NissanNismoZ Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Okay, while my tranny is still working GREAT i want to attempt cleaning my stock cooler for the tranny.. mainly coz i cant afford one right now. I figure if its lasted this long, replacing the lines and cleaning the cooler, it can last as long twice! So..how would you go at this? is it the cooler clogging or the lines? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJSquirrel Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) Its the cooler clogging. There is supposedly a TSB on how to perform this job, but I've never seen it. The stock transmission cooler is in the radiator, so just disconnect the transmission cooler lines, and hook up a piece of tubing to the inlet and outlet. Put the outlet into a collection pan, and lift the inlet tube up so you can attach a funnel and pour kerosene or mineral spirits through it. If you have access to an air compressor with a nozzle, you'll want it to blow the crud and solvent all out. If you don't, run solvent through the cooler, and once it comes out clean, pour transmission fluid in on top to displace the solvent before you hook it back up to the transmission. It may take multiple cycles of soaking(block the outlet), and maybe even reversing the flush direction to make sure anything lodged in the bends comes out. I'm not sure if the aforementioned method will clean the cooler, but it's how I'd do the job. Get a Magnefine filter (3/8") and put it on the return line back to the transmission from the cooler before you reconnect the "clean" cooler. It would be a shame to kill your transmission with a loosened chunk of crud with no means to stop it. Edited November 16, 2011 by RJSquirrel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 TSB: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PKNSELHN RJSquirrel's description basically matches the TSB. I also suggest getting a Magnefine, it's about $22.50 shipped from here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 x3 on the inline filter. I went with a spin off filter like an oil filter, but anything is 10x better than nothing in my book. Also, unless you have access to compressed air, I wouldn't put any fluid other than tranny fluid through the cooler as thats the best way to clear the internals (other than having a flushing machine) that I can think of. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Doing this right is going to cost almost as much as a cooler I think... or at least half as much or something... so you might want to just wait a couple months and save up for the cooler and do it all then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) If you buy this cooler online with discount code VISA and pick-up in store, you can get it for about $60 after tax. Pretty good deal IMO. Then you'd just need the $22.50 Magnefine and maybe some extra transmission cooler hose. That's a pretty good setup for under $100 I think. I should have gotten that cooler! I failed to check AAP before ordering a puny 13,000 BTU one from Amazon for $54. Edited November 16, 2011 by Towncivilian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5523Pathfinder Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I used to clean all the coolers out with Cooler Cleaner(still do, just not as often). I have never seen it in stores, but your local dealer should have it. Its not that expensive either. All you have to do is remove both your cooler hoses from the cooler lines, put one in a bucket and attach the cleaner to the other line. Pull the trigger and watch was comes out. You will be amazed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) The part # for Nissan's Transmission Cooler Cleaner is 999MP-AM006, $8.14 each (can?). I'm not sure if the parts department will order chemicals for you, though. Edited November 16, 2011 by Towncivilian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5523Pathfinder Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) They should stock it(we do). Just call ahead! And yes, they will order it for you, but you might have to prepay for it. Im not joking. We have pleanty!!!! Edited November 17, 2011 by 5523Pathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I don't remember who, but someone on here said he used two Ford Explorer trans coolers from the junkyard. I think he paid $5 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Pull the trigger and watch was comes out. You will be amazed. JEEZ! I'll take your word for it, but where does it come from?! Little pieces of transmission that build up? It's not like an engine where it has gunk..is it? Why would a transmission be that dirty? That's amazing and disgusting at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) Every time the transmission shifts, there is some wear from friction. Not very significant, but it adds up over time/miles. A lot of it is ferrous material, which explains the donut magnet at the bottom of your transmission pan. A transmission generates roughly 75% of total wear in the first 5k miles or so due to break-in and crud left over from manufacturing, which is why it's good to remove the factory fill ATF pretty early. The strainer/filter in the trans pan is a rock catcher, probably doesn't filter anything lower than 80 microns, while a Magnefine is a rough equivalent of an oil filter and filters around the 20 micron range, in addition to whatever is caught by the magnet. More crud floating around in the trans fluid accelerates wear. Some dude ran a Magnefine in a '97 Caravan for 22k miles, see pictures here. Transmissions really need better filtering! A Magnefine is a really cost effective and simple method to achieve it. Hell, even the power steering system could benefit from a Magnefine (and one would probably be a lifetime filter), if you're so inclined and have the room, but that's a little extreme IMO. Siphon & fills of the fluid reservoir each oil change will keep the P/S pump happy for a very long time. And synthetic ATF is a better choice than PSF for sure. Edited November 18, 2011 by Towncivilian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1994SEV6 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Every time the transmission shifts, there is some wear from friction. Not very significant, but it adds up over time/miles. A lot of it is ferrous material, which explains the donut magnet at the bottom of your transmission pan. A transmission generates roughly 75% of total wear in the first 5k miles or so due to break-in and crud left over from manufacturing, which is why it's good to remove the factory fill ATF pretty early. The strainer/filter in the trans pan is a rock catcher, probably doesn't filter anything lower than 80 microns, while a Magnefine is a rough equivalent of an oil filter and filters around the 20 micron range, in addition to whatever is caught by the magnet. More crud floating around in the trans fluid accelerates wear. Some dude ran a Magnefine in a '97 Caravan for 22k miles, see pictures here. Transmissions really need better filtering! A Magnefine is a really cost effective and simple method to achieve it. Hell, even the power steering system could benefit from a Magnefine (and one would probably be a lifetime filter), if you're so inclined and have the room, but that's a little extreme IMO. Siphon & fills of the fluid reservoir each oil change will keep the P/S pump happy for a very long time. And synthetic ATF is a better choice than PSF for sure. so much useful information in one post! That fact about the transmission generating 75% of its wear in the first 5k miles..that's insane. I had no idea. And I'm sure 99% of the population doesn't either. EEK! Going 100k miles (like most people do) with the stock fluid is bad for yet ANOTHER reason. Oh @!*%. I should start taking care of my power steering pump. Those are no fun to replace. On a Chitty S10 at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJSquirrel Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hell, even the power steering system could benefit from a Magnefine (and one would probably be a lifetime filter), if you're so inclined and have the room, but that's a little extreme IMO. Siphon & fills of the fluid reservoir each oil change will keep the P/S pump happy for a very long time. And synthetic ATF is a better choice than PSF for sure. I actually installed a Magnefine in the return line of my P/S system in my old Dakota. I installed it after a complete P/S flush. I disconnected the return line from the reservoir, jacked up the front of the truck and cycled the steering back and forth and put about 4 quarts of fresh fluid through the system until it came out of the rack the same color it came out of the bottle. The truck only had about 70k on it at the time, and i couldn't believe all the black funky goo that came out. If I recall correctly, Magnefine recommends a filter interval of 30k miles as it does not have a bypass valve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) Magnefines have a bypass. If you install a Magnefine backwards, the valve doesn't function, and Magnefine says it can cause internal transmission damage. That's why there's an arrow on the exterior of the filter. See here under Will it clog? Nissan flushed my P/S system around 70 or 90k miles, so I'm pretty sure most of the crud is gone since I've kept the fluid fresh. Edited November 18, 2011 by Towncivilian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJSquirrel Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Magnefines have a bypass. If you run them backwards, it doesn't function. That's why there's an arrow on the exterior of the filter. See here under Will it clog? Well, call me a liar, then! I did not know it had a bypass. Cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Oh, save and clean the magnets from used Magnefines and put them in the trans pan next time you do a pan drop. Those magnets are awesome, no need to throw them out! Ideally, one would do a pan drop & filter change, clean out the stock cooler, install the largest auxiliary transmission cooler they could find and a Magnefine and/or spin-on filter, and do a cooler line exchange using some quality synthetic ATF. Then simple drain & fills with the same fluid and filter changes every 30k, or less for spin-on filters? That can quickly get expensive of course, but that would be the ideal thing to do, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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