Radiator Replace and Aux Tranny Cooler?

[Co4Fun]

There are some great threads on this and I have been looking at them all but I have a few specific questions to my plan here.

I'm going to have my front bumper off for a period of time and thought this would be a good time to do a new radiator and an aux tranny cooler as well (the B&M).

So my only question here is whether it's worth running the circuit through the new radiator AND the cooler or just bypass the radiator altogether?

If I were doing it on an older rad I'd just bypass it like many others have done to simply protect against the milkshake. But, since this is going to be a new radiator...should I utilize it as well for the tranny cooling? And if so, in what order...thinking rad first then aux cooler?

 

[JayRolla]

There are some great threads on this and I have been looking at them all but I have a few specific questions to my plan here.

I'm going to have my front bumper off for a period of time and thought this would be a good time to do a new radiator and an aux tranny cooler as well (the B&M).

So my only question here is whether it's worth running the circuit through the new radiator AND the cooler or just bypass the radiator altogether?

If I were doing it on an older rad I'd just bypass it like many others have done to simply protect against the milkshake. But, since this is going to be a new radiator...should I utilize it as well for the tranny cooling? And if so, in what order...thinking rad first then aux cooler?

What do you use your vehicle for? If you are hard wheeling steep inclines like you know we have in CO or if you pull any type of trailer I would keep the radiator in the system.

If its just for daily driving than bypass.

 

[Co4Fun]

What do you use your vehicle for? If you are hard wheeling steep inclines like you know we have in CO or if you pull any type of trailer I would keep the radiator in the system.

If its just for daily driving than bypass.

Good point. So I do moderate wheeling with it...Bill Moore, Wheeler Lake, etc. Top end would be Coney/MSV or something like that. No Chinaman / Holy Cross level. But I do also have an adventure trailer I pull and sometimes dirt bikes.

I agree I'm thinking since it's a new rad I use it.

Which order would you put it...rad first then aux cooler or aux then rad?

 

[JayRolla]

Good point. So I do moderate wheeling with it...Bill Moore, Wheeler Lake, etc. Top end would be Coney/MSV or something like that. No Chinaman / Holy Cross level. But I do also have an adventure trailer I pull and sometimes dirt bikes.

I agree I'm thinking since it's a new rad I use it.

Which order would you put it...rad first then aux cooler or aux then rad?

Man that 1st obstacle called "The Flopper" can be pretty challenging/fun at Wheeler lake. One of my fav trails.

If you wheel it on passes like that and do towing I would keep the radiator in route.

 

[Co4Fun]

Man that 1st obstacle called "The Flopper" can be pretty challenging/fun at Wheeler lake. One of my fav trails.

If you wheel it on passes like that and do towing I would keep the radiator in route.

So this fall I did Red Elephant Hill out of Empire with it. Made it through without any body damage but I did tweak a tie rod. That was rough. I did Chinaman in my Jeep (and did it just fine but didn't really enjoy being stressed pretty much the entire time) but for some reason that Red Elephant in the Runner was just too tight in too many places and lots of potential rocker damage as well. That sort of convinced me that I don't enjoy that level of wheeling too much. It was a champ but...

And ya Wheeler is a great trail with just enough though I know what you mean there are some pretty decent obstacles for sure.

Also I PM'd you a quick note.

 

[Tsfc]

I've put some 85,000 km on mine in 3 years, I just replaced my rad and that was it, I only ever tow my bike.

 

[mtbtim]

Whichever way you choose to run your cooler, bypass or in-series, here's a video you might find helpful. Good luck with the install. If you have any questions, just ask.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2nVbwe2t2T8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[alumarine]

The trans cooler manufacturers recommend going from
the transmission- through the rad and then through the cooler.

 

[amalik]

There are some great threads on this and I have been looking at them all but I have a few specific questions to my plan here.

I'm going to have my front bumper off for a period of time and thought this would be a good time to do a new radiator and an aux tranny cooler as well (the B&M).

So my only question here is whether it's worth running the circuit through the new radiator AND the cooler or just bypass the radiator altogether?

If I were doing it on an older rad I'd just bypass it like many others have done to simply protect against the milkshake. But, since this is going to be a new radiator...should I utilize it as well for the tranny cooling? And if so, in what order...thinking rad first then aux cooler?

There are so many threads and back and forth about this issue as you stated.

I think running in-series with radiator and aux is the best option.

You get the best of cooling options (cooled twice) if you need it; and with an aux cooler with the bypass feature, it doesn't get cooled through the aux if the fluid is not yet hot enough.

I don't know why there is so much back and forth about the 2 options, above option is clearly better IMO.

 

[Brveagle]

How does a radiator with 180+ degree coolant "cool" the transmission fluid?


The only time my tranny fluid is that hot is if i am pulling a large load on 100 degree day.

+1 on bypassing the radiator completely...

 

[Toyotayoda]

The main reason that you should consider keeping the radiator in the circuit is because many Toyota's will wait until the trans has warmed up, via input from the trans fluid temp sensor, before starting it's normal shift pattern. taking the radiator out of the loop my cause the trans to take longer to warm up enough to go into that normal operation. The correct way to put a cooler into the circuit is after it's gone through the rad, and you don't need a huge cooler to make a transmission saving difference, a small flat panel cooler will bring the temps down 20-30 degrees in many cases. Heat and lack of fluid maintenance are top auto trans killers, with additives not far down that list either.