Need some trans cooler help
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 32
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Need some trans cooler help Hey guy i got my 70 El Camino with a lq9 and 4l80e. Im running a Be-cool radiator with the lines running to the radiator and back to the trans. The trans temps are usually around 190. Temps peak around 210 sometimes. Im sure some guys think that is way to hot but most modern trans temps are running around there. Im thinking im going to put a B and M cooler to help keep the trans temps a little bit lower, but the biggest reason for this is the radiator fans like to run to much. Even down the highway on a hot day they are running. Will a cooler help keep the radiator fans from running to much? Or is the cooler in front of the radiator just going to make it get hot? Should I run the lines to the cooler first then the radiator? All ideas a suggestions are welcome, thank you.
Your fans are running due to the temp setting in the PCM or fan switch depending on what setup you are running. A B&M plate cooler 70274 would work great for your setup and would work without using the radiator trans cooler lines if you wanted to run it that way. Most guys like to run the trans cooler in series by connecting the trans cooler line out from the radiator to the inlet of the external trans cooler and then from the trans cooler back to the trans. I like to run my trans coolers stand alone but my setup is more race oriented and I like less failure points. See this pdf for instruction details: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...nIVt4cmsE5xFSg
The cooler will obstruct some of the radiator in the front but should not affect a proper cooling system for the engine at all.
Are you having trouble keeping engine temps down or is it just the fans running all the time bother you? What are your engine temps, thermostat temp, fan temp settings?
Running a trans cooler is always a good idea.
The cooler will obstruct some of the radiator in the front but should not affect a proper cooling system for the engine at all.
Are you having trouble keeping engine temps down or is it just the fans running all the time bother you? What are your engine temps, thermostat temp, fan temp settings?
Running a trans cooler is always a good idea.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2015
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Im running the fans off the Be-Cool temp sending unit in the radiator. Its set to turn the fans on at 195 and off at 175. The thermostat is a stock ls3 unit. Engine temps are 190-210 which seems to be normal for a LS. I never had it get any higher then that. The cooling system seems to be great at keeping the coolant temps in check. The only thing that bugs me is the fans are running all the time. It is hot out today, .when its cooler the fans will turn off on the highway. I might be at the point where 10-20 degrees is just enough to keep the fans on almost all the time at this temp today, Im hoping the trans cooler will help the fans stay off a little bit more. If I ran the line from the trans to the cooler first, and then the radiator, and back to the trans would that help keep the radiator cooler? I understand this is different then the PDF file you put up.
Stop running the trans fluid to the radiator....that just keeps the trans fluid hot as hell all the time. As soon as I put a small B&M cooler on my car and stopped letting it run through the basically 200*F radiator......my temps were way down.
When you install the cooler, DO NOT let it touch the radiator. Mount it so the cooler is at least 3 inches away from the surface of the radiator. This will let ambient ram air mix with the hot air coming off the cooler before it goes through the radiator.
I'll try to find a picture of mine......
Here;s how I mounted mine.....you can also run two of these in series....one on each side of that post. AND...NO....it has absolutely no affect on coolant temps. They will not change at all. This set up worked on my 436ci stroker, 427ci....and my current iron block 390ci.....runs cool. My coolant temps are between 180*F cruising steady......maybe 195-200 max sitting in traffic with the A/C on.
Home Depot:
Get some 2 inch long screws......a couple metal spacer sleeves......drill the holes and install it.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic...l#post16747097
.
When you install the cooler, DO NOT let it touch the radiator. Mount it so the cooler is at least 3 inches away from the surface of the radiator. This will let ambient ram air mix with the hot air coming off the cooler before it goes through the radiator.
I'll try to find a picture of mine......
Here;s how I mounted mine.....you can also run two of these in series....one on each side of that post. AND...NO....it has absolutely no affect on coolant temps. They will not change at all. This set up worked on my 436ci stroker, 427ci....and my current iron block 390ci.....runs cool. My coolant temps are between 180*F cruising steady......maybe 195-200 max sitting in traffic with the A/C on.
Home Depot:
Get some 2 inch long screws......a couple metal spacer sleeves......drill the holes and install it.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic...l#post16747097
.
Last edited by LS6427; Jul 1, 2017 at 12:45 PM.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,114
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
1. The radiator mounted cooler (RMC) is on the COLD side of the radiator. The coolant on the cold side is ALWAYS colder than what the ECT reading is.
2. The ATF entering the top of the RMC is ALWAYS hotter than the ATF exiting the RMC. I have taken readings of close to 400 degrees at the inlet to a RMC and 210 on the outlet with small radiator like what's in our 4th gens, This is outstanding efficiency out of such a small cooler!!!
3. Oil to Water heat exchangers are ALWAYS more efficient than Oil to Air heat exchangers given they are the same size & construction.
4. Oil to Air transmission coolers are called Auxiliary Coolers for a reason, They take up the slack when the RMC is at capacity.
All this is assuming the Radiator & RMC are in good shape.
To the OP, Your engine temp is regulated by the thermostat, A stock thermostat will never allow the ECT to get down to 175 degrees.
Is this a FI engine?
Last edited by clinebarger; Jul 5, 2017 at 09:23 PM.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 32
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This is not a FI engine. Just seems like once the outside temps hit 85+ the fans run to much. Would
like to get some heat out of the radiator. Trans cooler seems like a good idea. Anything below 85 the fans shut off on the highway. I ordered a big B and M cooler yesterday. My thinking is if the line temp is like lower it would have lower temps in the radiator.
like to get some heat out of the radiator. Trans cooler seems like a good idea. Anything below 85 the fans shut off on the highway. I ordered a big B and M cooler yesterday. My thinking is if the line temp is like lower it would have lower temps in the radiator.
