Strawberry milkshake coolent

**Machzzzz1** · 08-08-2010

I just noticed the other day that the coolent tank had a pink oily look to it so I took it out and drained it. I then took off the rad cap and noticed that the coolent looked like a strawberry milkshake. Im guessing the trans cooler sprung a leak in there and is mixing. However I didnt notice any evidence of coolent on the tranny dipstick. So im hoping its a one way leak.

Does this sound right?

Is the car still safe to drive for a few weeks till I can get a new rad?

and finally is it easier to just put a small tranny cooler and plug holes in the old rad or should I just change the rad??

Thanks.
Martin.

**gtpinsc** · 08-08-2010

cooler is leaking... i wouldnt recommend driving it... been there done that and it ate a tranny.... get an aftermarket cooler and bypass the one in radiator... flush tranny a few times to get coolant out. what does fluid on dipstick look like.

**Machzzzz1** · 08-08-2010

The fluid on the dipstick looks perfect. The only sign of a problem is in the rad and coolant bottle. It looks to me like its leaking in the rad but not making it back into the tranny.

**gtpinsc** · 08-08-2010

just get a trans cooler... alot cheaper and easier to install... and lower trans temps. flush coolant system out a few times.

**SuperSport** · 08-08-2010

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**TheOtherNick** · 08-08-2010

Originally Posted by SuperSport

What does the oil dipstick look like?

How do you know it isnt oil and coolant mixing? (dexcool is pink ya know)

Trans mixing with coolant and no coolant on the dipstick is ridiculous. The whole tranny would be full of coolant too.

Im not saying its not a trans cooler leak, im just saying to check your oil color on the dipstick first before you go tearing into the radiator.

it is not ridiculous, its physics the trans fluid pressure in the rad is higher than the coolant pressure so it only leaks one way.

**gtpinsc** · 08-08-2010

dex cool is orange BTW... mine however leaked coolant into trans. and not trans into coolant.

**Machzzzz1** · 08-10-2010

Thanks for the replies guys.

My only question is what size cooler should I install. I dont want to over heat the tranny by getting one to small but I also heard that getting one to big could cause problems in the winter.

THank.s

**gtpinsc** · 08-10-2010

email dave at Triple Edge Performance - Home Page he will answer everything u need to know. i got my cooler from him. i live in SC and our winters only get down to low 30's it just takes a lil longer to get warmed up and go into lockup.

**txturbo** · 08-30-2010

Originally Posted by Machzzzz1

I just noticed the other day that the coolent tank had a pink oily look to it so I took it out and drained it. I then took off the rad cap and noticed that the coolent looked like a strawberry milkshake. Im guessing the trans cooler sprung a leak in there and is mixing. However I didnt notice any evidence of coolent on the tranny dipstick. So im hoping its a one way leak.

Does this sound right?

Is the car still safe to drive for a few weeks till I can get a new rad?

and finally is it easier to just put a small tranny cooler and plug holes in the old rad or should I just change the rad??

Thanks.
Martin.

Just change the radiator. A new radiator isn't that much more than an auxillary trans cooler. Its not a good idea to use an auxillary cooler by itself either. Also, I wouldn't drive it until its fixed. If any coolant gets into the trans fluid....the trans is done for. Maybe not right away....but it will kill it eventually. The friction material on the clutch plates is like a sponge when it comes to water/coolant.They will absorb it and as soon as they get hot the water will turn to steam and start popping little flakes of the friction material off. This soon leads to slipping and overheating and eventual failure. Once water gets in....there is nothing you can do to save the trans....its just a matter of time.

**SnowDrift** · 08-30-2010

Originally Posted by txturbo

Just change the radiator. A new radiator isn't that much more than an auxillary trans cooler. Its not a good idea to use an auxillary cooler by itself either. Also, I wouldn't drive it until its fixed. .

x2 on this

**gtpinsc** · 08-30-2010

Why when a trans cooler is cheaper and easier to install. And keeps temps lower. Win win situation

**GR8racingfool** · 08-30-2010

tank on the radiator is leaking tranny fluid into the engine coolant. It can go one way sometimes or both ways a lot of the time.

DO NOT KEEP DRIVING IT!

It will destroy your transmission if you do.

Replace the radiator if you want to.

I recommend a after market cooler myself.

This happened to my sisters car, '98 Regal, and all she said was it was shifting funny, next oil change my dad found the good news, same as you here. Radiator leaked, and wiped out the tranny. Replaced the tranny with a used one he bought on line and drove up to Nebraska to get it. After all the work, time, and money, he said screw it, and asked me what I used for my cooler, and he installed one the exact same way on her car, totally bypassing the stock tranny cooler.

Not a leak, or a problem since for her.

I have been running a cooler on my GTP since 2001, and I dropped 40-45*F in operating temperature. I run a B&M supercooler I bought from Summit Racing. I use stainless steel braided fuel line, and some 1/4" male to male brass barbed fittings I bought from the local hard wear store. Where the lines come out of the transmission, and go from steel to rubber, i cut the rubber, and spliced in there for my cooler.

That's what I would suggest, not worth trusting GM's coolers IMO.

~F~

**txturbo** · 08-31-2010

Originally Posted by gtpinsc

Why when a trans cooler is cheaper and easier to install. And keeps temps lower. Win win situation

Because aux. Trans coolers are designed to give additional cooling for HD use.....not serve as a primary cooler.I use to work at a trans shop and that's what I was told by every builder I worked with. But I'm sure somebody makes an external trans cooler....but its probably going to cost as much as fixing it right. Also....its your trans....risk it if you want.

**SnowDrift** · 08-31-2010

Internal cooler does a fine job of cooling, normally. If it's under stress a lot of the time, then an additional external cooler is a good idea, but not to bypass the internal one. If there is no air movement, then there is no cooling with an external-only cooler, unless an electric fan is hooked up to it as well. What are the temperatures people are seeing in their pans? If the temps. regularly approach the 200 deg. F. mark, then an external would be a good idea. I doubt most of us ever see that, though, under normal driving.

**matt5112** · 08-31-2010

It depends... If you're going to be beating on it all the time, just the external, if its sometimes/winter driving then you want internal and external.

**gtpinsc** · 08-31-2010

Cooler temps = longer life in tranny. Several ppl here have cured pressure control solenoid problems with a trans cooler

**SnowDrift** · 09-01-2010

Originally Posted by gtpinsc

Cooler temps = longer life in tranny.

Agreed. However, sitting in traffic means little to no air flow across the fins unless there is an auxiliary fan on the cooler.

**gtpinsc** · 09-01-2010

Originally Posted by SnowDrift

Agreed. However, sitting in traffic means little to no air flow across the fins unless there is an auxiliary fan on the cooler.

I've had mine for 2 summers and it gets hot in SC. Other than a zzp trans pan for cooling and dex 6. I have had no probs and my last flush showed no sign of damage.

**matt5112** · 09-01-2010

Was your ZZP pan mint when you got it? No sealing issues etc?

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