1kz trans cooler mount

[Boost_4_Life]

I've got an external trans cooler lined up for my supercustom, I do a lot of towing and I want to get rid of the crap factory cooler across the bottom of the engine radiator. My mechanic wants to mount the cooler directly in front of the engine rad
Having never had to work with coolers before, will this impede airflow too much to the radiator? I want to give this baby as much airflow as possible to avoid all possible overheating and cracked heads! Just wondering what the effect would be, I guess most people mount oil coolers/intercoolers in front of the radiator, but does it also cause radiator to loose efficiency?

I guess my concern is more due to the location of the engine radiator in the van and native lack of airflow through it in the first place...

[BlakeNZ]

Usually it won't cause a problem, as the heat you have removed from radiator water by not flowing trans fluid into bottom of radiator will offset any potential loss of airflow to the radiator caused by installing a trans cooler in front of the rad.
However- there is 100c in a dollar, and if you want every one of them, mount the trans cooler off to the side, in one of the ducts in front of a wheel for instance. Bypass the trans cooler in the radiator altogether. Join together the in and out nipples on the radiator with hose. This stops any leaks or drips.
Other keys to preventing the cracked heads, is routine coolant replacement. Make sure the rad core is clean. Some look ok from up top, but are 1/4 filled with sludge!!! I have also noted that the intercooled 1kz motors crack heads far less than non intercooled. Just an observation.

[edwagon]

Usually it won't cause a problem, as the heat you have removed from radiator water by not flowing trans fluid into bottom of radiator will offset any potential loss of airflow to the radiator caused by installing a trans cooler in front of the rad.
However- there is 100c in a dollar, and if you want every one of them, mount the trans cooler off to the side, in one of the ducts in front of a wheel for instance. Bypass the trans cooler in the radiator altogether. Join together the in and out nipples on the radiator with hose. This stops any leaks or drips.
Other keys to preventing the cracked heads, is routine coolant replacement. Make sure the rad core is clean. Some look ok from up top, but are 1/4 filled with sludge!!! I have also noted that the intercooled 1kz motors crack heads far less than non intercooled. Just an observation.

Yup the sludge collects at the bottom

Had a top tank grenade on the dyno because the core was blocked - looked fine from on top and coolant was clean - pretty funny - luckily it didn't take the headgasket with it

[Boost_4_Life]

awesome thanks, exactly what I was thinking. I think there might be enough space to shuffle it off to the side a bit and still have good airflow.

interesting abut the intercooled 1kz, ive noticed the same thing... know a few people with prado's and intercooled surfs that have never had issue. I think the supercustom must be worst affected just due to engine location.

[BlakeNZ]

are you thinking of engine oil cooler too?

[BlakeNZ]

are you thinking of engine oil cooler too?

[Boost_4_Life]

just trans cooler at this stage, but engine cooler wouldn't go amiss either. although there aint much space to mount it!!

[BlakeNZ]

Hey look, i neglected to mention another contributing cause to the toyota turbo diesel head cracking. Many long term owners suggest putting a bigger diameter exhaust pipe on. Apparently the factory one is very restrictive.Particularly examine the down pipe area. The bigger pipes gets the heat away from the head more easily. Cooler head... less chance of cracking. 2 and 1/4" diameter is the go, from memory.

[Dell'Orto]

Someone on the Offroad Express forum made a custom dump pipe for his Super Custom, looks pretty cool, and would likely also help with keeping the temperatures down

[Boost_4_Life]

hmm yea id heard that too. maybe next mod Oil cooler is in, more in front of rad than i would like but never mind. Had a test tow with her today, good as. Bring on the napier-taupo next weekend with rally car in tow for rally hb! This van has never given a prob, just trying to help prolong its life cos its fairly mint. My old van just got hammered, trans over temp light used to come on towing up hills all the time