Freefallin

I was just wondering, why do ppl advice to install a trans cooler when alot of cars (or at least my car, GTO) already comes with a trans cooler in the radiator. Or is this different than an aftermarket trans cooler?

Atomic

iTrader: (37)

You want more cooling capacity than you get with just the radiator.

jsteele90

iTrader: (13)

because the one in the radiator is not efficient enough to keep up with the additional heat created by a built trans, high stall converter. At that point it is basically a heater.

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

Heaters are good sometimes, the other day it was freezing and by the time i was almost to work the trans temp was only 77*F.

Freefallin

Aha. So these trans coolers, are they universal or do you have to get one specifically made to fit your car make/model/year?

Majestic9C1

iTrader: (19)

universal... I put one on mine and didnt bypass the stock cooler.. seems to be fine to me

tnmotown

iTrader: (107)

I just added a Hayden 679 cooler on my car. I bypassed the radiator and will just use the aftermarket cooler. I live in the valley and never gets cold here, so I don't need the radiator as a "heater" for my trans fluid.

RJDio

My WS6 has a tranny cooler from the factory mounted in front of the radiator. Off topic but I've heard good things about a power steering cooler so I bought a Derale 24" Frame Rail cooler #13224 and then an upper radiator hose without the built in power steering cooler. It's going on this summer. Cool "do it yourself" mod.

Coolers: they are priced from cheap to rediculous for same cooler on different sites. If you shop them, pay attn to the ports. Some are the threaded fittings, some are the barb type fittings. I bought the barbed on and will secure with hose clamps.

.boB

iTrader: (1)

Heat is a big enemy for an auto trans. The higher the temps go, the shorter the trans life. OTOH, if the oil doesn't get up to proper operating temp, it doesn't work correctly either.

The cooler in the radiator is actually a heat exchanger. It's goal is to stabilize the trans temp with the coolant temp. Keeps the oil warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. For millions of cars on the road, that works just fine. But higher loads and higher stall speeds can add a lot of heat. Then you need to add an additional cooler.

The most efficient are plate style, like Mocal or Earls. I prefer to use AN style threaded fittings and hoses, but lots of people do fine with barbed fittings and rubber hoses on a universal type cooler. You get what you pay for.

If you drive where it can be really cold, put the cooler before the heat exchanger. If you only drive in fair weather or live in a hot climate, put it after the exchanger.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

To call that a cooler is wrong in so many ways. I love things to be cool, and monitor temps religiously. Wanna know what I've notice about the stock setup? For one, the radiator contains two fluids, and one is generally in the 200-230° range during normal operation. The radiator attempts to match the two fluids temps. It does this on purpose. Up to 200, the trans heats up quick, with no radiator cooler and cool temps, the trans can barely get warm. It can literally run down the hwy @ 125°… You will never see that with the stock cooler because it is warming the fluid up. Trans fluid can gel in cold temps and for up north I consider the stock cooler good for the trans to get it up to temp properly.

ss performance

iTrader: (17)

What he said!

Freefallin

Thanks for all the info guys! Im bringing this up cz i will be fitting a cooler soon.

So i understand there are 2 ways to go about this...bypass factory "heater" or not.

What's the difference between the two? What's the pros and cons of each?
Im trying to determine which way to go.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Where do you live?

Stardust

I used a B&M Kit from Jegs, came with all the fittings and hardware. Super easy install. I tied it in to my cooler lines still using the radiator, and mounted it in front of the radiator.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

70264 is the B+M cooler with all the fittings.

vwdave

iTrader: (3)

One thing to remember, just because the transmission temperature is (for example) 190*, doesnt mean its not drastically hotter coming out of the transmission to the cooler. Its to the point to where the factory (much smarter people than us) knows that the coolant temperature will be colder than the transmission temperature. Not to mention where the cooler is mounted is the coldest part of the entire cooling system. Liquid to liquid coolers are also extremely efficient.

For example, on the 89, the coolant temp on the intake was reading 185* on the button. The coolant temp on the hot side of the radiator was 165*. On the cold side it was 140*. Thats with the fan on. So you have 200*+ transmission fluid meeting 140* coolant. Theres going to be a cooling effect going on. Its NEVER a good idea to completely bypass this system.

The best way is to leave the factory system in place, pick up a fitting for the bottom of the cooler, have it goto a aftermarket cooler, and have that go back to the transmission.

Freefallin

Where the temp is on average between 95-104...Dubai.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Sorry vw, I know you think the factory engineers are SO smart but I promise you one thing. They have designed a mediocre, cost effective cooling system suitable for 99% of buyers. They did not have all out performance in mind. You spouted off a bunch of BS in your post. LS motors in 90 degree heat run 220 degrees, add ac and stop and go traffic, and you will see 230 or higher. That's NORMAL. The stock setup is a cooler at times and a warmer other times. Until you've run both ways back to back you're wasting our time. And, the bottom is the inlet, why wouldn't you choose your standalone cooler last instead of first? Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

vwdave

iTrader: (3)

Did you actually read my post or just skimmed? Because the numbers I gave were for instance. The one I posted as factual was my 89. While not an LS, it gives you a basic idea. The temp sits right at 160* on the gauge.

And tbh, Ive killed 3 automatics, NONE of which were due to heat. One was a converter being crammed into a pump from the PO (47RH from my Cummins, which has the same exact system I described earlier. There are ZERO heat failures for them. Theyre killed from torque.) One was a 700 with 250k miles doing a 1-2 fishtail trying to impress a girl after I added 50hp to it, the next was the same 700 breaking the front drum from said motor now at ~330whp when my trans builder fucked me royally.

Unless you have a degree in Thermal Dynamics or can post factual data, please dont try and give bad information to people who might not know better.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

You're numbers are pure garbage, you're post was garbage. I was trying to be nice but actually, what you posted has no relevancy here. Why does it not you ask? Because the numbers don't add up to OUR cars. I've ran just about every combo of thermostat, fan settings, and trans cooler settings. I've had digital trans and coolant temp gauges from the beginning. NOTHING you can tell me about these cars will mean jack to me. I've posted a ton of times how the trans/motor temps run with different setups, and those posts are still here if the OP wants to search around some. If he doesn't want to search and wants to know something in particular, I can give him factual data from MY fbody. You can't.