Trans cooler

[garbagewheelies]

I'm new to 4runners. I've read about the pink milkshake issue. My question is this... does my 1999 SR5 have a trans cooler? I do not have the tow package. The trans coolers I'm familiar with are typically in front of the radiator. Looking down in between my radiator and grill.... I don't see one. Do I not have one and therefore need not worry about this potential issue or do ALL 4runners of this gen have them regardless of options and I'm just not seeing mine? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

The trans cooler is located in the radiator .

The avoid the milkshake you can buy a new radiator , or install a external trans cooloer like a B.M.
I purchased both, got a koyo radiator from ebay for 124 shipped, looks identical to the oem but I haven't got around to installing it.
I also purchased a b.m trans cooler from amazon for 60 .

You don't need both, just either one. I'm just doing both by choice.

A lot of guys say the radiator heats up the fluid in cold weather, but there a lot of different opinions on that and I'm starting to believe that theory is false. But I already purchased both so I'm going to install both and keep the radiator in line.

 

[garbagewheelies]

A lot of guys say the radiator heats up the fluid in cold weather

Ummmmm what? How could that be? That seems rather counter intuitive to me.

 

[garbagewheelies]

The trans cooler is located in the radiator .

Well that explains why I can't see mine. Lol.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Ummmmm what? How could that be? That seems rather counter intuitive to me.

Ya I guess the fluid being to cold isn't goo for the trans either. But I'm realy not to sure how much the radiator will heat it because the radiator isn't even warm untill the stat opens.

Like I said its a topic that was talked about many times, and I was worried about it since in live in new england. There's a thread on yota tech with some guys comparing scan gauge data, but its hard to compare when guys are on different parts of the country.

 

[96743runner]

I'm new to 4runners. I've read about the pink milkshake issue. My question is this... does my 1999 SR5 have a trans cooler? I do not have the tow package. The trans coolers I'm familiar with are typically in front of the radiator. Looking down in between my radiator and grill.... I don't see one. Do I not have one and therefore need not worry about this potential issue or do ALL 4runners of this gen have them regardless of options and I'm just not seeing mine? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

All 4Runners with automatic transmissions have a transmission cooler. As already mentioned, the ATF coolers on 4Runners were all the liquid to liquid cooling type inside the bottom of the radiator. No 4Runners came from the factory with the air cooled type external transmission coolers installed.

If you have an automatic 4Runner with the V6 3.4 then you might be at risk for the milkshake. (It seems as though none, or at least not many, of the automatic 4 cylinder models have had this issue, oddly). You have two options to avoid the milkshake for sure: 1) replace the old radiator with a new one and change it every 8-10 years or 2) Bypass the in-radiator cooler entirely and run the ATF through an external transmission cooler.

Personally, I bypassed the radiator and installed an external cooler, the gigantic B&M 70274 (yes, there is enough room for it to fit, but very tightly)

 

[cobiker]

Im looking to install a tranny cooler on my 96Limited. Does it have to be a certain size? I've found a smallish (long and narrow) one that looks like the tranny oil cooler on my Nissan frontier. I'm wondering if this will be enough.

 

[96743runner]

Im looking to install a tranny cooler on my 96Limited. Does it have to be a certain size? I've found a smallish (long and narrow) one that looks like the tranny oil cooler on my Nissan frontier. I'm wondering if this will be enough.

There's no set size that you need to run but usually the bigger the better. Are you planning on bypassing or installing the cooler in-line?

 

[cobiker]

There's no set size that you need to run but usually the bigger the better. Are you planning on bypassing or installing the cooler in-line?

I think it would prefer to bypass the radiator altogether, to nullify any chance of pink milkshake.

I'll try to get the biggest I can but I think that the long and narrow one would be ok. I forgot to mention that I have no plans of towing anything, nor hardcore wheeling. The worst would just be stop and go city traffic (which may be just as bad?).

 

[Johnate0]

I installed a tranny cooler in my '01. I'm glad I did when I did, because check out what happened when I went to pull the rubber tranny cooler line off one of the lines on the radiator:

 

[96743runner]

I think it would prefer to bypass the radiator altogether, to nullify any chance of pink milkshake.

I'll try to get the biggest I can but I think that the long and narrow one would be ok. I forgot to mention that I have no plans of towing anything, nor hardcore wheeling. The worst would just be stop and go city traffic (which may be just as bad?).

Yeah stop and go driving creates a lot of heat in the transmission. If it gets hot in your area during summer or any time of the year, then personally I'd get a bigger cooler. They are usually around $50 and a good investment, if you ask me. The popular choice among 4Runner owners is the B&M 70264 model, in case you were interested.

 

[CHUCK1318]

Yeah stop and go driving creates a lot of heat in the transmission. If it gets hot in your area during summer or any time of the year, then personally I'd get a bigger cooler. They are usually around $50 and a good investment, if you ask me. The popular choice among 4Runner owners is the B&M 70264 model, in case you were interested.

I know this is an old threat but so glad I found it!

Live in Miami and my 4runner is my daily so I commute to work on 90+ degree weather most of the year lol.

How hard of an install is it?

 

[mtbtim]

I know this is an old threat but so glad I found it!

Live in Miami and my 4runner is my daily so I commute to work on 90+ degree weather most of the year lol.

How hard of an install is it?

It's a fairly easy install. What you first have to decide is if you're going to bypass your stock trans cooler in the bottom of the radiator or run your external cooler in-series with the stock cooler. There's huge thread discussions on this that will keep you reading for days if you want.
[MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I made a video of installing a trans cooler on my rig and it also includes replacing the radiator and thermostat. I chose to run my external cooler in-series with the stock cooler.

Here's the video and I hope it helps you out:

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

 

[CHUCK1318]

It's a fairly easy install. What you first have to decide is if you're going to bypass your stock trans cooler in the bottom of the radiator or run your external cooler in-series with the stock cooler. There's huge thread discussions on this that will keep you reading for days if you want.

[MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I made a video of installing a trans cooler on my rig and it also includes replacing the radiator and thermostat. I chose to run my external cooler in-series with the stock cooler.

Here's the video and I hope it helps you out:

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

thank you so much , this is perfect!

 

[mtbtim]

thank you so much , this is perfect!

You're welcome Chuck. If you have any questions about the job, hit me up.

 

[jgue467]

I know this is an old threat but so glad I found it!

Live in Miami and my 4runner is my daily so I commute to work on 90+ degree weather most of the year lol.

How hard of an install is it?

I see your location is Miami, is that where the vehicle is to be driven daily? If so I can relate here in central texas, it's hot and humid, alot.

I tried the bypassing for a couple years, your trans will heat up in stop/go well above 220, maybe even as high as mine, 237 - and turning OD off won't help ya in this situation.

You don't have much of any hills (i think) so that may not be an issue for ya.

Now playing around with the OD button (to turn it off) at highway speeds can yield lower trans temps when in 3rd or 4th gear, by about 20-25 degrees, but now you're having to rev the engine higher, that may or may not bother you but it's a big difference between 2150rpms and 3400 (mine roars at 70mph) when turning OD off.

So then I decided to replace radiator and run in series with external cooler. Now the trans won't ever go above the engine temp (on the longest of runs nearing 300 miles; 186-190 degrees). I think this is a better setup for brutal temps in some areas. Plus I get better mpgs not goofing around with the OD button all the time and I think these engines like the Rs nice and low. Luck and enjoy. :cowboy:

 

[mtbtim]

I see your location is Miami, is that where the vehicle is to be driven daily? If so I can relate here in central texas, it's hot and humid, alot.

I tried the bypassing for a couple years, your trans will heat up in stop/go well above 220, maybe even as high as mine, 237 - and turning OD off won't help ya in this situation.

You don't have much of any hills (i think) so that may not be an issue for ya.

Now playing around with the OD button (to turn it off) at highway speeds can yield lower trans temps when in 3rd or 4th gear, by about 20-25 degrees, but now you're having to rev the engine higher, that may or may not bother you but it's a big difference between 2150rpms and 3400 (mine roars at 70mph) when turning OD off.

So then I decided to replace radiator and run in series with external cooler. Now the trans won't ever go above the engine temp (on the longest of runs nearing 300 miles; 186-190 degrees). I think this is a better setup for brutal temps in some areas. Plus I get better mpgs not goofing around with the OD button all the time and I think these engines like the Rs nice and low. Luck and enjoy. :cowboy:

Here's a video showing without a doubt turning off overdrive when you're in that range between 3rd and 4th gear(overdrive) will drop your trans temps.

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

 

[CHUCK1318]

I see your location is Miami, is that where the vehicle is to be driven daily? If so I can relate here in central texas, it's hot and humid, alot.

I tried the bypassing for a couple years, your trans will heat up in stop/go well above 220, maybe even as high as mine, 237 - and turning OD off won't help ya in this situation.

You don't have much of any hills (i think) so that may not be an issue for ya.

Now playing around with the OD button (to turn it off) at highway speeds can yield lower trans temps when in 3rd or 4th gear, by about 20-25 degrees, but now you're having to rev the engine higher, that may or may not bother you but it's a big difference between 2150rpms and 3400 (mine roars at 70mph) when turning OD off.

So then I decided to replace radiator and run in series with external cooler. Now the trans won't ever go above the engine temp (on the longest of runs nearing 300 miles; 186-190 degrees). I think this is a better setup for brutal temps in some areas. Plus I get better mpgs not goofing around with the OD button all the time and I think these engines like the Rs nice and low. Luck and enjoy. :cowboy:

Wouldn't have thought of that myself, thanks man!

Luckily I do live pretty close to work so it's not horrible but some days I can literally feel the difference while driving from the heat. The car just handles different those days can't even imagine what it would feel like with hills.

Btw what are you using to check your transmission temp? Was told to get a Scan Gauge II ( Gas gauge not working either)

I just bought my SR5 about a month ago so I haven't bought/decided yet. But plan on driving to the Carolinas in Jan/Feb and Colorado mid next year.

So right now I'm just making sure the previous owner didn't leave any surprises for me to run into when I take those road trips. The gauge is definitely my first buy in mind and then the cooler.

 

[CHUCK1318]

You're welcome Chuck. If you have any questions about the job, hit me up.

I feel like an idiot but is this what I think it is? Since I didn't know much about these I didn't even check for that when I bought the car. Then yesterday I was checking the coolant and run into this surprise.

 

[Twan]

That is more than likely a trans cooler tucked back there. Follow the rubber hoses down and see if they go to the top of the passenger side frame where the two transmission hard lines are.