B&M Oil Cooler Question / Transmission Level

[jsmith811]

Yes, I searched and read several good threads about the install.
I'm finished now, but it wasn't clear to me or I missed it, which is return line and which is send line. Does it matter ? I mounted the 70268 B&M with outlets facing the Passenger side of the vehicle. The Lowest line coming out of transmission is now going to the top inlet of the B&M. The higher of the two lines (one on top) is going to the bottom outlet of the B&M. I then added a little over 1/2 qt. Transmission fluid, with the truck warmed up and idling in Neutral. And the Dipstick is very difficult to take in/out.. is that a normal 4runner thing.

 

[mmml4]

I don't fully understand which hose is going where, I'm a picture menu kind of guy. I do know this, the hot fluid coming out of the transmission should go in the bottom of the cooler forcing the fluid to fill all of the plates before it comes out of the cooler. The dipsticks on our trucks are a pain to get in and out.

 

[Diesel_Dog]

I followed BFAD's write up: transmission cooler install. I mounted mine with the barbs facing the passenger side as well. I have the hot (send is the top line from the tranny) routed to the top of my cooler. I think guys have done it either way and I'm sure there are good points for one or the other. The most important thing is that you now can avoid the pink milkshake.

My tranny dipstick is a b!%€# as well.

 

[T4R2014]

I can't answer your first question, but the dipstick question I can. It is a pain to figure out at first, but do not force it. If it gets stuck then pull it back out and rotate it until it goes down without too much fuss. You could say it "self aligns". You kind of master it after some time.

 

[Illestreker]

Most do the install opposite from the way you did it. Why... Well because the idea is that it's more efficient for the system to send the oil to the top of the cooler and let gravity assist it down and then return back. So send line to top of cooler and return line on bottom of cooler.

 

[OrangeTexan]

Most do the install opposite from the way you did it. Why... Well because the idea is that it's more efficient for the system to send the oil to the top of the cooler and let gravity assist it down and then return back. So send line to top of cooler and return line on bottom of cooler.

Gravity does not play any significant part to pump efficiency or fluid flow in a closed loop pumped system.

And just to add most do not do it that way. Because the cooler has no relief valve for burping, incoming fluid should enter from the bottom to facilitate burping. This is the recommended method for install by B&M and is generally accepted practice when building fluid systems.

 

[GhostRing]

I ended up with the top being the outlet from the tranny as well. I don't know if I will change it...?
It's such a comparatively small area - is it that big of a deal?
The only issue I had was the tranny slipping all weird (like in neutral for a moment) twice about a week after the install. I added about 1/2 qt and it hasn't repeated since.

 

[SJC4Runner]

I am with the Texan. "In" should be the bottom and "out" should be the top on the B&M external cooler. That is how all the directions that I found showed it to be and it is how I installed it on my brother-in-laws 4th gen that he is towing with.

 

[kball]

I don't see how it would make much difference. Once you get on the pedal and the trans builds up 40-50lbs of pressure that cooler is getting filled no matter which way you have it.

 

[Illestreker]

Gravity does not play any significant part to pump efficiency or fluid flow in a closed loop pumped system.

And just to add most do not do it that way. Because the cooler has no relief valve for burping, incoming fluid should enter from the bottom to facilitate burping. This is the recommended method for install by B&M and is generally accepted practice when building fluid systems.

Your reasoning seems valid and makes sense. My post and reasoning is based on several threads on here and yotatech about installing the b&m coolers and several of them said to set it up the way I described and mentioned the reasoning being the gravity efficiency. So I went with it.

Now I truly wonder if your way, the opposite IS better or if either way has hardly any better effect over the other.

 

[Offroad_Medic]

When I did my install I read every article I could get with a good write up and pictures and after seeing both ways and both arguments for hose routing I spoke to multiple people at B&M and was told that it does not matter which barn is used for which and that mounting orientation does not matter either. The system will fill circulate fluid efficiently no matter the configuration.

 

[mmml4]

Read this and then do whatever suits you.

http://bmracing.com/wp-bnmcont/uploads/bm_cooler_techdoc.pdf

 

[the great him]

i say hot in on the top side, heat rises thus keep that heat in the top as much as possible. and gravity is natural, look at how radiators are set up, hot in at the top, cool out on the bottom... and put less work on they pump(ok all be it not really that much extra work but for me with dual coolers and dual filters its more work) but for me and my thinking it just makes more sense this way. sure B&M says almost any way will work and so you can set it up how you want.


just note that the hard line closest to the outside of the vehicle is the send line, or "out line", and the hard line on the inside closest to the motor is the return line, or "in line"