transmission cooler setup

quicksilvr said:
I use Valvoline MaxLife and love it. It's a semi-synthetic? fluid....hard to figure out....Valvoline says they use some synthetic base stock...but they don't market it as full synthetic. Either way, it's great stuff. The Castrol DEX IV is also a good full synthetic. MaxLife can be bought for only $17/4 quarts at Walmart though...hard to beat the price for the quality.
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hmm, i just didnt know if anyone had issues running full synthetic with seals or clutch packs. if toyota recommends conventional, ill continue to run it, but if people have noticed gains with synthetic i might switch over whenever i hook up the cooler.

never heard of a half synthetic before lol
 
one more noob question since i got my b&m in the mail today (sorry to keep bumping a dead-horse thread). when i go to install the trans cooler, chances are some fluid will spill. previous owner said the tranny has never been touched.

what fluid is factory for the tranny? should i get it through toyota or can i find it at another place? also just to verify, i dont have to worry about air bubbles in the trans from installing the cooler do i? i read that it didnt matter, but i just want to make sure.

normally i would take this time to do a complete trans flush, but im making it a point not to modify this truck (daily driver duty) like i do other cars. i want this to be as turn-key friendly as possible, but at 140k miles im thinking if i should flush it now..
 
evowned said:
one more noob question since i got my b&m in the mail today (sorry to keep bumping a dead-horse thread). when i go to install the trans cooler, chances are some fluid will spill. previous owner said the tranny has never been touched.

what fluid is factory for the tranny? should i get it through toyota or can i find it at another place? also just to verify, i dont have to worry about air bubbles in the trans from installing the cooler do i? i read that it didnt matter, but i just want to make sure.

normally i would take this time to do a complete trans flush, but im making it a point not to modify this truck (daily driver duty) like i do other cars. i want this to be as turn-key friendly as possible, but at 140k miles im thinking if i should flush it now..
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You gotta change the fluid eventually. At least change what is in the pan. You will have to add more to fill the cooler, obviously. You said your a n00b so remember that the the correct way to check the fluid is with the engine running, in park. Their is a hot-cold range so after you get it close on the cold range let it warm up and check it again. Run it through R and D while in place to let the fluid move out around more. A pint over or under will cause shifting problems. Oh, and make sure you keep everything clean. Dirt is the number one enemy of auto transmissions. So use new hoses and don't set them in the dirt while your waiting to install.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'm not a car noob, but definitely a Toyota noob (what I meant to say). I'm just unsure on intervals for these vehicles. What fluid, how much, how often, what weight, etc.

I have no problem doing the actual work.. Except I'm usually working on manual trannys :P
 
I have the 4454 cooler on mine. Haven't installed a temp gauge yet but with the 100 degrees we have had the last couple haven't appeared to have a problem but would know better if I had the temp gauge installed.
 
i just got the 264, and wil be installing it with the help of wilson next weekend, im of the mentality that bigger is always better
 
well.. i just got done installing mine and have a few questions:
*firstly, where the metal feed/return goes to rubber on the new tranny cooler setup (coming from the transmission), i re-used the same clamps that were on there before (i have 5/16 feed and 3/8 return sizes used). anyone have any issues re-using the same clamps? i didnt get the feed line on all the way back to the "stopping lip", but i got it back enough to get the clamp on it (couldnt push it on any more)

nothing i need to do to prep the tranny with the new setup right? i just cycled through gears a few times and took a few short drives.

i noticed a little bit of oil underneath the truck (but over near the shock for the passenger side). im thinking this is just some residue from when i pulled off the lines finally making its way down, but im keeping an eye on it.

lastly, when i took a shop towell to check where the hoses go from metal to rubber, i didnt get any oil per say, but i did see a little clear-ish fluid. quite confused. for not im just thinking of it as a/c condensation/motor condensation.. ill keep an eye on it.
 
Anybody haveva write up on a tranny cooler install? I've never done one but thinking with almost 200K miles it would be a good idea.
 
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