TRD/ Magnuson 4.0 Supercharger Tips, Tricks, and Mods

Yes sir that is the one.

I'll have to keep yall updated once I install. Dont expect to have much to report other than my trucks temp is nominal haha. And more peace of mind

 

That’s a big plus already on the fan shroud. That’s the annoying part of the CSF.

 

Are you running a manual or Auto?. Even with the CSF you will need a upgraded trans cooler if your an Auto.

 

Automatic... its got the tow package though so it has the factory trans cooler than runs in series with the radiator

 

Mishimoto makes good stuff. I wouldn't hesitate in running their radiator for a second.

It's great to have options and it keeps CSF from running their prices super high. Healthy competition! Lol.

 

lol. I just went through this EXACT thing not too long ago. Little backstory first.. I already had my URD equal lengths on the truck for a while when I had TC UCA gussets burned in, so there was no issues at that point due to the order of operations that they were done in. A little while after I thought my starter was going, so I bought a new one and had been sitting on it because I knew it was going to be an issue with the gussets and headers, so I never installed it. Fast forward years later, I cracked my upper oil pan wheeling (later found out due to blown out motor mounts). So.. I took it to the shop I use for the bigger work like that, that's next door to my shop. Once they started tearing into everything, they gave me a call and said the mounts were toast, so I ordered Solid Offroad mounts to replace them. When they started re-assembling, they called again and had some issues. I just walked over to check it out. At this point, it had been years since I originally did the header install, gussets, etc.. and forgot about the order of operations and that there were issues with fitment with those components. I explained and showed them everything and we came up a with a game plan, and added installing the new starter since all that, including the starter, had to come out anyways. They pulled the headers, motor mounts, then starter.. and that was the only way they could get to it. They went from underneath, but that's also because they had to drop the diff and everything anyways to do the upper oil pan. It kind of all worked out in my favor, since it all had to come out anyways, and I took advantage and had all that replaced. But yes.. long story short.. that's the name of the game. I dont have any regrets or worries of serviceability, especially since the starter wasnt even bad to begin with.. ended up being just bad batteries. I'm not worried about it failing I guess is what I'm saying. At least not anytime soon anyways... BUT.. you're not wrong.. it is a big potential factor, especially out on the trail. For you... getting into it all now, maybe it is the time to make that decision. Since I did my stuff in a wonky order over years and years, I'm just going with it. I'd rather have the beef/performance personally.

 

Yeah I have that too it's pretty useless if your boosted and heavy. With CSF a couple weeks ago the trans temps spiked again up to 270ish. so currently upgrading the trans cooler setup.

 

I believe there is something else going on with your setup. Can you confirm that the fluid level in the trans is set correctly, by opening the spill port when the fluid is the right temp and having it just dribble before closing? Also, what temp are you measuring - there are two temps... the pan temp and torque converter output temp. I would expect the TC output temp to be significantly above pan temp (unless you are in 4th or 5th with TC locked up) since all the energy of the engine lost in the torque converter is going into the fluid, which makes it much hotter and is why it then gets routed directly to the fluid coolers and then back to the pan. Are you running one of the exhaust crossovers that go under the trans pan? Do you have wrap on the tubing, or a shield on the pan to reflect the conduction/convection/radiation of heat into the trans fluid? Are you seeing a huge delta in the TC and pan temp? What is your engine coolant temp when the trans spikes up so high? Is this overheating situation you have on pavement, dirt, and can you use a 2 low module, or 4 low?

My truck is heavier than yours, I live in hotter climate, stock radiator for now, I don't have a blower but I do have a bigger trans cooler than stock with no fan. I have to climb some very steep grades at freeway speed (i.e. very large load on engine and trans). I also do plenty of slow speed trails and hills, and if I have opportunity to put in 2 low or 4 low I absolutely do... can notice huge difference in engine and trans temps when the extra gearing is utilized and the engine doesn't work as hard. The hottest I've ever seen my pan temp was about 235 (before the larger cooler was installed), which happened when I had to run in soft sand along the beach in mexico for 45 mins... at speeds that were too high for low range gearing - it was basically foot floored in 3rd gear, and didn't matter if I was lower rpms in 3rd or higher in 2nd... the engine and trans got quite hot with that type of load and speed. I am not supercharged yet though, that is another adder of heat, I can believe it impacts the underhood temps a lot, but the fluid temps less so. If you were complaining about AC not working - I can believe that would be due to the SC heat soaking the condenser. But at low speed trails/climbs you shouldn't be in boost, and the temp of the engine and trans fluids should only minimally be offset by the extra btus being shed by the innercooler radiator or the blockage of airflow it creates.

just my $0.02

 

I kinda have to agree.. just based off my experiences too. I'm still running the stock Rad and everything.. minus the URD 160 Tstat, and I havent had any issues since. Auto with tow package.. I guarantee it helps more than not having it.

 

I am actually having similar issues. Went up to Cerro Gordo this weekend while we were in the area and my trans and engine got really hot, had to stop several times on the 7.8 mile climb. Engine got to 210 on coolant and thats where I decided to pull over and let it cool down, trans got up to around 250 for a brief moment. This was going up hill in 4lo, I stayed in 2nd and 3rd gear trying to figure out if a little more speed would have kept things cool but it didn’t really work. Both times my engine would cool down really fast but the trans takes for ever to cool down. I am definitely going to get a larger trans cooler, and I am tempted to take it out of the radiator loop since I feel like it warms my coolant up in situations like that. I’m also running the csf radiator, how ever I had even worse issues on the stock radiator setup.

 

Agreed, but I don't have any of the stock Tacoma pieces (shroud, coolant overflow tank) since @crashnburn80 installed OEM FJ parts with the FJ CSF radiator.

Are you going to add another one in-line or replace the OEM one with a larger one?

 

Unless it's a cold winter day, I pretty much always see 205*F as the radiator temps with the FJ CSF.

 

I never had the issue prior to the blower and CSF. Generally only happens when wheeling or when it's super hot out but never had a larger cooler only the dinky one. I have been chasing this for a while with posts in here and well see how it goes after the new trans cooler. Shortly after I had the trans light come on the truck but chased that up to the shroud not having a good seal. When patched is better but when wheeling it gets up there. Maybe it's the Pan temp, not the TC but usually, when it gets that hot the coolant starts to get up there 220+ so everything is getting heat-soaked.

Also had me wondering if the CSF is partially the issue so was looking into Mishi etc but it's clear I need a larger trans cooler so swapping that out.

When I did the ratiotek I put it in proper temp check and waited for fluid to drop out etc so that shouldn't be an issue. I am going to do a drain and fill this week with the new trans cooler. Fluid was mostly ping but had some noticeable dark bits.

I did just clean out a ton of dirt mud off the radiator so curious if it was also jammed up with dirt.

Anything else I can check? But I want to agree with you both @XPOTRPR and @racebug68

 

CSF radiators made in Indonesia/Thailand. Mishimoto made in China.
AFE?

 

210 on coolant is nothing to worry about at all. What thermostat temp are you running? remember the coolant temp probe is at the back of the engine, after all the coolant has picked up heat from the engine and is being routed back to radiator. It will always read higher than the thermostat temp. Much above 230 on coolant is concerning, but if it cools quickly with reduction in load, then it isn't even a concern.

again... which trans temp are you monitoring. 250 on TC output for a brief period is NOTHING to worry about. 250 pan temp though is more concerning.

Speed is not the issue with a trans, unless you are going so fast (like highway) that the velocity pressure on the coolers is greater than the airflow the fan can provide. I promise that any speed in 4lo is not high enough for this, and you are better off with a reduction in load, like a lower gear and lower speed, than trying to maintain speed for the benefits of the airflow it provides.

Another thing to remember, is that if the air is to through the radiators, it must also get out of the engine bay... so opening up the air paths by removing a rear splash guard, or not having enormous skid plates that go frame rail to rail, or perhaps taking off the rear cowl hood seal to let air out of the engine bay will simultaneously reduce engine bay temps as well as allow for efficient airflow through the radiator, whether from fan or from velocity pressure.


To all of you complaining about high trans temps... get your facts straight... and on your scanguage or whatever,,, get BOTH temps loaded and displayed simultaneously, and then you can watch and learn how your truck deals with the extra heat put into the trans fluid by the TC. The TC temp can swing violently up and down in short periods... but pan temp is WAY more constant and slow to change. I've seen my TC temp go 30 degrees hotter just using engine braking to slow down, come to stop, then pull away up to city speeds again, only to rapidly collapse back to pan temp when the TC locks up in high gear. That change in temp is MEANINGLESS!! But, sustained 250 degree pan temps (longer than an hour give or take) can have some real implications on your fluid. If fully synthetic fluid, less so...

 

I went up to Cerro Gordo several years ago, pulling my teardrop. We stopped a couple of times on the way up, to let things cool down. I never got too hot, but the trans was getting really warm. Better safe than sorry.

I have found the better way to cool the trans is to let the truck idle. Sure, the engine doesn't cool as much, but with the trans pump running, all the fluid will circulate through the coolers, shedding heat. Not running, the hot fluid just sits in the pan.

As for bypassing the radiator cooler, everything I have read says not to. While the coolant may warm up, the radiator will dump the heat. And it is bigger than the tranny cooler.

I replaced my factory cooler with one from Derale - here is the install from my build thread - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/scott-b-s-2015-ac-build-expo-style.368814/page-7#post-13173471

 

Derale is the ONE for coolers. The LS/LT group owners swear by them, and they do really work.

 

Get both trans temps loaded in your scanguage or similar... and know what temp you are having an issue with. if the trans light came on, that is concerning, and would have been coupled with really hot engine temps if the shroud wasn't sealed to the radiator. I have seen engine temps of 220+ many times... and not worried at all. I know it will get worse with the blower install. I've also seen those 230+ pan temps for the trans a few times... but never since the larger trans cooler install.

What I have in place of the stock cooler is a derale 52506. I picked up a sweet mount and cooler kit from a guy that made it but sold the truck prior to install. Works fantastic IMO. https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...ission-cooler-for-2nd-gen-tacoma-sold.192296/

 

The lock up value doesn't seem to be correct, or maybe the bandwidth on the OBD II is lacking to give it a real-time reading/display on the UltraGauge.

 

Usually the value of 1 is on and 0 is off. So that reads the torque converter is lock-up.