Nissan Maxima

[tombrown]

I tow with a 1994 Nissan Maxima. My boat weighs about 1600 pounds with trailer.

The car can tow the trailer with ease, but I can sure tell the weight is there when I try to stop. I don't use O/D and I try to keep it around 50 mph. Sometimes, I have to go 60 mph because part of my normal trip involves single lane highway and there isn't much opportunity for people to pass me.

Last year was the first year I had the boat. When I first towed, I was blown away by how effortlessly the car towed the boat. There's a heavy grade leaving the valley where I do most of my boating. I would pull out and pass guys who couldn't maintain the speed limit in their cars and blow by them with my rig. The power was intoxicating. In the fall though, when I had my car serviced, the mechanic mentioned that my transmission fluid was very dark and he recommended that I change it. I had it changed of course, but now I'm super cautious. Nissan transmissions aren't particularly cheap.

Would anyone care to offer some advice with regard to what transmission cooler I should put on my car? Is any brand particularly good? Should I buy the biggest one I can find, or should I get a medium sized one. I think the only place I can mount it is right in front of the main rad, so I don't want to go too big if I can help it.

[Psyco]

Hayden makes a "stacked" cooler in different sizes to meet your particular needs. That's what I have on my Dakota and my Duster race car. Don't use the oldstyle tube and fin coolers, they are outdated. Mount the cooler in front of your radiator and A/C cond. Here it will get the coolest air possible. Install it so that the fluid goes thru it AFTER it passes thru the radiator cooler. These coolers are readily available at most auto parts stores. Cheap insurance.