[HRL383]

I’ll take your word as absolute.......and I’ll uninstall the auxiliary cooler I installed, first thing in the morning, so I can watch the TFT go back to 200F+. Sure glad I kept that short piece of 3/8” rubber hose that connects the metal tranny hose to the filter.👌

Will that make you happy?🤭

 

[HRL383]

I noticed yesterday that the stock radiator efans on low speed will pull enough air thru both top/bottom grill openings to keep a paper towel stuck to the grill. So.......at least some air passes thru the tranny cooler even when the Rigi is stopped, as long as the rad efans are running. 🤷‍♂️

 

[SuicideRabbit]

@HRL383

Would you happen to have pictures of your cooler install, during the process? I was wondering how you actually mounted the new cooler.

 

[HRL383]

@HRL383

Would you happen to have pictures of your cooler install, during the process? I was wondering how you actually mounted the new cooler.

I did the install from the top.....no grill/bumper removal except for the upper chrome part of the grill, I removed it. I also removed the two black plastic pieces above the radiator along with the two top radiator hold downs. I fashioned brackets out 3/4" flat bar, bolted the brackets to the large aluminum bumper thing, ran the hoses (using two 3/8" 90 degree hose barbs) around the condenser/radiator to the tranny. Removing the battery and it's box (thanks Daytripper64) made hose connections at the tranny and filter a breeze. The cooler is a Tru-Cool #49211 and measures 23"X6"X3/4". (25" with the hose barbs) Fits nicely, looks like it belongs, IMO.


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[SuicideRabbit]

I did the install from the top.....no grill/bumper removal except for the upper chrome part of the grill, I removed it. I also removed the two black plastic pieces above the radiator along with the two top radiator hold downs. I fashioned brackets out 3/4" flat bar, bolted the brackets to the large aluminum bumper thing, ran the hoses (using two 3/8" 90 degree hose barbs) around the condenser/radiator to the tranny. Removing the battery and it's box (thanks Daytripper64) made hose connections at the tranny and filter a breeze. The cooler is a Tru-Cool #49211 and measures 23"X6"X3/4". (25" with the hose barbs) Fits nicely, looks like it belongs, IMO.


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Thanks for the reply.

I saw your original post on it, and ya, looks stock. Great job.

I have a long trip coming up, with some severe terrain and notoriously steep highways. My last trip was fairly easy and my TFT hit 213. Day to day in town lately, I've hit 209 in 32 C summer heat...

Honda's "Danger Zone" for trans temp starts at 230 F, so I still have some headroom, but this trip coming up is a benchmark. If successful, I will most likely leave the stock cooler. If not... I will be following these instructions of yours.

 

[HRL383]

Be safe. More temp numbers, always good info.

 

[SuicideRabbit]

Be safe. More temp numbers, always good info.

Well @HRL383 , among a myriad of other things that have me scratching my head after buying a RL, I have some numbers to report, and they are NOT good.

I just finished a 2500KM road trip, over some pretty harsh country, towing my boat, a bunch of camping gear, family, and dog. I've attached a screen shot of some quick numbers off the top of my head. Some numbers are accurate, but most are estimated on the high side.

I try to keep my speed at around 105km/hr all the time, this is for all highway driving, where our speeds here range from 100-110 posted limits on the routes I travel.

Heading up, I thought things would be fine, and they were. Ambient temps around 22-23C, and the TFT ranged from 185F to 195F even under the steepest towing conditions. I think I saw 201F briefly at one point.

Daily drives out to remote lakes down dirt/gravel roads didnt give me any issues either.

Well, the return trip was not good.

Ambient temps started around 23C, then soared to 38C when we hit the canyon, and peaked at 41C. 36-38C was the majority of the trip.

TFT was around 204, but when I hit an 8KM-long, 8% climb about half-way through the trip, my TFT ripped up to 228F. Once it hit that, the TFT did NOT drop back below 204F for the rest of the trip, even during long periods of coasting down hill or long, easy, flat, 90km/hr stretches.

We hit some traffic coming back into town, and again, the TFT went up to 221-224F.

Apparently, the "danger zone", according to Honda is 230F.

NEVER had this kind of issue with my 4Runner, and this has me questioning whether or not this is the right vehicle for me.

 

[Kevo]

Has your truck ever gotten the software update from the dealer?

 

[SuicideRabbit]

Has your truck ever gotten the software update from the dealer?

As far as I know, yes.

I bought the truck in May of this year, and was told at the time that all TSBs had been done.

 

[HRL383]

Thanks for the reply.

I saw your original post on it, and ya, looks stock. Great job.

I have a long trip coming up, with some severe terrain and notoriously steep highways. My last trip was fairly easy and my TFT hit 213. Day to day in town lately, I've hit 209 in 32 C summer heat...

Honda's "Danger Zone" for trans temp starts at 230 F, so I still have some headroom, but this trip coming up is a benchmark. If successful, I will most likely leave the stock cooler. If not... I will be following these instructions of yours.

I would strongly suggest you follow Map's cooler install (if you decide to do so) since both of you already have a factory cooler and the factory cooler can be replaced with with a larger aftermarket unit, of your choosing, connected to the factory cooler tubing. My FWD Rigi did not have a factory cooler so it did not have the tubing going to the tranny either.

Thanks for sharing the great TFT info from your recent trip. That's what we need.....more peeps monitoring TFT and reporting same.

I have no clue if TSBs have been done on our Rigi during the previous 39 months of ownership by someone else. Guess I need to stop by the dealership to see if they can check for that TSB info on their computer.

FWIW, last week I saw a new TFT high of 176F......spent about 20 minutes in a very slow moving drive-thru line in 3 digit ambient. Driving about 3 miles home at +/-35 mph, TFT dropped to 162F. That says something about a little more airflow thru the tranny cooler I installed. 👌

 

[SuicideRabbit]

I would strongly suggest you follow Map's cooler install (if you decide to do so) since both of you already have a factory cooler and the factory cooler can be replaced with with a larger aftermarket unit, of your choosing, connected to the factory cooler tubing. My FWD Rigi did not have a factory cooler so it did not have the tubing going to the tranny either.

Thanks for sharing the great TFT info from your recent trip. That's what we need.....more peeps monitoring TFT and reporting same.

I have no clue if TSBs have been done on our Rigi during the previous 39 months of ownership by someone else. Guess I need to stop by the dealership to see if they can check for that TSB info on their computer.

FWIW, last week I saw a new TFT high of 176F......spent about 20 minutes in a very slow moving drive-thru line in 3 digit ambient. Driving about 3 miles home at +/-35 mph, TFT dropped to 162F. That says something about a little more airflow thru the tranny cooler I installed. 👌

Where is Map's install?

 

[HRL383]

Post #17.......last pic, bottom right, you can see the rubber lines to/from Map’s aftermarket cooler connecting to the existing factory cooler fluid lines.

ATF Cooler question

I am about to install an aftermarket ATF cooler and dual fan assembly and it will turn on via a thermocouple. My question is, can verify for me which is the supply line and which is the return? I want to place the thermocouple closest to the supply line (hottest part). If you look at the pic, I...

www.ridgelineownersclub.com

 

[SuicideRabbit]

Post #17.......last pic, bottom right, you can see the rubber lines to/from Map’s aftermarket cooler connecting to the existing factory cooler fluid lines.

ATF Cooler question

I am about to install an aftermarket ATF cooler and dual fan assembly and it will turn on via a thermocouple. My question is, can verify for me which is the supply line and which is the return? I want to place the thermocouple closest to the supply line (hottest part). If you look at the pic, I...

www.ridgelineownersclub.com

I've actually been looking at stacked-plate coolers, as they have far more cooling power, and trying to keep it on the smaller side, and close to the stock location, like your install.

Something like this Derale from e-trailer.

 

[HRL383]

I believe the Honda OE cooler is the "plate" style cooler. I've only owned one vehicle that had a factory tranny cooler ('07 Tundra) and it was the "plate" style. The B&M #70264 (plate style) is what I currently have on our RAV4 and have installed that same B&M model on several other vehicles over the years. Just thought I would try something different when I installed a Tru-Cool brand cooler on the Rigi. I think Tru-Cool only makes "plate" style tranny fluid and engine oil coolers.

Let us know what you decide on.

 

[Oceaneer777]

I am going to agree that the stock cooler is a joke.. I use my 2017 black in the bush.. and the transmission cooler is not at all up to the job. 1X transmission dead and 3X transmission oil changes. When ever you see the TX oil temp light its time to change the oil ASAP. Honda did not do a good job on this. The truck is great but the oil cooler should be for the power steering.

 

[HRL383]

Airflow thru a oil-to-air cooler is critical. If the vehicle is moving very slow, make sure the a/c is on, which turns the radiator efans on, which will pull some air thru the cooler. In extreme cases, a dedicated efan at the cooler is a must. I believe the G2 Rigi's use electric power steering......no hydraulic fluid to cool.

The Rigi was never designed to be a balls-to-the-wall extreme hauler/tower/off-roader type p/u. A Furd F450 (klak, klak, klak, stink, stink, stink) may be a better choice for the extremes. LOL

 

[Oceaneer777]

Airflow thru a oil-to-air cooler is critical. If the vehicle is moving very slow, make sure the a/c is on, which turns the radiator efans on, which will pull some air thru the cooler. In extreme cases, a dedicated efan at the cooler is a must. I believe the G2 Rigi's use electric power steering......no hydraulic fluid to cool.

The Rigi was never designed to be a balls-to-the-wall extreme hauler/tower/off-roader type p/u. A Furd F450 (klak, klak, klak, stink, stink, stink) may be a better choice for the extremes. LOL

ACTUALLY the ridgeline is the most comfortable logging road truck ever, it is amazing how much faster and comfortable it is than My previous F350. The truck has amazed everyone on its composure on the washboard or potholes sections. sections that a ford or dodge is down to 15kmh we are zipping over it all at 45 or 50. The transmission is the weak spot, and if you get stuck and enable stuck vehicle mode, you have about 4 car lengths to turn it off before boiling the transmission.

 

[wjfyfe]

The transmission is the weak spot, and if you get stuck and enable stuck vehicle mode, you have about 4 car lengths to turn it off before boiling the transmission.

Stuck vehicle mode, have I missed something else in the Owner's Manual??

Bill

 

[Lilkeezy84]

Is it possible to add an additional after market transmission cooler to the 2017 Honda Ridgeline awd?

Wouldn’t that be easier then replacing the radiator

 

[HRL383]

I think several AWD owners have replaced their OE factory cooler with larger aftermarket cooler (more heat dissipation). I don't think it would be a good idea to "add an additional" cooler (have 1 aftermarket AND the OE cooler).

Not sure about the "replacing the radiator" post???? The engine coolant radiator????