2016 4.6 transmission cooler

My Tundra has the tow hitch but does not have the transmission cooler. I am asking for advice on what transmission cooler to buy. I am going to be pulling a small travel trailer that weighs about 4200 lbs. the truck specifications say that it can pull over 6000 lbs. I don't want to buy one of those universal tranny coolers that you can buy at autozone for $40. Has anyone installed a tranny cooler on their 4.6 Tundra?

 

I'm pretty sure my cooler kit will fit.

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/2019-transmission-cooler.60550/

 

Does a 4.6 even need a cooler? What sort of temp are you even getting? I towed 10k with my old 4.6 without issue.

 

Well I just assumed that I needed one. I have no temp gauge for the transmission. It is strange that Toyota added a tow hitch without a cooler.

 

Thanks Nick, I am really interested in your cooler but are you sure it will fit a 2016?

 

I'd bet a dollar that Nick's kit will fit any 2014-2020.

 

First Step: Get a temperature gauge if you are towing heavy and long distance. Numerous threads here on OBD based transmission temperature monitoring. Start with this one to educate yourself according to what type cell phone you'll use to read them out:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/scangauge-ii-vs-torque-pro-vs-obd-fusion.57513/#post-1544682

Your 4.6L having a hitch and no transmission cooler simply means it doesn't have Toyota's tow package. I've looked into adding a transmission cooler to my 2017, but concluded I don't tow heavy enough or far enough for it to be an issue. Example: I recently towed about 2500 lbs on a 16' utility trailer for about 1.5 hours (sorry, best example of my towing). Transmission temperatures never got above 230 degrees in near 100 degree ambient temperatures.

You can buy the Toyota parts (transmission thermostat, steel lines) to retrofit an air-to-fluid transmission cooler to your 4.6L. Those parts are different than those for the 5.7L, so be careful what you buy. You can buy a high-quality, name-brand heat exchanger online rather than spend big bucks for Toyota, but the minor problem to be worked is adapting the heat exchanger to the Toyota plumbing. The tech people selling the heat exchanger can help you with proper fittings for using rubber hose couplings to adapt the exchanger to the Toyota steel cooler lines.

Basically, aftermarket exchangers seemed to be either around 8-10K BTU rating or 25-30K BTU rating. The 10K BTU exchanger is closest to the Toyota-sized exchangers for earlier years, and should be adequate for most any RV your Tundra will tow. I was looking at B&M heat exchangers if it I did the conversion, see here:

https://www.holley.com/brands/b_and...ion_coolers/supercooler_transmission_coolers/

 

Your best bet is to go for this kit honestly !

 

@twalker50 is betting considerably more than "A Dollar" that this kit will work.

The original kit was developed for a 5.7L: At the least, the supplier is going to have to research the Toyota part numbers for the 4.6L transmission parts. If @twalker50 doubts his ability to do that, then he can either get @Roman to help him, or delegate the thinking to the kit supplier. The milled aluminum exchanger mounting bracket supplied in the kit is aesthetic, but the function can probably be improved (reduced blockage, improved air flow) using thin sheet steel at less expense. Jmho.

I do my own thinking when there's an aftermarket engineering problem to be solved.

 

Everything should be the same on the 4.6 besides the engine of course. I will just need you to confirm a couple things. As far as the bracket goes it is .093" stainless steel plate powder coated black. There is hardly any blockage besides the stem on the bracket but that is only 2.25" wide.

 

I would just need you to verify a couple mounting locations. I will PM you instructions.

 

This is why I wouldn't trust you to do any engineering thinking for me: 4.6L has a different transmission with the thermostat mounted on the very front bell housing. That transmission uses a different part number thermostat, and maybe different fluid tubes.

You got me on the bracket. I quit following your development before the change from the milled aluminum bracket to sheet steel. Stainless would not need to be powder-coated except for aesthetics, but if powder coating, you could use cheaper carbon steel sheet. Configuration of the bracket can still play a part in obstructing air flow.

 

You really think I am here to f*** people over? Of course I am going to ensure he has the correct parts. Could you explain why 304 stainless steel that is prepped properly cannot be powder coated? It is not just for aesthetics because stainless steel still rusts unless it has a mirror finish.

 

No, I don't think you're here to f*** people over.

I simply think you have a higher regard for your engineering skills than you should, and you may f*** people over with the best of intentions. I am only involved here because conditions have changed with the 4.6L, and I highly suspected that you (and others) were totally unaware. I don't want you to f*** @twalker50 over with the best of intentions, irrespective of your profit motive.

I quit following your "development" because I fully expected you to eventually end up with a very expensive transmission failure, and I wasn't going to watch that train wreck happen. It appears you've gotten lucky and survived the trial and error development for your 5.7L. I didn't want to watch this trial and error process play out for @twalker50.

 

I was unaware they did not share the same transmission however, I would have figured that out after some quick research. Mine nor anyone else running the same setup is not going to have a transmission failure unless they did not do the fluid check properly. The only aftermarket part is the hose running to the hard line and the cooler itself.

 

Chasenicholas93 is clearly smarter than you buddy .. all he has done is put together a kit using factory parts and a nicely engineered bracket and a high quality aftermarket cooler ... He didn't try and reengineer the truck .. there is no chance of failure by installing his kit .. educate yourself before you make yourself look like more of an arrogant idiot .

 

JohnLakeman is a smart dude. I am not trying to discredit him but I have done a lot of testing and designing to make this bracket for the cooler. If he has suggestions on how to make it better I have open ears.

 

Yeah...No s***. After I informed you of that fact, and you did the research retroactively. Even if @twalker50 does trust you with this, I will have saved him (and you) a lot of frustration and headaches from finding out the parts you sent wouldn't fit.

Yeah...That after I told you to use the Toyota steel lines. In your engineering wisdom, you decided to run rubber hose the full length. I saw later that you realized that rubber hose was not going to survive in that heat near the exhaust system, and again, made a sensible change. You're right...if the tubes are steel and the connections are tight, people won't have to worry once the level is properly set. The train wreck is when your plumbing springs a leak and your proper fluid level starts pumping out on the ground.

 

You are incorrect about who was educating whom. For personal reasons, I was involved with this project before you, and even @chasenicholas93, were aware that the trucks did not have a transmission cooler. For my purposes, I have decided adding the cooler is not necessary.

 

Lol I take back my kind words about you. That was part of the development phase bud, I wasn't selling anything. I asked everyone for their input and I appreciated your help. Now can you please explain how you would make this system any better?

 

Kind words were not necessary; truth should not expect kindness.

As I said before, if you simply took the aluminum bracket plan and made it in sheet metal, you probably still have more obstruction than I would like. Maybe it'll work fine, but not optimal in my opinion. Other than that, if you have the right part numbers for the transmission, then you appear to have finally "developed" an acceptable solution.

For what it's worth, potential transmission replacement is not an acceptable risk or expense for "development".

 

LOL.

 

Thank you so much guys for responding to my question. I am blown over with all of the information that I have received from this. Most of the time when you ask questions on these types of forums, you never get answers. It is just awesome to have this community. I think that I will follow JohnLakeman's advice and get an ODB reader and monitor the temperature first to see if I even need to add a cooler. Sorry guys, I didn't mean to start an argument but I really do appreciate all of your comments.