Mechanically minded folks
When buying a brand new vehicle. Would it be advantageous to put an engine oil and transmission oil cooling system in?
I know in a vehicle intended to tow loads it would be a good idea. But would it be worth it to do it on say my Subaru which sometimes towes a lawn tractor 10 miles at a time.
Engine oil and transmission oil running cooler continuesly would extend their life and cause less wear no?
Would it cool the transmission oil to much when not towing in the winter?
I know in a vehicle intended to tow loads it would be a good idea. But would it be worth it to do it on say my Subaru which sometimes towes a lawn tractor 10 miles at a time.
Engine oil and transmission oil running cooler continuesly would extend their life and cause less wear no?
Would it cool the transmission oil to much when not towing in the winter?
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The towing you describe,is less than hauling my weekly groceries. Not worth the trouble.
Winter conditions?? Where you live??0 -
Most of us tow a hell of a lot more than that with no problems and unless you profess to know more than the design engineers, I would forget that idea. 0 -
I think they're both a good idea. Especially a tranny filter. If you're going to get a tranny filter take a measurement of the space you have to put it in. Get the biggest you can. 0 -
If it runs a transmission cooler I would bypass the radiator and put in a separate transmission cooler. If the radiator fails you can lose the transmission as well. That's just me though. 0 -
You don't need either. 0 -
My last truck (2003 Ford Ranger Edge special service) had a factory installed transmission oil cooler - I have always thought that if I were special ordering a new truck I would spec it out with a transmission oil cooler and engine oil cooler / double filter set up...
My Lexus SUV RX 300 AWD does not have either that I am aware of beyond the standard equipment
Mike0 -
No more than you are using it NO. Now on a truck, buy one set up that way. I even added a second filter for the oil. 0 -
The only issue I see is that if you drive mostly shorter distances without a lot of engine load, with a large cooling system you may never get the oil up to proper operating temp. This lets it boil off any moisture collected, etc.
My mechanical experience is limited to old German air cooled vehicles, and excessive moisture in the oil combined with the piston and push rod movement could actually make an emulsion of the oil and moisture. Not good. Always be sure you can get the oil up past 212f to drive off the water...0 -
quote:Originally posted by joshmb1982
When buying a brand new vehicle. Would it be advantageous to put an engine oil and transmission oil cooling system in?
I know in a vehicle intended to tow loads it would be a good idea. But would it be worth it to do it on say my Subaru which sometimes towes a lawn tractor 10 miles at a time.
Engine oil and transmission oil running cooler continuesly would extend their life and cause less wear no?
Would it cool the transmission oil to much when not towing in the winter?
Check with the service dept of the brand of vehicle. This is so you don't void the warranty accidentally. Typically it don't hurt anything, but with the new computer controlled 9 speed transmissions, who knows how it will affect the pressure, flow rates, overall volume and time to prime.0 -
I dont think you need to worry about it. 0 -
No. Most are equipped with em from the factory. I can't remember the last radiator I swapped that didn't have a tranny cooler in it. 0 -
I put an external oil cooler in my aircooled VW Bus because I crossed the desert and climbed the Grapevine frequently.
You don't need extra coolers.
If you want to spend a little money on something worthwhile, get instrumentation.
Amp meter, Oil temp, oil pressure, and vacuum are really good ones to have. I also had volts DC, cyl head temp, and a tach since the VW didn't have them.
I used VDO but there's a lot of brands available. If you know how to read and interpret them, you will never destroy an engine except in a wreck. If you ever start to overheat, pull over under the cottonwoods and heat up your babe while your car cools. [:p] That's what I did in the bus. [}:)]0 -
The transmission gave up on my Nissan pick up at little over 400,000 miles.I put in a junkyard transmission with 100,000 miles on it.I also put the biggest external transmission cooler that would fit and flushed the trans. and put in synthetic fluid.That was about 65,000 miles ago and so far,so good. 0 -
I mentioned this as more of a preventative maintenance thing more then anything.
Also that 10 miles was just what I commonly tow. Driving conditions I frequently drive 2-6 hours. either to work and back every two weeks or up to visit friends and family 6 hours away in CT.
I realise that a transmission cooler is not required in most vehicles. Just thought it might be a good idea. And the probability is there that I will on a yearly basis be either towing someing to a vacation spot around 8 hrs away or just driving that far.0 -
We have a cooler for the transmission, oil, power steering and a oversized radiator and AC condenser. Along with the belt driven fan we have 3 extra electric fans, the truck was built for repeated extended idling, in any weather condition.
Unless you are going to need it, adding them is not worth the time or cost.0 -
Like a broken record, I?ll repeat what?s been stated, They Are Not Needed in your case. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by joshmb1982
I mentioned this as more of a preventative maintenance thing more then anything.
Also that 10 miles was just what I commonly tow. Driving conditions I frequently drive 2-6 hours. either to work and back every two weeks or up to visit friends and family 6 hours away in CT.
I realise that a transmission cooler is not required in most vehicles. Just thought it might be a good idea. And the probability is there that I will on a yearly basis be either towing someing to a vacation spot around 8 hrs away or just driving that far.
Vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission come from the factory with a transmission fluid cooler. It's part of the radiator.
If you have a 'standard' or manual transmission, there is no oil/fluid pump to move the oil/fluid through a 'cooler'.
The manufacturers pretty much have you covered. Pulling a trailer up Baker Grade is part of the testing process in Detroit (well Michigan anyway).
As was already posted, you don't need any additional 'coolers'.
EDIT: Ask your dealer about a 'tow package' option for the vehicle.
Change your oil regularly. Switch to a synthetic around 20 or 30 thousand miles. Check the cooling ability of your coolant. Use the factory recommended oil (weight) and coolant mixture and you should be 'good to go'0 -
"sometimes towes a lawn tractor 10 miles at a time."
Would only be a problem if towing that load up the side of a mountain in death valley type heat.0 -
No, heck no and treble no.
Leave them alone; you will get 300K out of your subbie as long as you are the type that maintains things as suggested. You will probably find 5-20 or 0-20 oil in the motor too. It is as thin as water for a reason.
Also oil needs to get hot enough to burn out water and other contaminates that are caused by running the engine. Running the oil to cold is a really bad idea.0 -
stop and think the mower weighs 800 lbs or therebout, roughly 4 people, wasn't the car built to haul 4 people?, don't worry about it 0 -
Cooler oil isn't always a good thing. Water is created in the combustion chambers as fuel burns and some of that is bound to bypass the rings and get into the oil. The oil needs to get hot enough to vaporize that water so it can be removed, otherwise it builds up. Just one of several reasons why numerous short trips on a cold engine is not a good idea. 0 -
Normal Driving/light towing - No Need.
If you have a need to tow heavier loads, you need a larger truck or car.0 -
Sounds like overkill unless you're driving an eggbeater. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
I put an external oil cooler in my aircooled VW Bus because I crossed the desert and climbed the Grapevine frequently.
You don't need extra coolers.
If you want to spend a little money on something worthwhile, get instrumentation.
Amp meter, Oil temp, oil pressure, and vacuum are really good ones to have. I also had volts DC, cyl head temp, and a tach since the VW didn't have them.
I used VDO but there's a lot of brands available. If you know how to read and interpret them, you will never destroy an engine except in a wreck. If you ever start to overheat, pull over under the cottonwoods and heat up your babe while your car cools. [:p] That's what I did in the bus. [}:)]
I have the other kind of old German air cooled vehicle, still 4 cylinders though
Came with tach, oil temp gauge. Replaced clock (always stopped at just before 4 o'clock) with a voltmeter. Also added a "hey dumbazz you left your headlights on" warning buzzer from radio shack. Have a very long stem turkey fryer thermometer to get really accurate oil temps 0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
I put an external oil cooler in my aircooled VW Bus because I crossed the desert and climbed the Grapevine frequently.
You don't need extra coolers.
If you want to spend a little money on something worthwhile, get instrumentation.
Amp meter, Oil temp, oil pressure, and vacuum are really good ones to have. I also had volts DC, cyl head temp, and a tach since the VW didn't have them.
I used VDO but there's a lot of brands available. If you know how to read and interpret them, you will never destroy an engine except in a wreck. If you ever start to overheat, pull over under the cottonwoods and heat up your babe while your car cools. [:p] That's what I did in the bus. [}:)]
Exhaust gas temp is far more useful than head temp. By the time trouble is spotted via the temp of the head the pistons/rings are usually toast.
Same got for the heat couplings for Spark plugs.0
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