2019 5.7 trans cooler location

Yeah, the whole reason I even read this thread and was interested is cause all the issues I had with my 10. Trans went out at just under 60k so they replaced it. Said metal shavings were in it but didn’t change the ac/trans cooler. Ran hot after that, like up to 245 and overheat light would come on just driving up a slight grade on the highway. I added another inline air cooler. Ac/trans cooler started leaking so that was replaced around 80k. Then I traded it at 93k cause I could tell the “new” trans was going out. So I am cautious about the reliability of the trans based on my experience.

 

They didn’t make it bigger or change the part #. They just removed the trans thermostat and air cooler.

 

Hate to hear it. Sounds like you had a contaminated system. Why the hell would they not exchange the cooler if metal shavings is what caused the failure. You can't get that crap out of there. It just ends up running back through the systems. It has to be what caused the pressure to rise and cause the condenser to leak. What a bunch of morons.

Dealers are like that though. I refuse to go back to either of the one's in my area.

 

They may have changed the part number. I think it safe to say the parts catalogs are not right for the 2019 and 2020 models. I thought about asking Roman about the part # but it would be wasting his time without a potential sale.

 

To throw a little gasoline on this fire you fellers have going, it seems our brothers over at TacomaWorld.com are not even convinced that WS fluid can stand up to the temps it was seeing pre-2019. There are similar discussions on BobIsTheOilGuy.com:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-get-it-out-of-your-transmission-now.331521/

This is going to come close to heresy and slaying a sacred cow, but they do have some pretty strong arguments for using Valvoline MaxLife instead. Since MaxLife is a synthetic, it will withstand higher temperatures before breaking down. I won't need to worry about transmission fluid for a long time, but I will research it thoroughly when the time comes.

 

Yeah. All those Aisin transmission laying in the junkyards around the country...... oh the horror.................

Aisin makes the best transmission anywhere. In fact, you have to get a AISIN transmission to get the max HP/torque output from the new Cummins in the heavy duty Ram trucks.

Nothing wrong with Toyota WS. Just buy Aisin brand. Its much cheaper.

 

In this thread, it took you a long time to finally figure out that what 2019 owners were saying was true. This has been known for months...no air-to-ATF exchanger in 2019. You want to argue about whether that device on the side of the transmission is a "cooler" or a "warmer"; it is, in fact, both depending on the respective temperatures of the fluids. What it's called is irrelevant; probably should be described as an effective warmer, but an inadequate cooler. As far as Toyota's parts catalogs being in error, lets just say I'm skeptical. Those parts don't affect me so I have no interest in proving anything, I'll leave that to the guys that own one.

I'll do my own research when it's time to shop for transmission fluid. My loyalty to Toyota is not blind.

 

It was my understanding that this change was made for 2019; is that not the case?

If it was changed for 2019, that's not nearly enough time to know what effect is going to be on the reliability/ longevity of the transmission .

 

No. That is not what happened. A bunch of people who don't know any better have been running around claiming there is NO cooling on the 19 and 20s. Which is a lie. They did so because they didn't know any better. They found a few very old documents that are mistaken.

I have given multiple reason why it is a cooler just like the Toyota Service manuals say and the parts catalogs say. Instead of dealing with what the reasons I've given, you claim victory for them. Common tactic. Just ignore the vast majority of what I wrote.

There is no way the coolant in the radiator gets warm fast enough to effective provide any WARMING to the ATF fluid.

Give you a little mechanical "insight".

Your engine has a torque converter. When you crank your engine that torque converter starts producing heat that gets transferred to the ATF. It doesn't matter if you're moving or not.

I mean it really gets hot. In fact, I've seen specs that say, that at times, the ATF can get 350 degree coming out of the torque converter.

The heat comes from the transmission.

 

If its really a problem like some say it is.....

Then why weren't they have been many failures already? If it is really too much heat, then it should quickly cause issues.....

 

Your confused. It is very much a heater, not so much in the sense you are focused on, but to maintain minimum temperature under all conditions.

 

Oh. So that is why its been in every model since 07 and they're just complaining about it warming too much in the 19 and 20 models?

Yes. It may under very cold temperatures provide some warming but the transmission generates its OWN HEAT.... which is why you need something to keep it from OVERHEATING

 

Oh. So that is why its been in every model since 07 and they're just complaining about it warming too much in the 19 and 20 models?

I don’t understand, it runs warmer cause the air cooler is deleted on 19 and 20. Nothing new.

Yes. It may under very cold temperatures provide some warming but the transmission generates its OWN HEAT.... which is why you need something to keep it from OVERHEATING

Yep, it’s a cooler.

 

If it didn't have the cooler it would overheat. Like I said, take the damn thing off you think its a warmer.

Only under rare circumstances and you pretend that is the case when you're hauling a trailer. Its not warming when you're hauling a trailer. If it didn't provide cooling you'd be stuck on the side of the road.

 

I think we're moving off the main concern expressed in this thread.

Here are my questions:

1) If the cooling equipment for the tow package on 2018 and prior tundras were not needed to meet the towing specification, why was it included?

2) Would you feel comfortable pulling a 9,000lb trailer up a mountain pass in 95+ degree weather in a 2019 Tundra? Would you feel better doing this in a 2018 or earlier Tundra?

In other words, if the trans cooling setup on the 2019 Tundra is sufficient, why was it necessary to have all that extra equipment to cool the transmission fluid on the prior model years? The towing specification has not changed appreciably since the 2007 model year.

The experience mentioned by MSU Tundra on posting #91 in this thread, plus the actual measured temperature comparison shown by DirtE30 in posting #119, together with question 1) above, raises a valid issue. I don't want to modify my 2019 Tundra as I do not want to invalidate the warranty.

 

Those are great questions.

As far as the warranty is concerned, I doubt they would deny warranty to those who added an aftermarket cooler. It is my understand that states have laws that protect the consumer when modifying automobiles. They basically would have to prove the air cooler caused a failure. I can't guarantee this is true on all states but I believe some states have that kind of protection.

To me the real question concerning the other questions.... is....How hot is too hot?

I can't answer that question in that I don't know all the specs. I'd have to say that even a 30 degree increase year over year in average ATF temps shouldn't cause an issue. The temperature of the fluid is much higher in the torque converter and the friction components of the transmission (clutches and etc) than you're measuring at the gauge. It always has been. I don't know if they change something there. Maybe greater resistance to heat in the components themselves.

I imagine that Toyota wouldn't make a change like this without testing. Its obvious to me that they've determined its okay.

 

Reading the brochure today for my 19 bought in Canada it lists both a transmission cooler and automatic transmission warmer.

 

I don't tow often enough to worry too much about it. The small amount of anxiety I do have will be suppressed by changing the fluid every 50k miles. If I towed loads over 5k pounds on a regular basis, I'd be buying a 3/4 ton truck.

 

I tow a 4200 travel trailer and I am seeing the same temp reported by some owners in this thread without towing which is an average of 215 F

 

Does your warning light ever come on?

 

Never , went around 5 trips in the summer towing in 90 degrees weather . Going up hills from Massachusetts to Vermont averaged 217 f pan and torque , saw spikes up to 230 at the torque when stopping for tolls and goes back quickly down once back on the road , never had the warning light , I tow on S4 with tow haul on and 60 mph

 

You missing the point, I know how it works. The have made both with(5.7 tow package) and without the air cooler since 07. @sundance

 

Just wondering why I'm seeing 215 f while towing which is same or close to what we are seeing not towing , you would think that the temp would go much higher when towing if there wasn't anything cooling it

 

It is a cooler also. You see the same temps because the coolant temp is controlling it. It is higher than your coolant temp reading, this is because of where the transmission warmer/cooler draws its coolant from. It uses the already heated coolant from the engine, this is how it helps heat to operating temp.

 

Agreed , my coolant temp never passed 202 while I was towing , that was the max , it stays around 198 and 200 most of the time , as mentioned before , I only saw spikes with trans temp while slowing down and accelerating and that was at the torque and goes back down To 215 very quickly once back on the road . When in traffic and always towing , temps went down to 210 or so

 

Yes, it will always be little warmer than coolant. When it runs high temps it pull down quickly. You will see spikes following coolant temps, like slowing down because coolant flow decreases, and obviously the heat load applied from acceleration.

 

Yikes!

I thought this was settled months ago! I went through the same angst y'all are feeling. Took my 2019 Tundra into the dealer and demanded they show me the "ATF cooler" as spec'd. Of course there is non... It's a heat exchanger.

I was towing a 22 foot Airstream almost daily from AZ to CA and back again. Used a ScanGuage and iPhone app and was getting ATF temps of ~215°-220°F. Tacoma under exact same circumstances was running ~185°. Not towing same temps so load does not effect in my case.

My research indicated cold ATF can be as problematic as too hot and every time you start your Tundra the ATF is too cold for some time. It appears the engineers decided a way to get to running temps more important and a thermostat wasn't working to their demands.

Some geniuses claim the WS ATF inferior and a cost cutting measure. Believe what you may but with the current warranty and extended warranties possibly replacing fleets of transmissions doesn't seem like a good gamble on any level. Even if a high end ATF cooler adds $1000 to MSRP sticker would you have bought a Ford instead?

Look.. cooling systems are simple and well understood. Retooling to eliminate them is not. Who knows... we may get the mother of all recalls or it may be a non event....

My solution? I quit looking! Dumped the Scanguage and never use the OBD apps unless needed. I'm laying a heavy bet Toyota engineers are a LOT smarter than a bunch of interweb experts....

 

The transmission is producing more heat in every day driving than the "coolant" temps. Anyone with any mechanical experience with transmission will tell you the exact same. That is why EVEN NON TOW PACKAGE trucks have had the cooler from the beginning. It spends the vast majority of its life COOLING. I've gave many reasons why and you ignore them to drive your own narrative.

You really don't know anything about transmissions.

 

How quick does you transmission get up to operating temps? I know the transmission HAS to get up to 140 degrees before the ECU will allow the transmission to shift into 6th gear.

Most people will never notice this unless on a very cold morning, they will crank their truck and take off. Even then it only takes about a mile or so before the transmission will hit 140 degrees and allow the shift. LONG before you will get a "hint" of heat out of your heater. In other words.... long before the coolant in the radiator gets hot. It takes much longer to heat up coolant/water than it does transmission fluid.

 

Oh by the way.....It doesn't have a single thing to do with the coolant flow decreasing. Its due to the ATF flow decreeing. The coolant exchange temp doesn't increase rapidly like ATF temps do because the HEAT IS COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. Transferred to the ATF. Friction.