Tranny cooler

[Ryan1]

What is the best tranny cooler to buy for a 94 X. Im sure I have a stock one that is attached to the outside of my radiator.

If I were to get a new one would I replace this one or or just add it on.

Ryan

 

[aldive]

The factory cooler is generally sufficient. Why do you think you need a new one? Do you plan to tow a heavy load?

 

[SteveVB]

cooler never hurts

Early models had two different coolers of different sizes.
If you have the large one (larger one was mounted on the left and had outlets at the bottom- aprox 6x8 inches, smaller one was on the right, and was 4 or so wide and 7 incehs long mounted up and down) and dont plan to head off-road or tow- it is more than up to the job.

IF you have the smaller cooler, have more than bolt-on's on your engine, head off road, have added a higher stall converter, or are going to tow then a larger cooler is in order. Stock cooler is a long style plate cooler - I would get a B+M plate type- its made by Long so same as OEM, and you can get a few different sizes check B+M catalog, or Summit Racing. Somewhere on this site some part number are posted. A quick search should turn them up.

Good luck

 

[james t]

Originally posted by aldive
The factory cooler is generally sufficient. Why do you think you need a new one? Do you plan to tow a heavy load?

heat is the #1 killer of a tranny. lets face it, the 4R55555R or whatever it is is not that good of a tranny... there are about 5000 threads on grenaded V6 trannies. a big aftermarket cooler could only help. personally, i would run a VERY LARGE aftermarket cooler, and it wouldnt matter if i towed or not.

Ryan- i have a larger aftermarket on mine (i have a different tranny than you) and i just ran it in-line after my stocker.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by james t
heat is the #1 killer of a tranny. lets face it, the 4R55555R or whatever it is is not that good of a tranny... there are about 5000 threads on grenaded V6 .

Please explain how much heat ( actual temperature ) do you feel that is the killer of the tranny?

Thanks.....

 

[james t]

"well, i figure around 221.5 degrees... anything under 221 degrees should be fine." hell, i dont know. its just common sense. the cooler an auto runs, the better. fact is, your not gonna get an auto tranny to run "too cool" with an aftermarket cooler, and a transmission cooler is just cheap insurance. is it a "be all/end all" cure, and will it make your tranny run forever? no, not at all.
here is a list of auto trannies i have owned...

TH350
TH400
TH700R4
4L60E
4R70W
C4

the C4 (in my early bronc) is the only auto tranny i have ever had rebuilt, and it is because it needed a rebuild when i bought it... all of these ran very large aftermarket coolers, and all were mid-high milage trannies. also, all had fluid/filter changed regularly. obviously, by using my avatar as an example, i was not kind to a single one of them. the TH400 was behind a 500HP big block in a 90 pickup. ALL were used for towing, everything from my parents ski boat, to ATV's, etc. etc. and all survived quite well, despite my lack of respect. coincidence? maybe, maybe not.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by james t
"well, i figure around 221.5 degrees... anything under 221 degrees should be fine."

What temperature do you think the tranny runs with a stock cooler? In town? on the road?

How do you feel about using synthetic ATF to reduce heat?

Thanks.....

 

[james t]

1. i have no idea. a guess would be fluid coming out of tranny would be around 180 degrees, just driving normal, around town.

2. i feel very strongly about using synth tranny fluid. i use it, period. i am currently running B&M trick shift synthetic in my X. i went with the B&M fluid because i have used the regular B&M fluid in every other tranny i have owned, and as stated above, have had good results. their synth is relativly new, and not as "tried and true" as others like Mobil 1. but, i have had good results so far. i know there is some major controversy on this site about running synth tranny fluid (or synth anything, for that matter) so i generally keep my mouth shut on these types of dibates. as a general observation, it seems to me most who cry "synth is not worth the money", or "synth will harm your tranny", or my personal favorite, "you shouldnt flush/change brands/ever use synth in a high milage tranny. seems to me that most of these people are the ones that have the majority of the tranny problems, and the synth/flush guys have the least. but, thats just a general observation. i assume that since the synth cuts down on friction, it would thus reduce heat slightly, though i have not actually seen a comparison to prove it.

i will, no matter what anyone says, continue to run synth in my tranny. i will also run it in my motor, and anything else that takes oil or fluid for that matter.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by james t
1. i have no idea. a guess would be fluid coming out of tranny would be around 180 degrees, just driving normal, around town.

2. i feel very strongly about using synth tranny fluid..

On a recent road trip at 70 MPH in 95 F weather, the temp rane between 150 and 159 F. In town it getsd up to 170 F.

I use sunthetic fluids everywhere. I use Mobil 1 in the tranny but am going to switch to Amsoil at the next change.

I also use an aux filter on the tranny' adda another quart to the system and does a great filtering job.

 

[410Fortune]

The reason heat kills an auto tranny is because the ATF breaks down when it gets too hot and can no longer lubricate.

The larger the tranny cooler the better. An external tranny filter is also a wise investment. The stock tranny cooler is okay, but a larger one is better, no matter what you use your truck for. You cannot go tooo big.
I have a class A motorhome tranny cooler built by Hayden in line with my 3 core aluminum HD auto radiator. Peace of mine and lots of miles with a setup like this. Also I run fully synth everything in my baby....it;s a smart move.

 

[james t]

i cant remember the weight rating, but the cooler that im running on my X looks to be about the size of a Pontiac Fiero radiator.

 

[Dannyboy]

...and the biggest tranny cooler is like $100 maximun, no need to argue that it's a good deal to prevent a rebuild of over 10 times that. What's a hundre bucks Al? I lose more money when I lay down on the couch.

 

[aldive]

Agreed, a good cooler never hurt a thing and often saced a big bill.