Auto Transmission Cooler 150 Diesel

[Doug from Tassie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Doug from Tassie]

My Toyota dealer has advised me that it would be prudent to install a secondary cooler for the automatic transmission on my 150 series Prado. The transmission fluid needed changing at the 40 000 km service as it was a dark colour. I've since learned a bit about how to better manage the risk of the fluid from overheating by using Sport mode more after reading other threads. We recently bought and have been towing an Ultimate camper trailer, and will be using it a lot around Tassie between longer trips to the mainland. With all the up and down here on Treasure Island, a secondary cooler seems like a good idea.

My main question regards the type of cooler recommended, which is a "Durell" cooler, quoted at $400 (plus a litre of fluid $20 and $130 for the installation). I can't find anything about the Durell cooler, which is almost twice as much as the Hydra Cool Transmission Cooler - Part No: 678 recommended by John Benson at Davies Craig. (He has also recommended that "if possible, it’s better to locate the oil cooler away from the other heat exchangers, either on the inside of the mud guard or tilted, under the radiator. In this way the total cooling package will be optimised".

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone know anything about Durell coolers?

[sbclover Member Find all posts View Profile Close sbclover]

Think you mean "Derale" oil coolers they are available from summit racing in the states also available is the B&M oil coolers with switch and fan assembly all in one switch is set at 80 dg C. They have more surface area than the derale unit.
This is the way I will be going.

Sean

[Tezza222z Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tezza222z]

My D4D AT fluid temp gets up to 110 deg with normal running and not towing a trailer (according to the Scanguage). I have not had the ECU update so I hate to think what the temp must be before the warning light comes on. The ECU upgrade seems to be a step in the wrong direction given that temps above 100 are deemed to be harmful to the oil and to the box. It should not be necessary to fit an oil cooler for normal running but I think that I will have to. Rediculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[christo62 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close christo62]

Hi all first time on the site as I'm just about to buy a 12/09 low km 150 with the sports auto. Reading this forum it makes sense that towing should be in the s mode. My question and this comes from a manual 80 series owner, should the s mode be selected whilst towing from the getgo or after reaching cruising speed?

[smakb Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close smakb]

Hi all first time on the site as I'm just about to buy a 12/09 low km 150 with the sports auto. Reading this forum it makes sense that towing should be in the s mode. My question and this comes from a manual 80 series owner, should the s mode be selected whilst towing from the getgo or after reaching cruising speed?

I use "S Mode" from the start, but due to issues I have also had fitted a transmission cooler. I think it would depend on what was being towed