I Toast TFL, for Tackling The Tremendously Trying Temp Testing Torture Test, The Toaster, in The Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter Truck, Towing a Trailhawk on a Trailer!🍻
Alliteration is a tremendous tool trained at teaching the telltale tricks of trade to truly titillate the tension in those who are tempted to be tentative about trying it. It’s terribly terrifying, trust me. 😅😂. Love you wordsmiths! 😊
I wish my dad was still alive to see this. He told me 25-30 plus years ago that four cylinder turbo engines were the future. He was a Saab technician. Now defunct, but yeah wish he was here to see it.
@@Jay-me7gw yup. The 4 cylinders of the 70s and the overall lowering of displacement year over year since then is quite an obvious trend. That and we all knew how powerful a turbo 4 cylinder was by the 80s. It was only a matter of time before car companies started using them more
The Saab 2.0T engine is one of the best I've had the pleasure of driving. Had my car stolen with oil drained, and got it back three months and 800miles away after a police shootout, still with no oil in it. The jug I was going to add was still in the trunk, so I filled it up and drove it 12 hours back home and its still never given me a hiccup and is smooth as can be. It took a lickin' as they say. Wish Saab was still around.
Materials have come a long way. That's what allows these engines to push harder. But turbo life is another thing. Who wants an expensive repair between 80k-120k miles? Defeats any mpg benefit of having a 4 cyl.
Hello, Andre! Send a transmission fluid sample to Blackstone labs and see how the trans fluid held up. I’d be curious to know how these new synthetic fluids hold up to the high heat it experienced. I’m really liking the torture testing. Keep up the great work, fellas.! Houston, TX
@@bendino9016FWIW, the testing on other synthetic ATF shows them maintaining acceptable oxidization after 200 hours at 160°C (320°F). If the Toyota fluid is similar - 270 is well within the normal operating range and should have low degradation of the fluid. Would be cool to see it tested.
So what are Tacoma transmission temperature change intervals? That it goes to 220f in normal commutes, says the fluid gets stressed far more than other brands.
My FJ would climb in the high 250s. Apparently, if the transmission temp warning light doesn't come on, its fine. So the following week, i installed a big transmission cooler and I've never seen the temp go over 210 in extreme conditions. These automakers are just as bad as people who argue for higher oil intervals.
@@CACressida I change my oil. Point is, we’ve seen several videos showing the oil holds up as long as there’s no more than a year with the mileage. So a blanket condemnation of the practice is ignoring hard evidence.
You cannot deny that this truck did very well. I'd love to see them try this with a 20yr old truck and see how differently the results would be. Say a 2004 F150.
@TFL... amazing video! Props to you guys for actually putting the truck to the test at its max load! Can you PLEASE repeat the same test with a standard 24 Tacoma without the hybrid?? I think a lot of folks would love to see that.
So true. Absolute trash/junk. No wonder they might go out of business and there’s tens of thousands on lots not selling. Well besides the price gauging
Not surprised that the Tacoma passed. That is a nifty truck. Still think the 2025 RAM succeeded too, but I suspect I am alone in that. Regardless, love these torture tests, keep em comin!
It succeeded making it to the spot without a problem. The problem only showed up after they stopped because the engine oil thinned out due to the heat. Sadly it's only a pass if there is no fussing from the vehicle. I don't know if automakers still do it but I remember reading in the owners manual that if you were operating in hot temperatures or doing jobs in extreme conditions to run a thicker weight of oil instead of the normal recommended weight. I wonder if they were to run a thicker alternative as the manual suggests for their testing if it wouldn't have had the thinned oil warning.
@@91CavGT5 I wonder if it would have done better if they treated their test as a "harsh condition" and ran a slightly heavier weight of oil in it. The owners manual used to say that if you were operating in high temperatures, extreme conditions or doing heavy pulling to run a thicker weight of oil than the normal recommended weight. I don't know if they still print that in the owners manual under oil info.
@@Slane583 my 2022 Ram does show in a chart to run a heavier weight in hot climates. I run 5w30 in mine year round, but I also live in south Texas. I am 100% convinced that if they followed the manufacturer recommendations then it would not have had low oil pressure.
@@91CavGT5 The same goes for me. I also run the recommended 5w30 in my 2020 Silverado year round. I am in NY so it doesn't get insanely hot here. Nor do I do any severe towing. I think if they went back and tested it again with thicker oil they wouldn't have gotten oil thinning as badly.
2021 ranger moved my family and I across the country towing 7300 pounds with a full bed. The highest trans temp I saw was 222F and 215F engine coolant temperature. The new 10r80 have a lot of updates done to them for reliability.
That's awesome! I have a 2024 with the new 10r60 trans and am moving 3100 miles next spring. 20" enclosed trailer and should be loaded close to max towing capacity. I'm excited to see how it does.
I used to tow a travel trailer when I had a 21 Ranger and I’d see 225-230 on the trans sometimes and I was uncomfortable but 260-270 is crazy! I now have a F150 Powerboost and pull the same trailer. None of the temp gauges ever budge now. I did love that Ranger. I had it leveled with Fox 2.0s, 32 inch KO2s and FP tune. I thought I would really miss it but man, the F150 is so awesome and I don’t miss the Ranger at all.
In the past generation I believe Toyota programmed the overheat temperature at around 300F. It's impossible to know the normal operating range unless you obtain it from Aisin themselves. I would not be comfortable with 270 - 280 at all. An external cooler would be pretty cheap compared to a whole transmission if you did this on a regular basis. Should really be no warmer than 220 - 230.
I know on the 200 series, and maybe the 2G Tundra, they go into thermal protection mode and lock up the torque converter if the torque converter fluid temperature exceeds 265F. The actual warning light comes on at 300F like you said.
Depends on where that temperature is being read. Pan temp 220-230 is about right. Torque converter output temp however (where it is on my 2000 tundra) is next to impossible to keep that low in high demand applications. In our offroad racing world we run huge coolers that will keep pan fluid temp around 200* but converter temp will still exceed 300* occasionally, recently saw 330* with no damage.
Having lived at the top of that hill I love this test. We hired a pony ride company once up there. They blew their transmission in an old 1 ton dually coming for a birthday party. I felt like a jerk and gave a big “tip” to help
In Brazil we use a lot of pickup trucks for farming. We only use the Toyota Hilux. It is the most expensive and it is not very comfortable on ordinary roads. But it is great off-road and it is the only truck that consistently can handle the abuse. (PS Full size trucks are very rare in Brazil)
@@omardevonlittle3817I used to have an Isuzu rodeo 4x4 manual . I did 3000+ hours off-roading on tight ATV mountain trails. What an amazing machine that was
External transmission cooler. Add a big one and see how it manages the same test. I would not tow anything near half of max rating without a cooler especially in mountainous terrain like Colorado. At fluid temp that high, the life of the transmission would be halved or worse.
I just bought the 2024 tacoma trail hunter in underground color it's a beast so much torque 465 foot pounds of torque at only 1,700 rpms more torque then most V-8 out there this is truly a torque beast and such a good sound when driving
Nice to hear the Trailhunter passed the test. We are looking into a 2026 4Runner Trailhunter. We tow a small camper that is 4000 pounds. Our 2014 4Runner with an Old Man Emu suspension has towed it fairly well. With 1100 pounds more towing more torque and horsepower it should do a better job.
Well done on the “old man emu” pronunciation. Yank tanks are becoming very popular down here in Aus. Most vehicles sold domestically need to be heavily modified to have the ability to tow their rated tow rating and still have a driver onboard. Ram 1500 is the most popular and the conversion from LHD to RHD is factory levels of quality.
I’m still amazed how clean the pics of the conversions are. I suppose there is support directly from RAM or their parts suppliers. I suppose the biggest challenge would be the steering box. Yank Tanks 😂. Good name for them! I daily a 97 80 series but also have a ‘’16 2500 Power Wagon with a Four Wheel Camper in the bed. Use both to explore here in the Arizona/Utah/NV/Mexico. After 10 years of washboard, the OME shocks on the 80 were toast, so I’m trying Dobinsons MRRs still with OME springs. Think I’m going to switch to some Dobinsons progressives soon as I run empty around town. Cheers!
The altitude and ambient air temperature also reduce air density, which reduces cooling efficiency of the radiators and airflow cooling over the trans and engine. This is a hard test case. I love it!
I would like to see more 3/4-1 ton trucks doing this test. I tow about 11k lbs and traded my F150 for a F350 Godzilla. Power wise the 3.5EB had no issues, in fact maybe slightly better than the 7.3 but one of the touted benefits was duty cycle. The Godzilla should be able to handle the load every mile of its usable life and do so in much wider operating conditions… in theory.
Exactly. Once you tow with a modern HD (even gasoline) you'll never go back to the EPA rated consumer lifestyle trucks. The small turbo engines make great power and torque and give people a false sense of security in what their truck should actually be doing. I'll take a slower non turbo gas HD truck with full floating rear axles/springs/frames over any of this hybrid overboosted trash.
@@jasonperry7970HD trucks are also lifestyle vehicles, just for a different lifestyle. I moved up to an F250 recently and have never felt more confident towing. I have also never felt more bumps while driving unladen.
It's within Toyotas spec... So I don't know how you can say for sure its lessened the life. It's always advised to change fluid more often if you tow or go off-road a lot.
@@Johno530 Toyotas spec means nothing. They also spec oil changes for 10k miles. Right in line with when they rolled out their free 2 year maintenance plans lmao!!!!
I'm sure the fluid would most likely outlast the warranty of 60k miles, as long as it's not cooking every day. Although, some of us do keep cars past 60k miles.
@@pryme2013the manual states 5,000 miles of using it for towing or any other heavy use case. 10,000 is honestly fine if it’s just straight highway miles. There’s a guy on TH-cam with a ram 1500 with over 200k and he did oil at 10k as I recall. Just depends on what you’re doing with it. If it’s all highway and it’s only been 3 months it’s fine.
It changed so drastically with their full synthetic that they removed the trans cooler on the tundra for a couple of years with no problems. I towed heavy for 65k miles on mine and have a happy transmission at almost 85k now
275 f? That’s the reason Toyota is having issues with the Tacoma transmission. At that Temperature you are burning the trans fluid. It’s a new car and of course it will be ok but long term, it won’t last. The worst part is most manufacturers tells customers trans fluids are life long fluids.
260 engine temp under a load is damaging the engine! That is HOT, cylinder heads can warp and a bunch of other crap can happen. Anything over 250 is reducing engine life
Driving a Toyota up a mountain looking for trouble. I just did my drivetrain fluids on my 4Runner LTD for the first time since new. 9 years old and 120,000 miles. It all looked like new(color and consistancy). Also did the coolant. I pull a 23 foot fiberglass in-board speedboat in the summer. Its about 300 lbs. over the limit.
This would be interesting with a 1977 GMC Dooley with a 454 engine heavy duty cooling radiator and the Muncie SM 22 four-speed transmission, which is a manual for those who don’t know.
270 is just so friken hot. Manufacturers set limits super high and make there gauges basically dummy gauges to make people not worry. But doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen. Me personally would never allow my vehicle especially trans temp to exceed 230 for any sustained amount of time. I’d be changing out that trans fluid when I’m done the trip if it touched 270. If it’s conventional trans fluid not synthetic, 230/240 max. Synthetic at least takes temp better but still gunna break down that hot. My 14 duramax pulling 13k through British Columbia mountains up to 12% grades and the crows best highway is slower speed to and never even sees 190
Great test. Glad to see the Tacoma doing things other trucks can’t. So far these new hybrid turbo tacomas are impressing me. What you should do is also test the non hybrid 4th gen Tacoma and possibly a third gen, oh and also a new Nissan and see how well they do. So many people out there are skeptical of the hybrid system and turbos and maybe they just need to have some videos of those trucks being tortured!
Now repeat the test with the same weight/trailer/setup using a 1/2 ton. I would love to see if the transmission and coolant temps would be the same or lower than the Tacoma.
Would like to suggest you need to create a frontal area to your towing trailer to meet the frontal air resistance maximum square footage specification in the TUT (truck under test) towing guide. If you're going to test maximum towing, you need to remember weight is not the only consideration., and trying to pull a load against the wind can be a huge issue for truck and cause overheating when combined with a large weight load.
I get the point is a torture test, but it's widely known that when towing heavy with an auto you select gears manually if the vehicle has the option. Particularly when overtaking, in hilly terrain, or offroad. This will prevent it from shifting up too early, slugging, and slipping on the torque converter (=heat). I'd be interested if you can repeat this by manually selecting gears and running mid range rpm (depending on diesel or gas).
Now that you guys learned to use the tow/haul system on this new platform, you really need to return to the LC250 and re-do your review. It actually towed great up to the tunnel, and yet your review (tagline, at least) pretty much slams it. Just so we're clear, now you are suggesting that the tow/haul system software is different between the Tacoma and LandCruiser? Did you confirm this, or are you just assuming, now that you've learned how to fully access the system? You can do better; you should do better. Take the LC up the Toaster before it cools off, and either confirm your previous (dubious) findings, or prove that the LC can also make that climb at max tow weight.
276 degrees is extremely hot. Anything I've ever read says north of 240-250 is when fluid degradation and physical damage to the trans can occur. Maybe nowadays the seals and gaskets can tolerate higher temps but I'm curious what trans fluid is used in these and it's heat tolerance.
How well does the hybrid do coming down the hill. With both my 2015 & 2021 Tacomas coming down long steep inclines, even in lower gears, were difficult. I'm assuming that the 275 is the torque converter temp... would be good to know the pan temp. Also, I have more tranny heat issues coming down long downgrades as the tranny temps in the torque converter and the pan (and I have a cooler), whereas going up the TC will heat up to about 220-230 while the pan is very slow to go past 200-210. I frequently tow a 3000# RV, with a fair load in the back.
I would like to see this with a 3/4 ton. Also that trans cooler is nothing new. My 94 gmc used the same thing. It was actually more to warm up the coolant in the radiator so it wasn’t ice cold when the thermostat opens up.
@tfl Do you think the hybrid system played a big part in this pass over the other trucks you’ve tested? Do you think the F150 hybrid would also pass then?
Impressive, I actually thought this was going to be a fail. I like this trim a lot better than the TRD Pro, although I can't get over how ridiculous that bed bar is. Anyone who wants to mount a rooftop tent or any other accessories over the bed is going to immediately need to replace that. Looks like something one would have bought from JC Whitney in the early 1990s.
I think the Tacoma passed because Toyota gave it a sensible max tow level. They did not go to the real limit of the truck; it is the safe level not to be the highest for a mid-size truck. The north American trucks push their trucks passed their safe limits
My 2020 tacoma cruises around at just under 200 degrees tranny temp, on the daily. 210 with a trailer…. Jussayin…. If I ever see 230…. Im pulling over.. id want to see some engineering explanations to rationalize those trans temps.. I know things get better over time.. but… yikes…
Just bypass the trans coolant lines from trans to a separate trans cooler. That’s what I did on my Nissan Titan because combo radiators can mix the 2 different fluids and ruin transmissions when just need a radiator replaced.
@@carlosjaimes4141 This is a bad practice. You should route the line to the additional transmission cooler you add, and then route to the integrated tranny cooler in the radiator,and then back to the transmission. The reason for this is: 1. If it's cold outside, trans temp gets up to operating temps faster, as it's routed through the radiator. 2. In the event an aux cooler fails, you still have the integrated cooler in the radiator.
@@anoop4243 just do warm up procedures for trans fluid for cold temps. Rather take my time warming up the fluid than to have to replace the transmission due to a combination internal system failure in the radiator
@@carlosjaimes4141 Trans fluid dosent get that warm unless you drive. In the way I mentioned, there is heat exchange between the coolant and the Trans fluid. Even if you have a separate aux trans cooler, most modern cars have a trans-oil to coolant heat exchanger built in. You just have to make sure that u keep the temps reasonable while towing.
SMOD was very common in the Frontiers, Xterra’s, and Pathfinders from 05’ to 10’ and even some 11’ model years. I’ve never seen a Titan or Armada suffer from it. Bypassing was the quick fix until you can replace the faulty radiator. I’ve ran my 05’ Xterra with 209k bypassed since I’ve bought it with 196k. Other members have ran it for years with no issues. Granted you shouldn’t, for the sake of transmission life.
I remember my 21 Tacoma pulling 6150 with another 1k in bed accessories with 33in tires through Utah and Colorado in the summer, 119 degrees in Utah and 93 going through Eisenhower tunnel. Temps only went up 15 degrees (engine & trans oil) from normal driving around town on a normal day. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but I remember the difference between 15 for both. I trust Toyota but I’m weary of this 4th gen Tacoma. I’ll be keeping my 3rd gen for the foreseeable future. Plus it’s almost paid off :D
I think if you put it in 4lo it wouldn't create anywhere near those temps. When I offroad and climb some serious hills, even if 2wd is fine the temps get hot pretty quickly on my Wrangler. Dropping it into 4lo and it's fine all day long.
ram 1500s strill have a seperate trans cooler or atleast my 2023 ram 1500 does. but what was interesting to me is that the rear diff now has coolant lones running to it. also please add a camera that just shows the cluster and gauges as you climb and decend as thhe small clips only show what you focus on and there could be more datra to be seen like sudden spikes or drops of temps
New fluids are very thin. GM uses Dexron ULV (Ultra Low Viscosity) for their 10 speed transmissions, and I know that even just setting the trans fluid level, the temp has to be between 185 and 203 degrees
I would question less so the performance of the brand new truck but rather the long term reliability of that transmission with running so hot. I think a key takeaway here is if you are towing repeated heavy loads buy a truck that can do it comfortably within its rated capacities as opposed to maxing them out.
273F transmission temperature is not a pass. Transmission fluid degradation is a concern at that temperature. My previous generation Tundra only sees a max of 205F running grade in the summer pulling a large RV around 8,000lbs.
Great test. It may not have thrown an error, but mid 270's is too high. The other manufacturers throw warnings at a lower temperature which is better as its more conservative and helps protect the transmission. So in my eyes, the Tacoma failed twice, once by not warning you of high temps, and second because it went so high. You may want to check with Toyota what they rate transmission fluid for, and what the consider max temperature range for their transmission.
I am looking at getting this exact weigh safe hitch for my stock tundra and off road camper. The camper sits higher so I’m thinking this hitch ride could help. Do you have any content or reviews on this hitch in the rise position?
Hey TFL, you did the Big 3 for your towing test, now you have done Toyota. Where is the Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X towing test..... we all know it would stop the competition!!!
@@pryme2013 No, they aren't stopping the Titan. It's a marketing scheme. The New Nissan Armada just got a new engine. The New Titan will get a detuned Nissan GTR motor in it. Wait and see!! I was meaning that the Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X would stop the towing test!!
It's worth the investment to get a cheap OBDII bluetooth dongle and an app on your phone so you can monitor temps while towing. And some of them are compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto so you can see the stats on your screen.
You loose the lubrication properties in transmission fluid when you cook it like you guys did. Hopefully the tsb covers it when the transmission craps out 😊
I Toast TFL, for Tackling The Tremendously Trying Temp Testing Torture Test, The Toaster, in The Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter Truck, Towing a Trailhawk on a Trailer!🍻
im came to the comments looking for this! thanks, you are doing gods work
@@dakota82 Thanks for Taking The Time To Thank Those That Talk in Ts.
The Tacoma transmission temperature topped two-twenty.
Terrific !
Alliteration is a tremendous tool trained at teaching the telltale tricks of trade to truly titillate the tension in those who are tempted to be tentative about trying it. It’s terribly terrifying, trust me. 😅😂.
Love you wordsmiths! 😊
I wish my dad was still alive to see this. He told me 25-30 plus years ago that four cylinder turbo engines were the future. He was a Saab technician. Now defunct, but yeah wish he was here to see it.
Most car people saw it coming. It was obvious
@@jeffhall768 30 years ago? We didnt even see a truck with a TTV6 until 14 years ago and that was a pretty larger upset.
@@Jay-me7gw yup. The 4 cylinders of the 70s and the overall lowering of displacement year over year since then is quite an obvious trend. That and we all knew how powerful a turbo 4 cylinder was by the 80s. It was only a matter of time before car companies started using them more
The Saab 2.0T engine is one of the best I've had the pleasure of driving. Had my car stolen with oil drained, and got it back three months and 800miles away after a police shootout, still with no oil in it. The jug I was going to add was still in the trunk, so I filled it up and drove it 12 hours back home and its still never given me a hiccup and is smooth as can be. It took a lickin' as they say. Wish Saab was still around.
Materials have come a long way. That's what allows these engines to push harder.
But turbo life is another thing. Who wants an expensive repair between 80k-120k miles? Defeats any mpg benefit of having a 4 cyl.
Hello, Andre! Send a transmission fluid sample to Blackstone labs and see how the trans fluid held up. I’d be curious to know how these new synthetic fluids hold up to the high heat it experienced.
I’m really liking the torture testing. Keep up the great work, fellas.!
Houston, TX
Great idea
i dont think there is a fluid that will stand up well at 250 degrees for any amount of time.
@@bendino9016FWIW, the testing on other synthetic ATF shows them maintaining acceptable oxidization after 200 hours at 160°C (320°F). If the Toyota fluid is similar - 270 is well within the normal operating range and should have low degradation of the fluid.
Would be cool to see it tested.
@@bendino9016yes they will.
So what are Tacoma transmission temperature change intervals? That it goes to 220f in normal commutes, says the fluid gets stressed far more than other brands.
Wow 275°F on the transmission wow
My FJ would climb in the high 250s. Apparently, if the transmission temp warning light doesn't come on, its fine. So the following week, i installed a big transmission cooler and I've never seen the temp go over 210 in extreme conditions. These automakers are just as bad as people who argue for higher oil intervals.
So true! Sadly, most people don't even care. Hey as long as no lights come on we're good right?
A transmission that lasts is bad for business. Same with engines
So never mind oil analyses?
@@garysarratt1 oil analysis is nearly the cost of an oil change. Change your oil instead.
@@CACressida I change my oil. Point is, we’ve seen several videos showing the oil holds up as long as there’s no more than a year with the mileage. So a blanket condemnation of the practice is ignoring hard evidence.
Now it's the Ranger's turn! Let's see if it can avoid getting toasted!
In Australia the 10 speed is known for overheating on the beach without even towing.
You cannot deny that this truck did very well. I'd love to see them try this with a 20yr old truck and see how differently the results would be. Say a 2004 F150.
"a 20yr old truck" and "2004 F150" physically hurt me, but it's not wrong.
I’ll volunteer my 2000 tundra with 360k miles if they want to cover my costs to come out 😂
@TFL... amazing video! Props to you guys for actually putting the truck to the test at its max load! Can you PLEASE repeat the same test with a standard 24 Tacoma without the hybrid?? I think a lot of folks would love to see that.
That Jeep feels right at home being towed on a trailer. That's a fact.
Fiat with Jeep badges
So true. Absolute trash/junk. No wonder they might go out of business and there’s tens of thousands on lots not selling. Well besides the price gauging
@@remingtonwingmaster6929 Everything Stellantis builds is an automatic redflag and a joke of a vehicle
That’s not a jeep. It’s an Italian compact car.
That's weird never saw any jeeps or rams break on tfl but have seen toyota and ford fail. Hmmm.
Not surprised that the Tacoma passed. That is a nifty truck. Still think the 2025 RAM succeeded too, but I suspect I am alone in that. Regardless, love these torture tests, keep em comin!
It succeeded making it to the spot without a problem. The problem only showed up after they stopped because the engine oil thinned out due to the heat. Sadly it's only a pass if there is no fussing from the vehicle. I don't know if automakers still do it but I remember reading in the owners manual that if you were operating in hot temperatures or doing jobs in extreme conditions to run a thicker weight of oil instead of the normal recommended weight. I wonder if they were to run a thicker alternative as the manual suggests for their testing if it wouldn't have had the thinned oil warning.
I consider the Ram as passing the test.
@@91CavGT5 I wonder if it would have done better if they treated their test as a "harsh condition" and ran a slightly heavier weight of oil in it. The owners manual used to say that if you were operating in high temperatures, extreme conditions or doing heavy pulling to run a thicker weight of oil than the normal recommended weight. I don't know if they still print that in the owners manual under oil info.
@@Slane583 my 2022 Ram does show in a chart to run a heavier weight in hot climates. I run 5w30 in mine year round, but I also live in south Texas. I am 100% convinced that if they followed the manufacturer recommendations then it would not have had low oil pressure.
@@91CavGT5 The same goes for me. I also run the recommended 5w30 in my 2020 Silverado year round. I am in NY so it doesn't get insanely hot here. Nor do I do any severe towing. I think if they went back and tested it again with thicker oil they wouldn't have gotten oil thinning as badly.
I was always taught. If you don't want your transmission clutches to burn up, you keep it 220 or less
2021 ranger moved my family and I across the country towing 7300 pounds with a full bed. The highest trans temp I saw was 222F and 215F engine coolant temperature. The new 10r80 have a lot of updates done to them for reliability.
That's awesome! I have a 2024 with the new 10r60 trans and am moving 3100 miles next spring. 20" enclosed trailer and should be loaded close to max towing capacity. I'm excited to see how it does.
I used to tow a travel trailer when I had a 21 Ranger and I’d see 225-230 on the trans sometimes and I was uncomfortable but 260-270 is crazy! I now have a F150 Powerboost and pull the same trailer. None of the temp gauges ever budge now. I did love that Ranger. I had it leveled with Fox 2.0s, 32 inch KO2s and FP tune. I thought I would really miss it but man, the F150 is so awesome and I don’t miss the Ranger at all.
Big difference from going up a steep hill with 6000 pounds with no airflow. No comparison.
@@Rc4hack so there are no hills going across country?
You are gonna have to do this again in the middle of summer. The ambient temp only being 85 is definitely benefiting the trailhunter
Shutup
@@Owen-ep2lc how about nooooo
I wanted to see how it did going back down.
Mid summer test is reasonable.
Altitude has a much larger effect on cooling than 15 or so degrees.
I know people hate how loud the turbo is but I'm so glad you two admit that it's sick. I would never ever get tired of that!!
In the past generation I believe Toyota programmed the overheat temperature at around 300F. It's impossible to know the normal operating range unless you obtain it from Aisin themselves. I would not be comfortable with 270 - 280 at all. An external cooler would be pretty cheap compared to a whole transmission if you did this on a regular basis. Should really be no warmer than 220 - 230.
I know on the 200 series, and maybe the 2G Tundra, they go into thermal protection mode and lock up the torque converter if the torque converter fluid temperature exceeds 265F. The actual warning light comes on at 300F like you said.
Depends on where that temperature is being read. Pan temp 220-230 is about right. Torque converter output temp however (where it is on my 2000 tundra) is next to impossible to keep that low in high demand applications. In our offroad racing world we run huge coolers that will keep pan fluid temp around 200* but converter temp will still exceed 300* occasionally, recently saw 330* with no damage.
@@84Prerunner I don’t think there is a PID available on the new Toyota’s to read converter temp. I believe this is the pan temp.
Having lived at the top of that hill I love this test. We hired a pony ride company once up there. They blew their transmission in an old 1 ton dually coming for a birthday party. I felt like a jerk and gave a big “tip” to help
In Brazil we use a lot of pickup trucks for farming. We only use the Toyota Hilux. It is the most expensive and it is not very comfortable on ordinary roads. But it is great off-road and it is the only truck that consistently can handle the abuse.
(PS Full size trucks are very rare in Brazil)
Hilux are way better than the Tacoma but Tacoma are 1 of the best with the Tundra and the Nissan Titan. Mazda for small pickups are good too
HiLux is a legend. Read about the “Toyota Wars” in the Middle East. The most dependable truck in the world by a large margin.
Same in México, we have both, but if you really need a farm work truck, there’s only one option, Hilux and preferable in diesel
@@drnick40all the Mitsubishi and Isuzus in the Sahara would like a wors
@@omardevonlittle3817I used to have an Isuzu rodeo 4x4 manual . I did 3000+ hours off-roading on tight ATV mountain trails. What an amazing machine that was
External transmission cooler. Add a big one and see how it manages the same test. I would not tow anything near half of max rating without a cooler especially in mountainous terrain like Colorado. At fluid temp that high, the life of the transmission would be halved or worse.
I just bought the 2024 tacoma trail hunter in underground color it's a beast so much torque 465 foot pounds of torque at only 1,700 rpms more torque then most V-8 out there this is truly a torque beast and such a good sound when driving
Nice to hear the Trailhunter passed the test. We are looking into a 2026 4Runner Trailhunter. We tow a small camper that is 4000 pounds. Our 2014 4Runner with an Old Man Emu suspension has towed it fairly well. With 1100 pounds more towing more torque and horsepower it should do a better job.
Well done on the “old man emu” pronunciation. Yank tanks are becoming very popular down here in Aus. Most vehicles sold domestically need to be heavily modified to have the ability to tow their rated tow rating and still have a driver onboard. Ram 1500 is the most popular and the conversion from LHD to RHD is factory levels of quality.
I’m still amazed how clean the pics of the conversions are. I suppose there is support directly from RAM or their parts suppliers. I suppose the biggest challenge would be the steering box. Yank Tanks 😂. Good name for them! I daily a 97 80 series but also have a ‘’16 2500 Power Wagon with a Four Wheel Camper in the bed. Use both to explore here in the Arizona/Utah/NV/Mexico.
After 10 years of washboard, the OME shocks on the 80 were toast, so I’m trying Dobinsons MRRs still with OME springs. Think I’m going to switch to some Dobinsons progressives soon as I run empty around town.
Cheers!
Thanks for the Toaster test with the new Toyota hybrid system. I'm curious how the new gen Tundras would handle the Toaster test.
The altitude and ambient air temperature also reduce air density, which reduces cooling efficiency of the radiators and airflow cooling over the trans and engine. This is a hard test case. I love it!
I would like to see more 3/4-1 ton trucks doing this test. I tow about 11k lbs and traded my F150 for a F350 Godzilla. Power wise the 3.5EB had no issues, in fact maybe slightly better than the 7.3 but one of the touted benefits was duty cycle. The Godzilla should be able to handle the load every mile of its usable life and do so in much wider operating conditions… in theory.
Exactly. Once you tow with a modern HD (even gasoline) you'll never go back to the EPA rated consumer lifestyle trucks. The small turbo engines make great power and torque and give people a false sense of security in what their truck should actually be doing. I'll take a slower non turbo gas HD truck with full floating rear axles/springs/frames over any of this hybrid overboosted trash.
Came here looking for this comment. HD trucks should be good for it.
@@jasonperry7970HD trucks are also lifestyle vehicles, just for a different lifestyle. I moved up to an F250 recently and have never felt more confident towing. I have also never felt more bumps while driving unladen.
Lol the OME shocks being actually Bilstein, we'd never know that without TFL, thank you!
I believe he said they are assembled by Bilstein due to the volume demands
Fluid has not changed that much lol. 270deg is outrageous. That lessened the life of that fluid and the trans for sure.
It's within Toyotas spec... So I don't know how you can say for sure its lessened the life. It's always advised to change fluid more often if you tow or go off-road a lot.
@@Johno530 Toyotas spec means nothing. They also spec oil changes for 10k miles. Right in line with when they rolled out their free 2 year maintenance plans lmao!!!!
I'm sure the fluid would most likely outlast the warranty of 60k miles, as long as it's not cooking every day. Although, some of us do keep cars past 60k miles.
@@pryme2013the manual states 5,000 miles of using it for towing or any other heavy use case. 10,000 is honestly fine if it’s just straight highway miles. There’s a guy on TH-cam with a ram 1500 with over 200k and he did oil at 10k as I recall. Just depends on what you’re doing with it. If it’s all highway and it’s only been 3 months it’s fine.
It changed so drastically with their full synthetic that they removed the trans cooler on the tundra for a couple of years with no problems. I towed heavy for 65k miles on mine and have a happy transmission at almost 85k now
275 f? That’s the reason Toyota is having issues with the Tacoma transmission. At that Temperature you are burning the trans fluid.
It’s a new car and of course it will be ok but long term, it won’t last. The worst part is most manufacturers tells customers trans fluids are life long fluids.
These are super cool tests. I love to see these
260 engine temp under a load is damaging the engine! That is HOT, cylinder heads can warp and a bunch of other crap can happen. Anything over 250 is reducing engine life
@@sleeeper88 it's crazy to think they consider this within spec
Toaster Test the Ranger Raptor
bro nice job!!!, it's kinda crazy when toyota tacoma is doing the toughest towing test
Driving a Toyota up a mountain looking for trouble. I just did my drivetrain fluids on my 4Runner LTD for the first time since new. 9 years old and 120,000 miles. It all looked like new(color and consistancy). Also did the coolant. I pull a 23 foot fiberglass in-board speedboat in the summer. Its about 300 lbs. over the limit.
This would be interesting with a 1977 GMC Dooley with a 454 engine heavy duty cooling radiator and the Muncie SM 22 four-speed transmission, which is a manual for those who don’t know.
I’m a year older than that truck and as soon as I read Muncie I knew what it was, though I’m more familiar with the 420 since I was into Jeeps
That's very specific, do you have one for them to test?
270 is just so friken hot. Manufacturers set limits super high and make there gauges basically dummy gauges to make people not worry. But doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen. Me personally would never allow my vehicle especially trans temp to exceed 230 for any sustained amount of time. I’d be changing out that trans fluid when I’m done the trip if it touched 270. If it’s conventional trans fluid not synthetic, 230/240 max. Synthetic at least takes temp better but still gunna break down that hot. My 14 duramax pulling 13k through British Columbia mountains up to 12% grades and the crows best highway is slower speed to and never even sees 190
Andre do your trail boss on this test next
Yes we NEED this!
I don’t think he wants to do it with his own personal truck 😂.
As someone with a frontier I'm intrigued to see how that will do. I'd love to see the limits of my truck in practice.
"Lets ride my bike in the middle of the right lane around a blind curve, I see no problem here"
YES! I've been waiting for this video
These videos are the most value offered to consumers in the car segment videoblogs
Andre - I would love to see a video of your Colorado performing this test. Keep up the good work!
Good news Toyota fans, 2025 Tacoma is bringing it back to V6 engine!!! Getting line for that bad boy
So now we have 2 standards:
SAE J2807
TFL J2807
They have the Davis Dam tow test.
You have the God Damn toaster test.😂
Great test. Glad to see the Tacoma doing things other trucks can’t. So far these new hybrid turbo tacomas are impressing me. What you should do is also test the non hybrid 4th gen Tacoma and possibly a third gen, oh and also a new Nissan and see how well they do. So many people out there are skeptical of the hybrid system and turbos and maybe they just need to have some videos of those trucks being tortured!
In Sweden we are alowed to tow that with an ordinary Volvo xc90.
Now repeat the test with the same weight/trailer/setup using a 1/2 ton. I would love to see if the transmission and coolant temps would be the same or lower than the Tacoma.
TFL: any concerns about the aluminum hitch because of the way aluminum fatigues over time?
Perfectly timed for Tacoma transmission failure recall
On the hottest day of the year they tested the cyberteuck. It did just ok 😂😂😂
I would be curious if you could manually shift the transmission and control trans temps better.
Would like to suggest you need to create a frontal area to your towing trailer to meet the frontal air resistance maximum square footage specification in the TUT (truck under test) towing guide. If you're going to test maximum towing, you need to remember weight is not the only consideration., and trying to pull a load against the wind can be a huge issue for truck and cause overheating when combined with a large weight load.
Great video
I get the point is a torture test, but it's widely known that when towing heavy with an auto you select gears manually if the vehicle has the option. Particularly when overtaking, in hilly terrain, or offroad. This will prevent it from shifting up too early, slugging, and slipping on the torque converter (=heat). I'd be interested if you can repeat this by manually selecting gears and running mid range rpm (depending on diesel or gas).
When Toyota removed the transmission cooler a few years ago I believe they said 280f or 300f was the upper limit.
I was unprepared for the intake and turbo noises this truck makes...pretty sweet
I wonder how much cooler the trans would stay if they shifted in manual mode and kept it from shifting up and down.
My 4 door sedan coolant goes up to 235 under stress. I would say 207 is excellent .
Now that you guys learned to use the tow/haul system on this new platform, you really need to return to the LC250 and re-do your review. It actually towed great up to the tunnel, and yet your review (tagline, at least) pretty much slams it.
Just so we're clear, now you are suggesting that the tow/haul system software is different between the Tacoma and LandCruiser? Did you confirm this, or are you just assuming, now that you've learned how to fully access the system?
You can do better; you should do better. Take the LC up the Toaster before it cools off, and either confirm your previous (dubious) findings, or prove that the LC can also make that climb at max tow weight.
276 degrees is extremely hot. Anything I've ever read says north of 240-250 is when fluid degradation and physical damage to the trans can occur. Maybe nowadays the seals and gaskets can tolerate higher temps but I'm curious what trans fluid is used in these and it's heat tolerance.
Have you done this with the Ranger Raptor? Can we see this same test?
Wow a what I like to call a “quarter ton” pickup outperforms “half ton” f-150 and 1500’s. Very impressive.
Dying to see this with a gas 3/4 ton. Like the 7.3 gas. Would be interesting to see how it handles the heat in comparison to these half tons
Test the new tundra
as far as i know, Old Man Emu is a suspension brand and a subsidiary of ARB not by Bilstein. correct me if i am wrong.
For baseline, what were coolant and transmission pan temps without load on the same climbs? those temps are crazy!
Great video guys. Love the Tacoma. I use the Bank on my Sierra 2500 HD diesel. Really like their gauge cluster
Love this test it’s like watching tour de France on the Pyrenees to make it fair gotta max out the tow rating
Mine will be here at the end of the month! I'm excited!
How well does the hybrid do coming down the hill. With both my 2015 & 2021 Tacomas coming down long steep inclines, even in lower gears, were difficult. I'm assuming that the 275 is the torque converter temp... would be good to know the pan temp.
Also, I have more tranny heat issues coming down long downgrades as the tranny temps in the torque converter and the pan (and I have a cooler), whereas going up the TC will heat up to about 220-230 while the pan is very slow to go past 200-210.
I frequently tow a 3000# RV, with a fair load in the back.
I would like to see this with a 3/4 ton. Also that trans cooler is nothing new. My 94 gmc used the same thing. It was actually more to warm up the coolant in the radiator so it wasn’t ice cold when the thermostat opens up.
@tfl Do you think the hybrid system played a big part in this pass over the other trucks you’ve tested? Do you think the F150 hybrid would also pass then?
Now we need the others in the midsize segment to prove themselves.
Impressive, I actually thought this was going to be a fail. I like this trim a lot better than the TRD Pro, although I can't get over how ridiculous that bed bar is. Anyone who wants to mount a rooftop tent or any other accessories over the bed is going to immediately need to replace that. Looks like something one would have bought from JC Whitney in the early 1990s.
I think the Tacoma passed because Toyota gave it a sensible max tow level. They did not go to the real limit of the truck; it is the safe level not to be the highest for a mid-size truck. The north American trucks push their trucks passed their safe limits
Dude on the bike must have a death wish.
My 2020 tacoma cruises around at just under 200 degrees tranny temp, on the daily. 210 with a trailer…. Jussayin…. If I ever see 230…. Im pulling over.. id want to see some engineering explanations to rationalize those trans temps.. I know things get better over time.. but… yikes…
Curious, what do your coolant temps look like climbing while towing?
Love these toaster towing tests, what a grade!
The new transmissions all use some very high tech fluids, not like in the days where there was two choices, either dextron or mercon.
TFL Towster
Just bypass the trans coolant lines from trans to a separate trans cooler. That’s what I did on my Nissan Titan because combo radiators can mix the 2 different fluids and ruin transmissions when just need a radiator replaced.
@@carlosjaimes4141 This is a bad practice. You should route the line to the additional transmission cooler you add, and then route to the integrated tranny cooler in the radiator,and then back to the transmission.
The reason for this is:
1. If it's cold outside, trans temp gets up to operating temps faster, as it's routed through the radiator.
2. In the event an aux cooler fails, you still have the integrated cooler in the radiator.
@@anoop4243 just do warm up procedures for trans fluid for cold temps. Rather take my time warming up the fluid than to have to replace the transmission due to a combination internal system failure in the radiator
@@carlosjaimes4141 Trans fluid dosent get that warm unless you drive. In the way I mentioned, there is heat exchange between the coolant and the Trans fluid. Even if you have a separate aux trans cooler, most modern cars have a trans-oil to coolant heat exchanger built in. You just have to make sure that u keep the temps reasonable while towing.
SMOD was very common in the Frontiers, Xterra’s, and Pathfinders from 05’ to 10’ and even some 11’ model years. I’ve never seen a Titan or Armada suffer from it. Bypassing was the quick fix until you can replace the faulty radiator. I’ve ran my 05’ Xterra with 209k bypassed since I’ve bought it with 196k. Other members have ran it for years with no issues. Granted you shouldn’t, for the sake of transmission life.
he wants to avoid the strawberry milkshake. not uncommon for nissan trucks. at least the older ones.
I remember my 21 Tacoma pulling 6150 with another 1k in bed accessories with 33in tires through Utah and Colorado in the summer, 119 degrees in Utah and 93 going through Eisenhower tunnel. Temps only went up 15 degrees (engine & trans oil) from normal driving around town on a normal day. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but I remember the difference between 15 for both.
I trust Toyota but I’m weary of this 4th gen Tacoma. I’ll be keeping my 3rd gen for the foreseeable future. Plus it’s almost paid off :D
I think if you put it in 4lo it wouldn't create anywhere near those temps. When I offroad and climb some serious hills, even if 2wd is fine the temps get hot pretty quickly on my Wrangler. Dropping it into 4lo and it's fine all day long.
ram 1500s strill have a seperate trans cooler or atleast my 2023 ram 1500 does. but what was interesting to me is that the rear diff now has coolant lones running to it.
also please add a camera that just shows the cluster and gauges as you climb and decend as thhe small clips only show what you focus on and there could be more datra to be seen like sudden spikes or drops of temps
Next the Tundra !
Did the hybrid battery ever fully deplete?
Do the test again with a base manual transmission Tacoma and see how it does in comparison.
New fluids are very thin. GM uses Dexron ULV (Ultra Low Viscosity) for their 10 speed transmissions, and I know that even just setting the trans fluid level, the temp has to be between 185 and 203 degrees
I would question less so the performance of the brand new truck but rather the long term reliability of that transmission with running so hot. I think a key takeaway here is if you are towing repeated heavy loads buy a truck that can do it comfortably within its rated capacities as opposed to maxing them out.
Please test the gen 3 tundra
Nice video guys i love this challenge.
I really like that turbo sound haha. Great test!
273F transmission temperature is not a pass. Transmission fluid degradation is a concern at that temperature. My previous generation Tundra only sees a max of 205F running grade in the summer pulling a large RV around 8,000lbs.
Great test. It may not have thrown an error, but mid 270's is too high. The other manufacturers throw warnings at a lower temperature which is better as its more conservative and helps protect the transmission. So in my eyes, the Tacoma failed twice, once by not warning you of high temps, and second because it went so high. You may want to check with Toyota what they rate transmission fluid for, and what the consider max temperature range for their transmission.
300 is fine for that truck.
I would like to see the same test with the non hybird tacomas and the 2023 tacomas as will.
Toyota WS fluid likes to be warm. I'm not sure of 275, but several techs said it's happier warmer
I am looking at getting this exact weigh safe hitch for my stock tundra and off road camper. The camper sits higher so I’m thinking this hitch ride could help. Do you have any content or reviews on this hitch in the rise position?
Hey TFL, you did the Big 3 for your towing test, now you have done Toyota. Where is the Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X towing test..... we all know it would stop the competition!!!
You mean stop sales. Titan in DOA. Good truck poor dealer network and advertising.
@@pryme2013
No, they aren't stopping the Titan. It's a marketing scheme. The New Nissan Armada just got a new engine. The New Titan will get a detuned Nissan GTR motor in it. Wait and see!! I was meaning that the Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X would stop the towing test!!
You need to run the transmission in sports mode and not in drive. Torque converter slip is your issue as to why the temps climbing so high
It's worth the investment to get a cheap OBDII bluetooth dongle and an app on your phone so you can monitor temps while towing. And some of them are compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto so you can see the stats on your screen.
You loose the lubrication properties in transmission fluid when you cook it like you guys did. Hopefully the tsb covers it when the transmission craps out 😊
👏🏼👏🏼 Toyota Tacoma always impressed!!