My 05 V6 Pathy is in the shop right now for a diagnosis/quote (rad is leaking), when I get this replaced at a non-dealer, will the bypass be required? I had completed it prior to it heading to the shop.

Thanks

ljandjen wrote:My 05 V6 Pathy is in the shop right now for a diagnosis/quote (rad is leaking), when I get this replaced at a non-dealer, will the bypass be required? I had completed it prior to it heading to the shop.

Thanks

required? no.
a good idea, maybe.
depends on how much you trust the new radiator
where was yours leaking?

appears to be along the base...

so the new rad can still contaminate my tranny?

Yes, there is always a chance that a rad can fail and cause it to cross-contaminate the trans fluid/coolant.

The likelihood is usually very low. With the Nissan rad, it is much higher.

This is a very common way to cool automatic transmissions, almost all vehicles use a cooler in the bottom rad tank to do this. If you change rads, find out what kind they put in and do some research. Also ask the installer what the warranty is on the rad they are replacing your old one with.

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ljandjen wrote:appears to be along the base...

so the new rad can still contaminate my tranny?

any radiator with the internal trans cooler has the potential to fail in such a way that it can contaminate the tranny fluid
considering that this is a very common design, and very reliable percentage-wise, you'll probably be OK without the by-pass
as long as the replacement radiator if of the up-dated type from Nissan, or a good aftermarket substitute
however..........ya never know

awesome, will do.

Its at integra tire right now, waiting to hear back.

I suppose doing the bypass makes the most sense, regardless of warranty etc, likely a fight I don't want to lose!

IF you live in an area that see very cold temperatures, it is best to use the integral cooler of the radiator as it will warm the ATF and help maintain it in the proper range of approx. 175-200 degrees F. If you never see very cold temperatures, then bypassing the integral cooler is not a major concern.

Can get as low as -50f here... but for limited amounts of time (2 weeks in the winter).

heated garage.

not sure which risk to take...

was the upper portion of the rad that went on mine.

Well, it might be nice in warm in your garage, but as soon as you go outside and the sub-freezing air starts blowing across that auxiliary trans cooler, the ATF might be getting a bit on the cool side! I would run the ATF through the radiator's cooler.

The optimal operating temp for the transmission is right around the engine operating temp. This is why the ATF is routed through the auxiliary cooler and then through the radiator.

What this will do in cold temperatures is keep the ATF from getting too cold before re-entering the transmission.

Saying that, a lot of people I know have done the bypass - even in cold(ish) temperatures here in New England - and have been fine with it. You'll lose some efficiency in your transmission until it gets up to operating temperatures. If you're still under warranty from your dealer, you may want to check with them if it voids the transmission warranty (I've heard people being told this).

You're in Innisfail, huh? I spent a little time in Red deer and then way up in Hines Creek one winter. It definitely gets colder where you are than it does here, lol. You'll have to weigh the risk/benefits and decide. Like what was said above, most trucks/SUV's these days have their ATF lines routed through the radiator and some do fail.