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Transmission cooler or not Thread

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by Mad Max, Oct 12, 2020.

  1. Oct 16, 2020 at 3:56 PM
    #121
    betotundra

    betotundra Toyota for Life

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    Yup, that seems fairly accurate to me.
     
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  2. Oct 16, 2020 at 5:23 PM
    #122
    hagrid

    hagrid The most diverse of Diversity Hires!

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  3. Oct 17, 2020 at 10:33 AM
    #123
    Vector W8

    Vector W8 Old guy with a lot of expensive habits.

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    I put a 20,000lb gvwr Trans Oil cooler on my 15 a few years ago, Had the trans flushed and filter replaced at 35000 miles. Did not like the color of the trans fluid at that time. So I added the cooler in line with the factory cooler. Better safe than sorry on my part.
     
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  4. Oct 17, 2020 at 11:44 AM
    #124
    Jtundra81

    Jtundra81 Just a member

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    From what I understood, the ws will have Darker color but does not necessarily mean that it is burnt
     
  5. Oct 17, 2020 at 4:28 PM
    #125
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    Just got back from mud park. 75f in Houston. That winter for us. 215f over Houston ship channel bridge. What a joke. Biggest hill in Texas. Insane temperatures for no load. Toyota better start building spares. Their going to be covering a lot of warranty work for folks without coolers. Gets real clear real quick when see actual trans temps. I hook up up 5klb boat roll to FLA in July it will be pegged at 300. Problem is I bought cooler. Georgeous work of art better than any factory system so after install surprised if I see 200f. What can you do...,
     
  6. Oct 17, 2020 at 4:46 PM
    #126
    Vector W8

    Vector W8 Old guy with a lot of expensive habits.

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    No, It has nice bright red fluid, but when you have 550hp you tend to use it a little more often than people with 381hp, so there is a little more stress on the trans due to that.
     
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  7. Oct 17, 2020 at 4:47 PM
    #127
    Kanobi13

    Kanobi13 New Member

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    Have dealer take a look at your findings... at least document the high temps could be sensor
     
  8. Oct 17, 2020 at 5:42 PM
    #128
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    Actually Toyota WS is dark purple. No I believe my temps. If piddle around i keep. At 205. I put cooler on next week. See difference.
     
  9. Oct 17, 2020 at 6:28 PM
    #129
    Jtundra81

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    215 is normal for 19 and up , you don't have to be towing anything, now believe it or not , I see the same while towing my TT 4000lb , difference is I tow with s4 and tow / haul button on , I don't press the truck , only time I see it climbs on stops but goes down afterward and stay around 215 .now this is all in MA flat with some small rolling hills
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2020
  10. Oct 19, 2020 at 4:08 PM
    #130
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    Just a follow-up. I installed cooler shown on this forum, extremely nice complete set-up. 88F again today driving around Houston. Doing 80 mph on interstate for 40 minutes I was getting 191F and wouldn't move regardless of throttle input and downshifts, around town 187F, again couldn't drive it higher. This is with the transmission thermostat working, if I pinned open I probably be closer to 170F. I have no doubt I could have seen 220F without cooler if I pushed it Saturday, no towing. I don't drive or tow at 60 mph. I drive and tow at 75 mph. I will hook up my boat and see what the data is when I get a chance. No and, ifs or buts the cooler is the way to go in my opinion. When its 98F this summer without cooler trans temps would be 250F and higher. Kind of bitter sweet when installing kit and brackets and threaded holes on vehicle still exist where the "factory" cooler was used.
     
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  11. Oct 19, 2020 at 9:15 PM
    #131
    Tracy Perry

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    And I was pulling a 6000lb (approximate weight) Winnebago travel trailer this weekend in gently hilly East Texas and in S5 I saw temps hitting 248° while in S4 they held around 218° (ambient temp was 87° F).
    Honestly did not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
    So, I know that I'll be pulling in S4 most of the time and leave S5/D for light loads or empty.
     
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  12. Oct 20, 2020 at 2:28 AM
    #132
    GODZILLA

    GODZILLA Hail to the King, Baby.

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    There was a sample submitted to Blackstone for analysis, and I believe the determined the fluid would handle all the temps it had seen. The data seemed to indicate that the 302 setting for the temp warning that Toyota had it set at wasn't too out of line.

    @ColoradoTJ can you fact check me on this one? You've got a way better handle on the figures and a better memory than I do. Am I remembering correctly?

    I personally plan to install a cooler for the peace of mind and long term health of my transmission. I am also hoping to have this truck last me 40 years, so everyone may not feel the same way I do.
     
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  13. Oct 20, 2020 at 2:34 AM
    #133
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    That was correct temperature limits.
     
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  14. Oct 20, 2020 at 4:16 AM
    #134
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    In my opinion it’s more than what the fluid can handle. What about the temperature gradient and thermal cycling on the solenoids. Clutch material adhesive. It’s gets back to lasting 100k miles or 500k miles in my opinion. You be better off keeping at 250f then cycling from ambient to 250f. Again with cooler temps don’t fluctuate without all over place. I think you unload under 1??kmiles u never have issue
     
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  15. Oct 20, 2020 at 5:32 AM
    #135
    Dragracer_Art

    Dragracer_Art New Member

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    This seems to be the elephant in the room that many are overlooking.

    The fluid may be ok at 250+ degrees... but how about the rest of the transmission components nobody wants to talk about ?
    There's alot more stuff inside an automatic transmission besides the fluid.
    Seals, O rings, gaskets, clutches, solenoids, wires, connectors, bushings, bearings, etc...

    Its easy to get caught up and distracted by talk about fluid testing/ratings... because thats about the only transmission related thing most people have had in their hands.

    I personally couldnt care less about what the fluid can tolerate.
    Id like to know how the transmission and internal components will hold up when they are running 50+ degrees hotter than the industry-wide accepted standard.

    In my opinion...(and many others) 175-195 degrees is typically the accepted operating range of an automatic transmission.
     
  16. Oct 20, 2020 at 6:26 AM
    #136
    palehorse

    palehorse @grey_ghost_trdpro

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    I'm at 15,000 miles and will install when I change my transmission fluid at 30,000 miles. Should be right about March before the weather starts heating up.

    My pan temps average 225F just driving on the interstate in the heat of summer. When pulling my boat, its always just local and I use S4. We have no hills, just bridges. When compared to my interstate driving, towing a 5000# boat is only about 3% of the miles put on my truck.

    Just makes sense to have the fluid run cooler, even if its only by 20 degrees. I assume my transmission will want to run even hotter once I put bigger / heavier tires on the truck.
     
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  17. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:11 AM
    #137
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    Why tow in S4 vs drive? If you didn’t know trans temp would you still tow out of Drive and in S4? Did I miss something in owners manual?
     
  18. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:18 AM
    #138
    palehorse

    palehorse @grey_ghost_trdpro

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    Because when I tow in Drive my transmission temps are hotter.
     
  19. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:21 AM
    #139
    Bammer

    Bammer I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request.

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  20. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:37 AM
    #140
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    No!!! Assume you didn’t know temp. Is there not enough power to tow?
     
  21. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:47 AM
    #141
    Jtundra81

    Jtundra81 Just a member

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    Converter lock , not hunting for gears , more fluid flow , I average 215 when towing on s4 , will creep up as soon as I put it s5 or D
     
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  22. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:48 AM
    #142
    palehorse

    palehorse @grey_ghost_trdpro

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    Yes I knew temps.
     
  23. Oct 20, 2020 at 7:49 AM
    #143
    Jtundra81

    Jtundra81 Just a member

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    Just dropped truck at the dealer for fuel pump recall , I asked to give me estimate on external cooler install , waiting to see if they are willing to do it
     
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  24. Oct 20, 2020 at 8:44 AM
    #144
    Bammer

    Bammer I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request.

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    YES!!!!
     
  25. Oct 20, 2020 at 8:57 AM
    #145
    hagrid

    hagrid The most diverse of Diversity Hires!

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  26. Oct 20, 2020 at 8:58 AM
    #146
    Saltyhero13

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    Fuel delete mod Cup holder upgrade
    ITS GETTING HOT!!!
     
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  27. Oct 20, 2020 at 9:10 AM
    #147
    Doxiedad

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    I asked my dealer. One service advisor said 6 hours labor so $900 another one said I didn’t need it. :rofl:
     
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  28. Oct 20, 2020 at 11:11 AM
    #148
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    I installed the cooler on Sunday. I am beyond a "shade tree" mechanic. That said it took me 3.5 hours and I never got hung up on anything, did have a pretty good Jim Beam hangover and it was 90F. So if labor is $100 an hour $350 would be right. Any shade tree mechanic can install. Truth be told its not hard work. I had zero issues sliding the flexible hose on the hard lines. Most people indicate it was hard. I used ample transmission fluid and they slid right on. I had excellent luck with ratcheting box end wrenches vs sockets. Again many different ways to skin a cat. I would not install without using the kit on this forum. His brackets, instructions, supplied hardware saves you 5? hours and the results are second to none (my bracket would been joke compared to his), his design is genius, the exchanger adds stiffness to the assembly while allowing 100% airflow. I have zero concern of a leak or issue from the system I installed. I received the his "custom kit" and ordered my Toyota parts from local dealer, price came out the same but I got the kit much quicker. Make sure you use On-Line Toyota dealer as MSRP would be extremely high.

    Follow his direction line by line. Hardest part for me was getting the grill off. I was afraid I was going to break it, but work around it slightly pulling make sure all tabs are free and the last two pop off. The splash shield has two "hangers" you have to get in the holes right, that took me a little figuring out. The actual install of the kit is easy, it removing stuff that take a couple minutes. Routing the hard lines take a little fiddling, the key I found was to rotate them as you install and they finally fall into place.

    Going to get my boat trailer for testing today. Found a big bubble on one of my 2017 Shorelandr trailer tires, oh wait I checked the tire date code and it indicates 2013 so why did Shorlandr install 3 year old tires on my new 2017 trailer in 2017? Looks like I got a new battle today....

    Driving around town stop and go traffic today 88F trans pan temp 185. Got out and touched cooler and it was HOT so even below 189F the cooler is dissipating heat. Did I mention I love it.
     
  29. Oct 20, 2020 at 11:43 AM
    #149
    Jtundra81

    Jtundra81 Just a member

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    Waiting to hear back , let's see how much they gonna come up with
     
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  30. Oct 20, 2020 at 12:08 PM
    #150
    Mad Max

    Mad Max [OP] New Member

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    Dealer not necessary. This isn’t high tech work. I find reputable local person. In addition why patronize Toyota? Reward them for your inconvenience
     
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