is to install the cooler. I recommend watching this video.

• Unscrew the plastic trim on the edge of the ac condenser (4 socket head screws). The plastic trim should be able to move forward now.

• There are two clip that hold the condenser in place. Squeeze them to move the condenser forward. This will give you room to work behind it.

• I attached my cooler on the condenser. I cut out the plastic trim where my hoses would run.

• There are 4 lines going to the radiator. The two big hoses are coolant and the two small metal tubing are transmission fluid. I disconnect the top one which I believe is the return line. There is a “C” clip that hold the metal pipe in.

• I attached cooler hose to the metal tube I pulled out. I attached adapter Derale 13035 to the transmission hole where the tubing used to be. Attached the second cooler hose to the adapter.

The only thing I got left tomorrow is to run the engine and check for leaks. I’m at 50,000 miles, so I might also do a partial transmission flush. And lastly, to put the bumper back on.

 

[hpt84]

Don't forget to add fluid to account for the increased system volume.

Can I start the engine first without adding the more fluid? I wanted to run to check for leak and then do a flush afterward.

 

[hpt84]

This is the top line. Its hotter , which means its sending fluid from the tranny, to the cooler.
View attachment 9427


This is the bottom line, which is returning the cooled fluid, back to the transmission
View attachment 9428

This is how to hook an additional cooler up, correctly.
View attachment 9429

Well I read from two different post that the top is the return line on the 1st gen traverse. One of them claimed to be a GM service manager. I guess for whatever reason, GM changed it on the 2nd gen.

 

[hpt84]

I would do the drain first so you do not pump old fluid into the new cooler. At 50k miles your due for a fluid change, the severe maint. sched. usually is 45k miles. Everyone usually meets at least one of the severe maint. sched. criteria's .
Refill with specified amount of fresh then run it to leak check. It's OK to idle it if level is slightly low as there is a substantial amount of fluid in it.
Cold fluid I would shoot for half way between add and full marks as your final set level. Cooler and line probably will not take much more than a extra quart if that.
In my Tahoe with tow package and in dash trans. temp. readout I've never seen it over 175 deg. towing a 18' pontoon on 90 deg. days in hilly terrain. Haven't checked my 'verse yet to see if it has the trans. temp. readout capability with tow package.

There is no transmission dipstick on the 2nd gen traverse. There is a level plug near the bottom of the transmission.

 

[hpt84]

I haven't checked my '20 9 speed yet for a stick. Only 2 weeks old.
It's nice to have one on my 'nox, I just drain out and measure what came out when it comes to my ''stick less'' Malibu's and refill plus a touch according to spec. .

Alisobob did a write up on how to change the transmission fluid and add the right amount of fluid using the level plug. I think a lot of the new vehicle are moving away from the dipstick. I have level plug on both my traverse and kia sorento

 

[hpt84]

So I changed my transmission fluid today. I drove around for 20 mins and my transmission temp got up to 135F with no towing. I let it sit in my driveway for 20 minutes more and it got up to 154F. I really don't got any temperature to compare to. I think it is usually around 160/170F before the adding the cooler. The true test is this Thursday when I go camping with my travel trailer.

 

[hpt84]

Did you reroute the hoses to go radiator first, then aftermarket cooler 2nd, then back to the transmission?

No, I already put everything back together at that point.

So I towed my travel trailer this weekend. It is 2740 lbs dry weight, so loaded it is probably between 3000-3500 lbs. My transmission temp was 225F and coolant temp was 215F while going 75 mph on the highway. Outside temperature was 85-90F and humid.I dropped my speed to 70 mph, and trans temp was 210F and coolant was 200F. Before the trans cooler, my trans temp was 200-205F and coolant was 185F while going 70 mph on the highway pulling a pop up camper that is 1650 lbs dry weight. It is probably around 2000lbs loaded.

I probably tow at 70 mph max moving forward, unless I decide to upgrade to the HD radiator.

 

[hpt84]

If you leave it this way, the cooled fluid leaving the aux cooler is being warmed back up by entering the radiator mounted cooler on the way back to the transmission. This is counterproductive to all your hard work.

I plan on addressing it as soon as I have a free weekend. Hopefully before the end of July.

 

[hpt84]

Your mileage will really suck doing 70mph. But more than that, check your trailer tires and make sure they have a speed rating on them. No speed rating = 65mph max.

Yea, the rating for my radial tire is 75 mph. My old trailer was bias which had a rating of 65 mph. I made sure my latest trailer was radial and can handle more.

 

[hpt84]

You are 100% correct. I ran my 2020 Traverese today with the cooler lines disconnected. The UPPER hardline is the cooled fluid, returning the the transmission.
View attachment 9681

The hose with the blue tape is from the upper hardline connection, and was flowing fluid with the engine running. This confirms this is the RETURN line.
View attachment 9682

Unfortunately, I swapped the hose before I saw this post. SMH 😟. This winter I planned on swapping out the radiator, I'll change the hoses back then.

 

[hpt84]

Any updates on your trans temps? Just finished with mine, plumbed the same direction as yours and a noticeable improvement after the first trip to work and back. Mid 90's outside temp and my trans temp reached 172 degrees right at the end of my trip home. Hard to compare exactly, but similar outside temps several weeks back produced a trans temp of 188 - 190 degrees for the same route. I think we have some directionally challenged experts here on this board sadly. Oh yeah, one other thing. Added an "unnecessary" engine oil cooler as well and an interesting side note on my engine coolant temps. Using a scangauge, engine coolant normally remains at a fairly constant 188 degrees, but I noticed yesterday on my maiden run, that it was running 184 - 186 degrees. Not a big difference, but enough to convince me all the time and money were well spent in spite again of the so called traverse god's opinions..

In the hottest month in Georgia (upper 90s F outside air), my transmission temperature is closed to 200F (6 hours trip) without towing and closed to 225F while towing (1.5 hours trip). Since then I have swap my tran coolers hoses, which apparently my setup now is incorrect. I added some red line water wetter, which I heard a lot from people using it in Arizona/Texas to improve coolant temp. Taking a trip this weekend, and will update temperature when I get back. I plan on changing my radiator to the HD version this winter.

 

[hpt84]

An awesome write-up!! Thank you for doing this! I got started on this a few weeks ago and chickened out when I could not get the bumper to break free from the headlights. I put it all back together to fight with it another day.

Any thoughts on how the bumper is attached to the headlight lens/assembly? Are the clips that hold it to the light assembly like the fender molding that has to come off or are they something different. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks.

The video on the arcadia show a good demonstration. Once you get all the screw out from the edge of the bumper, you should be able to just put the bumper from the headlight. Don't be afraid to use some force

 

[hpt84]

It has been awhile guys, but i'm planning on upgrading my radiator to the HD version. More info soon

 

[hpt84]

I followed your steps on adding the cooler, but I bought the biggest one from the same series Part no# 13504. View attachment 10638

I connected it to the top line instead of the bottom one like you did. View attachment 10637
My Temps have been 150F on a hot day with around 100F ambient temp. That's compared to 189F and 220F Towing. Thanks for posting your tutorial!

For your temperature. How much are you towing?
I'm towing close to 3500 lbs. Transmission temp is around 230F and coolant temp is 205F during peak season. I'm planning on upgrading both the aux cooler and the radiator