Okay, I have a 2K Tahoe with the 5.3, 90K miles, picked it up in December. Maybe a month ago I took my son up to the local mom and pop ski resort. Only a couple of miles of grade, if that. Nothing too bad. I had the transfer case in auto since there were bare spots and slick spots. When I stopped it smelled kinda like I’d been riding the brake. Maybe not exactly, but it wasn’t a hot engine smell. I wondered if it was because the transfer case had been engaging and disengaging a lot. When I went back to get him I just left it in 4X4. There was a faint odor but not nearly as strong. Last night I take him up again. 2X4 all the way. The grade and speed were such that I could feel the tranny wanting to shift up and down. I tried to regulate my speed so as to keep shifting to a minimum. When I stopped to let my son out the smell was very strong. When I went back to get him I manually dropped it into 2nd gear. When I stopped that time my wife thought she caught a whiff of something but I couldn’t smell anything. I’m guessing this is the infamous 4l60e. Am I correct? The fluid doesn’t smell burned and it isn’t brown. I’m hoping that means it hasn’t received much damage. Is this the kind of thing the cooler and shift kit will help to prevent? If it’s doing this am I too late?

Thanks.