It is advised to run an auxillery transmission cooler ANY time you run a high stall converter or performance application....it's not just for towing or high load capacity. Both can be installed by you or the dealer without a ton of effort. After having blown one transmission on our BT-50 while four-wheel driving and having it replaced under warranty, we were extremely cautious about hitching a … And that was simple. This can include transmission gearing modifications but more commonly will turn up as a higher gear ratio in the differential or rear end. ... Before selecting a transmission cooler, you need … But just because you're doing a little towing doesn't necessarily mean you need a transmission cooler. The fluid can become so hot that it loses its hydraulic qualities and starts to make the transmission slip. Nothing heavy, just some brush and firewood. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. The fluid in your transmission is always moving. This fluid is part of a complex hydraulic system that transfers the power of your engine to the wheels. The real controversy is really about how long the transmission will hold up to the additional heat. Cloudflare Ray ID: 60e06534df481cc4 Matthew Wright has been a freelance writer and editor for over 10 years and an automotive repair professional for three decades specializing in European vintage vehicles. If you want to add a bigger/ additional tranny cooler, you can by all means, tons of peope will sell them to you. All Pathfinders now come with the transmission cooler from the factory, so you don't have to worry about that. If you're pulling something big and heavy like a camper, you may want to make the upgrade. Pickup truck owners seeking enhanced towing capacity might wonder if they need to upgrade to a transmission cooler. Transmission coolers come in many different shapes and sizes, and there are a few things to consider when choosing one. Transmission cooler - I am going to purchase a 2017 Highlander for towing a travel trailer. As you tow heavier loads for longer periods of time, the metal body of the transmission can't dissipate enough heat to keep the fluid cool. There are different types and sizes of transmission coolers for different types of transmissions and different sizes of vehicle. • An automatic transmission cooler will not only help keep your fluid temperatures lower, but improves the longevity of your transmission. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. For those of you unfamiliar with the anatomy of a heavy-duty automatic transmission, here's a quick rundown. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. You wont need one. But it might help improve your towing performance. If you've already had problems with your truck's transmission overheating, your decision is a no-brainer. The same criteria apply here as above. Your vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is key to determining what kind of transmission cooler you need. The Auto Man, Brian Bowersock, talks about ways to keep your car from overheating and how to prolong the life of your transmission. Helpful Expert Reply: You are correct on both accounts, a transmission cooler would be recommended for your towing situation, and you would also need to add enough transmission fluid to fill both the new transmission cooler and any lines associated with it. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Back in the old days—way back in the old days—the radiator was the only part of a truck's drivetrain that owners needed to keep cool. Generally, you would use a transmission cooler in a towing vehicle, or in a vehicle that spends a lot of time in traffic, and other conditions. Our questions are: Do we really need them or can we just get an after market hitch for less than $500. A transmission fluid cooler is a great option even if you’re not towing. I think it took my a bit over an hour. Cam and Jeff take a look at vehicles that might benefit from using a transmission oil cooler and discuss considerations whether an oil cooler … If you're lucky enough to have a truck that came equipped with some type of transmission cooler, it's often very easy to upgrade to a medium-duty or heavy-duty unit. An auxiliary transmission cooler will not increase the towing or hauling capacity of a vehicle. I'd also service it much more often then the factory spec. Too much heat can/will destroy a transmission. To fix this problem, automotive manufacturers came up with the transmission cooler, which takes the heated tranny fluid and runs it through a miniature radiator to cool it down. But before you rush out and buy the first cooler available, here’s an example to ponder: Decades ago, we built an L88 powered 1969 Camaro complete with a turbo 400, a 12-bolt filled with 4.88:1 gears and an 8-inch torque converter. I'd go for the cooler without a question if I was towing anything using a vehicle with an automatic transmission. Tow rig: 1995 Chevy K1500 z71 Towee: 240sx or old 911 My old Chevy truck has the factory transmission cooling lines that route through the radiator. Under normal circumstances, this heat is dissipated through the ​transmission case itself. It's all about preference. Installing Transmission Coolers. Don’t believe manufacturer claims that the gearbox is sealed and you don’t ever need to change the fluid, and at any sign of excess blackening of the contents have the gearbox properly flushed and fresh transmission fluid added. No, this isn't an ice pack that you stick underneath the truck to keep things cool. Spencer 2011 RAM 1500 Outdoorsman 1973 Duster 340-whole lotta stuff. Today's trucks, however, are far more complicated and advanced than the carbureted haulers of old. The type of towing you plan to do, what type of terrain you live near, and the weather in your towing season are all factors that can affect your need for greater transmission cooling capacity. You can add an external cooler. If you don't lubricate it, you may damage your automatic transmission. by the time it smells burt..way to late. The transmission is affected even if the car is in neutral. But if it is for personal comfort, toss a better one on there for peice of mind. Now, it seems like there is some disagreement between Toyota and consumers on whether or not you need it. 2007 Jeep Compass <--Poor choices on my part letting my wife have what she wanted. Perhaps the most important factor to consider is the tow vehicle itself. But , Yes it can do no harm to add one, or you could get the trans serviced after a "towing trip" in very hot weather. However, your car or truck’s OEM transmission fluid cooler may not provide enough cooling capacity to handle the extra heat generated when … Transmission coolers help to protect your transmission when you turn up the heat. It's amazing how much cooling can happen with even a small one of these devices. I would get it as a matter of course. Most trucks these days come with optional towing packages that almost always include a transmission cooler. By using LiveAbout, you accept our, 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Turbo Diesel Pickup Truck Review, Checking and Filling Your Coolant/Antifreeze. It's a great conductor of heat and can pretty much keep the system cool without any outside help. Understanding the Components of Your Car's AC, How to Tow a Trailer Behind a Pickup or Car, Pictures of the 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab, How to Install a New Serpentine Belt, Fan Belt, or Alternator Belt, How to Tell If Your Fan Clutch Is Going Bad. You just need a more powerful vehicle. Installing a transmission cooler is an extra precaution against overheating your transmission, and many people decide to use them in tow vehicles. Is Universal Antifreeze Safe for Your Car. When I had the transmission rebuilt in my Nissan truck he installed a cooler … When you install your cooler you will need to account for adding additional transmission fluid to compensate for the increased capacity of the transmission cooling system. I know they come as part of a trailer towing package on any factory vehicle. This pressure and velocity produce heat. Some trucks that didn't come with the towing package may already have the plumbing to install one, and just need the addition of the radiator section. Our 1973 Ford F-350 was in need of a transmission cooler to protect it from future damage; a process that can be done to any automatic transmission. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. On the other hand, something small like your bass boat will pull along just fine without heating the system up any more than regular driving would. If there is an opportunity to repair your equipment without resorting to towing, then it is better to do so. Who really needs a transmission oil cooler? The general rule is that transmission fluid cannot be cooled too much, so using the largest cooler that will fit is a good idea, especially if you are towing. Do I need an aftermarket cooler to tow a small car to the racetrack that's an hour away? How do we know if we need one on a vehicle that is not equiped with one and will be pulling a trailer. One of the very first things tow truck drivers are taught, is not to tow with the drive wheels turning with an automatic transmission. One of the many advances made in truck manufacturing has been the option to install a transmission cooler. What's the Difference Between Antifreeze and Coolant? Some trucks that didn't come with the towing package may already have the plumbing to install one, and just need the addition of the radiator section. Personally, I’d leave the Toyota at home and ride the Harley. The car is rated to pull 3500 lbs. We have a 2007 Pilot EXL and considering adding a hitch to tow a 4x8 trailer. Given that this model is notorious for Trans cooler failures resulting in a complete "watering " of the trans. If you plan to tow big, or if you plan to tow a trailer on top of loading the truck's bed to the top, you may want to consider going with a cooler. Towing hurts you on starts and stops..not so much during cruising, since the radiator often provides cooling for the tranny oil as well. His experience perhaps mixed with opinion were most transmissions from the factory were under cooled to begin with. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. Your IP: 188.227.225.17 The dealer wants to add power steering cooler & transmission cooler for over $1200. My transmission guy told me it's a good idea regardless if you're towing or not. Transmission Coolers help transmissions deal with the added stress and heat caused by towing boats, trailers and other heavy objects. Tube and fin coolers are a common option and are highly recommended for older car models or if you only tow heavy loads occasionally. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. Transmission coolers are not standard issue. Yet. LiveAbout uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. A look at the options list shows the auxiliary trans fluid cooler is part of the Tow Prep Package which do not have and will be pricy to get. PA to NJ so no mountains. Each year, hundreds of thousands of automatic transmissions fail and the majority of them are due to overheating of the fluid. A vehicle driven a mile or two may not suffer extensive damage but we feel the gamble is not worth it. Do I need to have a transmission cooler installed? Your transmission is full of a fluid called, well, transmission fluid. Did they maybe get rid of the trans cooler? The only thing the tow package adds is the receiver hitch and wiring harness. I have a 2009 Kia Sedona with a 6 cyl engine and will be pulling a Spree Escape E19SB. It is better to repair your equipment on site, and only if it is impossible to use the best transmission cooler for towing. Severe transmission damage can occur if you try to tow a car with an automatic transmission incorrectly. Use best transmission cooler for towing is better only in extreme cases. If you plan on towing anything, a transmission cooler is the single best investment you can make. No nitrous. If you overload the vehicle, no amount of cooling will make it haul or tow more than the maximum specified weight. Note also that some vehicles are recommended to have a different or even a first transmission cooler for towing use. I remember when the 2016s came out supposedly it was something that was added by the dealership during PDI, and a lot of people with the tow package were having issues with the trans fluid level being a quart low or something like that since the techs weren't topping it off. Since towing heavy loads requires more force to the drive wheels than everyday driving, tow-package-equipped cars and trucks are often geared differently than their non-tow-package cousins. Will the addition of the two coolers affect MPG when not towing? Cooking your transmission while towing is only too common and can be easily avoided by adding a transmission oil cooler. • Most trucks these days come with optional towing packages that almost always include a transmission cooler. If I was you, I'd be more worried about towing a 21 foot trailer with bigger tires on a 4l60e. The key is to tow the vehicle without having the internal workings of the transmission being involved. When you are pulling a trailer or hauling a very heavy load, the transmission fluid finds itself under a lot more pressure than it experiences during normal unloaded cruising. For years, an auxiliary transmission cooler was thought to be a common-sense, standard piece of equipment on trucks designed to tow. Fill it up with a mixture of antifreeze and water, make sure the radiator cap was on nice and tight, and then check the fan belt for tightness and wear. Of course, you didn't get a truck so that you could always operate it under normal conditions, right? 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