Anyone add the tranny cooling kit for towing?

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sbmrinaldi

Member

:

07 CX9 Grand Touring FWD

• Mar 29, 2009

• #1

My CX9 did not have the towing kit when purchased, but I added a 2" hitch. I am just pulling a trailer with a quad and a couple dirt bikes and the total weight is well under 3,000 lbs. Anyone have the tranny cooling kit and if so where did you buy it? Mazda told me they do not have an OEM kit. Also, not sure it is really needed with my situation.

 

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StealthWyvern

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03.5 YLW MSP

• Mar 29, 2009

• #2

Trans kit may not be needed but you can get one install at any trans shop. You can get the cooler at a autoparts store as well. Their not hard to install either. It will also give you a good peice of mind after all they say lowering your trans fluid temp by 10-20 degrees will double the life of your trans.

 

N

nazgul350r

Member

:

03 MSP & 08 CX-9 GT

• Mar 29, 2009

• #3

Autoparts stores have coolers and they are easy to install.

 

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badself

Member

• Mar 29, 2009

• #4

sbmrinaldi said:

My CX9 did not have the towing kit when purchased, but I added a 2" hitch. I am just pulling a trailer with a quad and a couple dirt bikes and the total weight is well under 3,000 lbs. Anyone have the tranny cooling kit and if so where did you buy it? Mazda told me they do not have an OEM kit. Also, not sure it is really needed with my situation.

Click to expand...

Considering that the factory package is rated for only 3500#, I don't see how you can not add an aftermarket trans cooler. As is, your ride is rated to pull 2000#. You don't want to know the cost to replace a transmission or transfer case for the CX-9. If nothing else, consider the cooler cheap insurance.

 

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CX9 SportOwner

Member

• Mar 29, 2009

• #5

U-Haul has a listing for the CX9. Looks like a nice unit.

It looks like there is a stand-in loop in the front of the car that gets replaced by the trans cooler. Anyone confirm this yet? That would explain why the ATF capacity is the same with or without a cooler, and make it easier to install.

 

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sbmrinaldi

Member

:

07 CX9 Grand Touring FWD

• Mar 29, 2009

• #6

I would imagine I am not pulling more than 2k, but I will have to look into options for peace of mind. Any links other than Uhaul.

 

ceric

:

2022 CX-5 Turbo

• Mar 30, 2009

• #7

Heat is the major killer for transmission.
Adding a cooler is always good for your tranny (making it last longer), tow use or not.

P.S. In case you haven't heard, the tranny on CX9s is one of those "life-time fluid" one.
i.e. there is no schedule to replace it until "something goes wrong".
For this kind of tranny, you still can ask your dealer to "drain and replace" the fluid (no flushing).
($6/qt synthetic fluid)
A big portion of fluid is locked inside the torque converter. Unless you suck it out (if even possible), you
just keep doing drain and replace, hoping that the old fluid will be diluted with new one.
From experience of owning BMW life-time tranny, I can tell you that if you don't change the tranny fluid, it
will fail before 100K miles or even earlier. I plan to change mine on 30K schedule.

 

Last edited: Mar 30, 2009

C

CX9 SportOwner

Member

• Mar 30, 2009

• #8

Already changed mine. Sort of. It definitely has to be pumped out, or else you only get 2 or 3 quarts to drain out. Thats the part I replaced after accidentally removing the drain plug all the way. I had topped off the fluid trying to ID a noise, and added too much. (The noise was unrelated)

The fluid was nearly impossible to find. I didn't want to risk using a 'universal' ATF. I ended up getting some T4 at our local Toyota dealer, which another Mazda dealer said they use, but only had in bulk.. Works just fine.

IF you change it, I recommend draining measured amounts and adding back the same. It took me forever to get the level correct again.


Anyone know about the stand-in loop I was talking about?