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Will this fit?


Tungsten
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Yep, it'll fit just fine. Looks similar to mine, if maybe a bit smaller. Get the biggest one you can....mine's a 20,000GVWR model.

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You are going off of 8mm (?) hard line ends near the lower radiator hose to where ever the cooler is mounted and whatever the fittings are. The best would be similar size barb ends or slip fits but odds are you will need to do some adapting. It will be easy to find reducer fittings so buy the style you like or what will fit/mount best... :shrug:

 

B

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A link for the reducer fittings would help

I need a little more info since I never installed a transmission cooler before

I would also like to bypass the radiator completely so should I get 2 coolers?

 

Thanks

Edited by Tungsten
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Yes, bypass the radiator completely. No need for two if they are of good size (16,000 GVW+)

 

Here, read these...

 

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=23072

 

http://npora.ipbhost.com//index.php?showto...mp;#entry417544

 

http://npora.ipbhost.com//index.php?showto...4&hl=cooler

 

B

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  • 5 weeks later...
Yes, bypass the radiator completely. No need for two if they are of good size (16,000 GVW+)

 

Guys,

 

I'm going to have to chime in here. I installed a b&m 70268 cooler (13,000 Btu), bypassed the radiator cooler, and installed a gauge with the sensor monitoring the transmission fluid output line temperature, and mounted it so its inlet was on the bottom(no air pocket) . Last summer, I went out wheeling in Colorado and found the unit to be wholly undersized for the application. On long climbs on highway 550 from Silverton to Ouray, as well as Highway 50 from Montrose to Gunnison (3500 RPM, 2nd gear, torque converter unlocked, 35mph) I saw transmission temps that approached 250F ! BAD, BAD, BAD! I'm pretty sure I cooked my tranny on that trip, as it died a couple months later. The water temp never moved above 1/2 scale. Mine is normally about 1/3, if anyone cares. In defense of the cooler, once the torque converter would lock, fluid temperatures would rapidly drop to about 170F. I'm planning on adding another cooler, and/or reconsidering reconnecting to the radiator cooler with an inline filter. If anyone knows how to add a manual Torque converter lock override switch, I'd sure like to know how. One of my buddies has an H1 that did this mod and it cuts tranny temps WAY down.

 

my $0.02

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Thanks for that valuable, first hand information!! As a reward, I shall grant you your wish...

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=999

 

:D

I have not yet, but plan to install an inline filter and temp gauge as you did so it will make a good comparison. I am paranoid about frying the tranny so I'll do everything I can think of to prevent it. BTW, where was your cooler mounted?

 

B

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Here are a couple photos of the installation. The gauge is a Stewart-Warner 114284 trans-temp gauge. The font on the guage matches the instrument panel pretty well. When I revise the installation, I'm thinking about mounting the cooler horizontally so the inlet & outlet is at the top so more air can get to the cooler as its partially blocked by the bumper. A Wide, narrow cooler might be what is needed here so it gets the best airflow.

 

IMG_1171.jpg

 

IMG_1174.jpg

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One more thing:

 

Based on my experience, If you're going to bypass the radiator cooler, I'd go with either dual B&M 70268 coolers or a flex-a-lite 4126. I did some measuring and it looks like the 4126 would fit and should get pretty good air-flow as it should mount up nice and high. The B&Ms are easy to install, and dual units would have more cooling capacity than the 4126, but are going to be blocked by the bumper, somewhat reducing their effectiveness. If you go with the dual 70268s, plumb them in parallel to reduce line restrictions.

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The B&M 70264 is rated to 14400 BTU which is what I got and planning to install next week.

 

Are you sure you mounted the cooler correctly RJ?

Remember these coolers have a special orifice which makes the cold fluid bypass so that the transmission oil can get up to its operating temp before it begins to get cooled.

 

Or am I going to have to get another cooler? Or not bypass the OEM?!

Edited by Tungsten
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I'm glad to see questions, It lets me know people are reading this.

 

I'm positive I mounted the cooler correctly. I started the truck with the hoses disconnected from the tranny to make sure I knew which was supply and return. I mounted the cooler on its side, and made sure I was filling it from the bottom so that any air pockets would purge out while driving. It was always hot right up to the top whenever I stopped the rig and checked. At installation, I checked the B&M 70268 documentation and it has no mention on directionality. Other transmission cooler units do specifically mention directional flow, so be sure to double-check for whatever one you use. I also checked the markings on the cooler itself for flow markers. The 70268 cooler does a very adequate job under normal conditions. It runs about 140-170F, even in the summer, which is excellent. 140-180F is considered ideal and will keep your transmission happy for a long, long time. Transmission temperatures above 180F will shorten your transmission's life. When crawling on trails up in Colorado in the summer, I showed readings of about 140F. I live in northern Illinois and its pretty much flat as a pan around here. Most of the time, the transmission is operating at either low speeds, or at higher speeds with the torque converter locked(level highway). That the torque converter is locked is important because it limits the amount of energy(heat) that is put into the fluid in the transmission. A torque converter is nothing more than a hydraulic clutch, and most people know you can burn out a clutch in a manual transmission if you slip it too much. The hydraulic fluid in an automatic serves to lubricate and cool the parts, including the torque converter. When the torque converter is locked, there's very little slippage, and very little heat generated by the transmission's operation. When the torque converter is unlocked for an extended period(long slow climbs with the torque converter unlocked), it overwhelms the 70268's ability to dissipate that heat, at least for me. I have factory fog lights, and this does block a fair bit of air to the radiator. This will likely reduce the 70268's capacity. Pathfinder owners without the fog lights may have different results.

 

Engine condition and driving style also have a lot to do with the adequacy of the cooler. My engine was not maintained well before I bought my Pathfinder, and combined with the big tires, trail gear, and high altitude, and it was unable to climb many steep hills in 3rd gear while trying to get to the trailheads. This is important, because if you find you don't have enough power to climb long hills in OD with the torque converter locked.(probably all of us Pathy Owners with OEM drivetrains), you can use the OD switch on the shift lever to force the transmission into 3rd gear, and if the engine has enough power to hold the speed, the torque converter will lock and the amount of energy put into the transmission will fall below the cooler's rating, and the fluid temperature will stabilize and drop. If the engine doesn't, the torque converter will eventually re-unlock. Massive heating of transmission fluid reoccurs, especially in summer.

 

In a nutshell: If you climb long hills, even occasionally, you WILL need more cooling capacity than what you get from a single cooler (~13000Btu).

 

If you decide to not bypass the radiator transmission cooler, and attach the external cooler to the radiator cooler's output, you *should* have adequate cooling capacity, but you *should* also add a filter before the radiator cooler as its well-known that the OEM cooler clogs easily. If you use the radiator cooler, blow it out with compressed air to get any accumulated debris out. Blocked cooler==dead transmission.

 

If you decide to bypass the radiator cooler, you'll need another cooler. A second 70264 is definitely a good start. While I have an engineering background, its not in mechanical engineering, so I can't definitively advise if this is sufficient cooling capacity.

 

Either way, get a temperature gauge and tell us about your setup and your experiences. Mount the sensor to monitor the fluid temperature as it exits the transmission. Try to determine what conditions cause the reading to exceed 180F. Until we all start developing some data to work with, we are all only groping in the darkness of ignorance fumbling for the light-switch of truth.

 

I'm sorry I don't have a cut-and-dried answer for you. We don't have enough valid experimental data to definitively say.

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Thanks for your input! My 1991 does not have fog lights where the later models are, my fog lights are at the bottom.

 

I have a BRAND NEW radiator with BRAND NEW transmission fluid and a BRAND NEW transmission filter. I drive like a maniac up and down hills so I'm probably going to hook the cooler up along with the OEM radiator. What kind of a filter (if one is needed) should I put before the radiator?

 

http://www.amazon.com/80277-Universal-Remo...f=pd_sim_auto_6 ???!!!

 

If a second cooler is installed inline with the first one, will it fry the oil pump?

 

Also, like I said before, the transmission already has a filter and a big ass magnet and I change the fluid often so I don't know what the fuss is about as I have not had a problem yet.

 

How about installing the B&M cooler BEFORE the radiator?

Edited by Tungsten
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Someone please chip in (see above post)!

I have to know what to do by Thursday so I can get to my friends garage.

 

Here is something I found in the service manual on page 48:

The temperature range of 68 F - 176 F appears to be the correct operating range for this transmission.

 

FYI, there is your "free" temperature gauge!

 

Click to see the attachment, its blacking out again...

post-19140-1251078802_thumb.jpg

Edited by Tungsten
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Thanks for your input! My 1991 does not have fog lights where the later models are, my fog lights are at the bottom.

 

I have a BRAND NEW radiator with BRAND NEW transmission fluid and a BRAND NEW transmission filter. I drive like a maniac up and down hills so I'm probably going to hook the cooler up along with the OEM radiator. What kind of a filter (if one is needed) should I put before the radiator?

 

http://www.amazon.com/80277-Universal-Remo...f=pd_sim_auto_6 ???!!!

 

If a second cooler is installed inline with the first one, will it fry the oil pump?

 

Also, like I said before, the transmission already has a filter and a big ass magnet and I change the fluid often so I don't know what the fuss is about as I have not had a problem yet.

 

How about installing the B&M cooler BEFORE the radiator?

 

I'm afraid there is not enough information for a cut and dry answer, as what was said before. How you drive, how hot, how much elevation, what speed, how long, etc... Some people run the stock cooler for 200k miles and have no issue and some don't. When adding an aftermarket cooler, get the highest rating possible that you can fit. 18k lb seems to be the 'smallest' recommended up to 24k+ if possible. About the filter, I would question what filtration size and what flow rate it achieves. I am currently running an 18k lbs cooler (I believe) that bypasses the stock cooler (even though I have an after market radiator) and have no issues, but I havn't done much traveling in it yet. I plan to install a filter and temp gauge soon but that doesn't help you now. Yes, in front of all the other coolers (radiator and condensor) is the best place to put it, unless you clog it with mud... ;)

 

B

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Yeah, no sweat Bud. I have mine installed sideways, bottom in/top out so it is self purging.

 

Read this... http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=23072

A picture of mine is in there...

 

And the Timing Belt/Radiator Cooler is a helpful read (in the WD21 90-95 section)

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Bottom In, Top out. In front of the A/C condensor so its "100% effective." BTW, the B&M 80277 looks like a nice unit. That's the unit I'm considering when I revisit the transmission cooler thing again. (tranny swap included). Let us know how the installation goes, and if you have any revelations on where to mount the filter unit, etc. Good Luck!

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As for adding the tranny cooler before the radiator cooler (fluid circuit wise), Don't. The engine radiator/water-jacket, etc. is set to run at 195F. With all that thermal mass, odds are pretty good such that whatever temperature the fluid enters, it will likely exit at 195F. You want to give the tranny cooler the ability to remove more heat from the fluid before sending it back to the transmission, not have it reheated back to the water jacket temperature.

 

Transmission Outlet----->Temperature Gauge Sensor---->Remote Filter---->Radiator Cooler---->External Cooler Inlet Port at Physical Bottom---->External Cooler Outlet Port at Physical Top---->Transmission Inlet

Edited by RJSquirrel
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I went to a transmission expert and here is what I found out:

 

1. If your stock radiator cooler is getting clogged, that means there is something seriously wrong with the transmission and it will die anyway even if you clean the radiator.

 

2. The stock cooler should not be bypassed because if you sit in traffic or do something that will heat up the transmission cooler at least the transmission can run at radiator temperature.

 

3. The only time you can bypass the stock cooler is if its a large enough cooler with possibly its own fan and there is no A/C condenser. Otherwise you run into the risk of blowing your transmission up. There are other factors to this so there is no definite answer. To account for all environments, run to the radiator first and then to the cooler. However if your stock cooler is unusable and/or damaged you should bypass it so that way you at least have some cooling for the transmission.

 

4. If its a durable stacked cooler like the B&M cooler, always place it in front of everything so it catches the most air.

 

5. The orientation of a stacked cooler does not matter. The recommended way to mount it is with the fittings pointing down. If the fittings are sideways it would make no difference as there is at least 100 PSI in the system. The air bubbles would eventually squeeze out no matter how its mounted. FYI, Ford Explorers use a stacked cooler and the fittings are pointed downward.

 

6. There are some weird coolers which require specific orientations; in those cases follow them.

 

7. Be careful when dealing with ATF, you don't want anything that is not ATF inside the transmission.

 

I hope everyone can benefit from this! :itsallgood:

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