Nkschndr

Hi everyone,

Thanks all for your help with my mudflap issue earlier. I'm new to 4runners and to Toyota (kind of) even though I was a Volvo Technician for 15 years. We had a HUGE (like 100% premature failure rate) issue with coolant/transmission contamination on the XC90's and we aren't even talking pink milkshake. We were getting trans failures with no visible evidence of glycol in the trans fluid. Volvo had us using this crazy mad scientist style kit to detect the presence of glycol in a trans fluid sample. Anyway, maybe this is why I am so paranoid about my 4runner. Point is: I just bought this thing, and as I'm looking it over etc. I realized the radiator is aftermarket, the trans fluid is super clean like it has just been flushed and so is the coolant. Ouch, Red (or should I say milkshake pink?) Flag.

What are the symptoms of a damaged transmission that had the pink milkshake issue and someone tried to fix it by replacing radiator, flushing it and saying see you later? Do you get front pump noise? bearing noise? shift issues?

Anyhoo. I just bypassed the cooler with a tru-cool 4454 installed using information from this site. It is right in front of the condensor (pretty close up against) and installed Mt. Goat style (inlet on top etc.)...Has anyone had any issues with Air conditioning performance with this set up? AC is pretty important to us down here in Tucson!

Thanks in advance for any info.

Nick

94 Newbie

I'd like to know the answer myself, but the main reason I read this post was after seeing a bunch of posts on this topic I decided to change my radiator and do a quick & easy fluid flush of 4.5 qts by way of the drain plug on the tranny pan.

I used an Advanced Auto radiator for around 110 bux - dropped right in and so far all is well.

Are there any service records available ?

Maybe the PO had an independent shop do the work, or on their own.

Good Luck !

Britt

Ipaman

I changed mine out before any issues so maybe he did the same. My radiator looked original and since we are going into summer I didn't want to chance it.

Lionsden2100

I actually had already purchased the trans cooler to install within a week or so. I jumped in my tuck to go fill a gas can 1 mile down the road and when I got back I noticed what I feared most, pink milkshake got me. So I immediately dropped pan, new radiator. ,pushed 25 quarts thru her and haven't had a single problem yet. I'm lucky because I didn't go further than a half mile when it happened to me. I like the tranny cooler but dropping in a new radiator was just as easy

BigBallsMcFalls

the only way is:

check all water system seals or rubber for expansion
(radiator cap, if oil hits it, deforms the rubber seal)
it if is a new cap then ...can't do that

or, drop tranny pan and inspect all over for any sign of rust, or tiny rust stains
in pan or on valve body parts

Nkschndr

Yes,

New cap (wouldn't you know it). New lower radiator hose (uh, oh). I may drop the pan. So far no noticeable shift issues or transmission noises. I might be able to find the previous owner and ask him outright since he owns a brewpub in town...