I by-passed my in radiator tranny cooler

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pandarturo88
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Postby pandarturo88 » Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:37 pm

They run in a big loop. You are correct in assuming that doing the bypass takes the coller in the radiator out of the picture. Like I stated before, your warranty might cover it so check with that before you do it. And if you are past your warranty I do suggest you do it and install an external radiayor cooler. There is a write up on the site just search for it. And there are numerous write ups on how to do the bypass. Feel free to ask the community questions, they have helped me more than they will ever know.


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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:26 pm

Thanks Panda

I am out of my warranty..85k miles...im going to do the by pass this weekend. Not sure if I will put on another external cooler or not. I dont tow anything and the Path is driven around town mostly.

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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:58 pm

Hey Guys...hate to be a pain on this, but I want to be sure if I do this mod, I do it right. Looks like we are doing it 2 ways here:

1. Simply splicing the 2 bottom hoses on the radiator with a barbed fitting and plugging the rad with 5/16" vacuum caps.

2. removing the end of the long hose ( driver side ) from the block and connecting it to radiator where short hose goes in and taking the end of short hose ( which runs to external Trans cooler ) and placing it on the engine block.

both accomplishes the same thing as to bypass the cooler inside the radiator, but is one way better than the other? Looks like method #2 would be easy with no fitting to buy?

will enough ATF leak out as to having to add back to the system? I see where one post said the trans dipstick is on the pass side and held down by a 10mm bolt? does the ATF need to be removed from radiator with compressed air before capping back off?

Thanks for any advice

pandarturo88
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Postby pandarturo88 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:35 pm

AS Long as you clamp the hoses with a vice you shouldn't have to add any fluid to it. The external cooler should bert more than enough if you don't do too much driving with a load. The bypass is slightly different on the 08 and up models. If you need more info feel free to ask away. As for which method us easier I believe just capping off the radiator and during a house is the easiest way.

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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:55 pm

Thanks panda

so you would splice the 2 bottom hoses together and cap off the rad?

where is the trans dipstick located

btw..2006 Pathfinder here 4.0

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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:16 pm

Just checked the tran fluid in my Pathfinder...bought it brand new in 2006 and didnt know you could check the tran fluid ( dealer said the trans was a sealed unit )...anyway...fluid is red in color.clean looking and.doesnt smell burnt or funny...saw the hoses for the radiator and bypass looks simple enough..will do it this weekend...we dont tow anything and just mainly city driving....not really harsh winter weather here in Georgia. Hope I am preventing a $5000 repair.

pandarturo88
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Postby pandarturo88 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:03 pm

The whole sealed unit may have been referring to the trans filters. For the 06 I believe the outlet for the at is on the driver side rather than he pass on my 08.

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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:11 pm

Panda...on the 06, it is on the passenger side..locked down with a 10mm bolt....guess I should have looked earlier...again, my fluid seemed to look ok and my coolant is greenish like new coolant...

pandarturo88
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Postby pandarturo88 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:19 pm

lol i mean the line running underneath your vehicle not the tranny fluid dipstick. but yes it is bolted down by a 10mm. make sure you get the correct barbed connectors I used 5/16 i belive but i undid mine because it's covered under warranty for me.

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eieio
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Postby eieio » Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:30 pm

pandarturo88 wrote: i undid mine because it's covered under warranty for me.
though mine (both trucks) would be covered by the extended radiator warranty, i choose to leave them both by-passed because i am loathe to hand my trucks and keys over to a dealership for ANYTHING, let alone a major repair such as that :roll:
i simply don't trust them to do a competent job

pandarturo88
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Postby pandarturo88 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:42 pm

Lol well I wouldn't mind it. My dealership has been pretty helpful to me

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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:20 am

pandarturo88 wrote:lol i mean the line running underneath your vehicle not the tranny fluid dipstick. but yes it is bolted down by a 10mm. make sure you get the correct barbed connectors I used 5/16 i belive but i undid mine because it's covered under warranty for me.
I heard the barbed connectors were 3/8. ? I am going to buy both just in case...or depending on how hard it looks and go with my option #2

res0ippr
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Postby res0ippr » Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:45 am

I heard the barbed connectors were 3/8. ? I am going to buy both just in case...or depending on how hard it looks and go with my option #2[/quote]

Hey dawgn,
I just did the bypass last weekend. Its better if u get a 3/8th connector but get 5/16 caps... its a tighter fit for both.

As far as I did it, I didn't even need a connector. 1. I disconnected(both sides) the hose from the main feeding-hard-plastic line going to the driver side of the rad. 2. I didn't use that piece of hose for anything. 3. Disconnect the hose from the driver side of the rad. And route it to connected to the main feeding-hard-plastic line (I cut a little piece of the hose as it was too curvy and it fit better that way. 4. Cap the rad. With 5/16 caps. 5. Drinked a beer and wonder what to do with the xtra hose.

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dawgn86
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Postby dawgn86 » Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:09 am

Thanks Res....

I am going to give it a shot this weekend..will take pictures if I can.

pandarturo88
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Postby pandarturo88 » Fri Jul 29, 2011 10:21 am

Sorry they are 3/8 I was having a brain fart


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