rtobrian

iTrader: (1)

I'm about to install a trans cooler on my 02 Trans Am and i'm just wondering which way would work best: Disconnecting it from the radiator and going through the trans cooler only or just hooking the trans cooler inline with the radiator? And does anybody know off hand which trans line is the return line? Any installation tips are appreciated. Thanks

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

i'm in the middle of a debate over this right as we speak. either way is fine. but, i prefer to take the radiator out of the loop. the bottom line is the supply. so, you would connect to the bottom line out of radiator to cooler. then cooler to trans. i just did some temp 'testing' today. the car was at idle. engine temps about 210*ish. the radiator cooled about 8*-12* off the fluid. so, i'd rather take it out of the loop and let the coolant use that same 8*-12* to cool the motor. here's some pics i took today. i look at it as killing to cooling issues at once by separating it.

another is debating that leaving it out will cook the tranny in traffic due to no cooling from the fans not being on and the car not moving.

first up is the transcooler inside the side tank of the radiator.


next up is the trans cooler from the radiator laying on top of the external cooler.


here's another picture of it laying at the bottom. we just increased our surface cooling area by 3 times the size.


next picture is comparing the thickness. the external cooler is 3/4" thick. has 3/8" line running through it. the stock cooler is maybe 1/4" thick. has 5/16" line going to it. now it is flat. but, it has the entire area to cool from.

rtobrian

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info and pics, now you really got me thinking!

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

i'll have more pics tomorrow on where i put it. i will be taking the radiator out of the loop. i've done it on every car i've owned and put one on. on my 86TA, i put a yank ss3300e and my cooling temps went up 20*. took it out of the loop and went back down. never cooked any clutches either.

JGA

Hi
I say bypass the cooler in the rad. It is very small as the photos above show. Also, if it ever leaks you will get coolent in the transmission fluid. I installed a B&M 70264 this way and it really works well. I do not have a temperature gauge, but after a 2 hour drive the return line is very cool to touch. This also goes the same after alot of idelling in city trafic. In addition, I spoke with a few speed shops and transmission shops before I installed my cooler and they felt very strongly about not using the cooler in the rad. Most coolers have a fairly high GVW ratting and are basically over spec. If you are concerned about it, get a cooler that is a little larger. Also, a cooler like the B&M that regulates or bypasses flow is also a good idea.

JA

JGA

Sorry, is that tranmsision fluid in the coolant, or coolant in the tranmsision fluid? Either way it is not good.

JA

jxaxsxoxn

iTrader: (2)

One reason the stock cooler is so small is because fluid to fluid heat exchangers are more efficient than fluid to air heat exchangers.
If you live in cold climates you need to keep the stock cooler in the circuit.

rtobrian

iTrader: (1)

I have a B&M TRANSMISSION COOLER part#70264. The car isn't driven in the winter. I'm leaning toward taking the radiator out of the loop. Thanks for all the info guys.

70GTO

you could install a "H" valve assembley that allows fluid to flow through both which gives you cooling sitting still and better cooling when moving plus if the rad cooler ever clogs it wont effect cooler flow since it will still flow through your air cooler.

But if your rad cooler dumps coolant into your trans your done. consider the h valve if you live in cooler climate.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

well, the thing i look at is i opened the rad cap and measure the water temp directly. with the engine at 210, the water at the cooled side of the rad where the trans cooler sits in is 190*. so, the trans fluid will not get any lower than that.

here's tci's little chart on life expectancy vs temp. 190* is fine as you can see. but, 175* is lots better. i'll be installing the cooler on monday and take temp readings and give the final results. remember the temps readings i'll be giving is sitting still in park and engine temp in the 210*ish range.

brandont454

i have mine going into the radiator then through the external. ive never been above 200 since i did it.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

ok great. but, take it out of the loop and you'll drop the water temp going into the block by 8*-12*. because using it, the water is absorbing the 8*-12* of trans fluid temp.

nothing necessarily wrong with using both. but why not kill two cooling issues at once?

70GTO

If you run a straight air cooler, by a " drop resistance" style, It looks like an oem one not the 20 dollar silver open tube style , It costs more but takes up less space, looks better, usually black,. Try to get the fans to come on sooner, I bought a temp switch for a 86 vette that turned the fans on at 190 instead of 215. I dont know if this is available in late model cars. I put these coolers in at my shop all the time.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

the fans are controlled by the computer in our cars. we can go into the programming and change when the fans come on. or you can put a manual switch in to turn them on.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

finally put it in today. radiator taken out of the loop. there was a 10*-15* drop in temps. this was engine temp at 215* sitting still in park on my lift at work. readings were in the 160* range for the tranny fluid temps going back to the tranny. while driving down the road, my engine temps were about 5*-6* cooler as seen on my scanner. so, killed two birds with one stone. no issue to be had with the not moving, not going through the radiator and no fans not cooling the fluid while sitting still theory. aluminum dissipates heat well. that's why radiators are aluminum now. used to be brass like the tranny fluid cooler you see in the pics. i'll try to take pics of my install tomorrow.

ls1_doc

iTrader: (6)

Got the pics yet on where you installed it?

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

not yet. was real busy today at work. and forgot the camera again. it's in front of the condensor. i'll get them either tomorrow.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

ok pictures are up. http://www.stealthram.com/2000pontiacformula.html then click transmission R&R. then scroll down towards the bottom and you'll see transmission cooler install.

studlybilly

I was told to keep the bottom line of the radiator connected, take the top line of the radiator cooler and connect it to the bottom of the aftermarket coolre then from the top of the cooler to the tranny? Otherwise the tranny fluid goes through the aftermarket cooler, then through the radiator. Being the radiator reaches temps of 210'sh of course, this heats the tranny fluid back up making the aftermarket cooler's only use to help cool the engine instead ?lol. Could be off but thats just what I was told.

Either way I'd like to fit an aftermarket cooler with a small fan attached anyways or slap a small fan on the current aftermarket cooler.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

that's why i completely remove the radiator portion out of the equation.