Transmisson cooler

I currently own a 2022 TRD Tacoma double cab 4x4 SB with an automatic transmission. I plan on towing a travel trailer cross country when we retire in a few years. The gross weight of the trailer will be 4000 lbs. so that might be pushing its limits a bit. The Sport doesn't come with a tranny cooler that I see but I believe the off road does. Was wondering if the best thing for me to do is to add a transmission cooler? I would think towing between 300- 500 miles a day that a cooler would be a great idea. I am semi handy but not sure if this is something I should attempt as it is something I want done right. Thanks in advance!

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/

Some reading material for Y’all

 

The transmission cooler was eliminated by year,,, not model, I think it was a midyear change in 2020.
4,000 unloaded will be miserable to either tow fully loaded, or miserable to load and have to constantly pick things up along the way, cause you are counting calories to make weight.

 

It's rated at 6400 .. I have the OTT tune, timbren load boosters, brake control obviously and have a equalizer distribution setup to help distribute the load. It won't like hills but should do fairly well on the flats. Just think a tranny cooler would help additionally.

 

It still has a transmission cooler located in the main radiator end tank. The extra air cooler is what was eliminated on later 2020's. It was pretty small anyway.

Probably not strictly necessary, but a good idea for longevity of fluid and transmission. You may want to use a scan gauge or similar first, see how you feel about the temps before making the effort.

 

dont think it makes much of a difference but was looking into this myself as well

 

Still have the trans cooler in the radiator and another trans cooler/warmer that sits next to front section of the transmission under the truck. It’s cooled and warmed by the engine coolant plus another similar unit that cools the engine oil with engine coolant

 

Pin the transmission thermostat open. That's about it.

 

The OTT guys are a great group of guys.
And developed the best tune for the 3.5 Tacoma.
But it’s still going to be a less than fun towing a 4k lbs. camper.
Add wind resistance and it’s an anchor.

The 3.5 and 4.0 are equal in terms of “power”.
But the 4.0 makes torque a little lower in the RPM range.
You’re going to have to use your gears and let the engine eat.
Like run at or above 2,750-3,000 RPM or more.

I guess what I’m saying is, if you plan to tow the camper a lot.
I’d maybe look at a full size truck.

Or you could add boost to the 3.5.
But by the time yo do that, you could have traded yours in for a full size.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the Tacoma can’t do it.
It will, I’ve done. But only because I had to.

As for the trans cooler.
Maybe this will help
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...l-toyotas-write-up-with-many-pictures.526283/

 

you said you will retire in a few years , well you have some time to figure it out

 

Installing a trans cooler is not something you have to be worried about "doing right". If you can install a hose clamp, you can install a trans cooler. Any anxiety you might have will be worse than the install.

Actually it's 5 hose clamps, a self tapper or two, and maybe an existing bolt.

 

I’ve got a good friend that is a master mechanic. I asked about adding one to my 2020 and if he thought it was necessary. Long story short - synthetic transmission fluid is a different animal than traditional. It can take higher temperatures and still be very secure. What he actually said was “if it makes you feel better add a cooler but an external cooler hose failure is probably fatal to a transmission, and it happens”

 

Installing an external auxiliary transmission oil cooler is a great thing to do even if you never intend to, or end up towing anything. If you are thinking of towing something that is approaching 4,000 lbs, it's a no-brainier. Get the biggest one that will fit in front of the radiator/condenser and never look back. There is plenty of room to add one on a Tacoma. Don't by-pass the factory in-tank cooler and don't worry about over-cooling the transmission fluid. If it gets cold enough for that to happen, you truck probably isn't going to start anyway. It is a very easy job to do yourself, but if you're worried about having the skill to do it, an honest shop should be able to do it in about one hour of labor. Again: get a large one and from a name brand. (Hayden, Tekonsha, B&M)

 

Got my transmission smiling at 150 degrees with a trailer. If I want 182 degrees - I simply unpin the trans thermostat. This has been posted before, so not looking to ruffle any feathers here.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/easy-transmission-cooler-install.731014/

 

x2 on this... simple mod that is the cost of a cotter pin

That is because you cannot see it, it is a cooler within the radiator. Look down at your radiator and you will see the transmission lines as well as the engine coolant lines coming and going.

Clean setup. My compliments - that's wassup.

 

It is far more likely that the integrated transmission cooler inside the radiator is going to leak internally, mixing trans fluid and coolant, than it is a hose might rupture. And when that happens there is a 100% chance of catastrophic failure. Any master mechanic whos worth anything would know that.

 

This is why I always take the extra step to run metal lines and protect them wherever they run close to any other metal surface. Highly recommended over the long lengths of rubber hose for sure.

 

How does one get the title of master mechanic? Seems like it's always self-proclaimed. People can be masters of different areas too (e.g., I prefer transmission shops to work on my transmissions, not "mechanics").

Anyways, for the OP: someone else already said it, but my advice is always start with the scangauge or ultra gauge and just monitor your trans temps. This will tell you whether or not you need the cooler. You'd probably end up buying one anyway, so it's kind of a wash to me.

This also reduces your investment up front, in case you try it with the Taco a few times and decide that truck / trailer combination doesn't work for you. (Although it sounds like you've done some towing already based on your setup, so you may have a good idea of how it's gonna go.)

 

I decided on the Mishimoto cooler. It floats over the OE components allowing me to still utilize the OEM cooler. It uses 3 OE bolt location. It left the passenger side available for an oil cooler and steering cooler. IG user @maxari_co

 

I also did the Mishimoto with the fan wired to a simple on off switch not a temp switch. I reused the factory mounts with some minor fab work.

Link to the cooler -- https://amzn.to/3RXzo2E