2019 Tundra ATF.... Burned?

[Whalstib]

Hi,

I have a 2019 Toyota Tundra with tow package which was supposed to come with an ATF cooler as per my list of options. Many discussions has Toyota saying "not needed". I wasn't towing until June and since put about 3000 desert and mountain and 100°++ days on the road. I had topped it off just before I left and nice clear pink...

I started monitoring temperatures just recently as I decided an ATF cooler may be worth the investment as I find myself full time RV'ing. I tow a 7000lb Airstream. I monitored my temperatures the past few weeks and was getting 130°+ on 75° days on rolling hills. When towing It spiked up to almost 160° on a long ~4% slope 90° ambient temperature.

I installed the ATF cooler today and here's the overflow to get to proper level. It's cloudy and smells burnt! I'll send for analysis but with what I've explained any thoughts?
Clean new ATF on left, burnt on right.

Total mileage ~15,000 miles...


Thanks!

 

[Bobaloo22]

That’s scary, I have been doing suck and fill in my Chevrolet since 30k. Also changed the filter around 50k, my fluid still looks like new. I also sent in a sample to Blackstone when I did the filter and everything was great. I pull a travel trailer that’s under 6k.lots of mountains here.

 

[hemitom]

160 is no where near hot enough to burn atf.
After an hour of driving my mustang in 90 degree weather its running at 200.

 

[meep]

Oil turns dark on purpose as it prevents oxidation inside the transmission. If anything, your tundra is running too cool. my guess is the thermostat on your transmission is set to not even start cooling until it reaches somewhere between 160 and 180. My tundra (2006) towed around 160F with OD locked out on temperate days. Summer with AC, it always ran around 180-190 when towing. Steep hills, 220F. To compare, my f150 with a higher tow rating drives around unloaded around 200F.

I suspect the trans isn’t getting hot enough, actually.

 

[Dino01]

Hard to tell, of course a couple d&f would serve you well at this point, but WS is notorious for turning dark quickly yet still is just fine in actuality

 

[gregk24]

From much reading it seems many transmission fluids turn dark early. I say change early and often! It certainly can't hurt.

 

[nascarnation]

What temp was running 160F? Engine coolant? Transmission sump? Transmission cooler inlet?

 

[wdn]

The tow package does have a transmission cooler. Mine does. Are you saying that you ordered and paid for a truck with a transmission cooler but did not recieve one? Then why did you take delivery of the Tundra? Doe you still have the factory window sticker?

 

[Whalstib]

160 is no where near hot enough to burn atf.
After an hour of driving my mustang in 90 degree weather its running at 200.

Dang it!!!

260° Can't seem to edit the post... sorry for confusion!..

 

[drtyler]

What year is your Tundra?

this is something that changed very recently, possibly 2019, even though the window stickers indicate tow package with transmission oil cooler.

The tow package does have a transmission cooler. Mine does. Are you saying that you ordered and paid for a truck with a transmission cooler but did not recieve one? Then why did you take delivery of the Tundra? Doe you still have the factory window sticker?

 

[Whalstib]

The tow package does have a transmission cooler. Mine does. Are you saying that you ordered and paid for a truck with a transmission cooler but did not recieve one? Then why did you take delivery of the Tundra? Doe you still have the factory window sticker?

If you have a 2019+ Tundra with Tow Package I'm sorry to say it does NOT have an ATF cooler! Mine has the tow package and sticker says "transmission oil cooler" on the paper work I have. It has a heater/heat exchanger that in recent discussions Toyota has started referring to as a "cooler" but older spec sheets clearly call this a "heater". Go look! Unless you bought a used one someone installed a cooler on it does not have one and I'm 100% positive about that.

The first thing I asked and looked at was the ATF cooler. I was shown the power steering cooler. I later confirmed no cooler and took back to dealer. Service techs said "of course there's an ATF cooler" but when we got it on the lift and referred to the Toyota TIS it was confirmed NO ATF cooler! Three techs were scratching their heads as to what happened to it and TIS confirmed; removed! It's impossible to tell until you really dig around and know what you're looking at and/or drop the skid plate.

Toyota has been jerking owners around for over a year as if they found some magical physics that while ALL other auto transmissions would burn ATF at 260° Toyota's do not! Right!

 

[Whalstib]

What year is your Tundra?

this is something that changed very recently, possibly 2019, even though the window stickers indicate tow package with transmission oil cooler.

Yes 2019 and 2020 they removed the ATF cooler. Previously it shared the AC condenser or some such idiocy. Toyota engineers are complete idiots when it comes to ATF coolers! They refuse to simply look at the proven correct way to do it and end up with "pink milk shakes" and other nonsense.

 

[wdn]

Mine is a 2004. It has a transmission cooler with the tow package. However in the 2021 it says there is an oil cooler and a transmission cooler like mine has.

2021 Toyota Tundra Features

2024 Toyota Tundra Features and Specifications | Toyota.com

Learn about the features and specifications of the 2024 Toyota Tundra. This powerful truck has plenty of power and towing capacity for both work and play.

www.toyota.com

“ Tundra's 346 cu.-in. i-FORCE 5.7L V8 produces 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft. of torque. Pair it to a 6-speed automatic transmission with a standard Tow Package that includes added engine and transmission oil coolers, and you've got one truck with heavy-duty towing capabilities.”

If they dropped the transmission cooler for 2019 only to reinstate it for 2021, that is a good reason not to buy a 2019,Tundra.

 

[Trav]

Dang it!!!

260° Can't seem to edit the post... sorry for confusion!..

At 260f the fluid is well cooked. You may want to look into Redline or Amsoil synthetic as well as a big cooler. Member Clinebarger is the man to contact and get his opinion, he knows his stuff!

 

[hemitom]

If your truly running temps of 260 you absolutely did the right thing by adding a cooler, that temp will kill a transmission in no time.

 

[Whalstib]

Mine is a 2004. It has a transmission cooler with the tow package. However in the 2021 it says there is an oil cooler and a transmission cooler like mine has.

2021 Toyota Tundra Features

2024 Toyota Tundra Features and Specifications | Toyota.com

Learn about the features and specifications of the 2024 Toyota Tundra. This powerful truck has plenty of power and towing capacity for both work and play.

www.toyota.com

“ Tundra's 346 cu.-in. i-FORCE 5.7L V8 produces 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft. of torque. Pair it to a 6-speed automatic transmission with a standard Tow Package that includes added engine and transmission oil coolers, and you've got one truck with heavy-duty towing capabilities.”

If they dropped the transmission cooler for 2019 only to reinstate it for 2021, that is a good reason not to buy a 2019,Tundra.

That's the same wording for the 2019. Trust me...there's NO ATF COOLER on a 2020 or a 2021 either!

Up to 2018 they had an ATF cooler of some sort. Again Toyota engineers are complete idiots when it comes to cooling ATF. What could be easier than some lines to an auxiliary cooler? A guy on Tundra forums designed one in a afternoon from pre-2019 Toyota parts! It was plug and play! Took me 2 hours to install a thermostat, hard lines and a Hayden cooler.

Running 180° on a 100° + Tucson day at 85mph now! How hard was that?!

 

[wdn]

Just to clarify I own a Gen 1 Tundra with the 4.7L 2UZ-FE V-8 engine. Yes, it has a factory installed transmission cooler. No, it is not shared with the air conditioner: it’s a transmission cooler. It would seem extremely non-durable to share transmission cooling with an accessory like air conditioning. Seems crazy to not have one at all.

 

[Whalstib]

Just to clarify I own a Gen 1 Tundra with the 4.7L 2UZ-FE V-8 engine. Yes, it has a factory installed transmission cooler. No, it is not shared with the air conditioner: it’s a transmission cooler. It would seem extremely non-durable to share transmission cooling with an accessory like air conditioning. Seems crazy to not have one at all.

Yep!

I'm not sure how or when the AC condenser option started but supposedly a change in the "freon" meant the could no longer use that design.

So they just removed it! LOL!

The idea we'd have blinked an eye that the Tundra cost ~$500 more but boasted a HD ATF cooler....

Supposedly the over heated idiot light comes on at 302°! I bet it's on full time in the Toyota engineers offices!

 

[2EHA]

is it a combo engine radiator with trans heat exchanger normally?

 

[wdn]

Not sure who the last question is directed to, but on my Gen 1 Tundra the Toyota factory installed transmission cooler is completely separate from the radiator. Mine is a mini radiator just for the transmission.