Missing Transmission cooler.

The coolers the hard metal lines going into the back of your radiator. They have always been there; that didn't change. I've never seen an auto car that didn't have a cooler integrated into the radiator.

 

Toyota has been pulling them off other models so it was just a matter of time until it got to the Tacoma too, this guy checked the temps on Tundra's.

 

/reopenthread

Is there a good recommendation for a replacement (or fulfillment) aftermarket cooler that will easily install in the stock location? Something sub $300 afternoon project.

 

There are pictures earlier in the thread, but it's not new, and the radiator is the same for 2016-2020 with or without the air cooler. They always had the water cooler. Just look at the LH side of your radiator and you will see the two ATF cooler lines running into it. All automatic Tacomas (1995-2020) have this, no manuals do.

On earlier trucks the tow package also added an additional external cooler in series, but it still went through the radiator as well. There have been no changes to the coolant capacity due to this change.

That said, if you wanted MAXIMUM cooling, you could get yourself a manual radiator and a very large air cooler for your ATF. This would probably be my preferred setup, since it also keeps the ATF and coolant very separate.

 

Toyota runs on a JIT production system. There is rarely more than 2-3 days worth of existing stock at any given time. They also make a lot of changes throughout model years in addition to the more major ones at model year changes.

What does happen sometimes is that there is a planned change for the next model year but that the changeover for different markets is different. For example on the AE86, the changeover for the next model year was in May for Japan but in August for all other markets, but they were made at the same factory in Japan. So that meant that some late production export models got small changes that were intended for the next model year (different sunvisors, headliner, etc.). Also some changes have to do with the supplier updating or having difficulty supplying a part vs. Toyota doing so - or a change happens across the board at a set time vs. for one specific model.

Other examples: Toyota changed the type of coolant they used in August 2003, which coincided with the 2004 model year for all vehicles they sold in North America except the Corolla, Matrix, and Sienna. The 2004 Corolla and Matrix started production in May 2003 and the 2004 Sienna started production in January 2003, so early 2004 models used the "older" style coolant until the August changeover for all the models.

My guess is that the change was investigated and found that it wouldn't change published specifications and so approved to happen on "X" date.

Jeff

 

TruCool LPD 4589 or 4590 by Long Manufacturing. Easily fits in the space of the OEM cooler.
About $100.00

 

And the single radiator transmission fluid cooler isn’t acting as a cooler until the transmission fluid is hotter than the engine coolant that’s circulating through the radiator.

 

Certainly, but some devices like ATs operate better in a certain temperature range. Cold ATF isn't ideal. That is where a warmer / cooler in the rad is a good idea.

The other side of that is that the hotter a fluid is in a radiator, the more efficient it is with heat transfer to air. So when ATF temps are peaking, the now gone secondary cooler was doing its best work.

 

Are you talking about this one on page 6?

Is this top line (red arrow) the feed to the ATF cooler inside radiator? And the line at the bottom (blue arrow) the return?



If so, then you're saying this is how it is incorporated into the radiator?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8YWYw-JQ3o

 

Yeah, that's it. I don't know for a fact the flow on the Tacoma but I'd assume top is the feed and bottom return.

 

Agreed. I had a 1992 Blazer that I put a Pioneer head unit in. I bought the adapter that was supposed to work between the two but it ended up being a different plug than what it was supposed to be. Confused the dude at Best Buy (but that wasn't hard to do anyway) when I brought it back to exchange.

 

Anyone use Ultra Gauge Blue to monitor Trans temps?

 

That's true, but that's actually always true on the 2016+ because they run coolant to the transmission to warm it up and there is a thermostat preventing ATF from flowing through the cooler(s) until after it is warmed up by the coolant.

Jeff

 

So then by this photo and reasoning, regardless of which line is the return, that return line should come out of the radiator and go to the external cooler mounted in front of the radiator. That is if you have an external cooler too. Right? Because to me, it makes no sense to cool that fluid only to run it through the radiator to heat it back up again. Maybe I'm wrong here too.

I will even concede that Toyota made a determination that the external ATF cooler is no longer needed, even if not just to save money. However, if the radiator always had a ATF cooler in it, as some have said that's how all vehicles are made, then I should be able to go out and trace the lines from the transmission, to the radiator, to the external cooler and back to the transmission.

Right? Or even if I'm wrong about the process, from the external back to the internal...........

 

It goes in the top out the bottom on trucks without the aux cooler.

On trucks with the aux cooler it goes through the radiator first and then through the air cooler.

You certainly could easily follow the hoses on your truck.

Jeff

 

Yea, this just seemed to make sense to me since the tranny sump is lower than the radiator. I suppose we are on the same page here, meaning from the tranny, into the radiator at top, and out the radiator at the bottom to the tranny. And this is on trucks without the Aux ATF cooler. Right?

Ok, now you lost me. Explain "Through the radiator first"??? Or do you mean through the radiator and then to the aux ATF cooler second?

Oh, I intend to! Just not tonight........

 

If I remember correctly, when I added an external cooler to my other Taco this is how I did it:

The hose at the bottom right of the radiator (facing the truck) is your line out. You need to use that radiator connection with a new piece of hose and connect it to tranny cooler. Then take the other connection from the tranny cooler and using a new piece of hose to splice it with the hose you disconnected from the radiator.If you don't want to splice the hose then you can run a new hose all the way to the transmission (for me splicing the hose was easier). Now the ATF will go through the new cooler all the time.

 

This sounds like what I reading how the fluid path should be.
Thank you and Thank you for your service.

 

So is this aftermarket cooler more efficient than the one that comes from the factory. Would it be a worthwhile swap?
Living in AZ and about to start towing in 110* plus weather has me a bit concerned the auxiliary factory cooler may not be enough for a 5000# trailer.
Bought an ultragauge to monitor temps, so I guess I will see how it goes.