Tranny Issue

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bigchieftablet
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Tranny Issue

Postby bigchieftablet » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:32 am

Okay folks. All this talk about the overheating tranny and contamination of the fluid and bypassing this that and the other is new to me. And it has me very concerned. I have 61k on my 2007 pathy. I don't do any major wheeling, just use the 4wd on moderate grades on really rough, unpaved country roads and to drive through fields rounding up the animals on my family's farm. Also use it when it snows, which isn't all that often here in Oklahoma. What, if any, signs are there for this tranny issue? What seems to be the major reason behind the fail? WTF?! I bought this puppy because I was under the impression pathfinders were extremely rugged and reliable! Am I wrong?


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Budrbean
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Postby Budrbean » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:10 am

Search is your friend. Theres plenty of threads to answer your question

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oreogaborio
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Postby oreogaborio » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:19 pm

I've got 86k on my PF and just did the bypass. Luckily my transmission fluid was NOT contaminated so far as I could tell (it looks pretty much like the ATF in my dad's car with 65k on it)

You can find the transmission fluid dip stick (cable, really) on the passenger side of the engine compartment. There's a 10mm bolt that actually locks it down. Pull it & take a look. It'll probably look kinda like reddish cooking oil That's pretty normal. I've read that if it's pink, you're toast.

Symptoms include... well... a car that shifts like crap.

The cause is corrosion of the metal between the ATF and the coolant. It corrodes through then the coolant contaminates the ATF.

Let me know if you have any questions... this is actually one of the VERY few areas where I can help as I've only had the thing a couple of weeks, but I just flushed the ATF and did the bypass this weekend.

bigchieftablet
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Location: Oklahoma

Postby bigchieftablet » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:29 pm

You weren't kidding about the boat load of threads. Since it is apparently rather easy to do the bypass, what if any drawbacks are there? I've read people say you do need the radiator for towing, others say you don't. Yes it gets hot here in the summer, but not hot enough to cook a tranny. And as far as the shifting, no probs.

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oreogaborio
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Postby oreogaborio » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:33 pm

From what I've read, the integrated part has more to do with warming the ATF when it's cold & helping to regulate the ATF temp, than it has to do with cooling it when it's hot.

Since I did it, temps have been well below freezing and shifts have been very smooth even when cold.

bigchieftablet
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Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 6:29 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Postby bigchieftablet » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:50 pm

I am definitely doing the bypass. Another question. I've seen a lot of posts saying to get vacuum caps for the main radiator when you move the lines. Can you not just take that line that went from the main radiator to the trans cooler and plug it back into the main, forming a loop?

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oreogaborio
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Postby oreogaborio » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:57 pm

Yeah, some people did that.

I got wild, totally splurged and chose to spend a whole 60 cents :wink: on a pair of 5/16" rubber caps (aka "screw protectors") and stuck em on there. they don't need to be clamped or anything as they're not under pressure.

That's all you need to spend on this mod unless you're flushing the atf at the same time, which I opted to do.

I went with Castrol Import ATF as it is approved for use in Nissans

bigchieftablet
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Postby bigchieftablet » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:03 pm

Duct tape! :D Nah, just kidding. I'll go with the plugs. One less hose under there the better. Thanks man!

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eieio
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Postby eieio » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:23 pm

oreogaborio wrote: they don't need to be clamped or anything as they're not under pressure.
not until coolant enters the transmission cooler cavity
better to clamp them............... :wink:

bigchieftablet
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Postby bigchieftablet » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:26 pm

eieio, please tell me that your quote is from Tremors. That's my all time fave movie! :D

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eieio
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Postby eieio » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:29 pm

oreogaborio wrote:From what I've read, the integrated part has more to do with warming the ATF when it's cold & helping to regulate the ATF temp, than it has to do with cooling it when it's hot.
i thought this to be the case at first, however, there are some pretty good arguements otherwise
there are many vehicles that rely on the "in radiator" transmission cooler as the sole method of ATF cooling

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eieio
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Postby eieio » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:30 pm

bigchieftablet wrote:eieio, please tell me that your quote is from Tremors. That's my all time fave movie! :D
yep! :lol:
(it's one of my favorites too :) )


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