Quote:
Originally Posted by phattyduck
My 2WD had the cooler from the factory... It also works in 'reverse' as an oil warmer to heat up the oil to engine temp faster than it would otherwise. Good for engine longevity.
-Charlie
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Okay. So they are on some and not others whether they are 2wd or 4wd. I guess I was right; they were an option.
I see the coolant flows on the inside of the coolant thermostat so it would make sense for it to flow through the oil cooler with warmer water until the coolant gets up to temp to open the thermostat. Not sure it would make a lot of difference in mild climates but likely help a good bit in cold climates. Especially where subzero is the norm.
Since it operates off the radiator coolant it's still dependent on the radiator for cooling. Might even do more good as an oil warmer than a cooler.
Toyota is quite proud of the oil coolers. At $1500 on ebay for just the body and internals of the cooler; I'd say they are really proud of them.
TOYOTA OEM 96-04 Tacoma 3.4L-V6-Engine Oil Cooler 1571062040 | eBay
I just went out and got my hands dirty looking at my 98 2wd and it has the cooler so this isn't a 2wd/4wd thing. The ebay link shows that it isn't compatible with 01 or 02 T4R's but the aftermarket coolers show that it is so I don't know what to think about all that. Maybe someone will come along and clarify Toyota's thinking or set the record straight.
I'm glad the 98 has it simply because it's pretty much my beater rig. I use it to take my dogs out to the country to let them run and occasionally to do some off pavement exploring with a friend. The 01 is my DD and set up for long distance driving. Because of the short trips the 98 takes; I find it reassuring the oil cooler is helping to warm up the oil quicker. Of course that's one more thing that can go bad but I accept that risk for that rig. I wonder if there's a bypass for them. There must be a way to put a cover, like on my 01, on and close off the line from the thermostat housing.
I'm still blown away at the price Toyota wants for their OEM cooler. Aftermarket appears to be in the $400-$850 range. Used; around $150. The long block for my 01 was $2100 so $1500 just for an oil cooler seems ludicrous to me. If the one on my 98 goes bad; I'll simply bypass it. In fact, now that I think about it, I should replace the two hoses to it sooner rather than later. It is 22 years old and I have no idea if they have ever been changed. Probably not. $51.22 for the set of OEM.
Getting quite an education from this thread!