Transmission Cooling Fan

[Lapinas Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Lapinas]

Has anyone heard about installing a cooling fan in the transmission?

[mickmac_42 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mickmac_42]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

This is something that i've been looking at as well. I keep hearing stories about auto transmissions overheating during towing or beach driving but it always seems to be from someone who knows someone. My concern is how much space there is behind the grill once a bar has been fitted. Perhaps someone with a bar can provide some detail on feasability of sticking a transmission cooler in the front somewhere.

[dodge Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close dodge]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

yes i am in the same boat

[Foxy49 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Foxy49]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

People I have a 150 shorty with the ARB bar and I have fitted a 20K BTU cooler with a K&N (Z9 equivalent) in line oil filter with a Temp sensor on the out pipe before the radiator The hottest she has got is 170degrees F not C . I can tell I have extra oil and no light blinking and there is plenty of room to fit it all .A hint is to try and keep it forward as much as possible to give a good air flow to the intercooler .I do a fair bit of towing and I haven't had any problems at all .The biggest killer of transmissions is HEAT .I really recommend this modification .I have had Toyota (Dealer) look at it and they gave me some extra hints which I have done and there was no problems .Hope this maybe some help Cheers Foxy

[Silvo Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Silvo]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

People I have a 150 shorty with the ARB bar and I have fitted a 20K BTU cooler with a K&N (Z9 equivalent) in line oil filter with a Temp sensor on the out pipe before the radiator The hottest she has got is 170degrees F not C . I can tell I have extra oil and no light blinking and there is plenty of room to fit it all .A hint is to try and keep it forward as much as possible to give a good air flow to the intercooler .I do a fair bit of towing and I haven't had any problems at all .The biggest killer of transmissions is HEAT .I really recommend this modification .I have had Toyota (Dealer) look at it and they gave me some extra hints which I have done and there was no problems .Hope this maybe some help Cheers Foxy

i would really be interested to see some photos if you have any, or further details about where you have mounted the cooler etc.

thanks

dan

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Fitting a fan is a waste of time IMO. Foxy has the right idea; fitting an external cooler is the way to go. It would be the same amount of effort to do this as it would to install a fan.

I will be doing this mod shortly. First thing I will be doing is fitting a digital tranny gauge to monitor the temperature for a couple of weeks. This will provide a baseline for operating temp and also allow observation of temp when the tranny is working hard.

I plan to fit one of these on the pipe going into the radiator from the transmission: http://www.powerflowperformance.com....c-150_210.html. The temp prope will go into the 1/8 npt thread. I will fit the cooler on the exit pipe from the radiator back to the transmission. This setup will maximise cooling while still allowing the fluid to get to operating temp in cold environments.

Foxy, which pipe is which? On the 1kz prado I know the lower pipe was the one flowing fluid from the transmission. Has this been reversed? I was planning on simply heating the tranny up and (carefully) checking the temp on each of the pipes to see which one was cooler. Also, what is the internal diameter of the factory hose? I am assuming it would be 3/8th inch.

[Foxy49 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Foxy49]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Hi, I'm not sure well, I can't remember I'll have a look tomorrow but I found it by letting the car idle in drive with the hand brake on just to feel which pipe got warm first .I put my temp sensor before the filter which is before the radiator . If something happens in the trans then the bits will be caught before it gets to the radiator. my cooler is on the return line from the radiator to the trans . Yes I agree with you a fan would be pointless just a high volume cooler is sufficient . I have towed our van a 20 footer up from SA to Q and back with no overheating problems at all .Be careful when adding the additional oil for your cooler that you don't over fill. There is a level plug in the trans but know what you are doing as it could be expensive . The hose is 3/8 that is what I used, just make sure there are no sharp edges where the hose will rub .I sleeved mine using some poly pipe which is fairly hard and zip ties . I have my gauge mounted on my dash with 2 other gauges, engine oil pressure and engine oil temp .I have mounted a Amsoil remote oil filter to my engine .The engine oil filter and bypass are on one mounting and mounted on the chassis where I have fitted the pressure sensor and temp sensor, all protected for off road work,The electrical cable work is all sleeved and protected. I'm not sure how to up load photos, even when I had my Explorer I wasn't sure how to add photos but I guess I could Email them to you that I do know .I hope this has helped .Cheers Foxy

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Thanks mate. I am also putting in an oil pressure gauge in. I am going to use a oil filter sandwich adapter - i just hope it will clear everything when screwed in and the probe attached. Your remote filter sounds like the better option, but I've already ordered the hardware. I'm not too concerned with oil temperature - that seems more of a performance car thing. Any particular reason you opted for one?

I hear what you are saying re putting the extra ATF in. I have a copy of the tranny fluid fill instructions and it looks like a PITA. Why couldn't they just add a damn tranny dipstick? Bloody stupid.
I'll also be fitting an EGT gauge in the dump pipe. I looked into doing it on the manifold but that means you have to remove the radiator, alternator, airbox, intercooler piping and the turbo/dump pipe assembly - bugger that!

[Foxy49 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Foxy49]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Hi, Yes I have 2 sandwich adapter .one with sensor outlets and one without .I found there was no room for the sensors so I had to use the other .I'm using S/S braided hose AN10 to and from the engine oil filter mount to the bypass system .I had to use 2x 90degree bends by the engine and 2 straights for the bypass .I'm also looking at the Tiapan exhaust 3" with dump pipe but I have to find the pennies first .
I know the oil temp is not supposed to get hotter than the water temp but when towing on a hot day I noticed on my Explorer the trans was fine but the engine well that's another story .I'm still debating whether to put it on, the engine oil cooler that is .I'm not sure if there is a way to isolate the cooler for cool days and turn on for hot ??
I'm the kind of guy who likes to know what is going on before it actually happens .The indicators OE are just that, They tell something is wrong after generally it has happened so the gauges I use I watch all the time especially when I'm towing .I have mounted my gauges in such a way that I can take them out easily by unclipping a 6 pin plug but leaving all the wiring in situ .The plug is behind the small panel on the RHS between the dash and door .All good fun Cheers Foxy

[Mike_2010 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Mike_2010]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Hi,
I have a 150 4 door, and have had the auto transmission light come on twice.
First time i was on the beach in high range, with the transmission in drive.
I was going through soft sand, but the engine did not seem to be labouring.
About 3km down the beach the temperature light came on. ( Probably my fault, a little inexperience and should have been in low range in the soft sand )
The second time i was once again in drive, high range but on the tarmac, going up Mt Glorious.
About 90% up the hill again the transmission light came on.
I talked to Toyota about this, and they said they had a new program for the computer that would fix this.
After having the computer updated, so far so good.
I still think that better cooling is required.
Mike_2010

[Foxy49 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Foxy49]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Mike ,Your correct more cooling would be a plus .The biggest killer of Auto Trans is heat and if you can disperse it somehow, whatever way, then that has to be a positive Cheers Foxy

[Nifty07 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nifty07]

Re: Transmission Cooling Fan

Hi,
I have a 150 4 door, and have had the auto transmission light come on twice.
First time i was on the beach in high range, with the transmission in drive.
I was going through soft sand, but the engine did not seem to be labouring.
About 3km down the beach the temperature light came on. ( Probably my fault, a little inexperience and should have been in low range in the soft sand )
The second time i was once again in drive, high range but on the tarmac, going up Mt Glorious.
About 90% up the hill again the transmission light came on.
I talked to Toyota about this, and they said they had a new program for the computer that would fix this.
After having the computer updated, so far so good.
I still think that better cooling is required.
Mike_2010

Mike, you need to go into S mode, select a gear and keep the revs up above 2500 and you will never cook the box. The problem is when going up the hill (mine got hot every time I went up Cootha) the torque converter slips and cooks the oil. Simple fix, just keep the revs a bit higher and the torque converter locks, I have never had a problem since. I had the gearbox re-flashed and all I got was worse fuel economy.

Think it is better to drop it into S and select a gear where the revs are 2500. Soft sand, long hill climbs, no probs.

Nifty...