Trans temps are killing me!!!
Trans temps are killing me!!! What are you guys doing to cool the transmission? Can't seem to get mine under control, keeps getting up to 220-230 at idle. Here is my setup, Turbo car so having to figure out ways to improve airflow over the radiator since I was having a hard time with water temps. Went to a smaller intercooler and bigger radiator so I went completely remote on the trans cooler. 69 Camaro so the only other place to mount it is under the car right about where the drivers seat is. Went with the Flex A Lite 29 plate cooler with fan and made some spacers to give it about an inch or so of clearance for air flow. Fan is pulling through the cooler not pushing. Driving it seems to be ok but at idle it gets out of control. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated since I am parked at this point until I can get a solution.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 20
From: Tucson, AZ
Do you have an air gap between the fan and radiator?
If you have the fan off the radiator 1 inch you need to fill the gap between the shroud and radiator so its forced to pull through the radiator.
If you have the fan off the radiator 1 inch you need to fill the gap between the shroud and radiator so its forced to pull through the radiator.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,308
Likes: 660
What trans?
My setup is similar. Turbo, 4l80E, cooler under passenger seat. Where are you measuring trans temp? There are some mods, depending on the transmission, you can make to get more flow through the cooler lines when idling.
You might get a better answer in the transmission section.
My setup is similar. Turbo, 4l80E, cooler under passenger seat. Where are you measuring trans temp? There are some mods, depending on the transmission, you can make to get more flow through the cooler lines when idling.
You might get a better answer in the transmission section.
Where are you taking temps from and what sensor are you using? Verify pan temps with an infrared temp gun at idle. I had a single wire sensor that was roughly 25° hotter than actual. Switched to an ECT sensor (same location) and temps matched. What temp do you have the fan kicking on?
Use the biggest/best cooler you can fit.
Use the biggest/best cooler you can fit.
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TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,177
Likes: 627
From: Florida
aside from the obvious, bigger cooler, more airflow, i learned the expensive way that tube and fin aren't good for much more than adding a tiny bit of fluid capacity. make sure you get a good bar and plate.
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I usually use the B & M coolers, with the 1/2" pipe fittings. If no room up front, I mount them down behind the bumper somewhere, at an angle so it gets air. I wonder if there is a flow problem thru the cooler, or fittings, like a piece of crap got in it. A loose conv. will create a lot of heat, when you come to an idle I would expect some residual heat to show up. What are the temps when cruising.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,869
Likes: 99
OP
You don't mention stall speed or transmission (4l60e, 70, or 80 or some other).
Check the flow path (feed and return) from the transmission to the cooler. If the flow is reversed by mistake then you are actually pushing the tranny fluid backwards thru the cooler. I might be wrong but I think read where the feed and return on the 80 are different on early model years vs late model years.
The bar and plate are designed specifically to create as much surface area as possible as fluid moves from feed to return The stacked plate coolers are the best according to the link.
https://www.etrailer.com/faq-about-e...n-coolers.aspx
I use this Derale stacked plate cooler on my D1 Procharged 1998 Z28 with a Yank 3450 TC and Level 3 Peformabuilt 4l60e with deep pan (additional fluid capacity). It has 19 rows. I used 6an hose and an connectors..
https://www.jegs.com/i/Derale/259/13...kaAu-jEALw_wcB
Recently I was literally almost parked in stop and go traffic for about 2 hrs over about 8 miles and temps never got over 200 degrees. Ambient temps were mid 90's.
My cooler is mounted vertically It is located on a special bracket just in front of the radiator so it is getting some pull assist from the 16 inch and 11 inch puller fans on the backside of the radiator. It is mounted remotely and does not move fluid thru the radiator. However, I don't drive the car in the winter so don't see any need to warm the tranny fluid during winter months when temps can get down to zero.
You might consider installing a deep pan to add more fluid capacity assuming your not lowered too much and have clearance issues.
You don't mention stall speed or transmission (4l60e, 70, or 80 or some other).
Check the flow path (feed and return) from the transmission to the cooler. If the flow is reversed by mistake then you are actually pushing the tranny fluid backwards thru the cooler. I might be wrong but I think read where the feed and return on the 80 are different on early model years vs late model years.
The bar and plate are designed specifically to create as much surface area as possible as fluid moves from feed to return The stacked plate coolers are the best according to the link.
https://www.etrailer.com/faq-about-e...n-coolers.aspx
I use this Derale stacked plate cooler on my D1 Procharged 1998 Z28 with a Yank 3450 TC and Level 3 Peformabuilt 4l60e with deep pan (additional fluid capacity). It has 19 rows. I used 6an hose and an connectors..
https://www.jegs.com/i/Derale/259/13...kaAu-jEALw_wcB
Recently I was literally almost parked in stop and go traffic for about 2 hrs over about 8 miles and temps never got over 200 degrees. Ambient temps were mid 90's.
My cooler is mounted vertically It is located on a special bracket just in front of the radiator so it is getting some pull assist from the 16 inch and 11 inch puller fans on the backside of the radiator. It is mounted remotely and does not move fluid thru the radiator. However, I don't drive the car in the winter so don't see any need to warm the tranny fluid during winter months when temps can get down to zero.
You might consider installing a deep pan to add more fluid capacity assuming your not lowered too much and have clearance issues.
Always run the biggest cooler possible, unlike engine oil (which is debatable) you cannot have trans fluid temps to low.
The plate style coolers work the best with a dedicated fan provided you have a location that allows for airflow.
The sensor should be located in the sump of the pan, -06 AN lines or even -08 work well.
Try a different kind of fluid as well, I saw a substantial reduction in trans temps going away from Dextron to John Deere transmission fluid.
The plate style coolers work the best with a dedicated fan provided you have a location that allows for airflow.
The sensor should be located in the sump of the pan, -06 AN lines or even -08 work well.
Try a different kind of fluid as well, I saw a substantial reduction in trans temps going away from Dextron to John Deere transmission fluid.
Not that all of this isn't good information above, but if your temps go that high at idle with no load, you have another issues. Its not the cooler. I can run no cooler at all and won't see those temps at idle.
Thanks for all the responses, it is a 4l80 with a 3400 stall converter. My biggest problem is I cannot mount it in front of the radiator since I have a big intercooler and an A?C condenser already mounted. Putting a bigger Cold Case radiator and 4000 cfm fans to try to get the engine temps down. I think the engine temp problem may be all the hotside piping under the hood and the fact that the exhaust has to run in front of the motor to get to the passenger side since that is the only exit for the exhaust. I have the Flex a Lite 114213 Cooler Plat and Fin with a puller fan now and it just will not pull the temps down at idle. Cruising, it will come back down. Looking and the Derale Hyper Cool as my possible next option.
If you see 200+ At idle its not the cooler. There is no friction, no slip.. Nothing that really makes heat. I can ide all day with no cooler. Look internally something fubar'd. Check for metal in oil etc. Nothing is making heat like that at idle. Something has to be dragging or seriously wrong. your cooler is fine.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 20
From: Tucson, AZ
For the engine getting warm side of things, If you don't have any issues while cruising you have an airflow problem while stopped you need a better/stronger fan with a good shroud that's sealed nicely to the radiator so that is pulls air through the radiator and not around it. Manufactures make all sorts of claims of CFM, but take it with a grain of salt unless its a proven fan that others have used with success. I have a front mount with my turbo inches away from the radiator, I don't have any issue even with AC on in 100+ degree weather. I have puller, and one pusher where the turbo is.
Never dealt with a stalled auto. Is this happening while in park, or while idling in drive? Sounds like you might have excess slipping causing things to get hot.
Never dealt with a stalled auto. Is this happening while in park, or while idling in drive? Sounds like you might have excess slipping causing things to get hot.
Last edited by Max78; May 12, 2022 at 09:46 PM.
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 993
Likes: 119
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
As a life long tech, 35+ years, this makes no sense. The trans should not be making any kind of heat at idle. As stated, you can idle a vehicle a long, long time just to get up to operating temperature. Now if you bring the engine rpm up against the brakes, it'll heat up very quickly. This is how we heat up the fluid to check the level on some of the new stuff without a dipstick. Confirm actual temperature. If it's truly that high, look inside the trans.
