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On the fence on doing this mod. In MN we have very flat roads. @Acrad if you lived in a state with flat roads, would you have done this mod?
In any case I'm very tempted.
Looks like I can get OEM Trans cooler for $220 ish from UAE.
vs.
KOYORAD EC0016J Trans cooler is $95 on Rock Auto.
One commenter on GXBOB's video who installed the Hayden transmission cooler mentioned he also did this:
I bypassed the radiator cooler to eliminate the possibility that coolant will ever mix into the transmission if a leak within the radiator was to ever happen. I’ve had this happen to a pathfinder in the past and I’ve heard it happening to to other vehicles as they get older.
The radiator not only cools but also warms the ATF. If you bypass the radiator it takes more time for your AT to reach proper operating temperature. Not sure about any potential negative effect though.
Not much point adding an OtA cooler and deleting the OtW (radiator) one in the process. Leave the radiator cooler in place. I'm not familiar with the GX setup, but in the more demanding applications with which I am somewhat familiar, there is no case where the radiator warms the transmission fluid. Generally there is a simple thermostat that bypasses the OtW cooler until the transmission oil is up to temp.
Thanks, forgot about the thermostatic switch and the warmer on the GX for a second. In other, simpler setups, the ATF does get heated by the warmer coolant when passing through the radiator.
In colder areas and on short trips, the transmission may not get hot enough to reach optimum operating temperature. By being routed through radiator firstly it will be heated to a better temperature.
I see no reason bypassing the radiator, I'd rather replace it around the 100k mark if there's any doubt.
I just installed a Wholesale Automatics transmission cooler on my 2019 GX460 and thought I'd share my experience. This is my 3rd cooler install, I've done 2005 and 2015 Honda Odysseys with $50-$60 coolers from etrailer. They work great but are VERY light gauge and I constantly worry about a rock piercing the cooler and leaving me in a puddle of transmission fluid. After much research and almost going with the Lexus OEM cooler, I went with the Wholesale Automatics (Australian) through their US distributor Cruiser Brothers. The Lexus parts were ridiculously numerous, something like 10 PNs. All I wanted was a no hassle bolt up bracket and the cooler...the hoses aren't even necessary since you can get by the foot at any auto parts store. So here's how the install went down:
1. Vehicle prep- Remove front fascia, there's a good youtube video showing- disconnect-a. front bumper sensors both sides, b. headlight washers TWO quick connects on passenger side only (note, all of the washer fluid will drain out- I used a plastic trash can lid to catch all of the fluid), c. fog lights- one quick connect driver side only (see youtube video). Jack up front end put vehicle on jack stands. I had the front wheels about 1" off the ground. Remove front skid plate completely (you have to remove the plastic tray in front of it to get it off of the hang down hooks. Remove the battery for more room to get the top hose connected.
2. Cooler mounting bracket and cooler flange interfered with a steel transmission line so I had to cut clearance in both. Pics 1-3 and 5
3. The horns wouldn't clear the bracket unless turned backwards and remounted as in pic 4.
4. Plumbing I did similar to a youtube video by GXBob. Note, I mounted with the cooler barbs down because there is a ton of space below the cooler and almost none on top. My take after research and multiple cooler installs is it doesn't matter how the cooler is oriented up, down, side. There's enough pressure on the oil lines to push through the cooler in any orientation.
5. Challenges- getting the hoses over the bulb on the GX transmission lines. What a B**ch! Same issue I had on my other two installs but the Odyssey lines were in a position I could muscle and wiggle them on. Not the case with the bottom line on the GX! The top line wasn't bad. The youtube videos never show how hard it is to get the lines on, they apparently cut out all of the gymnastics and time required to get them on. One good tip for the lower line- when you're on your back under the car with no way to get a adequate grip or force on the hose: I took the two brackets loose that hold the transmission line to the frame and then I was able to grab the steel portion of the line with gloved hand and clamp the hose from the cooler (using a hose pliers like in the GXBob video) together with the line next to it (gives a tighter grip)...I was then able to wiggle and push the steel portion of the line into the coolant hose. Trying to pull the hose over the steel coolant line proved impossible so you have to shove the steel line into the hose with a lot of wiggling and twisting. I was sore for 2 days from this encounter.
6. Miscellaneous- I did pump the hoses and cooler full of the Toyota ATF (like in the GXBob video) after I had it mounted with the hoses held high. It only took 6 Oz and I probably lost about 1 Oz leakage installing the hoses. The cooler is a much heavier gauge that the one's I've used in the past. I was expecting a double cooler like on the Wholesale Auto web site but mine came as one ply. For the cost, not sure if I'd go with this one again. Now that I know this one was actually custom for a Prado 150, I would look at the KAON even though the Wholesale Auto website shows their's for the GX460, it's actually for a Prado 150 which has the bracket clearance problem noted above. I think the KOAN bracket may work with no issues. I'm guessing the KAON is the same heavy gauge as the Wholesale Auto but would require more study. I wish etrailer would distribute these heavier duty ones. I've been using etrailer for 15 years for all of my towing accessories and coolers. I'm recently retired and will be towing with the GX460 more frequently (boat, cargo trailer and motorcycle) so time will tell if other mods will be necessary.
Last edited by Stoleit; 08-03-23 at 07:57 AM.
Reason: Replace photo
I have been tempted by that cooler kit, but realize I would be paying a huge premium for that custom bracket. I would pretty pretty pissed that I would have to cut that much (any) of the bracket and cooler to make it work correctly.
Yes, it was disappointing for me too but kludging a bracket seems to be the only current solution for the GX460...either one from generic plates with pre-drilled holes or doing the mod to one that's close but no cigar like I did. Either way, get a cooler on your GX! The coolers I put on my Odysseys solved all of the issues with those transmissions notably what Honda calls the "Judder from the Torque Converter" (service bulletin 17-043). These modern transmissions don't like heat and the manufacturers for some reason aren't engineering OEM solutions to keep the temps down especially for use at the higher end of the working envelope.
Update on Wholesale Automatics GX460 Transmission Cooler Install
After contacting Cruiser Brothers and Wholesale Automatics with the bracket interference issue noted above, they did a design and build modification of the bracket and sent to me the prototype to test. I haven't had a change to install it yet but will post an update when I do. Just wanted to highlight the excellent customer service I received. If the mod solves the interference problem and this unit turns out to be a turn key install, then I'll reverse my doubts about going with this unit and fully endorse it for the GX460.
Nice of them to design the correct bracket for you. If it works I would also ask for a new cooler as well, as I wouldn't trust the mod you did cutting the support structure of the cooler like that.
I installed the modified bracket Wholesale Automatics sent me and it's great. The modification fixes the interference problem I described above in my initial install.
This is definitely the cooler to go with because the cooler itself is very heavy gage (in one of my pics above the Lexus condenser fins are visible behind and it shows the transmission cooler fins are thicker) and the bracket is also super heavy duty and a real professional design. Added pic of the new bracket without the cooler attached and one with it attached. You can see at the bottom of the bracket where the black steel transmission line now sits below the bracket.
I forgot to include a very important detail in my original post...the cost! The Wholesale Automatic cooler from Cruiser Brothers (US distributer) was $448.07 delivered, that was in July 2023. That included the bracket, cooler, hose (think it was 8'), plastic protective case for the hose, hose clamps, mounting screws. The new modified bracket Wholesale Automatics sent me was no charge.
The OEM Lexus parts when I looked last July were about $500 so I'm guessing a dealer installed OEM cooler would be over $1000. Maybe someone who's done a dealer installed cooler can comment on the actual cost.
Last edited by Stoleit; 04-17-24 at 05:41 AM.
Reason: Forgot to include cost $$
I installed the modified bracket Wholesale Automatics sent me and it's great. The modification fixes the interference problem I described above in my initial install.
This is definitely the cooler to go with because the cooler itself is very heavy gage (in one of my pics above the Lexus condenser fins are visible behind and it shows the transmission cooler fins are thicker) and the bracket is also super heavy duty and a real professional design. Added pic of the new bracket without the cooler attached and one with it attached. You can see at the bottom of the bracket where the black steel transmission line now sits below the bracket.
Thanks for updating this. Because of your initial post I contacted Cruiser Brothers and got a quote it was $95 shipping because it ships from Australia. Total was $477.50 with a 10% discount but I feel the bracket is worth part of that cost. Wasn't sure if they had resolved the issue but now I see that they did. Having worked with heat exchanges of all sizes for 20 years on ships robust mounting of the cooler was a concern for me. And the cooler being robust as well which this one is the most beefy I have seen yet. Came real close to pulling the trigger a couple of weeks ago, real close.
I will not start towing for a couple of weeks yet but a week ago carried half a ton of lead shot in the back. Watching Fusion temps the GX handled it pretty well until the hill going up to my house and then it broke 230 and didn't want to go back down. Once the ATF in the sump gets hot if you aren't moving then it is pretty hard to get down. Watching Fusion for awhile now agree with others that it looks like the thermostat for the ATF warmer is set ~200°. I want it lower so have a Hayden 698 sitting in the garage. Waiting on the Mountain Passes Off Road bracket to get here hopefully this week. Spendy at a bit over $200 but feel secure mounting is critical to keeping a cooler intact and not leaking so worth it to me. And don't have access to a machine shop anymore.
The Hayden 698 doesn't use what I would call a standard thermostat from what I can tell, flow and bypass appears to be based on viscosity of the ATF. Can't find any reviews of the bypass coolers with Toyota WS ATF but in general most report temps being lower with the bypass than OEM, ~170 instead of 200 seems common. I will pin the factory ATF thermostat open during the summer but living in the coldest State in CONUS want a backup to the ATF warmer for when I don't get around to unpinning the factory bypass and cold hits early. Time will tell how that works.
If it wasn't for only 6 weeks of **** poor sledding here I would have gone for the Cruiser Brothers cooler, pinned the stat open and called it a day.
^I went with the Hayden w/o the thermostat because the transmission already has a thermostat on it, so if it decided it's too cold it closes the thermostat. I tow a 19ft 4800lb (loaded) camper and it's basically a brick. I added a Hayden to the GX470 and now the GX460 and it made a very noticeable improvement in temps. Being an engineer myself and knowing how long the GX platform has been around as well as Toyota engineers typically having their act together, I assume that they outfitted the GX460 to live for a long time. But that doesn't mean I won't do my research and invest time and money in mods that will help the GX live longer and make me feel better about towing.
02-20-23, 09:05 PM
