Elkaholic

1st and foremost- If this information is correct and verified by someone with more knowledge than myself, then this may be some Very helpful info to those who have no idea about the transmission cooling system.

Ok so this whole time I have been looking into an aftermarket tranny cooler and I finally got one. Anyways I was a bit confused and here is why.

I was talking to the parts guy at the dealership and was saying I needed some extra fluid for the extra cooler I was gonna put on. So I ended up getting a gallon of antifreeze. I know stupid on my behalf I think he misunderstood what I was needing and I misunderstood how the system worked, which resulted in me not getting the ATF that I needed. So Im installing the cooler and trying to figure out the lines and I kept getting confused as to why the Transmission fluid lines were going into the radiator, where antifreeze/coolant is held. Soooo I researched and finally figured out that the transmission fluid went into a heat exchanger inside yet seperate from the radiator.

This whole time I was wondering how you could have two types of fluid going into the same device (radiator) and not mix. Yes I know stupid me. So after all that it finally makes sense to me and now I can hook up the new tranny cooler. The only thing that doesnt make sense is the supposedly (added with tow package) extra cooler sitting in front of the radiator. It seems to be in no way connected to the radiator. Through my own investigating it seems to be just for the condensor and compressor for the cooling system. Sooo after all this can someone verify all this for me. I cant find anything in the FSM or Haynes Repair Manual about this fwd most extra cooler. Please someone help clear that up and correct any information which I may have gotten wrong. Thanks.

eric-the-red

If you have an extra tranny cooler already added with the tow package it will be connected to the lines from the tranny to the rad. Follow the cooler lines from the tranny, if the two lines go straight to the rad and back then there's no extra cooler.
What you may be looking at is the A/C condenser. It looks like a very thin radiator, mine's silver colour and almost as wide as the rad. The lines from that will go to the A/C compressor.

MTL_4runner

That is your AC condenser.

Elkaholic

Ok thats exactly what I was thinking. Because some reading led me to believe it was an extra tranny cooler but now I see its not. Thanks.

pattycakes77

iTrader: (2)

i'm a bit foggy on which lines are which. i've read the two write-ups on the TRD cooler and the "aftermarket" one. where i'm confused is which line is the send and which is the return. i'd like to put my sender for the trans temp gauge in the send line so i know if even with my cooler installed the trans fluid is staying cool inside the transmission. i've gone to the dealership and they printed out a page with the two hard lines and they say that the send is the upper (shorter) hard line and the return is the lower longer line that goes further toward the rear of the vehicle. if i follow the upper shorter line to where it turns into the soft line it connects to the radiator on the lower passenger side, while the lower line connects on the driver's side of the radiator. so, the dealer is telling me that the upper line is the "send" line and the write-ups are saying the opposite that it is the return line.

does anyone know for sure which is right? i've looked in the Chiltons book as well and as with most things in that book it doesn't say jack about the transmission lines.

vital stats for my truck: 1998 toyota 4runner sr5 4x4 automatic trans 3.4L v6. did i miss anything?

thanks in advance yotatechers

patrick

QSVeilside

I know you said you already read this, but can't really explain it better than the pictures. Follow the lines to the tranny from the radiator on the passenger side of the vehicle. You WILL see this setup. The line closest to the radiator is the send line. The one more towards the rear of the vehicle, is the return line.

QSVeilside

For what it's worth, this was verified by another member who physically disconnected the send line at the junction of the radiator, led it to a bucket and ran the truck to confirm. ATF pumped out... Bingo.

pattycakes77

iTrader: (2)

thank you very much, you've put my mind at ease seems i've thought myself in circles and got confused. thanks for the life line!
patrick

QSVeilside

No problem. I can remember many times when I went through the exact same process... --> --> --> --> -->