chris350

apparently my year of maxima's did not have the lines that go to the radiator to cool the oil like the 2004-2005... I was wondering if there is a way to put a transmission cooler and which ones do you guys recommend i use? my local mechanic said that its going to cost me $200.00 for parts and labor... I mean its just two lines and usually the transmission radiator cost between $50-75 for one from the local parts store... if I can do it by myself it will save me...

thanks for the help...

chris350

Guess I'll have to find out myself

shabnyc

sorry cant help it but (LOL)

www.autozone.com aroung $40 buk

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

I used a B&M Supercooler tranny cooler I ordered throug JEGS but I have an 04 and the setup may be different.





Tranny Cooler:

chris350

thats what i needed

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

You're Welcome!

chris350

does that round thing come with the kit or thats part of the tranny?

athlon omega

iTrader: (4)

That's part of the tranny. I got that same kit but it didn't come with any installation hardware as it was the "racing" application. Apparently there are two types: one with installation hardware and one without.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

That round thing is what's already on the tranny (it's the stock cooler!), the 04 tranny uses radiator fluid to cool the tranny!

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Just take the tranny cooler to any major auto store and tell them you need to hose fittings for the cooler, 4 hose clamps, a cooler attachment kit (attaches cooler to the radiator, like pull through ties) and 4 ft (est) of universal radiator hose in the diameter of the hose attached to the cooler now, we didn't even need to remove the front bumper to install, just the grill. A lift for the car is a plus! The process also saw maybe a loss of a quarter of a container of radiator fluid! So don't forget that!

edjose17

Chern:
In your tranny cooler diagram, theoutput of the B&M transmission cooler should be labeled as cool, and the output from the ATF cooler should be labeled as warm.
Reason is that the AFT cooler will heat up again the cooland due to the heat transfer from the transmission fluid to the coolant.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Or you can depict it as a color picture like shown above and:
Blue =cool
Light Blue = warm
Red = Hot!

chris350

so wait, the stock cooler, water is going through that not transmission fluid?
if so...your just cooling the water down by adding that cooler?

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

No transmission fluid!

Yes you're cooling the radiator fluid temperature down that cools the transmission!

chris350

wow, this is interesting.

do you remember what size hose fits the stock cooler or when i go into the local auto store they will have a general size? im looking to do this over the weekend..

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Sorry no, just ask them to look up the stock replacement hose diameter the tell them you need 4 feet of radiator hose in the same diameter and cut to size during install.

ando

I still don't understand. I assumed the B&M cooler was circulating transmission fluid - but is that incorrect? it is really just a small dedicated radiator cooling anti-freeze that is in-turn circulating around the stock trans. fluid cooler?

SuperMario

ando, the tranny comes with a cooler which Chern shows above.

I think to maybe understand better, does the stock tranny cooler use coolant from the radiator? Or it does not take anything at all from the radiator, in other words is on its own?

Also, with the new supercooler Chern is using, how much impact does it really have on the tranny (meaning degrees cooler)? Also, is it exchanging liquids with the actual radiator? Or is it a separate 'entity' that uses regular coolant?

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Yes the system is closed loop with the radiator and heater system and circulates RADIATOR fluid through the transmission cooler. I didn't design it but that's how it works. On a side note, it confused me also at first too!

titanss

There is No trans cooler in the radiator?

Nightscape

So wait, my '06 has an inferior tranny cooling system compared with the '04-'05?

Redstone

I remember my 03 had a coolant line that goes just below the oil filter. I even had to replace it once because it was corroded badly until it started to leak coolant. I believe the purpose of this was an oil cooler. So are you saying that the 04-05's have this, but they eliminated it for 06?

KevMaster

This cooler can knock down an average of 20c out of transmission oil. Transmission oil can get as high as 200c to 240c depending on driving situation.

CRiME

iTrader: (21)

Somewhat related question. How do you remove the stock tranny cooler? I have some ATF. Sweating from my drain plug but I have also noticed some ATF buildup in the crevice of the stock cooler, where it meets the tranny. Hoping this is just residual blow-by from my drain plug leak, but checking to see how to remove the stock cooler if it comes to that. Thanks guys!

CRiME

iTrader: (21)

OK, turns out my drain plug is not leaking at all. Source of the leak is indeed between the stock cooler and the transmission. Took it to my shop since they have a lift, had it removed, cleaned the area, sealed with RTV. Still have a minor leak from the area. Nowhere near as bad as it was before - previously I was getting about 1 drip every 5 seconds. Now, the oil is more or less sweating before it eventually drips to the ground after several minutes.

Mechanic said to give the RTV time to set and it should stop completely. Plausible I suppose, as the parts were still hot when this was done. Will check it this evening before I leave for work and once I get into work and report back.

Has anyone ever dealt with a leak from this point before? How did you remedy it? Thanks guys!

jingiko

iTrader: (1)

Hey Chern is there any way you can recall the fittings and tubing + radiator you need to do this?
Thanks
I have an 04 4spd and EddyMax told me to ask you about the fittings.

Thanks

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

you'll need

1 - b&m 70266 tranny cooler

tranny cooler mounting kit ( derale kit is $7.99 on amazon )

2 - 1/2 ntp fittings with 5/8th barbed hose ends ( lowes or home depo )

7ft of 5/8 heater hose. ( autozone )

3 - hose clamps

2 - containers of 50/50 antifreeze

zip ties

teflon thread pipe tape to prevent leaks around the fittings ( lowes or home depo )

the cooler is a very tight fit and theres a spot on the plastic bumper support that will have to be shaved down to prevent any hose kinks

mrjasonlyrics

Big ratings to that. I had $300 quote to change my rad so I bought the rad,coolant and change it in under an hr with no experience. How long did it take you to install?

timpol

iTrader: (1)

I have the same set up in my 2006. It took me about a half hour for the actual install. Draining and refilling then bleeding the radiator took about the same time. Probably an hour or so from start to finish.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

Since B&M seems a tight fit @ 11'' x 8'' x 1-1/2'', how wide can we go?

Jegs makes other ones cheaper http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS-Performan...32941/10002/-1 but curious what is the largest one we can fit to cool the most.

ShocknAwe

iTrader: (3)

You don't need a big one. I have a fairly tiny Mishimoto cooler in my 4th gen and it lowers temps significantly. If my sig shows up your can see it

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

Ordered the Jegs 11 x 7.5 x .75
Mechanic made the point that using the coolant will heat the tranny quicker. which is better for winter driving, but keeps it at temps close to engine temp.

taz394

iTrader: (2)

its pretty easy to do yourself ... get all the things CXJ posted and if you can get a print out of the diagram Chern posted and call a U haul around you ... they do tranny cooler installations

ATXnissans

I had my tranny rebuilt and now I actually have the cooler for just the tranny fluid is pretty cool put in the winter while at idle the heater gets a little cold but only if I sit at a light for a longer then 3 mins ill post pics later maybe the guy that rebuild it could sell me a couple of adapters

mrkhone

Where do I route the lines from the cooler into the engine bay? I have everything but can't seem to find a good safe way to route the hoses.

Slydog1227

I have an 04' with the 5 speed auto. I had to recently replace my radiator and the new one actually came with connections for the tranny lines, which my 04 doesn't use anyway, which is independent of the engine coolant and I assumed was for routing tranny fluid through, since there is obviously no way of adding antifreeze to this particular circuit of the radiator. My question is, can I just route a line through this new radiator tranny cooling lines in place of that B&M cooler? If so, how would I add antifreeze/coolant to it? ....and lastly, even with the B&M cooler, what forces the coolant through the radiator? There doesn't appear to be a water pump on the transmission. ????? Thanks for all responses.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

So you have a B&M transmission cooler installed and want to use the new radiator cooler instead; and then the trans cooler as an extra antifreeze cooler?
That's how I understood all that.
If so, cap the unused lines on your new radiator and carry on.
You're thinking too much into this.

I think that keeping the transmission fluid cooler a completely separate system is a better idea than the combined style.
Always good to avoid the strawberry milkshake of death.

Slydog1227

No. I do not have a B and M. I was asking if I could simply route the lines like they are routed to the B and M to my radiator instead, since my replacement radiator has connections for transmission lines at either side of the bottom that are simply capped off since they are not used with the 04 5 speed tranny. I was trying to underthink it, and make it simpler.