Trans Cooler Install

[Sawdusted]

Guys, I'm going to be towing a camper this summer for a road trip with the family. Round trip about 4,000 miles. Thinking of installing a trans cooler for the auto trans.

Question is do you bypass the cooler in the lower portion of the radiator or would it be better to plumb the cooler in series before or after the radiator cooler?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of doing them each way. What's the best way to install it. Towing vehicle is 2001 Nissan Pathfinder if it helps.

Thanks,
Sawdusted

 

[Donald]

How heavy is what you are towing? What is the towing capacity of the vehicle? Will you be going through mountains, the desert?

The normal way the trans cooler is setup, it warms the fluid initially then cools it as it gets hot.

You should have an inline thermostat in your external trans cooler.

If you are not near the towing capacity then I would use Amsoil ATF and call it a day. It can easily handle the higher temps of modest towing without adding a aux cooler.

 

[ls1mike]

Use both. What are you putting it in?
This was the stock one in my truck.

This was the after market 30,000 GVW Hayden

Comparison

Makes a huge difference.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Use both. What are you putting it in?
This was the stock one in my truck.

This was the after market 30,000 GVW Hayden

Comparison

Makes a huge difference.


What criteria did you use to say "makes a huge difference"?
The goal is to not damage the transmission while towing. Did you install a transmission temp gauge? Did you have one before you added an aux. cooler?

 

[ls1mike]

Tempature.

 

[Ken2]

I put an additional cooler in parallel with the built in cooler, and I put a valve on the inlet to the new cooler so it could be shut off in cold weather. A thermostatic valve of the correct temperature range is hard to find--what?, 150-160°F? Here's installation info from a jobber supplier of transmission parts (that also sells on line retail):
http://www.bulkpart.com/transmission-cooler.html

I like the stacked plate coolers made by the Long Mfg. division of Dana. They are sold under several brand names--Tru-Cool, B&M, Tekonsha. Hayden is their competition. The tell-tale is that the Longs are made in Canada (the last time I looked). Here's a good blurb about them from B&M (but they're the same) http://bmracing.com/?wpsc-product=automatic-transmission-supercooler-13000-btu-rated-11x7-12x34

The Long coolers have an internal bypass for cold fluid.

"Tru-Cool" self regulating coolers - it's the oil that regulates the cooler. That is the principle behind the revolutionary new TRU-COOL SR series of self-regulating transmission oil coolers. Thicker oil that is below the ideal operating temperature bypasses the cooler through the upper two plates. When the temperature rises, it becomes thin enough to pass through the entire cooler and receive TRU-COOL's superior heat transfer efficiently, automatically."

Do the in-radiator coolers actually warm the ATF? The ones I've seen are in the cold tank of the radiator, and that is mighty cold in the winter even after the engine is up to temperature. My turbo-Volvo had the engine oil cooler in the radiator hot tank and the transmission cooler in the cold tank.

And, as others have said, if you tow a fairly light trailer and not up mountains, you might not need an additional cooler. A top quality Full Synthetic ATF might be wise.

 

[Towncivilian]

I have the same year Pathfinder. I suggest installation of a B&M 70264 24k GVW cooler and a Mangnefine in-line filter; I run a 70268 which is 19k GVW and slightly thinner but there's plenty of room for the 70264. The passenger side cooler line is the return line. If you want example photos of my setup let me know!

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Get a simple 6x12 or 8x12 cooler for your transmission. Plumb from the line heading back from your radiator cooler to the engine. This way, the radiator heats up the atf, then the cooler cools it back to a decent temp and back to your transmission. This way the atf is heated to operating temp and then cooled back down before it enters the transmission.

 

[Chris142]

Mount the cooler to a bracket. Do not use those zippy tie things to mount it through the Condenser or Radiator! We cant repair the tubes when those Zippie things rub through the tubes.

 

[Sawdusted]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm heading west from Ohio to Wyoming (Yellowstone) and back. I don't know how hilly the drive will be but temps will be the usual summer 80s-100s temp in some areas.

Right now I am running regular ATF (non synthetic) which I will probably flush and fill with synthetic.

Towncivilian, would you be able to PM or email pictures of your setup?

Good information here. I will go through and decide what to do next.

Thanks guys

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

You will do some climbing on that trip, but mostly long grades instead of straight up switchback passes (unless you cross northern Wyoming instead of southern). There will also be some wind, starting at least in the Nebraska panhandle.

A transmission cooler and synthetic fluid will be good insurance. The setup on my Silverado with tow package looks like ls1mike's--first the radiator, then the auxiliary cooler, then back to the trans.

Enjoy the trip!