Who's installed an auxiliary transmission cooler?

F

flcruising

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2008 Mazda5 Touring
How or did you attach it to the radiator support?

I'm not a fan of the push-through mounts. I installed this kind on my other vehicle, and the cooler eventually rubbed holes in my condenser.

If the ambient air temp sensor can be relocated, I could possibly use the lower area there for it. Otherwise, maybe it could be installed at the top, but that seems to require removing the front bumper cover right?

Anybody have pictures? I've seen the install pics for the 3, but then again, the temp sensor is not an issue there.
 
In my case, it just has to do with prolonging it's life.

My other vehicle ('00 Mitsu) has 210k miles and still going strong. AT fluid (and therefore transmission) life was greatly extended by installing one. I bought the car at 16k miles, and the fluid wasn't holding up so well by the time I flushed the transmission and installed it. Around 30k miles...I think? Anyways, it's been a number of years now. I haven't flushed it since then, just done one drain and refill when checking out the shift solenoids. The fluid is still in better shape now than the day I installed it. I'm sold.

Yes, BTW. Automatic transmission only.
 
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The fluid already goes to a radiator so what does an additional one do? Is it connected in series with the existing cooler?
 
Cools the fluid even more. Yes, it's installed in series after the existing cooler. The fluid heat exchanger still helps to bring the fluid up to operating temperature. But 'in the heat of battle', it just isn't adequate to keep the fluid cool. Heat is the mortal enemy of ALL automatic transmissions.
 
flcruising said:
Cools the fluid even more. Yes, it's installed in series after the existing cooler. The fluid heat exchanger still helps to bring the fluid up to operating temperature. But 'in the heat of battle', it just isn't adequate to keep the fluid cool. Heat is the mortal enemy of ALL automatic transmissions.
Click to expand...

Heat and my wife...
 
^^ LOL, i hear ya and I'm not even married yet.

1. Do we have any experimental proof that our fluid might need to run cooler?

2. So flcruising, do you plan to add the aux cooler before or after the existing one?
3. When you do this please do a write up with pics. It would be legendary considering the BS we've all heard with regard to these trannies.
 
Robotaz said:
1. Do we have any experimental proof that our fluid might need to run cooler?

2. So flcruising, do you plan to add the aux cooler before or after the existing one?
3. When you do this please do a write up with pics. It would be legendary considering the BS we've all heard with regard to these trannies.
Click to expand...

1. You'd have to define for me 'experimental proof' before I could answer that... Do you mean an analysis done on the fluid? Or a temp sensor showing how hot the fluid runs with before/after results?

2. Installed AFTER existing fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.

3. I guess I'll be the first? If so, will post when I'm done. Not sure of when I'll get to it though. Just hoping someone had done this already.
 
flcruising said:
1. You'd have to define for me 'experimental proof' before I could answer that... Do you mean an analysis done on the fluid? Or a temp sensor showing how hot the fluid runs with before/after results?

2. Installed AFTER existing fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger.

3. I guess I'll be the first? If so, will post when I'm done. Not sure of when I'll get to it though. Just hoping someone had done this already.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I mean some sort of evidence that the fluid going back to the tranny is in fact higher than some desirable temp.
 
For me, the fact that so many owners see the fluid turn dark after <20k miles is evidence enough to know that the fluid is breaking down too soon from heat. Mine has 15k miles, and the fluid is definitely showing it's signs. I'd install a transmission temp gauge if I cared to have a gauge inside the vehicle for that. But I don't.
 
I've been wondering since I found out about the 5 tranny issues whether the fluid looks like crap because of cheap clutches instead of the fluid actually degrading. That's why I ask that question previously. I think this debate has convinced me to try the aux cooler also.
 
How many AT problems have been reported on the board?

Is the MZ-V fluid carbon based? Does discoloration mean burning? Or is it possible, as Robotaz mentions above, that it could just be pieces of the clutch in suspension?

Why is there no replacement schedule listed for the AT fluid? Surely Mazda would list a schedule if they thought it was important.

Just curious.
 
Well, either the fluid is getting too hot, or it's cooking the suspended clutch particles. We do know from commentary on here that the fluid is discolored early. I'm very curious as to which of these two sources the problem comes.
 
I'm wondering now if the tranny fluid pump is known to be powerful enough to pump through the extra radiator without tearing up the pump. It's just a thought. I can't think of any other reason not to try it.
 
Pressure loss is probably not a problem since most AT's have pressure bleed off valves because the pump puts out more than it needs. Unless I'm mistaken, been more than 10 years since I was a real mechanic.

I just changed my fluid today and it was terrible; the idea of an axillary cooler is very appealing. I may just go for it. As for mounting, I'd have to take another look at the car and know the dimensions of the cooler.
 
It was all good until I noticed that the car must be in "Drive" to activate the pump. I don't know that I trust the parking brake + the ramps enough to be in front or under the car while all this is going on.
 
Pump is always on, if the engine spinning the torque converter is spinning, if the torque converter is spinning the pump is spinning (mechanical gear type pump).
 
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