# Should my 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 tow better???



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

This has been frustrating me for a while... I have a 2011 GMC Sierra 4x4 w/5.3L V8, All-Terrain Package, HD towing package, 6-speed tranny, etc.... I tow my 21.5 shallow sport with it and I feel like it tows my boat like a DOG... If I go 70mph its running at 3000 rpm's the whole time. If I go 60-65 mph it will finally shift into the next gear but here is a picture of the main concern... Should my engine be getting this hot??? I feel like it happens every time I tow on long trips from houston to rockport, or houston to POC, etc... Is this truck just too much of a dog for towing or do I need to get this checked out?? I just wish towing my boat was easier... It sucks the gas down when I tow and I feel like its working its *** off to go 70mph...:help:


----------



## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

I have almost the same truck. And I too have a shallow sport if I do 70 plus my rpm r maybe 2500. Temp stays at 210 all the time

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## daryl1979 (Dec 17, 2010)

I have pretty much the same truck as you. Going 70 with my 21Shoalwater cat it sucks the gas. The temp is never that how so you might have a problem there. As far as the gas and going 70 it is a half to truck with a gas motor so it is what it is. I use about a half a tank in the 2 hours it take to get from my house to Rockport and that is driving 65


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

Yeah my temp is always at 210 but for some reason when I tow my boat it goes up... Guess I need to get the radiator checked out...


----------



## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

And do u pull using cruise control with traction control on r off

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

I pull it in tow/haul mode with traction control on... Does it make any difference that my boat has a raised console? I just dont understand why the temp gets that high...


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

I do not use cruise control while towing. Is your shallow sport a 21 or 18?


----------



## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

Its a22

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

21

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

So your truck never gets passed 210 degrees when you tow your boat?


----------



## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

No never

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## daryl1979 (Dec 17, 2010)

I use over drive and I don't have the raised counsel. But my truck never hits 210 degrees.


----------



## daryl1979 (Dec 17, 2010)

Sorry I don't use overdrive


----------



## WoundedMinnow (Oct 11, 2011)

Its a dog of a truck...I had a 2010 GMC z71 pulled horribly. Now I have a 2013 ford eco boost 4x4. Pulls like a champ. Dump the GMC and buy a ford

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## alphaman (Jun 3, 2011)

I had a gmc sierra. It suck pulling my 17ft bay boat. Every bridge I crossed it would downshift. Gas milage sucked 10 mpg. Now I have a hemi and love it. 14-15mpg pulling my 2104 frontier crusing 65

sent from my Galaxy NOTE II


----------



## daniel7930 (Jun 16, 2011)

I wont own another ford after the problems I had with my 05. And my chevy pulls good. But to each his own

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Steve H (Jul 25, 2010)

The GM 5.3 motor is one tough engine. It has a respectable amout of HP and Torque. The problem is the max Torque is high in the RPM band. Thats why it does not tow well. the Ford Ecoboost engine delivers all 420 FT/LB of torque in the 2000RPM range. One of the virtues of turbo charging vs naturally aspirated engines.


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

Does anyone know of any good mods I can do to improve towing performance without dumping my truck..?? It's been making me consider getting a 3/4 ton diesel but I can't make sense of spending the extra $$ for a diesel yet.. Are there any chips out there that will improve towing performance??


----------



## C.Hern5972 (Jul 17, 2009)

Mine was a complete dog.... They all tow the same. I like the chevy trucks, but i will say that they tow like ****. Just my .2

I towed my 22 blue wave pure bay and it struggled.


----------



## bearwhiz (Jan 30, 2011)

What gear ratio are you running in the rear end? This can have a lot to do with it.


----------



## daryl1979 (Dec 17, 2010)

My buddy has an edge programmer and that thing is bada$$


----------



## willsoonbfishin (Dec 8, 2006)

bearwhiz said:


> What gear ratio are you running in the rear end? This can have a lot to do with it.


X2. Bearwhiz hit the nail on the head.


----------



## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Probably the 3.42 rear end. Check and be sure you have a transmission air cooler in front of the radiator. It's a stretch, but your transmission could be over heating the coolant in the radiator. Check the trans temp on the DIC. If you don't have a trans cooler, a Chevy dealer can install one just like the factory. 
Stay off cruise control when towing, except flat ground.


----------



## paragod (Aug 25, 2006)

Towing your trans temp will go up but the engine should not my wife has a Escalade and it never gos over 210 hauling but tranny dose go up about 10 degrees I had a 5,3 the first yr they came out and it was a dog as well 9 miles to gal pulling my 19 ft bayhawk


----------



## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

I think your tranny is the reason for the higher temp. It sound like your torque converter isn't engaging and your transmission fluid is heating up. That's also why it feels like such a dog. I don't know about GM trannies, but even in tow mode, my TC locks up while towing at a constant speed. That's not a very heavy boat and your truck should pull it without any problem.

I'd get the tranny checked, and it might be a good idea to make sure your transmission fluid hasn't cooked.


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

bearwhiz said:


> What gear ratio are you running in the rear end? This can have a lot to do with it.


Whatever comes stock with the HD towing package/all-terrain package/z71... not sure what that is??


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

redexpress said:


> Probably the 3.42 rear end. Check and be sure you have a transmission air cooler in front of the radiator. It's a stretch, but your transmission could be over heating the coolant in the radiator. Check the trans temp on the DIC. If you don't have a trans cooler, a Chevy dealer can install one just like the factory.
> Stay off cruise control when towing, except flat ground.


I do have a transmission cooler.. What's the hottest my tranny should be getting while towing?


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

Gottagofishin said:


> I think your tranny is the reason for the higher temp. It sound like your torque converter isn't engaging and your transmission fluid is heating up. That's also why it feels like such a dog. I don't know about GM trannies, but even in tow mode, my TC locks up while towing at a constant speed. That's not a very heavy boat and your truck should pull it without any problem.
> 
> I'd get the tranny checked, and it might be a good idea to make sure your transmission fluid hasn't cooked.


I only have 60,000 miles on my truck.. Surely my transmission fluid can't be cooked??


----------



## AggieAngler12 (Aug 4, 2010)

I would suggest an obdII scanner to see what your actual tempatures are when you are not towing vs towing. Most standard temperature gauges will show 210 but will be in a range of 190-220 before it moves off of 210. Another thing to look at is to see if you have the right rating coolant. Hope you figure it out.


----------



## SSST (Jun 9, 2011)

I had an '09, now a '13, same motor, same trans, neither had much pulling power. The 5.3 is a proven motor, just lacks in the torque dept, plain snd simple. I pull the Kenner in my avatar all the time, against the wind is a bi***, but i never had it get over 210 on me. The 6 speed tranny just doesn't work good for pulling, it needs luke a 4 1/2 gear. My dad's '08 has the 4 speed still and it pulls way better. Maybe the '14's will have enough of a power increase to help, cuz i don't drive Fords.


----------



## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

txoutdrsman said:


> I only have 60,000 miles on my truck.. Surely my transmission fluid can't be cooked??


Probably not with a tranny cooler, but if your Torque converter isn't locking up properly when towing, your fluid is getting hotter than it should and is taking a beating. I'd check it just to be sure.

Also, if you do do a lot of towing, you should service the transmission more often. Not sure what the interval is on a Chevy, but I do my Ford every 25K miles just to be safe.

I think the important thing is to find out if the TC isn't locking up properly when towing. I'm guessing that is the problem. You are seeing it show up on the temp gauge because the tranny cooler which is part of the engine cooling system is having to bleed off the extra heat from the transmission fluid in addition to keeping the engine cool. It would also explain why it is struggling to pull a fairly light boat and why your RPMS are so high.


----------



## ROCKSPRINGS HUNTER (Dec 14, 2008)

I have a 08 GMC serria 5.3L V8 4x4. rear diff. with 3.73 gears. 
I tow around 2500-5000Lbs from houston to the ranch in Rocksprings, Texas which is 5hrs. Never had a problem.except for eating a lot of gas. trans temp would raise to maybe 190, but thats depending how hard i would drive. Engine temp has never gone above 210.

I now installed a edge programmer, so when I tow I switch it to towing mode. Definitely feel a difference. MPG has also improved a bit. it jus depends on how you drive.


----------



## txoutdrsman (Jun 1, 2011)

I really appreciate all the help gentlemen.. Truck is still under warranty so I think I'll take it in next week and see if they can get to the bottom of this. I'll probably print out this thread and ask them about these things. Thanks again!


----------



## KillaHookset (Jan 6, 2005)

I say check/clean your radiator and trans cooler of debris and obstructions and go ahead and replace thermostat and make sure your electric fans are working correctly because that temp is pretty high. I read of similar stories on the lack of pulling power and they all boil down to your rear end may have been pretty tall from the factory like a 3.08 or 3.42

If you have stock tires and do not plan on going any taller then your fix will be to tow at a slower speed in tow/haul mode to keep the TC locked; custom tuning can help with the shift points and TC lockout speeds but its more of a bandaid; the real fix is to regear to a 4.11 where the truck should have come from the factory with no less than a 3.73
It will make you much happier driving around town or on the highway and it will not lug and downshift going over an overpass or when you just give it a touch on the pedal to speed up.

I have 3.42 in my truck and will probably be swapping to 4.56 this fall before the travel trailer comes next spring.


----------



## rsylvia12 (Jun 17, 2006)

Get a duramax. That will solve all your problems.


----------



## gnspeed (Jan 31, 2012)

To verify you are having a problem you will need to drive with scan tool to verify gauge is reading correctly GMs clusters are known for having problems also the truck has a 190 degree thermostat so a temp of 200-210 isn't uncommon.As far as programers are concerned the only true program for your vehicle will be a in person tune I would look at Blackbear performance he does a great job and comes to town about 3 times a year.


----------



## SSST (Jun 9, 2011)

rsylvia12 said:


> Get a duramax. That will solve all your problems.


Except for payment problems


----------

