tranny cooler

[Albino 94LTD]

I run below 140 unless climbing a long hill, then it will go up to about 170, if I'm towing our 19ft boat, then it tops out at 210 because the last 2 miles home are up hill at 25mph.

I have a new Flexalite cooler w/thermo controlled fan on order to replace my 2 auxillary coolers in front of the radiator

 

[JoeR]

I really like Monmix's set-up, but after a quick look, it doesn't seem that it will work on a 2002+ model. Has anyone does something similar on a 2002 or later?

 

[glfredrick]

The wife and I just purchased a brand C Trailblazer for a family vehicle and tow rig (it comes with the transmission that all we Explorer dudes are trying to swap into our trucks at great expense). It has a 6200 pound tow capacity, which I've already tested and more (Full sized Jeep Waggy with a snow plow on a heavy 2 axle trailer -- it ran away with it!). Sorry for having to go different brand, but my 97 Ex was a pile... I was looking at a minimum of 2K worth of repairs, between bad computers, cam tensioners, front end parts, etc. It had to go...

In preparing the truck for a tow to Moab (check out the UCORA site for trip info) this spring, I've been talking to some of my transmission shop customers. They all recommend having the temperature gage in the line going TO the cooler, not back FROM it. You want to know what the transmission actual temperature is, not the best case scenario (right out of the cooler). They say, that by the time you see high temps after the coolers, the inlet temps would be high enough to fry the internals on the tranny... Especially if you are running big or multiple coolers.

Many things can effect output temperatures -- slippage, using OD on grades, working the torque converter too hard on take off, etc. You want to know about that, not just cool the oil, hence their recommendations.

 

[wee]

I have an 01 Sport and my tranny lines are are corroded and it looks as though i am leaking tranny fluid from my radiator. Do the 01's have the tranny coolers inside the radiator? I got an aftermarket one I am going to install to stop the leaking. I don't do any towing, no long distances, about 11 miles round trip a day of 50mph.

 

[glfredrick]

EVERY automatic transmission vehicle I've ever seen since the 1960s has had a factory cooler built into the radiator.

You can probably get by with an external cooler only in your case, but I'd still recommend against it. Pull-a-Part auto salvage has radiators for cheap...

 

[Wrench]

One small point I would like to add when it comes to purchasing an auxillary cooler is to buy a plate cooler (thread #6) rather than a tube cooler as they are more efficient at transfering heat for size comparison. I also agree on putting the temp sender before the coolers. You will know right away if the cooler gets plugged/low flow as your temps will skyrocket but if you have the money its nice to have it in both locations using a toggle switch to look at the different temps.

 

[Maniak]

I have found that I have cooler transmission temperatures by bypassing the radiator than I do going through it first.

My temps are about 10 degrees cooler (if not more) and doesn't get hot near as fast (since it isn't preheated by water that is 150F+) which is good on 105F+ days.

I go from the tansmission to a plate style with a fan on it (that runs whenever the converter isnt' locked) that came from a corolla (same one that is on the front of a 4-runner). From there it goes into a tube/fin style cooler.

I've heard/read that you can "over cool" a transmission. If you live where it gets cold you want the fluid to go into the radiator so it can warm up the fluid. When its 50F out I can drive 30 miles to work (mostly freeway) and have the temp at about 130F (in the pan) by the time I get to work. If I put it through the radiator I will be at 130F not much after I am getting heat in the truck.

I've been trying to find a way to switch the fluid from the radiator to the aux coolers at a low temp, but the best I can find are sensors that turn on the aux coolers at a certain temp (170F+). I can't find one that will change which coolers it will flow to.

~Mark

 

[west7805]

Yes you have the correct factory set up.
No, adding another won't hurt one single bit.
I added one.
Most tranny failures come from over heating. Any additional will only help.

FWIW some just skip the radiator lines and use just the two aux coolers.

maybe a dumb ? but when I add a new cooler and filter do you need to add more fluid or would the 12 qts. be ok?

 

[west7805]

Yes you have the correct factory set up.
No, adding another won't hurt one single bit.
I added one.
Most tranny failures come from over heating. Any additional will only help.

FWIW some just skip the radiator lines and use just the two aux coolers.

maybe a dumb ? but when I add a new cooler and filter do you need to add more fluid or would the 12 qts. be ok?

 

[MONMIX]

maybe a dumb ? but when I add a new cooler and filter do you need to add more fluid or would the 12 qts. be ok?

Not a dumb question at all. Yes, you will need to add SOME additional fluid. Not only do you now have additions capacity, you also will most certainly spill some during the instal process.