Auto Cooler

[gaz8885]

Hi Guys,

Went to enquire re auto cooler today at auto gearbox specialists and they adamantly recommend completly bypassing the rad and just using front grill mounted cooler

Any thoughts on this please

many thanks

Gary

[BUSHWHACKER]

Hi Guys,

Went to enquire re auto cooler today at auto gearbox specialists and they adamantly recommend completly bypassing the rad and just using front grill mounted cooler

Any thoughts on this please

many thanks

Gary

Which is the specialist then, us or them?

[Apache]

Toyota themselves obviously thought it a good idea to have the ATF at coolant temperature, ergo it makes sense to me to take EXCESS heat out so your coolant isn't overheated, then allow it to be warmed (if necessary) to coolant temperature before returning it to the box.

However, there are knowledgable folks here who have stand alone coolers and dont experience ill effects either.

[MWS]

Hi Guys,

Went to enquire re auto cooler today at auto gearbox specialists and they adamantly recommend completly bypassing the rad and just using front grill mounted cooler

Any thoughts on this please

many thanks

Gary

Almost all the G/box specialists I know go for that option. (who were they, by the way?) Im personally not keen on putting any extra burden on the engine cooling system. Has anyone considered putting a much larger trans cooler underneath at the rear. Opinions, anyone? .....Cheers....Mick.

[wishbone]

Or fit a huge tranny cooler and a thermostat - that way it never gets overcooled.

That's what I'll be doing on my 3.0

[MWS]

Just had another thought on the subject. If you were to run the pipes directly to an aftermarket trans cooler, how about using the original pipes in and out of the bottom of the radiator to pre heat a WVO / SVO supply if youre running on veggie? That heat transfer would also help to cool the engine (a bit.) Opinions?....Cheers....Mick.

[TFB]

From a manufacturing and build point of view it probably makes sense to have both coolers in the same unit. The down side is the chances of leaks and getting water into the ATF, as happened to one of my Paj's.

If I wanted extra cooling for the tranmission I'd fit a seperate cooler

Regards

TFB

[POPEYE]

I remember there being avalable a thermo switch for this, (Apache can prob tell ya more) it switched the atf flow through the rad on startup and when up to temp switched it through the aftermarket cooler, bit pricy as i recall, around 30-40 quid, i just ran it through the cooler (long thing from a BMW) and back through the stock rad, no probs, i did fit a pair of temp gauges on the flow and return to monitor the differences but being cheapo "tiddley wink" (sorry!! chinese) things only one works now,

[Apache]

I think Matt looked into the switches Ian. He drafted out a pretty comprehensive system and then went and got himself banned so he cant tell you more

Those of you thinking cooling to death of the ATF (hey, poetry! ) is the be all and end all should check the proper operating temp of ATF before you go mad with huge coolers.

[TonyN]

ATF cooler manufacturers tell you to put the cooler inline with the original one, normally after the in-rad one, but this is from a gearbox temp POV, on the surfs you want to keep the hot AFT fluid out of the rad, so fit it before the in rad one.

Keep the in rad one if poss, cos then if you overcool the AFT, the engine coolant will get it back to Toyota concieved temps for gearbox life.

Having said all that...

I persoanlly have a Big B&M ATF cooler under the winch bumper, and the fluid goes nowhere near my rad. But I can now tow 3000kg plus with no overheating issues even up steep hills with a standard Surf rad.