His experience perhaps mixed with opinion were most transmissions from the factory were under cooled to begin with. Use best transmission cooler for towing is better only in extreme cases. Cam and Jeff take a look at vehicles that might benefit from using a transmission oil cooler and discuss considerations whether an oil cooler … No, this isn't an ice pack that you stick underneath the truck to keep things cool. The car is rated to pull 3500 lbs. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. PA to NJ so no mountains. And that was simple. When you install your cooler you will need to account for adding additional transmission fluid to compensate for the increased capacity of the transmission cooling system. Yet. On the other hand, something small like your bass boat will pull along just fine without heating the system up any more than regular driving would. We have a 2007 Pilot EXL and considering adding a hitch to tow a 4x8 trailer. But it might help improve your towing performance. A look at the options list shows the auxiliary trans fluid cooler is part of the Tow Prep Package which do not have and will be pricy to get. For years, an auxiliary transmission cooler was thought to be a common-sense, standard piece of equipment on trucks designed to tow. Will the addition of the two coolers affect MPG when not towing? Today's trucks, however, are far more complicated and advanced than the carbureted haulers of old. If you don't lubricate it, you may damage your automatic transmission. One of the many advances made in truck manufacturing has been the option to install a transmission cooler. The Auto Man, Brian Bowersock, talks about ways to keep your car from overheating and how to prolong the life of your transmission. I think it took my a bit over an hour. Who really needs a transmission oil cooler? If you've already had problems with your truck's transmission overheating, your decision is a no-brainer. Did they maybe get rid of the trans cooler? What's the Difference Between Antifreeze and Coolant? by the time it smells burt..way to late. If you're lucky enough to have a truck that came equipped with some type of transmission cooler, it's often very easy to upgrade to a medium-duty or heavy-duty unit. Some trucks that didn't come with the towing package may already have the plumbing to install one, and just need the addition of the radiator section. Cooking your transmission while towing is only too common and can be easily avoided by adding a transmission oil cooler. I would get it as a matter of course. Is Universal Antifreeze Safe for Your Car. Towing hurts you on starts and stops..not so much during cruising, since the radiator often provides cooling for the tranny oil as well. You wont need one. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Spencer 2011 RAM 1500 Outdoorsman 1973 Duster 340-whole lotta stuff. • The same criteria apply here as above. Each year, hundreds of thousands of automatic transmissions fail and the majority of them are due to overheating of the fluid. ... Before selecting a transmission cooler, you need … I know they come as part of a trailer towing package on any factory vehicle. Nothing heavy, just some brush and firewood. Transmission coolers help to protect your transmission when you turn up the heat. When I had the transmission rebuilt in my Nissan truck he installed a cooler … This can include transmission gearing modifications but more commonly will turn up as a higher gear ratio in the differential or rear end. If you want to add a bigger/ additional tranny cooler, you can by all means, tons of peope will sell them to you. Cloudflare Ray ID: 60e06534df481cc4 Fill it up with a mixture of antifreeze and water, make sure the radiator cap was on nice and tight, and then check the fan belt for tightness and wear. Personally, I’d leave the Toyota at home and ride the Harley. If you plan to tow big, or if you plan to tow a trailer on top of loading the truck's bed to the top, you may want to consider going with a cooler. The fluid can become so hot that it loses its hydraulic qualities and starts to make the transmission slip. Transmission coolers come in many different shapes and sizes, and there are a few things to consider when choosing one. Since towing heavy loads requires more force to the drive wheels than everyday driving, tow-package-equipped cars and trucks are often geared differently than their non-tow-package cousins. The general rule is that transmission fluid cannot be cooled too much, so using the largest cooler that will fit is a good idea, especially if you are towing. To fix this problem, automotive manufacturers came up with the transmission cooler, which takes the heated tranny fluid and runs it through a miniature radiator to cool it down. Perhaps the most important factor to consider is the tow vehicle itself. All Pathfinders now come with the transmission cooler from the factory, so you don't have to worry about that. This pressure and velocity produce heat. One of the very first things tow truck drivers are taught, is not to tow with the drive wheels turning with an automatic transmission. Your IP: 188.227.225.17 If I was you, I'd be more worried about towing a 21 foot trailer with bigger tires on a 4l60e. Tube and fin coolers are a common option and are highly recommended for older car models or if you only tow heavy loads occasionally. This fluid is part of a complex hydraulic system that transfers the power of your engine to the wheels. But if it is for personal comfort, toss a better one on there for peice of mind. Do I need an aftermarket cooler to tow a small car to the racetrack that's an hour away? Do I need to have a transmission cooler installed? I'd go for the cooler without a question if I was towing anything using a vehicle with an automatic transmission. The dealer wants to add power steering cooler & transmission cooler for over $1200. An auxiliary transmission cooler will not increase the towing or hauling capacity of a vehicle. The fluid in your transmission is always moving. How do we know if we need one on a vehicle that is not equiped with one and will be pulling a trailer. Note also that some vehicles are recommended to have a different or even a first transmission cooler for towing use. It is better to repair your equipment on site, and only if it is impossible to use the best transmission cooler for towing. But , Yes it can do no harm to add one, or you could get the trans serviced after a "towing trip" in very hot weather. By using LiveAbout, you accept our, 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Turbo Diesel Pickup Truck Review, Checking and Filling Your Coolant/Antifreeze. You can add an external cooler. I remember when the 2016s came out supposedly it was something that was added by the dealership during PDI, and a lot of people with the tow package were having issues with the trans fluid level being a quart low or something like that since the techs weren't topping it off. It's all about preference. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. As you tow heavier loads for longer periods of time, the metal body of the transmission can't dissipate enough heat to keep the fluid cool. My transmission guy told me it's a good idea regardless if you're towing or not. Installing Transmission Coolers. It's amazing how much cooling can happen with even a small one of these devices. It's a great conductor of heat and can pretty much keep the system cool without any outside help. There are different types and sizes of transmission coolers for different types of transmissions and different sizes of vehicle. Transmission Coolers help transmissions deal with the added stress and heat caused by towing boats, trailers and other heavy objects. No nitrous. A vehicle driven a mile or two may not suffer extensive damage but we feel the gamble is not worth it. Helpful Expert Reply: You are correct on both accounts, a transmission cooler would be recommended for your towing situation, and you would also need to add enough transmission fluid to fill both the new transmission cooler and any lines associated with it. However, your car or truck’s OEM transmission fluid cooler may not provide enough cooling capacity to handle the extra heat generated when … I'd also service it much more often then the factory spec. The real controversy is really about how long the transmission will hold up to the additional heat. Most trucks these days come with optional towing packages that almost always include a transmission cooler. An automatic transmission cooler will not only help keep your fluid temperatures lower, but improves the longevity of your transmission. • The only thing the tow package adds is the receiver hitch and wiring harness. LiveAbout uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. If you plan on towing anything, a transmission cooler is the single best investment you can make. The key is to tow the vehicle without having the internal workings of the transmission being involved. Understanding the Components of Your Car's AC, How to Tow a Trailer Behind a Pickup or Car, Pictures of the 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab, How to Install a New Serpentine Belt, Fan Belt, or Alternator Belt, How to Tell If Your Fan Clutch Is Going Bad. The type of towing you plan to do, what type of terrain you live near, and the weather in your towing season are all factors that can affect your need for greater transmission cooling capacity. Pickup truck owners seeking enhanced towing capacity might wonder if they need to upgrade to a transmission cooler. Both can be installed by you or the dealer without a ton of effort. Too much heat can/will destroy a transmission. Some trucks that didn't come with the towing package may already have the plumbing to install one, and just need the addition of the radiator section. Our questions are: Do we really need them or can we just get an after market hitch for less than $500. But before you rush out and buy the first cooler available, here’s an example to ponder: Decades ago, we built an L88 powered 1969 Camaro complete with a turbo 400, a 12-bolt filled with 4.88:1 gears and an 8-inch torque converter. You do not "HAVE" to run it through the OE cooler at all, even if you lived in Canada in the Winter. Given that this model is notorious for Trans cooler failures resulting in a complete "watering " of the trans. Severe transmission damage can occur if you try to tow a car with an automatic transmission incorrectly. Transmission coolers are not standard issue. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. When you are pulling a trailer or hauling a very heavy load, the transmission fluid finds itself under a lot more pressure than it experiences during normal unloaded cruising. Tow rig: 1995 Chevy K1500 z71 Towee: 240sx or old 911 My old Chevy truck has the factory transmission cooling lines that route through the radiator. Your transmission is full of a fluid called, well, transmission fluid. Matthew Wright has been a freelance writer and editor for over 10 years and an automotive repair professional for three decades specializing in European vintage vehicles. If you're pulling something big and heavy like a camper, you may want to make the upgrade. Our 1973 Ford F-350 was in need of a transmission cooler to protect it from future damage; a process that can be done to any automatic transmission. If there is an opportunity to repair your equipment without resorting to towing, then it is better to do so. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. 2007 Jeep Compass <--Poor choices on my part letting my wife have what she wanted. Of course, you didn't get a truck so that you could always operate it under normal conditions, right? Your vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is key to determining what kind of transmission cooler you need. A transmission fluid cooler is a great option even if you’re not towing. Back in the old days—way back in the old days—the radiator was the only part of a truck's drivetrain that owners needed to keep cool. It is advised to run an auxillery transmission cooler ANY time you run a high stall converter or performance application....it's not just for towing or high load capacity. Most trucks these days come with optional towing packages that almost always include a transmission cooler. Under normal circumstances, this heat is dissipated through the ​transmission case itself. Don’t believe manufacturer claims that the gearbox is sealed and you don’t ever need to change the fluid, and at any sign of excess blackening of the contents have the gearbox properly flushed and fresh transmission fluid added. But just because you're doing a little towing doesn't necessarily mean you need a transmission cooler. Generally, you would use a transmission cooler in a towing vehicle, or in a vehicle that spends a lot of time in traffic, and other conditions. If you overload the vehicle, no amount of cooling will make it haul or tow more than the maximum specified weight. The transmission is affected even if the car is in neutral. Transmission cooler - I am going to purchase a 2017 Highlander for towing a travel trailer. After having blown one transmission on our BT-50 while four-wheel driving and having it replaced under warranty, we were extremely cautious about hitching a … Now, it seems like there is some disagreement between Toyota and consumers on whether or not you need it. You just need a more powerful vehicle. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. I have a 2009 Kia Sedona with a 6 cyl engine and will be pulling a Spree Escape E19SB. 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