Auto transmission coolers

[kevin g]

Do any of you 62 guys (or gals, if such exists) have auxilliary transmission oil coolers?

A couple of weeks ago I was coming home from a weekend fishing/camping trip and my transmission oil temp light came on while driving up a hill on the highway. I pulled over to the shoulder right away and put in park and the light went off in less than a minute so I don't think I cooked anything too much. I am wanting to stretch the life of this transmission at least until the 62 is not my DD anymore when it can have some down time for a transmission rebuild or preferably a manual transmission swap. In the meantime, I also don't want to stop driving it to the mountains since that is where it is fun. I am thinking (hoping) that adding a transmission cooler will allow this to happen.

So, you guys with transmisison coolers on your 62s, what should I be looking for (brand, model, etc.) and where did you mount it? Did you put it in front of your radiator? Doesn't this reduce the effectiveness of you radiator? Any info is good.

 

[mpetersrx7]

Kevin,
Lots of discussion about this on the 3FE list (http://groups.yahoo.com/3FE). Most are lookign at the B&M coolers that Summit Racing sells #70268. This is on my list of things to do very quickly.

We have a transmission expert on the list from aussie that heavily recommends an external cooler and running synthetic fluids.

You first of all want to check you stock cooler lines to the radiator to make sure there are no kinks. Then probably want to drain, drop the pan, and inspect the transmission filter. If okay then you can flow test by removing the line which connects to the rear of the transmission (return line) and make sure you are flowing 4gpm at 2000RPM. You will have to add more fluid to make sure.

Hope this helps,
Mark
89 FJ62

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

What's an auto transmission?


TB

 

[kevin g]

Mark,
Thanks, I joined the 3FE list and have been poking around. Information overload. I think I should be able to find what I am looking for there.

HZJ60_Guy,
An automatic transmission is a hateful magical box that sits between the engine and transfer case that shifts gears by itself albeit often an incorrect times. The magic box does not shift itself for free; it charges a sizable fee in the currency of power.

 

[The Dude]

Kevin,

I installed a Tru-Cool LPD4588 tranny cooler on my HJ61. It works great. I installed it after my in-rad cooler that is on the truck.

The other cooler that I see reccomended is the B&M 70268.

You want to make sure what ever you get it is a Low Pressure Drop unit.

Oh BTW, I am also running the EVB from extremetransmission, it has larger cooling galeries for better cooling as well...remember heat kills autos!!



bt

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

AH HA he says. THATS what an auto tranny is. I thought it was transvestite who wouldnt leave people alone!



TB : :

 

[dd113]

If it just overheated all of a sudden when was the last fluid change? I change 3-5 times a year to be extra safe. The only time mine overheated was when I had a kink in the soft cooler lines. A cooler cant hurt in any event.

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

Add three tranny coolers and RIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER BABY, RIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER!



TB

 

[erfworm]

[quote author=HZJ60_Guy link=board=29;threadid=17369;start=msg168018#msg168018 date=1086212853]
What's an auto transmission?


TB
[/quote]

Lucky Bastard!

 

[Teebag]

Why do you want to swp your auto box for a manual?

 

[HZJ60 Guy]

For hard core wheeling I think an auto is the way to go. For everything besides that I want a five/six speed.


TB

 

[kevin g]

I guess it is a personal preference thing. I agree for hardcore stuff, an auto is probably better, but I don't do hardcore stuff. My reasons are autos waste more power than manuals, with manuals you don't get unexpected/unwanted upshifts/downshifts, you have more gearing options between 1st gear and the 1:1 gear (I often wish my FJ62 had a 2.5 gear for mountain highway driving), I just have a preference for manuals. With that said, I can live with the auto and want to make it last as long as I can. When it goes; however, in goes a manual if I can do it for not too much more than a rebuild.

Update since I started this thread. I inspected to lines, dropped the pan, cleaned the strainer (wasn't very dirty) and installed a B&M 70268 cooler downstream of the radiator. Last weekend I drove it loaded with camping gear (we don't exactly camp light when we go as a family), wife and daughter 200+ miles each way on I-70 through the mountains and no overheating. I guess it worked. Thank you to those that offered advice.

 

[Rollin'in'Zona]

... installed a B&M 70268 cooler downstream of the radiator.

Where did you mount the unit?

 

[johnny4ever]

Diagram of AT Cooler Oil Flow

Check out my goofy diagram.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?postid=184652#post184652

 

[Rollin'in'Zona]

AT cooler mounting

Thanks for the link! I've joined and checked out your (?) drawings on th 3FE site - thanks for that!

I have mounted oil coolers in front of a radiator before, but have concerns of pre-heating the air which is going through the radiator.

Certainly the easiest option, though. Should be able to get at leas an inch of space between them I suppose.

 

[johnny4ever]

Not so much my drawings as "my diagrams using scan-cut-paste" usually to help me visualize what the hell I am getting into. But "my art" is here: http://users.nova1.net/itssoreal/
Later

 

[kevin g]

Where did you mount the unit?

I mounted it in front of the AC evaporator which is in front of the radiator. Mine is well over an inch infront of the radiator due to the evaporator. It has had no effect on engine cooling as far as I can tell, other than the fan may run more often (still never get above the 1/3 mark on the guage). The AC doesn't get as cold, however. But I rarely run that anyway.

 

[Charlie]

Cooler source

Call these guys about coolers DRW Transmission Specialists (619) 258-4240 Wayne
They put one on mine and a temp gage.

The heat problem sound more like a Torque Convertor problem. If you were climbing up long hills and you had it in Drive, chances are your tranny was hunting between 3rd and 4th and lock up. The action between 4th and lock up will build a lot of heat up in the convertor which will transfer to the tranny, hence the trouble light, so when it hunts, drop it into 3rd and leave it there til you crest the hill.

Frankly, I drive mine around in 3rd most of the time and being that the 3FE is a shorter stroke motor, the higher revs don't hurt it (3000 to 3800 rpms - I run 33" tires). Sure wish toyota hadn't changed the stroke and left the torque in the motor, hills would be much less of a problem.