[hennyhog1]

Hello All,
New to the site and to be honest have joined because a co-woprker has an 06 Pathfinder that needs a new tranny due to radiator fluid getting into his tranny. He told me he did the bypass deal (adding a seperate tranny cooler) last year but it the tranny fluid may have already been contaminated with coolant. So needless to say I think the frontiers, xterrs, and pathfinders with the 4.0 v6 have the same powertrain.

Can anyone provide info/feedback on this issue?

Thanks,
Henny

 

[dubie2003]

Hey Henny,

This topic has been discussed over and over in quite a few threads.

How many miles does your co-works pathfinder have on it? If it is less then 60k, then un-do the bypass and bring it into the dealer.

Also, this issues is for all VQ40 auto applications. Manuals are not included because they do not use a trans cooler due to a lack of a pressure pump.

If you have more specific questions, please let us know and I am sure someone will chime in with some kind of answer.

 

[hennyhog1]

dubie,
He has 50k on it and from what he's been hearing from nissan dealers is that because his radiator has corroded thats what caused the tranny to get contaminated. IDK if he told them about the bypass radiator and quite frankly could care less seeing as though whats done is done to his tranny.

I just want to know if I should make the nescissary mods to my truck so I'm not faced with radioator coolant in my tranny.

BTW...my truck is an automatic 2008 crew cab 4x4 SE long bed with 36k on it...and no nothing more about this truck.

Thanks again,
Henny

 

[dubie2003]

The reports is that the seam where the trans cooler is welded inside the radiator is where it fails. This is either from corrosion or vibration or both or something else. He should be okay if it un-does the bypass and drops it at the dealer.

Now for your truck. I would recommend that you do the bypass. If you tow or haul or wheel or etc... (beyond the standard daily driving), I would at the very least add a fan to the exterior cooler and probably install a temp sensor. If you are still worried, then you can replace the external cooler with an aftermarket unit that is larger and has a larger density of fins with a fan.

This trans/radiator issue is a black sheep of the VQ40 family currently so I am not sure that I would ever trust a "new" design from them without some kind of lifetime warranty or something like that.

Whatever you do thou, I would defiently do a drain/fill or a non-powered flush when you do the bypass. This way you know the fluid is fresh and not contaminated with coolant.

 

[hennyhog1]

Well it's now a no brainer to do the bypass and add a new cooler. Any suggestions/links on who's got the best how to and what to purchase for parts?

 

[poppop]

Original headline was....Has anyone had the radiator/tranny fluid failure in an 08? I'm interested as well.

 

[goody]

http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/...tor-oil-cooler-bypass-42555/?highlight=bypass