Just picked up a extra trans cooler

[redneck999]

Was at the local junkyard and picked up an extra trans cooler and need to know would it better to be used as an oil cooler or hook it up in series to my factory trans cooler?

 

[410Fortune]

Do you already have a trans cooler in addition to the cooler in your radiator?

if so I suggest just leaving it at one external cooler....if you want you can always upgrade the factory cooler to a more efficient/larger cooler, but running two in series can put strain on the oil pump in the trans

 

[redneck999]

Yes it already has acooler on it.

 

[vrytired]

Do you already have a trans cooler in addition to the cooler in your radiator?

if so I suggest just leaving it at one external cooler....if you want you can always upgrade the factory cooler to a more efficient/larger cooler, but running two in series can put strain on the oil pump in the trans

so why not put them in parallel with a couple of T fittings?

 

[CDW6212R]

Bingo, do it in parallel, it makes less back pressure, and cools just as well as in series. I bought one off of eBay for about $23(+17). I'll hunt a couple of Y-fittings for mine. Regards,

 

[Maniak]

I'm running 2 coolers in series. I have a pressure gauge on the pressure port of my transmission (700r4) and my pressures seem to be where they were with just the one cooler (I wasn't specifically watching for that)

It goes from the transmission to a plate style (12" x 8") with a fan on it. From there it goes into a permacool tube/fin style that is 12" by 20" (its behind/next to the plate style).

Putting in the 2nd cooler didn't help much in town (idle), but adding the fan did. From what I can see, adding the extra cooler cut down on the air flow going to the radiator at idle (motor runs warmer) and the front cooler wasn't getting air pulled through it at idle (which is why I added the fan).

I may try running it in paralell again and specifically watch the pressures to make sure they are the same (at same temps etc)

~Mark

 

[Brandons]

Running two factory coolers in series. No ill effects on the transmission yet, and the transmission mechanic who rebuilt this one commented on how well it was setup. Though ever since reading that im sooo tempted to go parralell.

 

[410Fortune]

So Maniak you do not have the fluid/fluid cooler in the radiator?

 

[Maniak]

Correct, I no longer run the fluid into the radiator first. Heck, my new radiator still has the little factory plugs where the lines would go.

When I was first running 1 cooler (it was about a few inches away from the condensor and before the fan) I noticed my fluid was getting hotter than I liked. I took the fluid out of the radiator and my temps droped back down about 20 degrees or so (even highway temps were higher than I liked)

We are in the desert the truck has yet to see anything near 0F. It lucky if it see's mid teens in the dead of winter.

~Mark

 

[aldive]

but running two in series can put strain on the oil pump in the trans

I run a B & M tranny cooler in line with the factor one and have no problems. Does an excellent job keeping the tranny temps down.

 

[410Fortune]

interesting

I have a B&M supercooler (HUGE) in line with my aluminum radiator and my trans temp gage rarely rises, when it does it peaks at about 150 (BII)

In the Explorer I have the factory cooler in the factory radiator and a smaller B&M style cooler (off brand)
I do not have a temp gage on there yet, but its coming soon.
Since I plan to use this truck to tow the boat on long road trips I am thinking another cooler in series is a good idea, but the gage will tell the tale.

 

[Brandons]

I rarely see the trucks engine temperature reach half way, usually below middle (i have no real idea what temperature this is).

 

[410Fortune]

stock gage is a joke But half is about 210 for coolant temp (on some trucks anyways)
I mean it works and it will wanr you of overheating, but its not exactly accurate

Get yourself a water temp gage and a trans temp gage, so worth while!!
knowledge is power

 

[Brandons]

Yup thats my intention just started a new job and hopefully will have some more cashflow. That reminds me i should start looking into were to put the trans temp sensor and what not.

 

[410Fortune]

A4LD?
When you drop the pan you will see the spot, on the side of the pan

or you can do like others and go with an aux filter and use that manifold

When I first went 4.0L I could not get my coolant temp gage or oil light to work so I went to Checker and bought a cheapo set of 3 mechanical gages, took me 30 minutes to hook them up, I never went back to stock gages.

 

[Brandons]

Yeah theres guages at a princess auto i wouldnt mind getting.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed

 

[Maniak]

You see those charts often but they never give you enough information.

They are trying to say transmission life is based on transmission fluid temp BUT where are they measuring the fluid temp?

If your measuring as the fluid comes out of the transmission your are measuring after the fluid has just left the converter (where the fluid is the hottest). If you measure from the pan you are measuring the temp the fluid is as it enters the transmission (which might make more sense since thats the fluid that goes through the transmission).

I change the fluid in on explorer (700r4) about every 15k miles (2 oil changes) and each time it comes out bright red and not burnt. During the summer the pan temp hits over 195 (not often, but it does.. 170-185 is normal in town driving temps)..

~Mark

 

[410Fortune]

OEM trans temp sensors are mounted int he pan under the valve body

Also those charts show the life of the fluid, correct? so it doesnt matter where the temp is measured as long as the fluid is never allowed to reach those temps.

 

[Maniak]

The charts show temp of transmission fluid, but show transmission life expectency which is why I have an issue with the charts. I've seen different charts that talk about fluid that say at what temp the fluid starts to break down..

If I remember correctly the chart said synthetic fluid starts to break down at 260f+ and non synthetic was somewhere under 240F+. Those number to me would mean if the fluid got to those temps, the fluid is going bad (so you would want to measure it after the converter).

~Mark