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By PF Arcand - 11 Years Ago
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This post isn't Y-Block specific but, is worth making a mental note of. Recently, info came to me about Radiator integral transmission cooler failures. Apparently Nissan's Pathfinders of vintage 2006-7 & possibly other years,are prone to having the integral trans cooler fail at relatively low mileage, usually of course just after the warranty runs out! If the problem is not caught almost immediately, the coolant takes the entire transmission out. Apparently the problem is so prevalent, that searches for good used ones are often fruitless. And to have one totally rebuilt costs thousands of $$s. The best price a friend of mine could get for a 2006, was $7300 before tax + a radiator replacement!.. My old 57 has had a seperate cooler installed, I once questioned why that decision was made, but I don't now!.. I wonder how many other cars are prone to these intregal cooler failures?
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By junkyardjeff - 11 Years Ago
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I have a fairly new radiator I took out of a 77 F350 parts truck that the cooler went bad and turned the coolant red,no coolant got in the trans but had to install a external cooler and debating if I should fix the cooler in the radiator.
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By paul2748 - 11 Years Ago
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I have a 48 Ford with a 302 and C4. Instead of going through the radiator for cooling, I went with a stand alone cooler mounted on the frame near the trans. It's been on the car about 10 years with out any problems with the trans. Lot of miles too.
Did the same thing with a 56 Bird (312) and a C4. Not many miles in that one yet. Will find out this summer when i drive to CA (from NJ)
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By Grizzly - 11 Years Ago
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the efficency of an internal radiator trabsmission cooler is 8 times more efficient than a aftermarket aircooler. this is the biggest reason for using a radiator trans cooler. the other is warm up. the heat transfer effectiveness of fluid to fluid is much better that to air. I suggest that the chance of burning up a trans would be considerably greater without the internal radiator cooler. An air cooled alternative would need to be a minium of 8 times larger than the one installed in the radiator.
A radiator shop should be able to replace a cooler. Proper maintance, replacing fluids regulary helps prevent these issues.
cheers
Warren
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By PF Arcand - 11 Years Ago
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Warren: I'm sure your technical post on the advantage of using an intragel cooler is correct. Although I don't know if warming the transmission oil is a desirable factor? Anyway, unless the vehicle is subject to heavy loading or driven in a hot climate regularly, the lower performance of a seperate cooler, particularly for the Pathfinder owner, still might out way the risk of losing the entire transmission to a coolant failure crossover. I should have mentioned I was also informed of another failure in a 2007 recently. Fortunatley that one was just caught under warranty. Also, I doubt that the radiator coolers can be fixed on there own, usually it requires a whole new rad. Your remarks on regular manitenance are obviously worthy of note. Thanks.
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By The Master Cylinder - 11 Years Ago
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Grizzly (3/16/2013)
The other is warm up. the heat transfer effectiveness of fluid to fluid is much better that to air.
cheers
Warren
Got me to thinking (and it hurts)... Wonder how many people actually allow their engine/transmission to warm up before puttin' her in gear and blasting off... 
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By MoonShadow - 11 Years Ago
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Thanks for the information. My son has one of the Pathfinders affected so I passed this on to him. Hopefully he'll be more attentive to fluids in the radiator and trans. Chuck
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