Tranny cooler vs new rad

M

Motoaxe

New member
Good evening all!

Was just reading through a bunch of threads regarding the pink milkshake issue which got me to thinking I should do something fairly soon as my runner is low miles but long in years.. It never had the pink milkshake thing happen in any other vehicle which got me to thinking...

Why not just change the rad out for a new one rather than disabling the transmission cooler circuit? You would still be able to use an auxiliary cooler this way if you chose to just stick with the factory cooling through the rad...

Cheers!
Ron
 
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you are correct. It's either a new rad or a bypass.

I think the logic for a lot of people, including myself, was that the external cooler is cheaper and more efficient. The existing rad works fine and only wanted to removed the pink strawberry shake possibility.
 
s20004runner said:
you are correct. It's either a new rad or a bypass.

I think the logic for a lot of people, including myself, was that the external cooler is cheaper and more efficient. The existing rad works fine and only wanted to removed the pink strawberry shake possibility.
Click to expand...

That was my thinking. I bypassed my cooling to an external cooler and drive without worries of milkshake :nod: cheap insurance
 
Thanks for the input guys! What my concern is that the auxiliary coolers do or don't do as good of a job as the factory radiator cooler… Any thoughts on that?

What size or btu capability are you using?

I've never had the milkshake problem on any other vehicle and am curious if it's just a faulty original part from Toyota?
 
Generally the aftermarket coolers are better because they are bigger, better design, and isolated from the hot coolant. I got my b&m for $85 and it took an hour or two to install.
 
There is one problem with bypassing the factory cooler circuit. It also serves to bring the tranny up to operating temperature quicker by transferring heat from the coolant to the tranny fluid when you first start a cold system. Not a big issue, but it will be harder on the transmission.
 
Both are valid ways to go about it.

I bypassed the Rad with a B&M that has a Low-Temp Bypass feature since I live in Canada and get pretty Cold winter temps.

Aside from lift and 33"s, I don't do a lot of wheeling or towing, so the smaller B&M is plenty efficient on its own.

So far, I have yet to see my tranny fluid temps go above 165F, but we've had a pretty mild summer to date.

But there's nothing wrong with just installing a whole new OEM or quality RAD. The factory setup is plenty efficient as well unless your drive your rig hard. Replace the rad and go milkshake worry free again for the next 15-20 years.
 
I just decided to do both in series. While I was in there, I went ahead and did the thermostat and hoses including the hoses at the rear of the engine for the heater circuit. Also flushed the coolant and replaced with new...

I know my rig loves me for it...:cool:
 
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6840 said:
There is one problem with bypassing the factory cooler circuit. It also serves to bring the tranny up to operating temperature quicker by transferring heat from the coolant to the tranny fluid when you first start a cold system. Not a big issue, but it will be harder on the transmission.
Click to expand...

Not until the thermostat clicks open...
 
Seems to me that a new radiator is advisable whether or not an external cooler is used. If coolant can get into the ATF tank the radiator is shot whether or not the tank is bypassed. Granted, the transmission won't be harmed but there will likely be residual ATF in the engine coolant.
 
jhfleet said:
Seems to me that a new radiator is advisable whether or not an external cooler is used. If coolant can get into the ATF tank the radiator is shot whether or not the tank is bypassed. Granted, the transmission won't be harmed but there will likely be residual ATF in the engine coolant.
Click to expand...

Unless the reservoir was flushed out when bypassed. Any traces of ATF left in there shouldn't be enough to cause devastating issues.
 
I opted to just bypass the radiator with the B&M cooler just a week ago and like others have mentioned, they don't give you quite enough hose so be sure to pick up another 4 foot, if you take this route.
 
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