Upgraded trans cooler

That would be my guess as well.

 

Do we have any before and after numbers in this thread?

 

I went out to check for fluid lines coming out of the trans and I was pleased to find them. I followed them and look what I found.


That is the trans cooler, right?
This truck does not have the towing package, and I thought that the cooler came with a towing package. I know that a tow hitch, 7 pin plug, and a high output alternator come with the towing package. Is the trans cooler standard on all Tundras, not just the towing package?

 

@Tundra2 do you have one?

 

That is the cooler. Mine is a limited 4x4 but only has the 70a alternator. I would guess it was standard.

 

I have one as well on my 2000 LTD.

 

That looks just like the Tow Package Cooler on my 4.7L which does a tremendously good job in keeping the fluid temps around 160°-180° in high summer and around 130-150° in deep winter.

I’ve installed a By-Pass Valve that is designed to funnel trans fluid from the Cooler back towards the transmission in winter. This keeps the temps higher for better shifts. Without this By-Pass, temps would stay around 120-130° in deep winter.

This is a pretty long thread with lots of good info gathered along the way.

 

For those looking for the budget upgrade.. BEHOLD!

 

I've seriously thought about adding sprayers onto my truck that tie into the windshield washer pump.

 

If you need larger capacity (and easier to operate) you could look into building something similar to water/methanol injection or intercooler sprayer for the trans cooler.

They incorporate larger tanks and 12v pumps just like a windshield washer system.

 

Water misting is a serious option for shorter trips with towing. Rigging up a bottle with a pump is simple. If you want to get fancy the wiper switch can be swapped out with one from a sequoia and you could wire the pump to the rear wiper spray on the sequoia switch

you would want to run distilled water to avoid calcifying then cooler though

 

Resurrecting this thread to ask two stupid questions I don't see clearly answered in the last 8 pages.

Which trucks came with transmission coolers?

Are there any make/model/year with OEM radiator where transmission fluid doesn't pass thru?

I see some Limited like mine with OEM cooler, some trucks with tow package, wild array of years with and some w/o apparently, I'm really curious if it came standard after a certain year, or in certain year ranges if the truck was a specific trim level, or with certain factory features or whatever.

And the 2nd question is more to assess whether any make/model/year are immune to pink milkshake.

 

My 2000 AC has both the in-radiator cooler and the “small radiator” cooler in the grill. And my truck seems to have not come with the factory tow package since it’s doesn’t have a factory hitch or factory wiring.
FWIW: I think every car (from compacts to full size trucks) in the last 20 years equipped with an automatic transmission has the in-radiator cooler.

 

Bump from the past. Funny to see someone post that sprayer system. I used to own several Mitsubishi Evos and the early Evo 8s had a switch activated sprayer for the intercooler. It ran off of basically a windshield washer fluid tank, similar washer fluid pump, tubing and a nozzle infront of the intercooler. You could plumb a system like that in or plumb a second pump into your washer fluid tank. If you do serious towing and need an instant cool down that would be an option.

 

From what I have seen (and I could be in error):

2002 and previous with V8 - all had transmission oil cooler (there was no separate towing package). Unknown to me if V6 trucks have them.

2003 to 2006 - transmission oil cooler included with towing package only. Only time towing package was standard was on 2004-06 Double Cabs. It was optional on all other V8 trucks (Access Cab and Regular Cab) regardless of trim or 2WD/4WD.

Unfortunately, all trucks have the built in ATF cooler in the lower radiator.

And there is always the chance that someone ordered the factory parts back when the trucks were newer, and added the ATF cooler to their truck if it didn't have one.

 

My 2000 4.7 SR5 has both radiator cooler and aux cooler