Pink Milk shake issue from the rad in to transmission...

hey folks...been a while ago here i sadly letgo of my tac, now with my 2002 4runner which shares the same engine as 1st gen tac...4runners if the rad not flushed regular or otherwise also after 8yrs or so tend to corrode inside passing those corrosion in to tranny & hence making a pink milk shake that ends up in coolant reservoir. Does this happen in tacs too. If it does what are the symptoms we can find. Reason i ask (i posted in 4runner forum so far no replies..)is my coolant reservoir is empty. May be i should drain the tranny fluid & watch how it is.?

 

In theory it can happen to any vehicle that shares coolant and transmission fluid in the same radiator.

I can understand holding down costs in manufacturing.

If I bought a automatic Transmission my first move would be a auxiliary stand alone cooler to keep the two fluids apart

 

Pull the level indicator ( dipstick ) from the transmission filler tube and have a look to see what the condition of the fluid looks like on the dipstick . If the fluid on the dipstick looks like a strawberry milkshake , you have a mess to fix . Wipe the fluid off the dipstick with a white kleenex . Does the fluid you just wiped off the transmission dipstick look like a strawberry milkshake ?
As mentioned above , you do have the option of bypassing the factory rad cooler to prevent this from happening .
Here is some universal cooler info I put together just in case you are worried about the milkshake issue


Lets have a peek at what transmission coolers do
TRANSMISSION COOLERS
If you do not have a transmission cooler on your truck and you plan to tow or haul heavy loads or you are in heavy stop and go traffic and use 4X4 low a lot , consider purchasing a cooler . The cooler thats built into your rad is designed to cool the transmission with the weight of just the truck by itself .When you are in 4x4 low , your torque converter is usually in the stall stage and creates a tonne of additional heat .You dont have much air flow going through your rad when you are in low range 4x4 .
160 - 200 are considered normal temps providing your engine radiator is functioning properly . If your engine overheats , your transmission will also overheat
Normal fluid temperature in transmission to be 175 deg. F.

Rate of oxidation to double for each temperature increase of 20 deg F above normal (175 deg F). As oxidation rate doubles, useful life of fluid is cut in half.

At 175 deg F life is 100,000 miles
At 195 deg F (20 deg above 175) life is 50k miles
At 215 life is 25k miles
At 235 life is 12k
At 255 life is 6,250
At 275 life is 3,000
At 295 life is 1500
At 315 life is 750

At temperatures much above 300 deg F the metals in the transmission will tend to warp, twist etc. high temperatures causes the formation of varnish deposits which impair or pre vent transmission operation.

At a fluid temperature of 415 deg F fluid life is 30 minutes!

Source: Empire Lubricants Inc.
Consider a scan guage http://www.amazon.com/ScanGauge-Comp.../dp/B000AAMY86
Here is the best information for the scan guage http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd...-pressure.html

Ultraguage is now offering transmission temps http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/318340-ultragauge-transmission-temp.html

You could also use the Torque app with an Android phone as a cheap alternative to watch your temps http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/per...d2-reader.html

This is how Low Pressure Drop technology works::
When Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is cold it is viscous. The unique Tru-Cool design allows the colder, thicker ATF to flow more efficiently through two open bypass channels positioned at the top of the cooler. As operating temperatures increase, the ATF becomes hotter and thinner, It's then directed through the core where it is cooled. Tru-Cool's highly efficient cooling technology combines improved protection against lube failure with optimal heat transfer.
http://www.amazon.com/Long-Tru-Cool-.../dp/B005XZXB1M
Long Tru-Cool Oil Coolers offer advanced cooling protection for many towing applications. The advanced technology out performs TUBE & FIN Designs, Delivers up to 15 times less flow restrictions, 30% more cooling delivers maximum heat transfer, Self-Regulating for maximum lube flow protection through start-up, varied temperatures and driving conditions, heavy loads and towing.
Here is Toyotas fluid flow guide ...Look at page 8 on this PDF http://www.toyotatundraforum.com/pdf/A750E.pdf
And here is a guy who recently installed a cooler correctly http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st...agram-pic.html

cooler and fan install http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd...n-install.html

HERE is the Tacoma World Towing Bible https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/

 

Agreed, yes it can happen to a Tacoma but I hear about it more on 4Rnrs.

I see the shared radiator as a weak spot and have an add-on trans cooler on my to do list to insure the dreaded milkshake never happens... Cheap insurance...

 

IIRC, this was caused by the 4runners having different radiators that were just designed shitty and don't last.

 

Probably need a new tac rad

 

Anti-freeze in transmission fluid is never a good thing . Anti-freeze removes the clutch linings from any automatic transmission very quickly . Another quick way to tell .... Pop your rad cap off and you will see oil bubbles floating on the top of the anti-freeze