SteveC

I totally agree, I have the "out trans line" into the radiator, out of the radiator into the cooler, out of the cooler back to the trans.

SteveC

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

This is the logic behind the typical way I did it. I used the frame rail type described in this thread https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic-transmission/179082-alternative-tranny-cooler.html and "Ironworker" fabbed up a trick set of brackets to make it work. It is said that the frame rail cooler is not as efficient as the plate type, but in this position the airflow is excellent, plus it's not butted up against a hot condenser. After a WOT run and then some in town traffic and idling at stop lights when it was 70* the other day, my temp was 168.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

ok- cooler is not clogged. i am going to mount it on the condensor (had to ditch my ftra= which sucks but oh well). i won't have any results till it gets warmer out but i really hope this works. have a good feeling about it because i can turn the high fans on and i think it'll get more airflow on the condensor than it got before. the only thing is that when it is 90* out i may be back to this point again... i kept the bracket in place so all i have to do is buy another cooler, bolt it up, and run the lines if i feel the need for a second one in the dope location...

thanks for the replies everyone.

AK's WS6

I wonder if that mounting style along with having done the FRA will affect performance due to higher temps going into the engine??

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

where is your temp sender located at? if it's near a header or other exhaust part, it might be getting hot from that as well. thus giving you false readings.

i have some results in this thread https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic-transmission/281332-trans-cooler-question.html from what i did today.

i prefer not to run it through the radiator. that way, you can kill two cooling issues at the same time. read my posts in the other thread.

JGA

Hi

There are plenty of options available that use thermostatically controlled fans. The thermostat assemblies can even fit into the tranny cooler supply line. I can't remember where I have seen this, but I think you can find it on Summit. Also, I think Derale has other solutions. With an electric fan and thermostat, theretically you can mount the cooler anywhere. I have seen them mounted face down on the inside of a frame rail on custom steet rods before.

JA

SmokingWS6

iTrader: (1)

When adding more than one aftermarket cooler you need to consider the possible pressure loss that could occour with chained together coolers.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

thinking the same thing, but oh well. not much i can do about it at this point.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

I forgot, that I had gotten started on the whole CAI-hacking project
on account of my trans cooler; the SLP CAI was right up against
where I wanted to put the cooler. So I first just hacked it off about
halfway up. This was not good for IAT (but the CAI kind of was a
hoax in that respect anyway, big-time heat absorber more like.

Now, with that FTRA you can probably do similar to what I ended
up with, or maybe cleaner. I "bent" it (in my case pop-riveting
curved plastic to the stainless, you might be able to heat-bend
or solvent-weld yours) to draw from above the divider panel and I
relieved the "nostrils" down by the bumper for better air inflow to
feed the above-divider space. The CAI had already made me cut
the panel out, I made a replacement piece to restore the partition.
This doesn't result in any "ramming" (though it's said, neither do
any of the others) but cold air, it is.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

for now i put the blockoff plate that came with the ftra in there, actually seals that up pretty nicely so i can just go back to the stock airbox- i'll probably loose a little hp but whaddayyagunnado...

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

no good results yet- it is 27* where i live, but after 3 20mph-120mph runs back to back (for testing purposes of course- i know a good 2 lane highway that isn't used much ) the most i saw was 167* after the last run, then my labtop died but i know it would've cooled down if i would've cruized around some more. this was only with the low fans on. and ect at 175*- my ect also dropped a little bit from removing the ftra as i though it would.

like i said- doesn't mean much in sub freezing weather but i really have a good feeling (or just hoping) that my whole problem was the dope mounting method and my larger than average stall and taller than average gears. what i mean by this is most people are allright using the dope method but my car generates more heat than most 3800 stalled cars. i think the high fans and the added airflow could keep my temp in check (given i don't hot-lap it in hotter weather, which i wouldn't do without monitoring anyway).

warmer weather results asap! this isn't over yet

2001 Pewter WS6

iTrader: (43)

I have a low temp thermostat and my coolant temps are always around 180 or less. I have my fans set to come on earlier as well. So my transmissions temps out of the radiator are around 180* from there it goes through the cooler. I need a temo gauge to see what the return temps are but I am guessing around 160* or so... BTW where and how do you hook up a trany temp gauge? I didn't see an option in HP Tuners to monitor it.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

it's in there (hptuners that is). you have to be in the scanner then play around. i can only read it on the graph/chart and i had to take one of the things that it was already reading out of the picture- which was map in this case since im not too concerned about my map right now.

- just hacked up my ftra so it would fit. now it is like 1/2 of a ftra (cut like 3/4 of the back out till a little above the bend but better than no cai). gonna have to monitor iat to see if the 180* cooler affects that.

sleeperstyle

iTrader: (4)

ditched the ftra.... heat exchanger in front of intake= stupid.

42* out today- 169* trans temp, not sure if i solved the problem but after 5 minute idle with the high fans on (slp fan switch) my temps were 150*, they drop FAST after cruising and even faster idling with the high fans on- wheras they didn't really drop before...wot runs included and no more than 169 *....

dope method= if you have ssra/ftra and not a big stall and/or high trans temps. good method but you have to watch it....

condensor= if you are seeing high trans temps and are willing to sacrifice a little performance to save your trans- the fans HELP alot fwiw.

these results are personal only, but giving a different outlook on the cooling situation . warm/hot weather
results will be in a new thread when applicable.

turbobuick33

ttt any updates sleeperstyle on your transmission cooling issues? did you solve your problem? It seems that I also have a problem with high trans temps. My temperatures are at 195 to 205 degrees and the weather is around 90 degrees pretty hot and humid outside. I have the perma cool trans coooler mounted the same style as in this post https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179082 and I still see high transmission temperatures. Ive had the B&M 24,000 GVW cooler and still my transmission temperatures are high so I decided to try the perma-cool rail trans cooler and still my trans temps are high. I don't understand why I can't have my trans temperature at least 170 degree while I am crusing. I don't drive hard on the car. The way I have my trans cooler hooked up is that I left the bottom line of the radiator connected, I took the top line of the radiator cooler and connect it to the bottom of the aftermarket cooler then from the top of the cooler to the trans line by the crank pulley.

slowpoke96z28

iTrader: (2)

dig this. considering they are trying to sell their stuff, but there is still some good info yet.

http://www.tciauto.com/tech_info/faq.htm#1

ragingWS6

iTrader: (3)

I have the 18,000 GVW cooler, a TCI deep pan, and a Midwest 3400 stall. My tranny temp gauges RARELY hits 180*. It was 99* in STL yesterday and I was on the interstate and it hit about 170*. When I got off the highway, it climbed near 200*, but that is on an extremely hot day. Usually I can't get it to 180* to save my life. You should look into a deep pan.

turbobuick33

yes i also have deep trans pan, i guess then during the hot summer months when the temps are at 85 to 90 that the trans temp will be at 195 to 205 degrees thats what i see everyday when i drive