Since i'm hearing a lot about our trannies going, i'm thinking about getting a tranny cooler to maybe help me get more out of it.

Anybody know a cheap place to get one for our maxes?

 

Pep boys, I bought the hayden transmission cooler for like 40
bucks, the mid size one. U need to buy and extra 4 ft hose when u buy it the
box only comes with one.

 

Hayden ones are not bad, but open coils/fin setup is crap.

Get the B&M Tranny cooler from Jegs or SummitRacing. It runds about $50. All closed design and cools better as well. Comes with all mounting straps and hardware.

Dixit

 

is the installation manual included?

 

They are included, however do realize its a universal kit.

Dixit

 

follow this link:
http://www.greghome.com/Greg's%20Gar...n%20Cooler.htm

I have the B&M Hi-Tek Trans Coolers #130-70264



You will need another 4 ft piece of that hose so just buy it from Jegs at the same time because I found it impossible to find that exact size hose.

 

I put one one my car at 10,000 miles. I put for another 35,000 miles on my car and my tranny is no blown. I dont know if it did a damn thing...but good luck

 

Driving style/habits have everything to do with it, not just a simple tranny cooler.

Dixit

 

From this link it locks EZ for a tranny cooler Install.
Is the pepboys tranny cooler a good buy?

 

anybody else have a tranny cooler, if so, where did you buy it?

 

Ok, what size 4 ft hose? they have like 3 different sizes on the jegs.com webpage. Wouldn't most auto parts stores have them?

 

Well I don't know, but you could just call Jegs and they should know. I went to to Autozone, Discount Auto Parts, some local parts store, Nappa, and a hyrolic store for riggs and none of them had that size hose. I think the size of the hose was something 32nds I think.

 

why not just get the one that JONX suggested and save the trouble for 10 more bucks???

 

I have the one he suggested and no matter what tranny cooler you get, you will have to get another 4' piece of hose.

 

I am replacing my radiator on monday and am getting a tranny cooler while I am at it. Is there any reason why I would have to use the OEM tranny cooler in series or can I just by-pass it completely? Any pro's or cons to doing this? I know there would be a little extra cooling capacity with the OEM one, but the new one will more than make up the difference. I am looking to get the cooler

 

Thats how I have always hooked mine up.

I think for winter use the stock cooler would actually warm up the trans fluid quicker but for me that is not why I want the cooler. I want it to give maximum cooling for track use and I think running the fluid through the radiator that is already at 200 deg F is not helping my car cool down.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

why not use the stock one aswell? Follow the link i posted above to see how to hook it up in series.

 

With the stock cooler you are running you trans fluid through the radiator which (if the car is hot) is already at 200+ deg F. Do you want to cool your transmission or heat it up?

I know the standard setup is to run it through the radiator first and in the winter that is probably the best method. However in hot weather and at the track I want my fluid cooler. This has been tried both ways and temps run 5-10 deg cooler by using aftermarket cooler only.

For the average person I would recommend the series install as you suggest but the question was asked "can I bypass the stock cooler completely" and that was my response to the question.

BTW is very easy to switch back and forth. Also if you bypass the stock cooler, plug the holes to prevent dirt from getting into the cooler.

 

You should ALWAYS run you cooler in series. Just because your engine temp is at 200 degrees F doesn't mean the water in your radiator is. The water temp in your radiator will be no more than 140 degrees F in most cases (thats why there is a thermostat in the engine). Always run the hot trans fluid into your radiator first then to the external cooler. The radiator will allways lower the fluid temp (unless its winter time then i will help keep it in normal operating temp) before sending it to the aux cooler. Most trans fluid Do Not LIke temps above 165 degrees in Pan (torque converter temps will be somewhat higher) I have been racing cars for many years all automatics with rwhp in excess of 550 hp and have only lost one transmission so far. If you have a high stall converter you will generate alot of heat. conditiong/stabilizing the temp in the radiator first is a very wise move. You can easily damage your trans in the winter if you run just an external cooler and the the fluid never gets to normal operating temps.

 

good info guys, will a tranny cooler void the powertrain warranty? if the tranny happend to break with the cooler on?

 

Nissan has to prove the cooler broke the transmission, otherwise it is illegal for them to void your warranty.

 

I understand how the radiator will keep the fluid more stable, but in Houston texas where it will drop below 40F maybe once a year for a day or two, but have weeks of 100F+, which would be a wiser move?

 

The danger is even higher when you are in hot weather all the time. The fluid will have less surface area to disapate the heat into with just an external air to liquid cooler and you will most certainly cook your trans. even though the water temp in the radiator is at 140 degrees or so the trans fluid going to the radiator is well in excess of 185 degrees, the radiator will lower the fluid temp by a good 20 degrees before it ever gets to the external cooler. Ask any trans shop if you should run just an external cooler and I am sure you will get the same answer. Air to liquid coolers (external coolers) are much less effecient at dissipating heat then a typical liquid to liquid cooler found in the tank of the radiator. the water in contact with the copper tubing in the radiator will pull heat out of the fulid much faster then air passing over the external cooler. let me ask you a question what feels coolder ( and lowers you body temp faster) a breeze blowing on you when its 35 degrees out or a bucket of 35 degree water pourred over your head while you stand in the same 35 degree temp. If you answered the the water then you answered your own question. Water to water heat exchangers are always more efficent at pulling heat out of a liquid.

 

What you said makes perfect sense. So it would be best to run in series thru the OEM cooler, then to the external aftermarket cooler?

 

exactly just make sure you get the line comming out from the oem cooler and not the line going in. I am not sure which is which on our max since i dont have an external cooler on my daily driver. Its always better to send the fluid to the radiator/oem cooler first since it does a better job of lowering the temp.

 

Do you get any performance benefit from using a tranny cooler? In other words, will the trans shift different or perform any better or is it just to prevent possible damage to the auto trans?

Thanks

 

It may not shift any different under normal conditions since the factory cooler does a pretty good job of keeping the fluid in the optimum temp range, however if you are racing or brake touquing (holding the brake and reving the engine in gear) these things create a lot of heat in the trans fluid and the external cooler combined with the oem will keep the fluid cooler and it may shift better under those circumstances. But the real benefit is keeping the fluid at the correct operating temp. If the fluid gets too hot it doesn't work. When it doesn't work you trans dies very quickly.

 

Tranny coolers are mainly to prolong the life of the fluid and internals, which alone should justify the cost many times over. I read about one cooler which had its own fan and thermostat, so that the fan runs independently from the radiator fan, ensuring that the tranny fluid is cooled in stop'n'go driving even when the engine coolant isn't hot enough to activate the radiator fan. (this was recommended for the mid-90's Mazda 626's, which had HORRIBLE OEM tranny coolers... those trannies would fail like it's nobody's business, oh yeah they were also designed by Ford )

 

First, I am not trying to turn this into a flaming war and the majority of the facts contained is this thread are true. However, there is a bigger picture.

NEVER say ALWAYS. I agree that this info is good if you are an average Maxima owner and aren’t racing your car.
However, I was responding to a specific question about bypassing the OEM cooler. This is the 3rd Maxima I have hooked up by bypassing the OEM cooler. I use my car to race. Should everyone do this? No. However there are pros and cons especially if you want maximum performance and life from your engine and transmission.
If you believe everything a trans shop will tell you, then you have serious problems, like the org there are many bad answers given out that can cause major problems.
Agreed, unless you are running a B&M with the Velocity Controlled Orifice then it will have no problem reaching operating temps. However, I do run through the stock cooler in winter.
It is necessary to purchase a cooler to meet your requirements, there are plenty of coolers that are more than adequate to keep your fluid in the operating range without utilizing the OEM cooler.

This is the 3rd Maxima I have bypassed the OEM cooler and have failed to cook anything yet. This is also under racing conditions. I didn’t get my 95 to run 12.1 in the ¼ by following what everyone else had done, otherwise I would still be running 13’s or 14’s. Of course it is necessary to monitor temps when doing this, like everything else for racing it has to be evaluated and monitored to ensure maximum performance and safety. Also most of what I do and say is applicable to racing and should be taken in that context. I will make sure in the future to qualify that. (Please do not try this at home).

35 deg water no problem but I don’t want 140 deg water poured over my transmission’s head. However we are talking about air at ambient temp and radiator temp. That is not apples and apples just like liquid to liquid or air to liquid. There is a big temperature difference in one and cooling capacity in the other.

Now from the factory, all automatics have a cooler that's built into the radiator. It's a GREAT idea, however it's barely adequate to keep the transmission cool. The manufacturers use the OEM trans cooler arrangement because of simplicity and cost.

You also have to look at how the engine is affected by this OEM trans cooler. Because of the much higher temps generated by the transmission you are increasing the coolant temp in your radiator which is going where? Right back into you block, a cool transmission will actually help cool the engine.

On the other hand an engine cooling problem can overheat the automatic transmission and as we know too much heat decreases transmission life.

The "stacked plate" style (B&M) is quite a bit more efficient than the old tube'n'fin (Hayden) design, so a smaller one does just as much or more work. There are also others that are liquid cooled, have their own fan, etc etc etc.

Bottom line: Read all the info and decide what is best for you. Don’t just take anyone’s word for something as critical as cooling your engine and transmission.

Guys like MardiGrasMax, Nealoc187, blubyu2k2, SR20DEN etc etc didn’t get their cars to run like they do by following the masses. Remember if you aren’t the LEAD DOG, THE SCENERY NEVER CHANGES.

 

If the water in your radiator is at 200 deg F you have a problem with your cooling system. The water comming out of your engine maybe at 200 deg F but if the radiator is doing its job the temp in the lower portion of the radiator should be closer to 135 t0 140 deg F.

 

I agree with you if you are racing your car and montionering your fluid temps that just an external cooler (not a cheap hayden) will work fine, but the
question he asked and the manor he asked the question would indicate that his car is a daily driver. My responce was based on him driving his car in stop and go traffic. He never indicated that he was going to race this car. Even a cheap hayden cooler will have no problem on the highway with all the air flow and the fact that the converter is locked so it is not generating much heat in the trans. But to be on the safe side and unless he is willing to put a trans temp gauge in his car, the safest way for him to run ( as a street car) would be with both in series, Pressure side to the oem cooler first.

I agree with you that thinking outside the box when i comes to racing will sometimes lead you to a great idea that works , but the laws of thermal dynamics in regards to heat disipation are well proven and for safty in a street driven car its just not worth the risk to bypass the oem cooler and run just an external air to liquid cooler especially a cheap hayden tub in fin design.
Ps

My race car is a 1969 camaro with a 434 cubic inch Small block chevy. It makes over 560 rwhp all of it going though a 700r4 race trans ( Automatic) to a 12 Bolt posi rear with 4.11 to 1 final dirve The car runs 9.40 - 9.50 quarters all day long. If I could figure out how to post a pic of the car i would.

 

Lots of good replys here, I just wanted to add that my car is a daily driver and rarely is in stop and go traffic. Maybe i don't even need one?

 

$50-60 is too much to pay for some added insurance?

 

yeah, good point