Beavertail Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 With the upcoming boating season on the horizon, I'm thinking of installing a transmission cooler on my "new to me" used Sante Fe. Seems like cheap insurance to me but was wondering if any members had some opinions on the matter. Good idea? Waste of money? Let's hear it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Depends on the size/weight of the boat package whether it's necessary or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 When you get the towing package as a factory option, a transmission cooler is one item that seems to be always included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 How many K's...factory warranty left...what type of boat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavertail Posted March 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 How many K's...factory warranty left...what type of boat... 90,000km on the vehicle, 10k left on the warranty. The vehicle didn't come with the tow prep package from the factory but I did have a hitch recently installed. My boat doesn't weigh too much, approx 1500lbs but I may upgrade to something bigger in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnote Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 I probably wouldnt do it until you upgrade to a bigger boat, maybe you will have a different vehicle when you do upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSimon Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Trans coolers are rarely a bad idea and usually increase the life of a trans even if you don't tow. However, unless you are going to be towing those 1,500 pounds up and over some really big hills, you probably don't need one. Does your car have a trans temperature gauge? Those are REALLY useful if you tow a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavertail Posted March 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 The vehicle does not have a trans temp gauge. Spoke with a guy from a local independent transmission shop...granted he is a bit biased but, he even installed a cooler on his wife's sedan. I guess it couldn't hurt and I do plan on driving this vehicle until the wheels fall off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Yes, the cooler you can keep the trans fluid the longer the tranny will last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodsman Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 When you get the towing package as a factory option, a transmission cooler is one item that seems to be always included. Definately not always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 I guess it couldn't hurt and I do plan on driving this vehicle until the wheels fall off. Put it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecmilley Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 Havnt really seen to many modern vehicles without a transcooler. Most these days have a thermostaticly controlled transmission cooler to keep it at the right temp for best efficiency check with the dealer before just putting one in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattletrap2 Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 My new F150 came with a cooler and two temperature guages. One is a regular analog gauge and the other a digital read out. I love having this option as I towed an 18 foot house trailer (5000 lbs) all over the South last summer. That thing held it's temperature like a rock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spincast Posted March 27, 2015 Report Share Posted March 27, 2015 when I had my 2005 SF I asked the dealership about installing one as I was pulling something about the same weight as you had. They told me mine already had one. I'd check with them first, and be sure to ask if it will affect the warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister G Posted March 28, 2015 Report Share Posted March 28, 2015 Years ago I towed a large pop up trailer out west and over the Rockie Mountains. I was very close to the max weight of the 2002 Ford Escape's towing cap. That Escape already had a towing package with a external tranny cooler. However, since I knew I was pushing the limits especially in the mountains I added another tranny cooler AND a tranny temp gauge that I installed on the dash. Normal tranny temps were around 140 but when I crossed the continental divide (twice) that Escape struggled to make it to the top and the tranny temp gauge spiked at 280 degrees. I sweated it out and we made the trip without any issues. However, once we made it back home I dumped that tranny fluid and refilled with new fluid. Heat is the # 1 issue that kills trannies. Now getting back to your concern. What is the towing cap on the vehicle you are using. I am guessing it's 3500 lbs........if so and you don't intend to tow over mountains, I would not bother with a tranny cooler........but if you would sleep better with one, do it yourself for around $100 or less and sleep like a baby when your not fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagoneer Posted March 28, 2015 Report Share Posted March 28, 2015 (edited) It probably already has one that is plumbed into the radiator. A ton of vehicles use this setup. The tranny cooler is it's own little section of the radiator. This isn't the greatest setup because it gets quite a bit of heat soak from the coolant going through the rad. This is because your engine coolant is about 100 def F hotter than your tranny fluid regularly is. It's really only there to keep you from frying your fluid under extreme circumstances. If I were I would bypass the OEM tranny cooler altogether and run a standard aluminum cooler anywhere that it'll get good airflow utilizing the stock lines if you can. That's what I did on my 850R and installed a temp probe on the hotside and it kept the temps way lower than the OEM cooler did. Even attaching it through the radiator so it sits in front as close to the cold side of the rad as possible with insulator brackets will be a lot better than the OEM cooler. Even if you do run a cooler, you're tranny fluid is going to go through a lot harsher temperature cycles when towing and replacing the fluid on a regular basis is going to be your best insurance. Not as hard as it seems. All you need a hose fitting, a bucket, a funnel, and some tranny fluid. If your tranny doesn't have a dipstick you need to measure what you take out and put the same amount in. Easy Peasy. I used to do mine with every oil change, only took about 10min. Edited March 28, 2015 by Wagoneer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbuck Posted March 28, 2015 Report Share Posted March 28, 2015 One thing to remember for those with aftermarket tranny coolers, check the connections monthly. I know of two tranny failures because of hoses coming off the tranny on one and the hose coming off the cooler on the other......oops. Trying to save the trannies was the death of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzo Posted March 28, 2015 Report Share Posted March 28, 2015 I tried to add one to my caravan...they said it already had it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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