HELP PLEASE . .I've got coolant in my transmission fluid and tranny fluid in the coolant !! Double screwed...so I'm not understanding how this happened. My car doesn't have the tranny cooler line running thru radiator so how could they mix?

Also since the oil cooler is a bit expensive I was told I could bypass it by installing a after market cooler. Any advice regarding cleaning this mess inside tranny w the mixed fluid in it?!

Any suggestions or how tos are appreciated and I thank you ahead of time....

 

So wait …

Are you saying that either you or some one else added coolant to your trans fluid and vice-versa?

Or, are you saying that during normal operation coolant has entered your trans fluid system and trans fluid has entered your cooling system?

Which?

 

Under normal conditions coolant got into the transmission fluid and now it looks like strawberry milkshake

 

The transmission Cooler busted. You'll need to Replace the radiator and trans cooler. My wifes SL has 2. One in the radiator and one mounted on the front of the trans. My recommendation is to buy a NEW Cooler and fix it properly. Buy once cry Once. Do a proper trans flush, lines also and roll on. I see this typically on new Pathfinders, if caught and repaired in a timely manner they survive. Keep us updated.

 

If you do not have a Transmission Cooler line running to your radiator that passes fluid through your radiator you do not have an OEM radiator. The car does not come with 2 Transmission Coolers . The only way to mix the two fluids is through a cooler that is being cooled by the radiators internal Transmission cooler . You are mistaken and must have lines running through your radiator. The fix is to remove the cooler lines replace the radiator with a OEM replacement do not hook up the cooler lines to the new radiator yet or the radiator coolant hoses, flush out the entire coolant system with cleaner and water ....multiple times, then attach the radiator hoses and fill the radiator with distilled water and do a regular flush and add fresh coolant . Time to flush the transmission . Attach only the return line of the transmission cooler leaving the inlet cooler hose to the radiator off turn on the car with the inlet hose in a bucket and get that combined fluid out of the transmission one quart at a time while adding cheap new fluid into the transmission dip stick in a start and stop fashion . when only brand new fluid is being dumped out of the car and into the bucket hook up all the lines and properly fill the transmission to correct level drive for about 100 miles and then do a full transmission fluid swap with quality synthetic fluid and you are good to go

 

I don't have a tranny cooler inside nor in front of radiator. I have a OEM tranny cooler that's connected to the tranny itself, it sits next to the valve body. I have ordered a new radiator, air conditioning condenser but don't know if I should get a new tranny cooler. It's not a cheap part and if I don't need it I'm not getting it. I still don't understand where and how the coolant got in the tranny fluid and visa versa. I've flushed out the cooling system but still have the tranny to flush out. I'd hate to start flushing it n have my cooling system get messed up with again.

Any suggestions on what to do with the tranny cooler? Is there a way to know if it's bad?

 

Exactly, and if you DID have one in the radiator also, that would make two.

To test the cooler, remove it. Clean it, Cap one end and apply light air pressure. Put it in water and look for bubbles. That's the Only way. However if there is a Fluid mix, the cooler is where you'll find the failure.

 

Ok sounds easy enough but nothing I've done to this car has been easy. So I'm still confused....how would the coolant get inside tranny cooler?! And if I see air bubbles that means the cooler is cracked? So wouldn't that mean tranny fluid would leak on to the ground?

On a side note I'm replacing the rack n pinion ...well trying to. Do I have to lower the cross member to get the rack out?

Thank you for your response n help!!