Towing 1.25T boat across the Nullabor ... aftermarket oil cooler?

[426Cuda]

Thanks guys, consensus is that it's worth fitting so I'll have it done. I'm at 70,000km and it's been logbook serviced since new so not sure that that's included a trans service. I'll ask the gearbox workshop what they recommend.

It's not my first trip across the Nullabor and I've experienced the roaring headwinds. Last trip was a fair while ago - 2009 - when we moved to Perth and did the trip in 30 hours in a 1.3L Suzuki Sierra with myself, the wife, two staffies and a 5x3 trailer. Stopped for a 2 hour kip near Eucla and the winds were buffeting the car around even while stopped.

Was a surprisingly comfortable trip. Sierras have a great seating position and the 4x driving lights are all 55W HID - I was less uncomfortable at the end than prior trips in a VQ Caprice.

Love the staffies! Particularly the dog. Reminds me of my old mate Dodge. American staffy with a heart of gold and the courage of a lion. My mate for 14 years.

 

[vywgn]

Thanks guys, consensus is that it's worth fitting so I'll have it done. I'm at 70,000km and it's been logbook serviced since new so not sure that that's included a trans service. I'll ask the gearbox workshop what they recommend.

Factory service on trans is listed at 150,000km or if required

 

[Daniel Souza]

That's a cool gadget. Is there a recommended dongle? Also what would be considered 'too hot' for auto trans fluid?

I started with the cheapest of the cheapest on eBay . It worked but not very reliable. I Ended up buying the OBDlink MX which is a bit pricier but is reliable and has some extra functions like going to standby.

I use it connected to an old Android full time.

You just have to confirm with other members if the 3.6v6 transmission temperature is available via OBDii . Mine is the LS3 v8.

Ussually the trans temp is around 100 c sometimes hitting 110 c on my car.

 

[stooge]

Is there a recommended dongle

They are pretty much all the same, most of them use the elm327 microcontroller to communicate with the obd of the vehicle.
You can get them in wifi and bluetooth flavors for connecting to the phone/tablet.
A $7 one on ebay can work just the same as a $60 one from a store.

The app is the important part and most people use torque on android or dash command on ios.

You can also get gauges that dont need a phone like a scangauge or eds and if you are really keen you can get the insight cts2.

 

[Moph]

Brilliant, thanks for the heads up. Will try a cheap one off eBay initially as I don't have a great deal of use for it other than monitoring trans temps. Can always upgrade later.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The trans have the GM quick connects. There are -6 AN quick connect adaptors available to allow converting a quick connect fitting to allow an aftermarket cooler to be fitted.

 

[Moph]

The trans have the GM quick connects. There are -6 AN quick connect adaptors available to allow converting a quick connect fitting to allow an aftermarket cooler to be fitted.

I'll have nearby gearbox shop do the work. I got rid of my ramps when I bought the Calais as I didn't want to wrench on cars anymore. The Sierra's got enough clearance that I don't need ramps.

BTW if you're the Fu Manchu of HomeOne lawn prep fame, we followed your advice (zeolite, bentonite, molasses, etc) for our back lawn a few years back. Bloody thing won't stop growing.

Thanks, I guess

 

[VF Redline]

View attachment 208913 Get an OBDII Bluetooth dongle só you can monitor all the temperatures during the trip.

Do you use anything special to display all that data, mine I can get Coolant & Intake. But I don't get Oil Pressure or Oil Temp, how do I get those?

 

[Fu Manchu]

I thought about getting rid of stuff when we bought the VE Calais.
However what brought me back to doing things myself was the consistently poor standard of work by professionals. Most repairs I have paid to have done on 4 cars has ended up being redone by me because the work was so poor.
There’s one or two jobs that have been good and I now have a mechanic I can trust that does a great job when I am time poor.
Still prefer to do it right myself like so many of the long time members on here.

As for the other stuff, I gave it away for a few reasons. The biggest was the rise of Farce Book and the vitriol that is delivered about my highly trained and experienced knowledge. People saying someones neighbours uber drivers budgie said they should do it some other way and essentially don’t know anything. Fkn farce book leaked into the forum like the disease it is. Too many nasty people. Had too many jobs going at once as well. 16hr days, 7 days a week. It was hard.

Glad you liked it.

Once bumped into the legendary C’nut on there.

 

[Forg]

I thought about getting rid of stuff when we bought the VE Calais.
However what brought me back to doing things myself was the consistently poor standard of work by professionals. Most repairs I have paid to have done on 4 cars has ended up being redone by me because the work was so poor.

This is so very, very true ... and it’s why I cling to the guy I’m currently using for grim life.
Also why I use him rather than a dealer, including within warranty etc, even though he’s a 45-minute drive away & the commute to work goes from half an hour to 1.75 hours each way when he works on it ...