Looking at 00' tundra, not sure if it has tow package

Found a 00' tundra 4x4 4.7 access cab 140k miles and Im unsure if it has a tow package. It states 7100lbs on a distribution hitch but, there's no frame hitch on this truck. It does have a engine oil cooler though?? Looked at a 04' sr5 to compare it states distribution hitch 5,000, has a frame hitch and no mention of a engine oil cooler.

Any help is appreciated.

 

Shoot me the VIN and I'll double check it for you.

 

1st Gen V-8 Auto was rated at 7200# 2wd or 7100# 4wd, the "Tow Package" was simply a hitch rated for the weight and a semi-functional 7 pin connector. You could use a 7-4 pin adapter for trailer lights, but if you wanted to run electric brakes you had to run all of the wiring yourself including tapping into the harness under the dash as they did not provide a plug in for the electric brake controller. (might of had a bigger battery etc, but I am looking at the 2002 Tundra Brochure and it does not say anything about needing the "Tow Package" to handle the listed weight (the brochure for my new Taco actually lists different weight ratings with or without the factory tow package).

 

Looked at my Tundra today...it does appear to have the mini oil cooler under the oil filter like the one that came on my new taco. It also has a pretty good sized tranny cooler. For some reason I think the coolers and such came with the TRD OR package back in the day, but it was a long time ago so I'm not sure that having the tranny cooler and the oil cooler means it came with the "Tow Package"...the coolers may have been standard on all early Tundras...not sure on that one.

 

I've got one of those 'coolers' on my Miata - it circulates coolant at the filter and goes around the TB too. Dunno if its an oil cooler or simply keeps the oil at a constant temp like the coolant. Prolly only doing a lot of good in pretty cold climes to prevent icing, etc.

 

I was under the impression that all v8 first gen Tundra get the oil filter base oil cooler option. Mine has tow package and it has the engine oil cooler. Just in the throes of determining if it has failed. I am getting oil in my coolant. Pretty hard to tell if its engine or transmission oil. Dirty trans fluid looks like engine oil when mixed with coolant. So I took both coolers out of the circuit for testing.
Toyota wanted $1600 for the engine oil cooler
Insane. As soon as I confirm it to be engine oil it will get a Hayden 205 kit. I heard some of those spit the oil hose off but if a person updates to a JiC hydraulic fitting it should be bullet proof. The thought it might be head gasket leak is looming. Pulling head gaskets on a overhead cam engine is a lot of extra work if it turns out to be only the oil cooler. Egads. Glad I pull my own wrenches. Mind is an Access cab 04 TRD with only 118kkm so it needs a few tweaks. Front coilovers soon too. Still I would not trade it for a 5.7 as it just feels the right size.

 

Work in Progress.

 

Holy thread revival batman!

 

The thing about thread revival is, "what is old news to some is important information to others."
1st gen Tundras are starting to fail due to age related issues. I found ift difficult to discover the nature of failures of Toyotas oil coolers on this model. Anyways some of the 15 year old options are not well documented. Even in the factory service manual which by large is a good pictorial guide there was no descriptions of coolant flow path etc. The oil contamination of the coolant in my 04 caused the factory thermostat to rot its rubber seal. Strongly suspect it cause the oil cooler failure due to thermo stress when the pieces severely restricted the water flow path thru the oil cooler. It wasn't until I did a reverse flow back flush with the thermostat out that the pieces plugging the oil cooler water side came out. If I am correct in this discovery it may save a few other older units from failure. Replace your thermostat with a no rubber seated version to eliminate the potential failure. S simple fix for an expensive component if it fails. Fortunately it is winter up here and the need for an engine oil cooler is reduced. Yes I lose the thermal stabilizing effect of a water to oil exchanger but it saved me from ripping the cylinder heads off to discover nothing was wrong there. To bad the Tundra doesn't monitor its engine oil temperature like my 6.0 Ford diesel Livewire guage package tuner. Hope the engine designer didn't rely to heavily on oil cooler in the overall design. Nice that it is possible to remove the failed cooler with a 5/8" coolant jumper hose around the water side and a oil filter 3/4" by 16 TPI nipple. This allows one to thread an oil filter directly to the oil pump carznkcase fitting, while I research the correct BTU and flow rate hydraulic cooler.

 

The temp 1/2" copper jumper pipe. I rotated the oil cooler 180 degrees to make room for the jumper line while I await arrival of the oil filter nipple to permanently remove the oil water heat exchanger. I intend to perform destructive testing on the oil cooler to see what pressure temperature combination allowed the one way path for oil to water contamination. GarageMahal has many talents and tools to learn with. PS not using this temp controller but it did give me ideas.

 

SaskTundra you had me looking into the oil cooler last night after your first post. Good find on that blockage. I’ve also heard that using the larger YZZZD-3 oil filter helps in the cooling process vs. a smaller filter due to a larger cooling surface on the can.

 

Here are a few archive pics I’ve taken over the year of the oil cooler in question. Seems the spring clamps holding the hoses to the cooler nipples are sketchy, but they’ve held this far so maybe thats why I don’t work for Toyota.

 

Do you or does anyone know the cooling flow paths thru this engine. 4.7 liter. Seems like two circuits exist as the thermostat has a twin set of flow disc valves. One appears to recirculate block and larger disc regulates flow to radiator. Pretty sure the flow is from bottom of block drivers side, then to oil heat exchanger at filter, then up to water pump and combines with throttle body coolant at a tee on front portion of engine. This is important information to know to flush your cooling system completely.

 

Another thing noted. If switching to an external oil to air cooler the Earl 502ERL has larger ports as well as thermostat control when compared to Hayden 205. One should not trust the life blood of your engine to gear clamped barbed hoses marginally sized.

The Earl 502ERL uses AN 10 ORB fitting which size out to 5/8 inch hard line not 3/8 inch. I have yet to confirm the actual size of the fluid temp regulation ports inside the valve body.