i installed one from B&M, the highest BTU ratign they had
and i love it, gets me more mpgs and more of my engines power to the wheels, i can feel a difference in the acceleration, and with significant improvement to my fuel efficiency i recommend this to anyone with the auto X

also the installation is cake, my wife and i installed mine in less than an hour

can you give a web site? i'd be very interested in that too

http://www.autoanything.com/coolers/65A3046A0A0.aspx

i got the $69 one

where did you put it, and did you drain the trainny?

ya i drained the tranny, but only cuz i needed to change the ATF
i put it on the front if the ac condensor at the bottom left, standing vertically with the inlet and outlets pointing towwards the driver's side
ill have pics up at some point

ever happen to get any pics?? I am looking at doing this as well...

nope, forgot to take em, between the wheeling trip and being sick it slipped my mind
ill try to remember today after work

Was the increase in MPG pretty noticable? If so how much? Thanks for the link.

obviously the mpg increase will vary per x depending on location, driving habits, etc.

but i noticed significant increase, this thing will pay for itself in no time

at 65mph with cruise set, on flat ground i get over 3mpg extra

Nice, 3MPG really isn't bad for the price. Since all the MPG questions started popping up on here I have noticed myself paying more attention to the RPM's and I'm rather suprised.

I'm adding one as well but I didn't know it would benefit the mpg's. I want one because it will help the life of the auto-tranny. They say heat is the number one killer of the automatics.

yeah i dont see how it can modify the MPG's does anyone know exactly how that works??

its bc you lose less power in the tranny, more power gets from the engine to the tires, this is bc the cooler tranny fluid allows the automatic transmission to function more efficiently

I dont know why I didnt see it.. Simple science, HEAT = Energy Loss

I think I will for sure be looking into this as my next mod, I am also been thinking about a small power steering cooler, maybe...

what are your thoughts on this on??

http://i19.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/a4/65/5b68_1_b.JPG

i found it on ebay and it says it works better than the radiator style.. any thoughts?? its looks damn easy to mount to..

I like the "heat sink" design but what is it made out of? I'm not sure if it would dissipate the heat more efficiently or not. Depending on the material, it may even work better.

I see that same design used very often to cool high rpm electric motors so they will run more efficiently so the design works. I just wonder the effectiveness compared to a standard cooler.

yeah i think they look really slick... it says they are made out of aluminum.. I really think it would mount good right below the radiator behind the front bumper... it also says they are dual pass so it doubles the cooling...

ummm
radiator style is gonna be better for cooling liquids
other wise id be designong heatsinks instead of air cooled heat exchangers

unsless you are moving at a high rate of speed, a heatsink ain gonna do squat for ya, i dont really feel like breakin down the physics of it right now, im just gonna say it wont work near as good as a rad style

how about them pics and maybe a small how to.. I need to keep interest into the X, I am 99.9% getting a motorcycle in the next couple days and I dont want want the mod bug to leave the X for the bike!!!

camera battery is charging now
ill break down the install with the pictars in a separate how to in the how to section once the cam is charged
its easy as pie though

just one picture lol..

i know damn i get annoying somtimes.... :(

ricer!!! your letting me down home skillet!!! i am about to order the same one you got off ebay for $55 shipped and now I need to know how to hook the SOB up :)

im sorry man, check it, i am the most absent minded mofo
ill pm you my cell number, and if i dont have a how-to up before you get it, you call me and ill walk you thru it

and man, you arent annoying at all, everyone is like that with me(esp my wife!), my short term memory is fkn terrible, you know what, im gonna write it on my hand, that usually works

i wont be able to give a step by step picture thread since its already installed, and i aint taking it back apart, lol, i was almost to lazy to do it in the first place!

I am just looking for a pic of how you mounted it.. I know I could figure it out but I am a visual person...

where did you tap in before or after the radiator.. I remember a big discussion going on about this when I was in the jeep forum.. the final word was that it should go though tap into the return line from the radiator...

I dont plan on mounting anything up until the beginning of the month because if I win order it today I will get it like the end of next week and my weekend before i leave is already full...

yea the return line, its easy as pie, the return line changes from a metal line to a rubber hose, that is where you tap into it, you dont have to cut anythign but the length of hose that comes with the kit
ill take a pic of the lines and the cooler itself, you should be able to pretty much copy it and have it work perfect
except if i were to do it over again, id mount it a lil closer to the center of the rad than i did

here is an image of Ricers trans cooler install.. its taken looking from the top down to the ground..

http://i30.tinypic.com/w2doqd.jpg

Righty then, RicerX.

I bought one from the local 4x4 shop rated at 13,000 BTU (I think yours was 14400 from what I saw on Autoanything). Now, looking down into the engine, facing the truck, I see two lines coming in under the bottom rad hose on the left side. From the diagrams in my Hayes manual I think one of these should be the transmission line, but is it 'in' or 'out?' We want to plug in on the 'out' to give the oil extra cooling before it goes back to the tranny, right?

I'm still a mechanical noob. Lost, but making good time :mocking:

both lines are for the trans, there is an in and an out.. you want to hook it up to in.. the line the feeds from the radiator to the trans, the reason, if it goes from the trans to the cooler to the radiator it could heat back up being in the radiator with coolant thats in the high 100's...

For which line is it, I couldnt tell you, I am not sure because I havent done mine yet..

both lines are for the trans, there is an in and an out.. you want to hook it up to in.. the line the feeds from the radiator to the trans, the reason, if it goes from the trans to the cooler to the radiator it could heat back up being in the radiator with coolant thats in the high 100's...

For which line is it, I couldnt tell you, I am not sure because I havent done mine yet..

Ok, that's what I meant, I meant OUT from the radiator so IN to the tranny cooling down fluid that was just 'cooled down' by the rad.

Alternatively you could just connect the trans cooler directly to the trans lines and miss out the cooler in the radiator all together. That way there is less stress on the engine cooling system especially as it has taken a hit by having the trans cooler mounted in front of the radiator.

I never noticed any cooling problems when I installed power steering coolers and trans coolers in the past, and they took up pretty much the entire area of my condenser which took up the entire area of the radiator.. i doubt there is to dramatic of a loss to make a negative effect... Plus just throw some "watter wetter" in the coolant and your running 20* cooler :)

Gentlement, I have a 2008 SE. Does it come with a transmission cooler?

Gentlement, I have a 2008 SE. Does it come with a transmission cooler?

Yes.

I was just going to go find this thread then it showed up lol...

does anyone see any reason the trans cooler could NOT be added between the AC condenser and the radiator?? If you get one thin enough..

Ok, RicerX, point out which line I need to tap into:

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/986/tranny1jp7.jpg

A or B...

Left rad

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3589/tranny2ia1.jpg

C or D...

A little more to the left rad

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6581/tranny3cr5.jpg

E or F

Right rad

My Hayes Manual gives a picture of lines A & B, but doesn't indicate which is the return back to the tranny.

Also, after taking off the skid plate, was it pretty easy to get at the lines from under the truck? This'll be the first time I've performed this kind of surgery on my truck and I don't have anything to lift it for the task. I'll borrow a roomie to give me a hand fishing the lines through and connecting the ties through the rad.

I'll also take shots to give the forum a how-to. That is, unless I chicken out and just have the shop do it.

the return line comes out of the driver's side of the radiator, follow the rubber hose, if the rubber hose is attached to the d-side of the radiator then thats the line you want
and yes, remove the skid plate, makes for very easy access

Right, it's line 'B' from above.

Ok, I just got back from under the X and see the line. It comes out of the driver's side, snakes over to the passenger side, follows the line coming out of the passenger side of the tranny direct to the rad, then snakes along the bottom of the rad and plugs into the driver's side of the rad.

Looks easy enough.

Did you run your lines to connect under the rad or over through the small openings at the corners?

I'm not refilling the tranny because I just did that a couple of months ago. I gather I'll need to clamp the line or make a mess of tranny fluid everywhere.

I got my trans cooler mounted and my bumper and grill in my trunk lol but I cant figure out how I want to run the lines, I want it the most direct but no kinks in the hoses so I might throw in a couple of these, then I wont have an issues with the lines getting kinked...
http://www.plumbingproducts.com/images/barbed-fitting-90-elbow-barbxbarb.jpg

I dont think they will interfere with the ATF flow but do you guys think they will slow it down or anything or cause any problems?? rather be on the safe side than have an ineffective trans cooler lol...

I could do a write up but its pretty easy, I unbolted the condenser to give myself a little more working room and ran the zip ties through and it was mounted, lines are basic to run, just splice into the line coming out of the drivers side.. Oh and had to do a little tweaking of the horn bracket to make it still fit... Easy stuff overall :)

I would think it could restrict flow if the ID is substantially smaller than the cooler hoses.

no smalled than the barbs the company supplied to splice into the existing line..

no smalled than the barbs the company supplied to splice into the existing line..

Then I think it should be OK.

Thanks! Now I can sleep tonight without having nightmares about my transmission :)

how is it not smaller if it fits inside the hose?

it is smaller diameter but its no smaller than the barbs that were supplied by B&M..

right, i misunderstood what you typed, but still, adding more wil restrict flow more than just the hose, i ran it without those 90* and have no kinks or even close to it, i'd want as little restriction as possible
just my .05c

I got mine installed yesterday WITH photos that I'll post later this week.

The shifting is crisper and I feel some more power on acceleration. Mileage saving is hard to calculate because I installed a home-made mod at the same time and the jury's out on whether it's working. I see a 1 LHK/ .7MPG saving on my test run, but haven't calculated the average daily change yet. Write up on that yet to come.

By this week I meant tonight...

Firstly, below is where the return line from the radiator back to the tranny is. Like RicerX described, it comes out on the driver's side, then snakes over the the passenger side, then goes back to the driver's side where it plugs into the tranny.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/512/slide5eq7.jpg

Below is where the hose turns into a metal line on the way back to the tranny. The stock hose will be disconnected here and routed back to your cooler. The supplied hose (as seen here) will route back from the cooler back into here as circled in yellow. The metal line close to that is the line from the transmission to the rad. It runs from the passenger side straight into the rad unlike the return line that snakes around.

The yellow circle in the top left corner is an example of one of the zip-straps coming through the rad to secure the cooler in place.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3169/slide4sa9.jpg

Below is how I ran my lines. The tranny return line was disconnected and comes up from under the rad towards the cooler. My line from the cooler snakes across the top of the rad, then down and follows the original path of stock line using the same clips. This is all behind a rubber sleeve that removes easily by popping the plastic clips that hold it in place. [EDIT] the 'out return to transmission' arrow is pointing the wrong way! Sorry, I'm wetardid.

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/405/slide3ni9.jpg

The below shot shows where the return line connects to the cooler. I had to disconnect the horn to get the cooler in place and bend the bracket on the AC condenser out a bit. I also pulled out the front grill, which turned out to be a bitch to get back in with those little plastic connectors. NOT recommended that you remove grill and get someone with wee hands to help there.

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/57/slide2zf2.jpg

Below shows the new line going out from the cooler back to the tranny return line with cooled down fluid.

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/6402/slide1ft5.jpg

That's it!

I topped up my tranny fluid and that was all there was to it.

Just as an FYI, the fluid isn't under pressure so shouldn't leak fluid when you disconnect it. You may spill some from the stock rubber hose when you snake it under the rad and up because there appears to be some left in the rad. The metal part of that line didn't leak.

Have fun, and bring small hands! Getting the unit on front of the rad and getting the tabs on the zip-straps on the inside of the fan shroud is no picnic!

Awesome pics. Now why don't you do a nice how-to write up we can post in the How-To section? :)

i ran mine into the cooler at the top, and out of the cooler at the bottom, i figured id let gravity do its thing, plus heat rises cool falls etc.

but man those are good pics, its very hard to take a pic of those spots, esp on the front of the condensor, lol when i went out with my phone to take a pic for chris i got out there and had trouble, took like 5 pix, and in only one of them could you even tell what you were looking at

I will take some pics of mine soon...

I was going to today but my simple mod say turned into a NIGHTMARE!! I cant get the bumper to align propperly!! I dont know why!! I took it off because I wanted to see about drafting up plans for a Pre-Runner.. Then last week I got in a set of black lense lights (headlights and corners) and I went to install them today and one of them is cracked where the adjuster screw is!! And I read the terms and conditions of ad on ebay and it says I have to pay for shipping both ways AND it could take up to 30 days for it to come!! I am going to try to JB Weld it tomorrow and as a last option use some resin or "kitty hair" because I could buy a new set, sell the corner lights and probably make out cheaper than trying for a return...

I HATE it when something SO simple turns into such a mess!! Then it got dark so I couldnt finish :(

Oh and I have my In at the top and my return on the bottom, I routed my lines thru that rubber shield under and raduator...

By this week I meant tonight...
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3169/slide4sa9.jpg

Where is your fan, or did you remove it for the intall??

Where is your fan, or did you remove it for the intall??

Dammit! This happens to me every time I take something apart; there's always something left over that I can't figure out where it belongs. Now I know where that propeller went!
:mocking:

Look again, CB :)

RicerX is right, I should have run the return line into the top, but I didn't think the stock hose was long enough. I'll go back and add an extension and swap the lines, it'll probably run more efficiently then.

As far as driving goes, I'm feeling crisper shifts and the scangauge on my test run shows a 1 LHK gain. My average daily consumption for city/highway driving is down more than 1 LHK. BUT, I have a second home-made mod mixed in so it's hard to tell.

In Americanese I'm seeing a 2 MPG gain and averaging about 16 MPG on my daily mixed city/highway drive, all hills.

Wow this looks like an awesome first mod to attempt its pretty cheap i'm most likely will be doing it. I'm just a little confused on how it functions. After reading all of your guy's response's and the link to the b&m page basically what i'm picturing is the ATF which flows through the radiator still comes back hot to the tranny on certain conditions (towing, riding hills etc..) making it not as efficient and causing premature wear and tear on the tranny? So with the tranny cooler it allows a secondary radiator type coil to allow more heat to air transfer to keep the ATF fluid cooler when returning back to the tranny? But this B&M tranny coolerin particular has a bypass mode which is controlled by temperature feedback to allow the ATF to enter the tranny cooler when it has reached a certain temperature then stops once the supply or return temp has dropped below a certain temp? Am i spot on or have I missed something here?

i believe our bypass is in the stock rad but im not sure, if it is then when it bypasses the rad it will bypass the cooler as well

oh alright so it either bypass's the entire cooling system or goes through both. So I thought only engine coolant runs through the radiator but im guessing ATF also goes through it. So the radiator has seperate coils within itself. So my 2004 se sc should have no problem installing this thing. You guys all installed it inbetween the condenser and the bumper correct.

I guess its there hahah, I am used to seeing the fan out there like BAM because of a body lift..

Here are my pics...
http://i30.tinypic.com/15coyz5.jpg

I had to flip my horn bracket upside down and move the horn to the top hole in the bracket and rotate the wire.. to get the horn to fit..
http://i28.tinypic.com/28u33tu.jpg

then here is a pic from the inside view..
http://i32.tinypic.com/97mrn6.jpg

Now I have to say I am already impressed with this, I can tell I am running at about 100-150 RPM less thus giving me the better gas millage... I did not do a drain and fill yet, so I still have to do that.. I am still contemplating if I should try synthetic ATF or not..

i run synthetic ATF
wouldnt go back

How did you go about doing the conversion?? Just constantly draining and filling or did you do a flush??

meh, i just drained and filled once at 15k, then did another drain and fill 30k then another d&f at 45k, then another when i did the cooler at 72k

Does the X take a gasket or its is RTV?? I think I will do a flush this next weekend :)

CanX you took some nice pics, you should turn a copy of yours into a write up :)

I'm looking into a tranny cooler cuz I really could use those mpgs increase, lol.

From what it looks like, the only things that came with the tranny cooler is the zip ties?

I figured that a longer hose would be included???

Is there anything that I need to buy at a auto part store prior to buying this tranny cooler?

i think the one dustin unstalled came with everything needed.... but i could be wrong....

How do you all like this now that it's been on for awhile?

I'm thinking of getting one to give tranny a lil help w/ towing w/ the bigger tires.

I see how people installed (in at top, out at bottom) for the most part... I checked the website link and they include the below piece of information. Does that little mechanisim require the cooler to be positioned a certain way to allow the bypass, i.e. both in and out facing up, etc.???


"As an added bonus for driving in colder areas, B&M SuperCoolers come equipped with a Low Pressure Drop mechanism. This clever piece of engineering lets already chilled fluid bypass the cooler, ensuring your transmission always has enough. As heat rises, more fluid enters the cooler."

I have an 09 X and it comes with a tranny cooler...is there any point in upgrading to a bigger better aftermarket tranny cooler?

sure, upgrading is upgrading

pro2

i just tapped in to the return line form the rad to the tranny and thats how it has been
i love it, one of the most beneficial mods ive done since i quit wheeling and started towing

I just ordered one from Amazon.com - they're selling the smaller 2 for $47 plus free shipping...

Anyway - here's a tranny cooler question based on an engine oil posting I saw somewhere here. I don't remember who posted it here, but at the bottom is the link to what they posted...

in a nutshell - the premise was that the most engine wear occurs at startup - where oil is THICKER than needs to be until warmed. His example was that most w30 oils are consistent viscosity at running temps, but cool down to thicker viscosity depending on wt, 0w, 10w, straight 30.. ALL are to thick - some more than others...

So this got me wondering - does the tranny cooler actually HURT by keeping ATF too thick - especially if running SYNs that are less affected by temp???

I know there's a bypass on the cooler but it looks like only some fluid bypasses..

Here's the posting I was referring to if curious.. cut n paste into word - maeks it easier to read ..
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136052

Looking to hook up a automatic transmission cooler. I’ve seen two instillation threads that have you hooking it up between the return line. The trouble is that they show the return in two different spots.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w15/BklynX_photo/Mods/TrannyCooler.jpg
This thread (http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3274&highlight=transmission+cooler&page=5) from ClubXterra says to use “A” (drivers side) and these instructions (http://www.nissanoffroad.net/how_to/transmission_cooler/transmission_cooler.asp) from “coolerman” on the NOR board say to use “B” (passenger side).

I know you guys are most likely right but I must double check. The return line is “A” or “B”?

Also, both instructions and the instructions that came with the cooler say to hook it up within the return line. Is that best? Would not hooking it up within the sending line (the line from the transmission to the radiator) be better because you would not need to worry about over cooling your ATF in the winter? Thank you for your attention.

you can check real easy

start the engine, put the truck in drive with the parking brake on, pref with somene inside for obvious safety. then touch both lines ont eh metal part to see which one gets hot first, the one that gets hot first is not the return line...

holy crap, now, telling you how to do it, i think i hooked mine up to the wrong line, i think i tapped into the hot line bc i wasnt really thinkin when i did it


fail.

ill check mine tomorrow, lol

Well u check Ricer Mines on order. Its not a B&M but a 6 pass radiator style no less.

gotta wait for it to cool down, just drove about 20mi, and its about 90* out

Come on chop chop its only burning hot fluid what are you worried about? lol

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/brainblog116.gif

A good friend of mine found and pointed out where I could find the answer to my question in the Nissan FSM for my 2001 Xterra.

In section “AT”, under “OVER HAUL”, sub-section “Oil Channel”, at the bottom of page AT-266. It shows the “Oil cooler tube (IN) hole” at the bottom/back of the transmission above the oil pan on the passenger side. If you follow the line that exits that hole you will find that it leads to driver side of the radiator. That means that if you want to put your transmission cooler within the return line per manufactures instructions you need to run it from the line exiting the radiator on the drivers side or “A” in my earlier post.

As to my “whether to hook up the cooler within the return or sending line to avoid over cooling the ATF in the winter” question; the B&M 70268 Automatic Transmission SuperCooler (http://www.bmracing.com/PRODUCTS/Automatic-Transmission-SuperCoolers/Automatic-Transmission-SuperCooler-rated-at-13-000-BTU-11x7-1-2x3-4) I plan to install will…




include a unique bypass feature allowing a controlled amount of ATF to bypass the stacked plate core when the fluid is cold. This is beneficial in cold climate areas to guard against lube system failure. Controlled by viscosity, fluid is returned directly to the lube circuit through bypass openings in the stacked plate core. As the temperature increases, more ATF is directed through the core. This highly efficient design combines improved protection against lube system failure with the required levels of optimal heat transfer.

…so no worries.

I’ll post a picture of the page in the FSM when I can.

Thanks...

...for nothing.



:D

i picked one up at autozone rated for 10,000lbs and i put it inline with my stock one so now i have two. :D the new one takes the hot fluid and the old one takes it after that. haha.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w15/BklynX_photo/Mods/TrannyCooler001.jpg

BklynX - Which line u gonna use?

I think I'm going to install after the radiator into the tranny as others have done, and then I may just disconnect in winter.

I can't tell what the B&M by-pass valve is, but I wonder if it is more of a 'hole' where too cool/thicker ATF cannot enter as easily and so 'by-passes', where as less viscous hot ATF enters into more readily and cools...

Therefore, does SYN vs. conventional ATF makes a difference here with SYN having less risk of over-cooling?....


I think it depends on whether tranny's designed to have the ATF fluid function best at a certain VISCOSITY or certain TEMPERATURE?

I know 'heat kills', but is that really because it affects viscosity?

If answer is VISCOSITY.. then using SYNTHETIC ATF, which I think has a lower viscosity as does SYN motor oil relative to conventional when at ambient temp.. may present less risk of over-cooling because even if a little cooler, SYN ATF is still less viscous than conventional when at cooler temps, and may require less heat to place it in the correct operating viscosity...

Just trying to figure it out myself... :)

I’m installing mine according to the manufacturer’s instructions; after the radiator into the transmission (the return line).

The only reason I’m installing it in the first place is that I’ve got the transfer case reduction gears so when I’m wheeling in the summer, crawling, my AT will be run at a higher speed than it normally would and under a bit more stress. I don’t tow anything with my truck and think it would be unnecessary otherwise.

Rather than disconnecting it in the winter, being the lazy bastard that I am, I plan to just cover it with a piece of cardboard like the truckers did in the old days.

I believe your assessment of the B&M by-pass is correct; a hole that too cool/thicker ATF finds it easier to flow through than the plates.

I’m not sure if there is a difference in the cooling or heat attributes of SYN and conventional ATF but I believe the viscosity of SYN is less affected by temperature change. I also believe that sludge that is produced by high temperatures in ATF does the most damage to a transmission. Maybe it would be a good idea to install a Transmission Temperature gauge…hmmm.

I’m installing mine according to the manufacturer’s instructions; after the radiator into the transmission (the return line).

The only reason I’m installing it in the first place is that I’ve got the transfer case reduction gears so when I’m wheeling in the summer, crawling, my AT will be run at a higher speed than it normally would and under a bit more stress. I don’t tow anything with my truck and think it would be unnecessary otherwise.

Rather than disconnecting it in the winter, being the lazy bastard that I am, I plan to just cover it with a piece of cardboard like the truckers did in the old days.

I believe your assessment of the B&M by-pass is correct; a hole that too cool/thicker ATF finds it easier to flow through than the plates.

I’m not sure if there is a difference in the cooling or heat attributes of SYN and conventional ATF but I believe the viscosity of SYN is less affected by temperature change. I also believe that sludge that is produced by high temperatures in ATF does the most damage to a transmission. Maybe it would be a good idea to install a Transmission Temperature gauge…hmmm.

Yeah, dats y I got wun a dems fo mah T-case and fo mah transition

Yeah, dats y I got wun a dems fo mah T-case and fo mah transition
http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/maxwell_smart__confused.gif

What? I just answered the guy’s question.

You making fun of me bro; did I mistype or say something incorrect, is my zipper open, you say you no like my accent?

I sed I gots me sum gayjizz fo mah t-case N' mah transition

I sed I gots me sum gayjizz fo mah t-case N' mah transition
Why are you responding like this?

I said, I have gauges for my transmission and T-case. No particular reason for responding like that, just felt like it.

The gauges are Sunpro ST series Tranny temp, and T-case temp gauges.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h27/soccerbrace/IMG_5156.jpg

Ah,
Is your install of these written up anywhere?

Well you can find it in my build thread....

The back of the gauges had

a switched power
a ground
a sender wire
a + and - for the light

They are hooked up to the dimmer too.

Search around page 5 or 6 or something

http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3234

Thanks bro. Found this in your build thread;
Tapping the tranny pan for the gauge right now.
You tapped into the pan and put your sender in there? Can you give me a bit more detail on what you did? Maybe a picture or two if you have? Thanks.

What I did is the gauge came with a sender. The sender is NPT (national pipe thread). So, I could not find a bung that was NPT. What I did is I took a steel collar with a locking allen stud. The collar was tapped, and welded to the tranny pan, Used some teflon tape but not too much since the thread is also the ground.

For the T-case, I went to a hydraulic supply store and there was a plug which had female NPT threads and it fit RIGHT in there. Like a glove. Sent that wire up to the gauge, through a grommet under the center console.

Sorry, no pics.

Very nice, thanks.

Hello, I am a new member of Club Xterra, and i think this may be one of the first mods I will make to my Xterra. I was just wondering how you would extend the stock hose to run the transmission fluid to the top of the tranny cooler and out the bottom. Do I just go and buy more hose and clamp it on? Any help would be appreciated.

the hose and connections and all hardware were provided with the cooler i bought

I got a B&M brand kit that included all hoses and clamps from Summit HERE (http://summitracing.com/parts/BMM-70268/).

i got the b&m too, just ordered it from a diff site

Which line did you tap into?

i tapped into the driver's side line

I used the driver side (fixed mistake, sorry). I plan to tap into the pass. side to run a filter. Tranny out to filter, filter into the radiator, out of the radiator to cooler and then back to the tranny according to both the cooler and the filter manufacturers instructions. However I know folks who have run it tranny out, filter, cooler, radiator, tranny without issue.

so wait, the pass side is the return line?

so wait, the pass side is the return line?
Opps yes driver side not passenger, sorry.

In Nissan FSM for my 2001 Xterra section “AT”, under “OVER HAUL”, sub-section “Oil Channel”, at the bottom of page AT-266. It shows the “Oil cooler tube (IN) hole” at the bottom/back of the transmission above the oil pan on the passenger side. If you follow the line that exits that hole you will find that it leads to driver side of the radiator. That means that if you want to put your transmission cooler within the return line per manufactures instructions you need to run it from the line exiting the radiator on the drivers side or “A” in my earlier post.
From FSM

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w15/BklynX_photo/Mods/TrannyCooler001.jpg

What I plan;

http://perma-cool.com/Catalog/CatImages/PG25-R1.gif

whew

what kinda tranny fluid do I need to pickup I would like to get this done today.

um ATF...any kind

owner's manual says matic-D but i just use the mobil1 synthetic

I just got mine installed today, I used the 13000BTU and It works well. I cant really notice a difference yet but Ill watch for MPG increase

sure, upgrading is upgrading

pro2

i just tapped in to the return line form the rad to the tranny and thats how it has been
i love it, one of the most beneficial mods ive done since i quit wheeling and started towingSo does this mean the '04's already have an ATF cooler since lines run from the rad to the tranny (making this mod into an additional cooler)?

So does this mean the '04's already have an ATF cooler since lines run from the rad to the tranny (making this mod into an additional cooler)?

Just about every Auto has a built in tranny cooler in the radiator but they are bare minimum and bring the suck if your working your auto very hard. Although I didnt get the mileage gains Ricer did its still a very important addition with me using the X as a tow pig.

Thanks for the help guys! i plan on dropping the pan, changing the filter, filling it up with synthetic mobil one, and installing the tranny cooler very soon..However funds are really tight being a 16 y/o highschooler.

Just about every Auto has a built in tranny cooler in the radiator but they are bare minimum and bring the suck if your working your auto very hard. Although I didnt get the mileage gains Ricer did its still a very important addition with me using the X as a tow pig.
So if I install this cooler does that mean it's in addition to the factory cooler or instead of? Thanks for your reply.

addition to

I can't find one for my 2004, which one did you use?

B&M Tranny coolers seem to be what many have used for this thread. You can just do a search on "B&M tranny coolers".

I just bought the smallest one they had since it's still add'l help and smallest size (l x w x d) to make it easier to fit.

Amazon happened to have great prices when I bought mine - even for the bigger ones...

I bought mine from speedwaymotors.com and got the biggest one they had which just barely has enough room in front of my rad. I use my X for towing though so if your not towing you could get away with a smaller one and be just fine to still abuse it.

I read in 2nd gen forum that the lines going inside the radiator corrodes and when it happens coolant mixes with the AT fluid. and thus breaking the tranny.

is there any harm bypassing the line going to the radiator? or its just for heating during cold weather?

What was everyones average before and aft tranny cooler install mpg?

fierari if im not mistaken the 2nd gen have a external tranny cooler and it docent go through the radiator,...

2nd gen does have an external cooler but it also uses the radiator

only a small portion though

i installed a cooler on the 1st gen from summit racing with a fan and i went from 180* to 170- 165* and left the radiator in the circuit

has an inline t-stat on at 180* off at 165 *

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z219/penski61/work/P8010379.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z219/penski61/work/P8010383.jpg

Hey just installed a supercooler from B&M 13000 btu....one question....how does anybody get the bottom zip ties in without removing the radiatior?

I could only reach a few inches down inbetween the condenser and radiator to install two zip ties, no way I could get the bottom ones on. Anybody have a work around?

Also, its really not possible to go through both the radiator and condenser with the zip ties, unless i missed something.


Marc

remove the fan shroud and fan then it makes it easy as pie to get the 4 zip ties thru both the condenser and the rad

Hey just installed a supercooler from B&M 13000 btu....one question....how does anybody get the bottom zip ties in without removing the radiatior?

I could only reach a few inches down inbetween the condenser and radiator to install two zip ties, no way I could get the bottom ones on. Anybody have a work around?

Also, its really not possible to go through both the radiator and condenser with the zip ties, unless i missed something.


Marc

I was able to put the zip ties through, but just had to make sure I had them in a flat position to go through the fins easier in the rad. It was a bear getting to them on the inside to put the tab on though... I think once the tip of the zip tie stuck thru, i put the tab over it before pushing it all teh way through.

i got mine thru both quit easily

ok noob question, does it require more oil with the tranny cooler???

there will be a slight increase in ATF capasity.

there will be a slight increase in ATF capasity.

by chance do you know how much more i will have to add??? if i remember right its 9 qt. that goes into the tranny, i know i can add and check the dip stick, but would be nice to know the exact amount.....

^^^Run the truck, check the fluid level, add as necessary. It won't be much probably ~1/2 qt. It is always better to overfill than underfill though.

A good tip for the right size cooler is this: estimate or weigh your truck, multiply that number by 3 and that is the GVW size cooler you need. If you are towing - jump to the next size.

I run a 19,000 GVW B&M cooler & bypassed the radiator. Ran uphill, full-loaded down last weekend. When I stopped to get gas, I could keep my hand on the cooler for 15 seconds before it started to burn. I'd say it is staying pretty cool.

^^^Run the truck, check the fluid level, add as necessary. It won't be much probably ~1/2 qt. It is always better to overfill than underfill though.

A good tip for the right size cooler is this: estimate or weigh your truck, multiply that number by 3 and that is the GVW size cooler you need. If you are towing - jump to the next size.

I run a 19,000 GVW B&M cooler & bypassed the radiator. Ran uphill, full-loaded down last weekend. When I stopped to get gas, I could keep my hand on the cooler for 15 seconds before it started to burn. I'd say it is staying pretty cool.

good stuff thanks man!

All this is good stuff. Thanks everyone.

Are the lines coming from the Trans to the Radiator 3/8? I'm about to order the cooler and a magnefine filter and just wanted to make sure.

Thanks

Yep., thats atleast what I have in mine, same filter and everything.

Yep., thats atleast what I have in mine, same filter and everything.


Thanks

Was reading this and wanted to get some updated info out there...

http://bmracing.com/wp-bnmcont/uploads/bm_cooler_techdoc.pdf

If you look at the graphics you can see two items of note:
1. The cooler should be on the line that runs from the radiator back to the transmission. (Fairly well resolved in this thread).
2. As far as the connections, assuming we have a cooler mounted with the fittings at different heights. We now have an an upper and a lower inlet. The lower inlet should be connected to the radiator. Thue upper inlet should be connected to the transmission.

I see how people installed (in at top, out at bottom) for the most part... I checked the website link and they include the below piece of information. Does that little mechanisim require the cooler to be positioned a certain way to allow the bypass, i.e. both in and out facing up, etc.???


"As an added bonus for driving in colder areas, B&M SuperCoolers come equipped with a Low Pressure Drop mechanism. This clever piece of engineering lets already chilled fluid bypass the cooler, ensuring your transmission always has enough. As heat rises, more fluid enters the cooler."

your link doesn't work for me.

your link doesn't work for me.


Repaired the link....maybe. This repaired link now appears to point to the document being described.