Transmission Cooler & Factory Warranty

Very true. Many of the 2019+ owners do that, to rationalize why Toyota would pull the auxiliary trans cooler. Must've been them looking out for owners, and not them looking to save a buck somewhere, or so they say haha

 

How can a independent mechanic do warranty work on Toyota's? Would think dealers would holler.
Let alone get parts at dealer cost?

 

I don't know the specifics, but he's got some arrangement with Toyota. He's mentioned that a vehicle was in for warranty work in a video (and it was like a 2 year old vehicle), and he's discussed how shops add up charges to their parts, and went into detail that he only charges Toyota's MSRP for the parts as that still means he makes a small profit on them (meaning he's getting them below MSRP obviously).

 

Just so you know anyone can get parts below MSRP Just shopping around online dealer to dealer they all charge different prices and very few actually charge MSRP. Whenever I'm in need of parts I always check 10 to 20 different dealer sites to find the cheapest.

 

I use to work at a motorcycle dealership. We had guys that where mechanics and would buy parts from us. We gave them a discount on the parts. But I agree with you that he is still in bed with Toyota. That's why he doesn't really speak his mind.

 

https://youtu.be/l2OAHImTgA8?si=3PwmB6vAVl37in7T&t=938

 

I like how he throws in there, but if you want to add one go ahead, it won't hurt anything. Like I said, I like the guy and he is informative but you can tell he isn't going to go against Toyota.
And Toyota saved more than a few pennies like he said.

 

Yea he is usually adamantly opposed to any modifications, so him even saying that, makes me think he knows it should have the cooler, but he obviously can't say that directly.

 

Have a garage license you get discounts. Cold Air Distributors sells parts around here. You must have a garage license to buy.

Earl Stewart Toyota says he charges Toyota his cost of parts and labor for warranty work on Toyota. He says Toyota never questions his warranty work while others may game the systems. IDK

 

According to TCI (and other sources), the ideal operating temperature for automatic transmission fluid is between 175 and 225 degrees, they do caution though that running over 235-240 is a bad thing.

As for your comment about engine temps - Normal operating temp for engine oil runs over 220 degrees.

 

I have seen similar temps mention around the net. So I would venture to say that 225 is already pushing it and should avoid being at that range for extended periods of time. In summer time here in S. Fla, without my cooler, my trans was 200 plus, I even saw into the 230 a time or two when stepping on it on the highway. Now I can't even get it to go past 200, no matter how much I step on it. My temp hovers around 185-192, even when towing my 7000lb boat.

 

I was pushing 225F+ in rush hour traffic in Houston area, no load, no towing. I never had the balls to tow without a cooler after seeing my unloaded temps and used my F-150 (which has a cooler) instead. Installed a cooler on the Tundra and run consistently 185-195F. My truck's thermal degredation counter is significantly lower than our Sequoias, which doesn't have a cooler.

I'm on team pro-cooler, but it is largely due to my specific use and my desire to maintain longevity on this truck. I haul around a dump trailer and a boat enough where it just makes sense to have it. FWIW, I installed it during warranty knowing the dealer would screw me over on it if anything happened.

If your truck is a mall queen, maybe you don't need a cooler though. Everyone should evaluate it against their use.

 

agreed

i put the cooler on due to my S/C

Peace of mind

I run pinned open. It runs at 170 degrees

unpinned it runs at 195

which is better? Dunno

 

There are discussions on here somewhere about the MINIMUM temp for the best running transmission. I believe I remember 175 being the min, but you might want to search it out.

 

your engine oil gets over 220? Wow, the highest mines ever been is 200, that’s going up steep grades with 37’s and stuck gears

 

No one actually knows what the oil temp runs at for a Tundra since there is no actual oil temp sensor that can be read unless you add one. The OBD MX+ that I have has a "calculated" oil temp you can read but it just follows the same temp as the transmission fluid. I think he might have mean the coolant temperature, the oil temp I wouldn't think would be at 220 normally.

 

AB60 has not one, but two physical ATF temperature sensors: in pan and by the torque converter. The values are not calculated, they are converted from the machine form to human-readable.

 

I see, I was going off my OBD fusion App, I assumed there was a sensor for that.

 

Apparently you did not read. I was referring to engine oil.

 

I did too, then someone informed me that there's no sensor and I started watching it and realized it will just stay with the transmission temp.

 

Yell if I should start a separate thread...
Questions on reading the temps (first drain and fill at 90k)...
1. What OBD sensor you using, that you have the Fusion app giving you the numbers?
2. Any expenses/mods beyond the sensor and the app?
3. How do read the ATF thermal degradation (I guess mileage it 'calculates' you've put on your trans or on the fluid? Both literal how to read (it's on the OBD app readout), and figurative (it's a number 0-4000, so 60000 means you've killed your tranny).
Thanks!

 

1. VPEAK BLE+
2. I believe you'll need to buy the Toyota "Enhanced Diagnostics" in the fusion app if you want to read thermal degradation. Some other scan tools can read it too, like a lot of the Launch and Autel.
3. See above how to read. The reliability of this number is pretty suspect and it's just a number with no real explanation on how to interpret it. Our Sequoia maxed out on it's number and it shifts smooth as glass. The max is 65535. It isn't based on mileage but supposedly thermal readings in the ATF. How it exactly determines the number is a mystery to me. Here's the readout from my Launch tool:

 

Probably some mathematical formula based on sustained and highest temps and how those temps break down the friction modifiers in the fluid based on lab testing.

 

Nope, I was referring to engine oil temp. Oil at full operating temp is typically considerably hotter than coolant temp. One, because the engine will always be hotter than what is cooling it. Two, the high heat plays an important roll in burning off condensation that mixes with the oil.

 

I just added the PID to my dashboard in Fusion. Was surprised that my number is so low at 62.5k miles. I added that PID after my first drain and fill; don’t have any idea what it read before it got 5qt of brand new fluid.

What I’m wondering is, does swapping in fresh transmission fluid bring the number down? Is it taking readings from the fluid itself, or is it more of an estimate based on mileage/fluid temp history? I would guess it’s the latter, meaning the estimate will continue to climb even if you drain and fill on a regular basis.

I’ve had this big Hayden cooler on here since a few months after I bought it. Just thought the estimate would be higher; I haven’t been exactly easy on my truck.

 

My understanding is you have to manually reset the counter after a fluid change.

 

The number is based on the temperature of fluid overtime the number will go up faster the hotter the fluid gets. It needs to be reset manually. Toyota recommends resetting if more than half of the fluid is replaced. I reset mine after a few drain and fills using techstream.