B&M 70268 SuperCooler Transmission Cooler Install on a 3rd Gen

[flatboy]

I bought 2 litres for when I did mine and ended up adding nothing. Only like 1/2 a cup came out.



shayne

 

[IanB]

I lost barely any fluid when I did mine too. Didn't end up adding anything, the level was dead on.

 

[ACDC]

Good point! I will monitor the fluid level once installed.
Looks like there has been numerous heated discussion threads about "bypass or not bypass". I have been reading a quite few and they all seem to have points.
For me, I have 140,000 miles and I might as well add a new radiator. Thank you for the suggestion! Several threads mention Koyo radiator. Does anyone have the product link? I found one selling at Go-part dot com selling for $119. Is it what everyone here is using? Has anyone using it before?

 

[Millerad1651]

Not everyone, but a lot of people do either or. Unless you do a ton of towing or slow hill climbing, you don't really need both IMO. I'd save the money and do either the cooler and leave the stock radiator, or replace the radiator and not worry about the cooler. Spend the extra money on something else, but that's just me. And yes, that radiator is generally what most guys are buying.

 

[RunninInGA]

Good point! I will monitor the fluid level once installed.
Looks like there has been numerous heated discussion threads about "bypass or not bypass". I have been reading a quite few and they all seem to have points.
For me, I have 140,000 miles and I might as well add a new radiator. Thank you for the suggestion! Several threads mention Koyo radiator. Does anyone have the product link? I found one selling at Go-part dot com selling for $119. Is it what everyone here is using? Has anyone using it before?

Here's the specific link. 96-02 Toyota 4Runner KOYO Radiator A1998 1640075181 I also bought the Hayden cooler from Amazon for less than $50. Many people go with the B&M - either will get the job done.

 

[jham]

My cooler just showed up. Heating up the garage and doing the install today. Only thing I haven't looked into yet is which is the send/return lines out of the transmission.

Not expecting any issues but we'll see soon enough.

 

[t4r4life]

My cooler just showed up. Heating up the garage and doing the install today. Only thing I haven't looked into yet is which is the send/return lines out of the transmission.

Not expecting any issues but we'll see soon enough.

if you mount the cooler vertically send and return doesn't matter.

 

[pdx650]

Are you guys adding additional ATF fluid after the install? If the B&M is larger that the factory cooler or the lines are longer because of the new route, you'll be "low" on fluid, correct?

I ordered the cooler this morning, but I'm starting to think through how much more fluid I'll need to add after the install, if any.

All I did with mine was make sure the level was correct on the dipstick at operating temperature idling. The amount you need to add, even if it is extra, is irrelevant if the dipstick reads correctly....imo.

 

[jham]

Well, I jinxed myself. My front skid plate bolts were all rounded off, so I had to cut it off. While cutting, the sawzall slipped and sliced right through the radiator.

Just left the parts store with a replacement, headed home to finish the job and clean 2 gallons of coolant off my garage floor.

Awesome.

 

[VaYotaDude]

Great write-up!! Should make the install smooth and relatively painless! For my mind, at least. No quarantees on the knuckles. lol.

 

[splinter]

if you mount the cooler vertically send and return doesn't matter.

actually I wondered that myself. Heres quote from B&M------

Mount the B&M SuperCooler with the fittings on
top or on the sides. It is not recommended to
mount the cooler with the fittings pointing down as
this may create an air pocket in the cooler resulting
in reduced cooling efficiency. When mounting the
cooler with the fittings on the right or left side, the
lower fitting must be the inlet with the top fitting
routing the fluid back to the transmission.


hope this helps!!!

 

[pdx650]

Oops!

actually I wondered that myself. Heres quote from B&M------

Mount the B&M SuperCooler with the fittings on
top or on the sides. It is not recommended to
mount the cooler with the fittings pointing down as
this may create an air pocket in the cooler resulting
in reduced cooling efficiency. When mounting the
cooler with the fittings on the right or left side, the
lower fitting must be the inlet with the top fitting
routing the fluid back to the transmission.


hope this helps!!!

Then I did mine backwards. The send line from the trans is connected to the top inlet on my cooler and the bottom (outlet) is going back to the transmission. Is it really that important?

Update: The lines have been swapped. Fluid is coming into the cooler from the bottom and leaves at the top.

 

[Millerad1651]

Then I did mine backwards. The send line from the trans is connected to the top inlet on my cooler and the bottom (outlet) is going back to the transmission. Is it really that important?

I did mine the same as you. Doesn't seem like it would be a problem. So far it hasn't been. I'm pretty sure that's how BFAD did his as well.

 

[splinter]

all you would have to do is flip flop the lines at steel lines at tranny. wouldnt take 20 minutes
At pressure I'm sure its not a big deal. Its probably meant to keep air out of system.

 

[RunninInGA]

I did mine the same as you. Doesn't seem like it would be a problem. So far it hasn't been. I'm pretty sure that's how BFAD did his as well.

He did. I did as well, but I used the Hayden cooler instead. If I remember correctly, the Hayden's instructions suggested the supply line up top and the return line on bottom.

 

[farmerjon]

I wanted to add the two photos below to this post as well. They are shots of a section of the instructions supplied with the B&M cooler describing the efficiencies the cooler can achieve when mounted in various configurations. Not to discount the advice of anyone on the board, but B&M has been doing performance transmission stuff for a LONG time, and I trust this information.

kball, domstriker, runrunner:

Thanks for chiming in with the advice about using a razor to cut off the old lines. I wish I'd have done it that way. I actually thought about it, but stubborness got the best of me. I thought to myself, "I can pull these stupid things off." And I did, while tearing my hand up in the process.

RunningRick:

I live in ABQ, NM, so the truck sees ambient temperatures that are pretty hot, but not quite as hot as Phoenix, AZ. I spend alot of time in the mountains of CO though, and NM gets cold winters, which is why I chose the 70268 cooler. I think it will be just fine for my environment, but everyone needs to consider the environment their truck will be driven in most often, like you have done.

To everyone else:

Thanks for the positive feedback. It's always good to know these write-ups are helping fellow 4-Runner owners get the most out of their trucks.

Hey BigFishAllDay: Does the 70268 work well for extreme temps? You mentioned that you live in both Colorado as well as New Mexico, I live in the Northern Rockies and have temps ranging from -40 to 100+... and am a little worried about using an external cooler for that reason... any advice?

Thanks!

 

[pdx650]

I'll be in central Montana this summer and for a long time after that.

 

[farmerjon]

I'll be in central Montana this summer and for a long time after that.

Oh, where at?

 

[pdx650]

For security reasons, I can't say specifically. Kind of near-ish great falls.

 

[Nelsonmd]

I did mine the same as you. Doesn't seem like it would be a problem. So far it hasn't been. I'm pretty sure that's how BFAD did his as well.

He did. I did as well, but I used the Hayden cooler instead. If I remember correctly, the Hayden's instructions suggested the supply line up top and the return line on bottom.

You guys probably only don't notice a difference because you aren't pushing your tranny at all. Having the inlet at the top allows air to be trapped inside, which does lower the efficiency of the cooler. If hayden suggest that configuration, then they probably just didn't think it all the way through.