Back story...
I've got a 2008 V6 2WD R51. I've recently picked up a 3,000lb. camper trailer that I'll be towing. My first orders of business are mirror extensions and a 7-pin wiring harness & brake controller. The camper trailer already has a WDH and friction anti-sway bar, but I'd like to eventually get some airbags to supplement the rear suspension as well.
My question is...
Do I need an aftermarket transmission cooler? They seem to be cheap and easy to install, but I've been getting mixed signals on the forum whether they are worth it. My understanding is that the R51 already has a transmission cooler from the factory and this one may be of higher quality than many after market options.
If I limit the amount of overall shifting the transmission is doing, will this help keep the temps low? Especially when towing uphill. Or do transmission temps tend to follow overall load on the engine?
I've got about 115k on the odometer and I've never serviced the transmission. Is a flush in order? It shifts fine in auto-mode, but has a hard shift from 2nd to 3rd when shifting manually.
Thanks.
Aftermarket tranny cooler?
Moderator: volvite
I tow a 5,000 pound camper with my "12" R51 without issue. The stock trans cooler is fine just make sure you have one from the factory. Esp considering you are 2wd so you are pulling less weight anyway.
Yes be smart with your shifting ... I pretty much stay out of overdrive unless going down hill or on long flats and only if the trans is not hunting for gears this makes the trans hot! And when you get to long hills don't be afraid to downshift to 3 or even 2 if need that is what the gears are there for. Prob won't need to drop to 2 but I use 3rd gear all the time like driving around town if towing and not going over like say 50 mph. And if going up long hills or mountain roads drop it in 3rd and let the motor rev up you won't hurt the V6 one bit as a matter of fact mine runs better after I work it towing my camper. Just take it easy you don't need to floor it up long hills use your gears and back off on the gas. It's the constant shifting that overheats the trans.
A little tip .. If you just came off a long tow/hill/ mountain and you stop at a rest area at top jump out open your hood then put the truck in (N) nutral and keep your foot on the brake. Then bring the engine revs up a little this will circulate the trans fluid faster then in park and will cool the trans faster. My father was a transportation officer in the Army and thought me that one.
Yes be smart with your shifting ... I pretty much stay out of overdrive unless going down hill or on long flats and only if the trans is not hunting for gears this makes the trans hot! And when you get to long hills don't be afraid to downshift to 3 or even 2 if need that is what the gears are there for. Prob won't need to drop to 2 but I use 3rd gear all the time like driving around town if towing and not going over like say 50 mph. And if going up long hills or mountain roads drop it in 3rd and let the motor rev up you won't hurt the V6 one bit as a matter of fact mine runs better after I work it towing my camper. Just take it easy you don't need to floor it up long hills use your gears and back off on the gas. It's the constant shifting that overheats the trans.
A little tip .. If you just came off a long tow/hill/ mountain and you stop at a rest area at top jump out open your hood then put the truck in (N) nutral and keep your foot on the brake. Then bring the engine revs up a little this will circulate the trans fluid faster then in park and will cool the trans faster. My father was a transportation officer in the Army and thought me that one.
Nissan doesn't have a service interval for the transmission fluid, being it's synthetic. It only states to inspect it every 15,000 miles. I usually do a drain and fill every 50,000 miles using a gallon of Valvoline Maxlife Full-synthetic ATF. I might drop that to every 30,000 miles, if I towed.
You should be fine with the stock, factory cooler. If you still have the original radiator from the factory, I would replace it to avoid the cooler failure issues that are fairly common with them. Aftermarket radiators are fine; many go with Spectra Premium or upgrade to the all-aluminum, CSF radiator from Stillen.
You should be fine with the stock, factory cooler. If you still have the original radiator from the factory, I would replace it to avoid the cooler failure issues that are fairly common with them. Aftermarket radiators are fine; many go with Spectra Premium or upgrade to the all-aluminum, CSF radiator from Stillen.
We have a whole section dedicated to the transmission cooler failure inside the radiator:
http://thenissanpath.com/viewforum.php?f=38
To summarize it, there were a lot of radiators on North American, 2005-2010 Pathfinders/Xterras/Frontiers that experienced a seal failure of the transmission fluid cooler located inside the bottom tank of the radiator. The radiators were factory installed units made by Calsonic and they had a sticker on the top tank with one of these part #'s: 21460-EA200. 21460-EA215, 21460-EA265...and occasionally we run across a failure with a later number, 21460-9CA2E. Not all of them failed, but, there were a lot of them and many of them resulted in engine coolant contamination of the transmission fluid and damaging the transmission.
Nissan extended the warranty and then, again, after they lost a class action lawsuit in NY state. The extended warranty covers the radiator and subsequent damages for 8-years/80000 miles at full coverage, then cost limits of $2500 and $3500 for 90000 and up to 100,000 miles, respectively. If you have a 2008, you are most likely past any warranty claim.
A failed radiator and trans can result in a repair of $5000-$7500 in most cases. As a preventative maintenance option, many have replaced the radiator or bypassed the radiator's transmission cooler. In bypassing, the cooler lines are re-routed so that the transmission fluid passes only through the factory auxiliary cooler in front of the A/C condenser. It 100% guarantees there will be no chance of trans fluid/engine coolant contamination, but, sacrifices some cooling ability and the ability of the radiator to warm the fluid and maintain it in the optimal temperature range of around 175-200 degrees F. Most of those who have bypassed and monitored trans fluid temps usually report see ranges around 150-165 degrees, but I have not heard of anyone having any issues with running the bypass even with moderate towing. Some have installed additional air-to-liquid trans coolers, but it seems that this is overkill.
The other option is radiator replacement. There have been no cooler failure issues with the aftermarket radiator options that I've heard of to date nor of the Nissan Value-line radiator, which is usually in the $350 range. If I were towing heavy loads or lived in an area of extreme temperatures, I would recommend replacement. If $350 does not sound out of line, Stillen offers a CFS all-aluminum radiator that is pretty nice! Plastic-tanked radiators, like the factory unit, are available for a lot less. You can find generic units for around $75 on Ebay, but many prefer to stick with a name-brand like Spectra Premium or Koyorad for a little over $100.
http://thenissanpath.com/viewforum.php?f=38
To summarize it, there were a lot of radiators on North American, 2005-2010 Pathfinders/Xterras/Frontiers that experienced a seal failure of the transmission fluid cooler located inside the bottom tank of the radiator. The radiators were factory installed units made by Calsonic and they had a sticker on the top tank with one of these part #'s: 21460-EA200. 21460-EA215, 21460-EA265...and occasionally we run across a failure with a later number, 21460-9CA2E. Not all of them failed, but, there were a lot of them and many of them resulted in engine coolant contamination of the transmission fluid and damaging the transmission.
Nissan extended the warranty and then, again, after they lost a class action lawsuit in NY state. The extended warranty covers the radiator and subsequent damages for 8-years/80000 miles at full coverage, then cost limits of $2500 and $3500 for 90000 and up to 100,000 miles, respectively. If you have a 2008, you are most likely past any warranty claim.
A failed radiator and trans can result in a repair of $5000-$7500 in most cases. As a preventative maintenance option, many have replaced the radiator or bypassed the radiator's transmission cooler. In bypassing, the cooler lines are re-routed so that the transmission fluid passes only through the factory auxiliary cooler in front of the A/C condenser. It 100% guarantees there will be no chance of trans fluid/engine coolant contamination, but, sacrifices some cooling ability and the ability of the radiator to warm the fluid and maintain it in the optimal temperature range of around 175-200 degrees F. Most of those who have bypassed and monitored trans fluid temps usually report see ranges around 150-165 degrees, but I have not heard of anyone having any issues with running the bypass even with moderate towing. Some have installed additional air-to-liquid trans coolers, but it seems that this is overkill.
The other option is radiator replacement. There have been no cooler failure issues with the aftermarket radiator options that I've heard of to date nor of the Nissan Value-line radiator, which is usually in the $350 range. If I were towing heavy loads or lived in an area of extreme temperatures, I would recommend replacement. If $350 does not sound out of line, Stillen offers a CFS all-aluminum radiator that is pretty nice! Plastic-tanked radiators, like the factory unit, are available for a lot less. You can find generic units for around $75 on Ebay, but many prefer to stick with a name-brand like Spectra Premium or Koyorad for a little over $100.
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