Best Transmission Cooler for the money?

Excuse my ignorance. Would the tranny cooler require the same type of coolant as the engine? Or does it use the ATF to cool it?
 
Bigmikelakers said:
Excuse my ignorance. Would the tranny cooler require the same type of coolant as the engine? Or does it use the ATF to cool it?
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Your tranny cooler cools the tranny, so it has atf running through it. You definately wouldnt want coolant in your tranny cooler, or atf in your engine. Thats exactly what the "pink milkshake" is.
 
If the engine and tranny use two different chemicals to cool then, how could just one single radiator do the job then? Wouldn't the ATF and engine coolant be mixing with each other while in the radiator?

Sorry if I sound stupid, I'm just really curious.
 
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It doesn't matter if it's the trans cooler built into the radiator or if it's an external trans cooler, only transmisssion fluid runs through them. The difference is the trans cooler built into the radiator is surrounded by the engine coolant (since it's inside the radiator) which helps to bring down the trans fluid temps if they get hotter than the engine coolant. The external cooler is out in the open and uses air to pass by/through it and cool the trans fluid as it passes through the cooler just like air cools the engine as it goes through the radiator. Ha ha, did I make it better or worse?
 
The factory radiator for the engine coolant has a tranny cooler built into the bottom of it, which the tranny fluid is pumped through. The tranny doesn't need cooling, the tranny fluid does. The problem was the seal that keeps the coolant and tranny fluid from mixing is prone to failure, and then you get the fluids mixing, and coolant in your tranny, which destroys the bearings in the tranny. Hope that makes it more clear, but if not ask more questions.
 
Thanks guys I understand how the system works now. Next week, I plan to get my tranny cooler installed (B&M 70264). Should I tell the shop to use a certain type of tranny fluid (Castrol Import ATF)? Also, when I go to Toyota to get my tranny flushed or refilled would the tranny cooler make their job different or it has no effect at all when doing a refill or flush?
 
Given the title I figured this was the best thread to ask this question. A buddy of mine recently totaled his 94 GMC sierra and he said I could have the trans cooler if I wanted it. My question is simply would this work? Is there anything "special" per say about the B&M trans coolers other people seem to like other than good quality? I have a 97 limited.
 
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NicNac said:
Given the title I figured this was the best thread to ask this question. A buddy of mine recently totaled his 94 GMC sierra and he said I could have the trans cooler if I wanted it. My question is simply would this work? Is there anything "special" per say about the B&M trans coolers other people seem to like other than good quality? I have a 97 limited.
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No, there is nothing unique about a B&M. I’d pass on the free one from your buddy as there could be debris from the accident that made its way into the cooler, thenyou install it and out that same debris into your tranny.

Just buy a new one for peace of mind IMO.

I will probably add a Mocal cooler to my 4runner as I’ve had great luck with hem on my other cars.
 
While it is true that there is nothing unique about the B&M, keep in mind that the B&M coolers discussed above, as well as a couple of other brands (e.g. TruCool), use LPD bypass technology. This allows the fluid to bypass the cooler when it's cold, and prevent fluid overcooling under cold ambient conditions.

I also had my hands on two junkyard coolers, one from a GMC truck and one from a Landcruiser, and decided instead to use the B&M 70264 for the LPD feature. To be completely honest, I also couldn't get the Landcruiser one to fit, or else I might have used it, it was a monster.
 
4Runner4Leon said:
While it is true that there is nothing unique about the B&M, keep in mind that the B&M coolers discussed above, as well as a couple of other brands (e.g. TruCool), use LPD bypass technology. This allows the fluid to bypass the cooler when it's cold, and prevent fluid overcooling under cold ambient conditions.

I also had my hands on two junkyard coolers, one from a GMC truck and one from a Landcruiser, and decided instead to use the B&M 70264 for the LPD feature. To be completely honest, I also couldn't get the Landcruiser one to fit, or else I might have used it, it was a monster.
Click to expand...


None of the Haydens use LPD?
 
Thanks for the info, I would've cleaned it vigorously of course but the LPD yall are talking about makes sense and sounds like it would be worth the extra $$.
 
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