Transmission Cooler & Temperature Gauge Question -- 2008 V8 SE

[webby]

If you lived in the harsh summer conditions I do in Southern AZ summers, you might very well have a different view. Driving around in 100 degree plus temperatures for 5 months a year, running the AC full tilt of course, and then towing a 4500 lb trailer with the aerodynamics of a barn door from 1000' to 7450' elevation (my favorite summer campground) in 120 miles, will test your equipment to the max.

As I mentioned earlier, as the ambient temperature rises to the summer extremes (irregardless of how advanced today's transmissions and fluids are), I notice more and more broken down vehicles by the side of the road, and the number of failures is correlated directly to the rise in ambient temperatures. A fair number of the failures are transmissions. I used to be a car wholesaler, and was acquainted with car repair people. The transmission shops here stay very busy in the summer. Winter (which is very mild here), not so much.

So yes, I am fond of extra cooling gizmos, and not so fond of breaking down by the side of the road, so I will drop minor change on said gizmos (more's the better). Others might find plasti-dip, for example, a better place to lose their pesoes. But I don't question their judgement -- I like freedom too much.

 

[CXS]

So yes, I am fond of extra cooling gizmos, and not so fond of breaking down by the side of the road, so I will drop minor change on said gizmos. Others might find plasti-dip, for example, a better place to lose their pesoes. But I don't question their judgement -- I like freedom too much.

:trophy:

Well said, not much to argue there! Thanks for the info Webby.

 

[webby]

I like your idea on the 12 volt fan. I may consider this with my stock cooler. I hit 203 in VERY stop n go driving on Friday. Would be nice to have the extra air flowing through when stopped as well.

There are a few transmission coolers on the market with a 12V fan built right onto the trans cooler. But those coolers are a little bit upscale in price -- generally well over $200. The 12V fans are on Amazon for under $20 in several different diameters. One could of course wire the fan to run whenever the ignition is on, or put a switch under the dash that goes thru the ignition, and flip it on whenever temps and/or loads are extreme. But I found what I feel would be a better solution -- there are several different temp sensor switches on the market -- set your desired temp for the switch to kick on. They have a temperature probe, and I noticed in reviews, that many mount the temp probe in the fins of the radiator, though the probe could be mounted anywhere.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

Sounds interesting. Do you have a picture?

Thanks!

Got 3 out of 4 corners on my cooler mounted tonight. Hopefully I'll wrap that up tomorrow and will take pictures and upload them. I'll be sure to do the ScanGaugeII as well.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

There are a few transmission coolers on the market with a 12V fan built right onto the trans cooler. But those coolers are a little bit upscale in price -- generally well over $200. The 12V fans are on Amazon for under $20 in several different diameters. One could of course wire the fan to run whenever the ignition is on, or put a switch under the dash that goes thru the ignition, and flip it on whenever temps and/or loads are extreme. But I found what I feel would be a better solution -- there are several different temp sensor switches on the market -- set your desired temp for the switch to kick on. They have a temperature probe, and I noticed in reviews, that many mount the temp probe in the fins of the radiator, though the probe could be mounted anywhere.

Gave this some thought as well but would probably run another cooler in-line (or buy a larger one) if what I've got isn't enough. At this point looking at the B&M 70264 I'm installing I'm thinking this is going to do the trick. Mine is mounted much like Webby's except that I think mine is quite a bit closer to the condenser (~3/4" or about the same distance the condenser is from the radiator) since my brackets are on the back side of the vertical support that runs in front of the center of the condenser.

 

[MICA4R]

Just changed out the OEM small transmission cooler in my 2008 SE V8, and installed a B&M SuperCooler 70264. It measures 11" x 5 3/4" x 1.5" thick. I calculated the cubic inches of this cooler compared to the OEM cooler, and I almost doubled the capacity, in cubic inches of cooling area.

I was able to use two of the mounts for the OEM cooler, plus used 1 bracket that came with the cooler, for a proper 3 point mounting. It may not look solid, but it is rock solid. I just finished the install, so can't report yet on any differences in cooling. Once I get a chance to tow with it, I will report back with my impressions.


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so, were you able to notice your trans running cooler?

 

[webby]

I haven't towed our travel trailer with it yet since installing the larger trans cooler. The trans fluid temps in city driving here were never an issue, even in our extreme summer temps, but I believe it does run slightly lower in the city.

We are towing the TT on camping trips to the north country here, once before August is over, and once in mid-September. Those trips were when I was seeing temps I wasn't comfortable with in the past. So those trips will be the real test of how much good the larger trans fluid cooler is doing. I'll report back with my impressions after one or both of those trips.

 

[MICA4R]

Has anyone got the TRANS TEMP to work on the ODB2 AP with a V6 engine?

 

[Duke_kz]

I have a working Trans Temp on my obd2 bluetooth adapter and a Torque program on my android phone. I manually added an additional custom pids (21D9) for transmission temp 1 and 2. I found this pids on a tacoma forum.

 

[MICA4R]

I have a working Trans Temp on my obd2 bluetooth adapter and a Torque program on my android phone. I manually added an additional custom pids (21D9) for transmission temp 1 and 2. I found this pids on a tacoma forum.

can you please share your coding?


from taco forums:
-------------
-------------

i used
GAUGE TXD RXF RXD MTH NAME Notes
Transmission Temperature 07E021D9 32180000000 2810 0007 0064 FE70 TFT Degrees F

OBD2 PID 21D9
Long Name Tacoma Trans Temp - Auto
Short Name Trans
Min Value
Max Value
Scale Factor 1
Unit Type
Equation ((A*256)+B)*(7/100)-65136

-------------
-------------

1) There are two temperature sensors in the 09 AT, "A" and "B". They read the oil temperature, as one would expect
2) The sensors present the temp as an electrical resistance to the ECU, varying from 79Ω to 156kΩ and the ECU converts it to a temp value in °C
3) The Toyota Techstream tool reads the temps from the ECU through the OBD interface, so it must possible for us to do so, too!
4) The ECM speaks ISO 15765-4 (and possibly SAE J1987, they're both mentioned in the manual)
5) The "B" sensor is placed directly before the oil cooler inlet pipeline, not mentioned where the "A" sensor is
6) The ECU considers the valid temperature ranges to be -40°C to 215°C (-40 to 419F)

Transmission Temperature 1 (Degrees F) 2010+
TXD: 07E02182
RXF: 046105820000
RXD: 2808
MTH: 00090005FFD8
NAM: TF1

Transmission Temperature 2 (Degrees F) 2010+
TXD: 07E02182
RXF: 046105820000
RXD: 3808
MTH: 00090005FFD8
NAM: TF2


2010+ Tacoma Configuration
For sensor 1 (Pan Temp):
OBD2 Mode and PID:
2182
Long Name:
Transmission Fluid Temperature 1
Short Name:
Trans 1
Minimum Value:
0.0
Maximum value:
300.0
Scale factor:
x1
Unit Type:
°F
Equation:
((((A*256)+B) * (7/100) – 400)/10)
OBD Header to use:
left blank
For sensor 2 (Converter outlet temp):
OBD2 Mode and PID:
2182
Long Name:
Transmission Fluid Temperature 2
Short Name:
Trans 2
Minimum Value:
0.0
Maximum value:
300.0
Scale factor:
x1
Unit Type:
°F
Equation:
((((C*256)+D) * (7/100) – 400)/10)
OBD Header to use:
left blank

 

[MICA4R]

Looks like the temps are creeping up, I might end up throwing a cooler on there. I thinks its better that the temps stay below 170F? Any thoughts?

 

[eli_lilly]

I think you guys are insane, if there's such a thing as running the transmission fluid at too low of a temperature....

The service manual, from the engineers that designed the thing, says "When the transmission light comes on, that's when it's time to change the fluid". This idea of keeping the fluid temp below a conveniently-rounded number is absurd. Why not 187.6? 212? The idea is to keep it below the temperature at which its viscosity properties go to crap, and apparently the engineers that designed the transmission know what that temp is, and they have (what is it, 3) sensors that look for that and light the lamp up to let you know...

-E

Only because you asked... and because I tow a 19 foot boat.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

I think you guys are insane, if there's such a thing as running the transmission fluid at too low of a temperature....

The service manual, from the engineers that designed the thing, says "When the transmission light comes on, that's when it's time to change the fluid". This idea of keeping the fluid temp below a conveniently-rounded number is absurd. Why not 187.6? 212? The idea is to keep it below the temperature at which its viscosity properties go to crap, and apparently the engineers that designed the transmission know what that temp is, and they have (what is it, 3) sensors that look for that and light the lamp up to let you know...

-E

Only because you asked... and because I tow a 19 foot boat.

Your 19' boat and those MONSTER freeway overpasses they have there in Florida tell me your experience towing is absolutely irrelevalent to the towing that those of us who tow approaching max gross experience out West.

Now that I got my poke in......190 degrees is absolutely nothing to even begin to think about starting to worry about your transmission temp.

 

[MICA4R]

I'll keep an eye on it. You are correct. There is such a thing as trans fluid too low, this is why they transfluid circulates through the radiator, to "warm" it up on initial start. Its just a lot of fun to know exactly how may cubic feet of air your truck is consuming and the exhaust manifold temps 1,304degF!

For all practical purposes it is useless.

I have however concluded (BASED solely on TEMPS) if you keep your REVS < 2K and Speed below 70 MPH, your V6 engine has as much thermal load as if you were idling. If you want your 4Runner Engine/Trans to last for-ever. Do the rec maintenance and drive below 70mph/2K RPM.

 

[eli_lilly]

Your 19' boat and those MONSTER freeway overpasses they have there in Florida tell me your experience towing is absolutely irrelevalent to the towing that those of us who tow approaching max gross experience out West.

It's the stop-and-go traffic here that gives the rig (and nerves) a workout. I like Webby's cooling fan idea.

-E

 

[MICA4R]

It's the stop-and-go traffic here that gives the rig (and nerves) a workout

What are the highest trans temps you have seen?

 

[zstampe]

What are the highest trans temps you have seen?

I've seen 247 while off-roading. And I've seen 220's in stop and go traffic this summer, but that's with 33" tires and it was 110 degrees out.

 

[stanleybb50]

I've had 210 in stop n go traffic when it was about 92 degrees out. Typically these conditions get me around 195 however.

 

[johncg]

Has anyone ever tried this with a 2007 4Runner with V6?

 

[stanleybb50]

Webby - just ordered the same cooler you got from Amazon. How's it been working out for you? Much lower temps than before you installed? Even when towing/etc?

Towed my new 21ft 4,200 lb travel trailer home the other day and temps crept up to close to 230 with torque converter unlocked. That's too high for me, especially since the temp was only like 60...

Hoping it's been working well for you.