Your experience towing with VQ3.5 Automatic

[BowTied]

For those of you who ocassionally or regularily tow a trailer with your VQ powered auto trans rigs:

 

1. Do you ever tow in Overdrive? [if yes, please answer #2 & #3, If no, skip 2 & 3]
2. If so, at what weight would you decide not use OD when towing on a highway (50-55mph)?
3. If so, at what weight would you decide not use OD when towing on a freeway (60-65mph)?

Thanks for sharing your actual experience.

 

 

[ArizonaPathy]

The most I have towed with my Pathy was a full landscape trailer around 3500 lbs. I kept the OD off in the city due to stoplights, traffic, etc. Once on the open road, I turned the OD on while on flat terrain and was moving at a constant speed. As soon as the tranny started to downshift a lot, (and it will on all but the slightest grades), I took the OD off. Never went above 65, never had the AC on.

 

I think it depends on the conditions and terrain in which you are driving, and not so much the weight. But if your towing the full 5000 lbs, with a full load of gear and the AC on, probably better to keep the OD off. You definately notice a trailer behind a Pathfinder.

[BowTied]

Thank-you for posting your experience.

 

When you were towing with the OD off on the highway and particularily the freeway, were the RPMs crazy? I am guessing it would be about 3300 for me to do the speed limit on the freeway here, that seems very high for sustained driving.

[adamzan]

Thank-you for posting your experience.

 

When you were towing with the OD off on the highway and particularily the freeway, were the RPMs crazy? I am guessing it would be about 3300 for me to do the speed limit on the freeway here, that seems very high for sustained driving.

Not really if you consider that some of the older pathfinders were around that rpm range to do 120km/h in 5th gear.

[Kingman]

3300 isn't anything really, consider what Adam said about the old Pathfinders - especially the '87s with the 3-speed automatics. I turned over 4000RPMs+ on the highway, and it had over 200k on it and the engine was in great condition.

[BowTied]

I don't see how the comparison to an engine of completely different architecture is relevant? Sorry, not trying to be rude, but I don't see it.

 

Sure, I get almost any engine to turn 3500 all day long. Doing that and towing 3k, probably. Just hoping to hear some actual experience, but it looks like not many VQ automatic owners tow a lot.

[Thunderbolt]

Like everyone says, if it down shifting a lot, I would just put the O/D off, and don't worry about running at 3500 RPM, as long you have clean oil and the temp is reading normal, besides here in Colorado running up I-70 near Eisenhower tunnel at 11000FT, I'm usually running 5500 Rpm for about 13 miles during the climb with no problems.

 

David

[carkey83]

I've occasionally towed about 3500lbs, and pretty much just turn off the OD in the hills. The biggest issue actually, for me, were the rear springs. They bottomed at the thought of towing or hauling. Air Lift air bags took care of that and I would recommend it to everyone who drives these.

[fishinpathy]

I actually tow quite a bit with mine, I have three boats of various sizes ranging in weight from approx. 1200 lbs. loaded to about 3500 lbs. and a small utillity trailer since I dont have an open bed truck at my everyday disposal. Weight varies by how they are loaded at the time of use. I leave the overdrive on all the time. Now I dont live where there's alot of different inclines other than bridges, so keep that part in mind. I also trailer 80% of the time near the house only 2-35 miles one way. On long trips I may turn it off with the larger boat, when in an area with alot of up and down driving. Most people I know do the same with similar trucks like the R50. I do go through some brakes though. Just "maintain" pathy as abused.

[stevebaz]

I tow a small boat and a varity of trailers. anywhere from 1000 to 2500 lbs. I never tow in overdrive I always switch it off and I have also added an extra trans cooler on my 2001 Pathfinder. These transmissions are way too sensitive and expensive to repair it makes no sence to push extra load on them.

[BowTied]

Thanks for the added experience comments, it is helpful

 

 

These transmissions are way too sensitive and expensive to repair it makes no sence to push extra load on them.

 

 

This is why I started the thread. If I had an old Chevy TH350 trans I could blow it up and have a good used one dropped in by a garage for $5-600 all in, maybe less. I expect the pathy will be 5x+ on that price.

 

The other thing is that the freeways where I live have a statisical averge speed of 73mph - that speed with OD off is 3900RPM. Now I know I don't need to drive that fast, but as we all know, speed differential is dangerous. So I want to either use OD or drive as slow as I can to keep revs in check ..but still be going at least 65mph (limit is 62.5, and those that drive less than 65 cause traffic problems often).

 

I was interested to hear the responses from those that do use OD, I was not expecting that. To those of you who have not said, Do you run trans coolers? I think this is a great idea, and want to add one sometime.

Edited January 27, 2010 by BowTied

[fishinpathy]

I've had no problems towing with overdrive on as I mentioned before and pushing 80k on my R50. I also do a great deal of beach driving with my vehicles in 4WD. I've had no problems with other trucks I own doing the same (F150s, Isuzus, older R50). I tend to rack up millage too, all past cars with well over 100k and original tranny (no problems) when sold. If I had the extra $ and time a cooler would be a nice extra. I just change fluids more often when the trucks are driven harder, say like summer time. I take it easy when I tow and don't really push my vehicle either. I get up to speed easily and once at highway speed just cruise along.