Auto transmission cooler

[MINIHEMI46]

I don't think I've heard from this forum talked much about this but since these auto trans are not the greatest. Would and could you put a trans cooler on our turbo PT's to make them last? I know that heat kills transmissions faster than cops on donuts.

[CREWZIN]

Not sure about yours, but mine came with an external transaxle oil cooler and I believe an external power steering external cooler also.

Have never messed around with it but the Haynes manual has instructions for removing and replacing the external transaxle oil cooler for both the Turbo (in front of the condenser) and Non-turbo (at the bottom of the radiator) models.

[Mean Green]

You've got one, even the na PTs.

[quicksilverdon]

Best thing you can do is get the tranny flushed & refilled with ATF-4 at 50,000 miles - some say sooner!

[Mean Green]

Originally Posted by quicksilverdon

Best thing you can do is get the tranny flushed & refilled with ATF-4 at 50,000 miles - some say sooner!

My dealer told me every 30k alternate between a drain/fill and a total flush.

[04PTGT]

Originally Posted by Mean Green

My dealer told me every 30k alternate between a drain/fill and a total flush.

Flushing a trans with the machine at most places is a BIG NO NO!
Don’t ever do it! The only time a flush should be done… is to the cooler and lines…after the old trans has been replaced or rebuilt, and has contamination in the system.

Flush machines will cause the pump to cavitate. This damages the Gerotor or Vanes in the pump. Also they can cause the cooler to act like a trap for dirt and cause a ton of other damage!

These devices were made to increase revenue for the people using them…. and for no other reason! It’s called an Up Sell. Drop the pan and replace the fluid at regular intervals.

I work on the OEM side of the tans business and, I can’t tell you how many returns we get for this type of butchering!

[frostygt]

trany flushes cause your automatic to cavitate... hummm thats a new one on me.
i have never once seen a trans flush to cause a failure afterwords and i have done countless flushes as a licenced mechainc at a chrysler dealership.
the drain a fill normaly replaces about half of what the automatic hold which is 4L the total amount with a new dry torqueconverter is 8.1L to 8.5 with cooler flush and after a overhaul.
this is a topic that could be debated lots but its always up to the owner to be a grown up and make there own choise as to what matainance they want to do to there cars.
the flushing machine we use here pushes 12L thru the trans making sure of a compleat fluid exchange, and the company that suplies our flush machine and product stands behind it and says they will replace your trans if there flush causes a failure after.
so as a consumer do some reseach ask questions at your garage that you go to.

i full agree with the flush one time drain fill the next. i do it to my own no problems ever.

[04PTGT]

The problem is that the damage that happens doesn’t become apparent until much later down the road.
If fluid is replaced including filter at regular intervals….it won’t get bad enough where you need to replace all of it, at one time.

The reason for replacing fluid is for a change of Ph and alkalinity. The fluid actually becomes the attacker. Also it is not the trans that cavitates… it is the pump.

It only takes 15 seconds of dry operation to damage the pump. If the machine is the type where you run the car to do it….there is the risk.

I have bins full of returned transmissions that have been worked on by certified techs……

I do find it interesting that the person that takes issue with this would be the one that is selling these unnecessary services.

[CREWZIN]

I'm not any kind of certified anything, but have worked in 2 full service garages and messed around with cars for over 45 years. Used to be dropping the pan, throw a new filter in and top it up was the norm. When the B.G. process came along with the flush system I started using it and continued with it for longer than I can remember on countless customer and my own cars. Never had a problem.

[frostygt]

maybe the problem with the flushes is either the machines being used arn;t up to the task or teh guys doing the job.
long of short if done right they are a good mantance item.
i will see what info i can dig up from about them and see where they stand might even call the boys at tech line too if i have to