Does US purchased 16+ have an AT Oil Cooler as standard equipment?

[2021 LC200]

Was laying today under my new LC200 (US purchased) to have a look at the KDSS components, (limited) factory skid plates (engine, AT, fuel tank) and the rest of the frame/items. It looks pretty much per the picture I found online a couple months ago, maybe even on this forum.

One thing I did not expect per a thread on towing travel trailers, Automatic Transmission temperatures, OBD2 monitoring of the same and driving one or two gears lower, was what looked like two oil lines from the AT running to the front. I could not easily trace them all the way to the front and spot the oil cooler itself, nor took time yet to identify peeking through the grill.

In any case; Does anybody know whether the 16+ LC200 sold in the US have an AT oil cooler? Is it per the parts drawing below? And the location of the cooler? Or is this only in certain countries and/or an off road or towing package option, which is not an option in the US as I understand.

Appreciate your insights.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

 

[bloc]

While I haven't looked at a 21 yet, every US 200-series LC and LX I've ever seen has both the in-radiator cooler and an auxiliary cooler in front of the AC condenser on the passenger side with a large plastic duct controlling airflow through it. To my knowledge it isn't even an option, it is standard equipment.

If you want to have a look up front at yours, it is very easy to remove the plastic panel on top and in front of the radiator. Just push the centers of the 7 buttons in and pull up on the panel, be careful for them flying away. When you go to reinstall, push those pins onto a flat surface to reset the center pop part up, put them in place, then push (not too hard) until the center button is flush again.

 

[2021 LC200]

While I haven't looked at a 21 yet, every US 200-series LC and LX I've ever seen has both the in-radiator cooler and an auxiliary cooler in front of the AC condenser on the passenger side with a large plastic duct controlling airflow through it. To my knowledge it isn't even an option, it is standard equipment.

If you want to have a look up front at yours, it is very easy to remove the plastic panel on top and in front of the radiator. Just push the centers of the 7 buttons in and pull up on the panel, be careful for them flying away. When you go to reinstall, push those pins onto a flat surface to reset the center pop part up, put them in place, then push (not too hard) until the center button is flush again.

Ok, thanks. Yes, was planning to open up that panel one of these days and have a look. So to your knowledge, all 200 series have AT oil coolers (08 to 15 and 16 to 21)? A bit odd than the discussion about AT temperatures while towing, although anything possible I guess with or without oil cooler.

 

[afgman786]

Toyota got rid of the trans cooler starting in '19 on the Tundra. I wonder if they also did on the LC? I know it's a different trans, but would be interesting to see if you have one.

 

[bloc]

Ok, thanks. Yes, was planning to open up that panel one of these days and have a look. So to your knowledge, all 200 series have AT oil coolers (08 to 15 and 16 to 21)? A bit odd than the discussion about AT temperatures while towing, although anything possible I guess with or without oil cooler.

Yes, but I’ll admit I started to take it for granted and may not have paid close attention to the later model 19 & 20/21 trucks. If the parts system shows it, it should be there.

And really, if you look through the grille it should be obvious, even without removing that panel.

 

[04UZJ100]

My 20 has one.

Would like to know why it was deep-sixed on the Tundra, so late in its lifecycle.

Another observation I have is the fluid in my 4Runner and 100 series runs substantially cooler without the line through the radiator. I understand this acts as a warmer in the winter but it appears to prevent the secondary radiator from cooling the fluid as much as the 4R and 100, which don’t have lines through the radiator.

The 100’s cooler is also about 35% larger, visually, than the 200s.

Any thoughts @Taco2Cruiser?

 

[bloc]

My 20 has one.

Would like to know why it was deep-sixed on the Tundra, so late in its lifecycle.

Another observation I have is the fluid in my 4Runner and 100 series runs substantially cooler without the line through the radiator. I understand this acts as a warmer in the winter but it appears to prevent the secondary radiator from cooling the fluid as much as the 4R and 100, which don’t have lines through the radiator.

The 100’s cooler is also about 35% larger, visually, than the 200s.

Any thoughts @Taco2Cruiser?

As I understand it yes it helps with warming the fluid but it also keeps the temp from running away, as that fluid/fluid heat exchanger has a tremendous capacity to move BTUs out of the ATF if the temp differential gets too high. In a way it turns the radiator and engine coolant into an ATF cooler if the demand is there.
Keeping in mind synthetic ATF works to higher temps than conventional, is yours actually getting too hot?

 

[2021 LC200]

Just checked. As expected per comments above and seeing the lines from the gearbox yesterday, my 2021 LC200 has the AT oil cooler in front of the radiator & AC condensor passenger side with the plastic duct per bloc’s reply and parts drawing posted above. Happy to see they kept this setup and promising for any towing or long duration off road driving.

 

[TeCKis300]

Chalk it up to simplification and cost savings. Perhaps with some technological advances that allows them to do so.

What's also interesting is that in the 100-series lifetime, an auxiliary electric fan was removed from later model years. I noticed in my '06 that particularly when hot and at a stop, the A/C didn't work as effectively. As soon as we started moving, with airflow through the condenser, the A/C would cool just a bit more.

Cooler may not always be better in some regards, perhaps with efficiency and pumping losses.

The enabler that allows the newer Tundra's to run without a tranny cooler as I understand it is the new synthetic AT fluids. Perhaps another perspective was that previous fluids, with limited operating temperatures, required a tranny cooler. So if the original design had the benefit of the newer fluid technologies, they may have never spec'd a cooler.

Yet there are those that do max the performance/cooling design envelop. They're likely pushing their rigs beyond manufacturer design parameters, and there's less margin now. Some newer Tundra owners that tow on the extreme end have noted AT temp warnings. I know I do, as I exceed the GCWR of 14,645 lbs. I'm glad that the 200-series has deep margins on cooling performance when climbing hills with the throttle matted 10-20 minutes at a time.

Perhaps that's why many of us have cruisers, because we know it's design has deep reserves of capability and capacity, partially for increased durability.

 

[04UZJ100]

Chalk it up to simplification and cost savings. Perhaps with some technological advances that allows them to do so.

What's also interesting is that in the 100-series lifetime, an auxiliary electric fan was removed from later model years. I noticed in my '06 that particularly when hot and at a stop, the A/C didn't work as effectively. As soon as we started moving, with airflow through the condenser, the A/C would cool just a bit more.

Cooler may not always be better in some regards, perhaps with efficiency and pumping losses.

The enabler that allows the newer Tundra's to run without a tranny cooler as I understand it is the new synthetic AT fluids. Perhaps another perspective was that previous fluids, with limited operating temperatures, required a tranny cooler. So if the original design had the benefit of the newer fluid technologies, they may have never spec'd a cooler.

Yet there are those that do max the performance/cooling design envelop. They're likely pushing their rigs beyond manufacturer design parameters, and there's less margin now. Some newer Tundra owners that tow on the extreme end have noted AT temp warnings. I know I do, as I exceed the GCWR of 14,645 lbs. I'm glad that the 200-series has deep margins on cooling performance when climbing hills with the throttle matted 10-20 minutes at a time.

Perhaps that's why many of us have cruisers, because we know it's design has deep reserves of capability and capacity, partially for increased durability.

New tundras use the same synthetic WS ATF as my 2004 Cruiser.

The 200 has the aux fan for slow speed ac performance that the 100 mysteriously lost.