Transmission cooling
You are not currently logged in. Login to myAccount   Forgot Your Login?   SignUp For a Free Account
 
Buy TShirts & DVDs!-Sell Your StreetRod FAST!-Help-Contact Us
Quick Search:
Transmission cooling
Posted: June 28 2007 03:44 PM
 
Jerry Matthews (aka Willys33) [ View ] [ Email ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Alamogordo, New Mexico

 Get off the trailer and drive
 
The outside air was over 100 with pavement temps in the 140+ range. I don't think this "transit" temp is really hot (ideal is 150 I hear) but wanted to hear from others that have monitored their transmission temps with a gauge. What is everyone else using for a trans. cooler and where is it mounted? Also please weigh in if you are using the bottom of the radiator.
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by dixie  -  06/28/2007 04:42 PM
Willys my roadster is in radiator water temp runs 175 on road without fan, intraffic with fan on 175/180 . i know that gm says trans should run at least { i keep thinking they said 250 your probaly right 150} 250 sounds kinda high use the round tubelar with fins some are single pass some double its better,on the frame mounted long ways. guess i'll leave mine alone since it works so good. O by the way i see hissy fit for sale in indiana yet i'm sitting here looking at it on your post,did u sell it to someone in in.
jim grace [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dade city, Florida Charter Member since January 2006
 
Posted by 31tudor  -  06/28/2007 05:35 PM
I too am interested in using the lower portion of the radiator as my Walker has one built in. All of the car guys I talk to say "why pre-heat the trans with hot water from the block?" My transmission guy says it's fine.


I think it worked pretty well for all of the big auto manufacturers for years and years, I don't see what the big deal is. If I were doing a lot of racing or towing I certainly agree, but a 2000 lb car with 300 HP isn't going to generate a lot of tranny heat. When it's 115 in the summer, and certainly a lot hotter on the asphalt it would seem to me that an external cooler may actually be worse.


Can someone convince me that an in-radiator trans cooler is a bad idea?
Eric Hibbs [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] St. George, Utah Charter Member since January 2002
 
Posted by 29robert  -  06/28/2007 06:36 PM
Well, it's good timing for this subject. I've got a Walker ratiator with the bottom trans cooler, but some guys have said "why plumb all the way to the front of the car when a small finned cooler mounted to the frame will do just fine". I'm just about to the point of having to make a decision. Whatcha think?
29robert [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Verne, California Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by da34guy  -  06/28/2007 06:48 PM
On the Frame.

Sure -the rad deal may be o.k. but look how close the trans cooler lines run to the headers

Also all the Big detroit boys cars have HUGE engine bays, which don't get as hot as our crambed full engine compartment.

Have run rail mounted coolers for over 40 years and never had a tranny failure.
Don [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Prescott, Arizona Charter Member since October 2001
 
Posted by amy14760yahoocom  -  06/28/2007 07:13 PM
jerry about the tranny cooler i have a 1953 plymouth 2dr wagon with limited space . the inner wheel wells fabricated ( tight) i talked with the tranny guy's and told them my fears and they said when possible go with a lockup converter . so i did and i explained the way most people think about heating up the fluid going through ther radiator cooler not to mention running the length of the hot eng along side of the hot headers etc etc . well long story short i built mine in the wheel well with temp gauge on the line . moveing along its at 185 and idle along its at 195 always about 10 degrees above eng temp . i have a friend taht ran a electric fan one with gauge on it mine is a bit cooler without pulling and amps away from the charge system this discussion could go on and on with all of us some do some don'ts good luck bob in ny
amy14760yahoocom [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] allegany, New York Charter Member since July 2005
 
Posted by dixie  -  06/28/2007 07:16 PM
Well its easier to use the small finned one , if your running a/c i'd go with the finned one on the frame. they look good too.
jim grace [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dade city, Florida Charter Member since January 2006
 
Posted by JoeP  -  06/28/2007 07:25 PM
I am using a frame mounted double pass cooler, second car with this type cooler never had a problem.
Joe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Somerset, New Jersey
 
Posted by Willys33  -  06/28/2007 11:45 PM
OK guys, here is what I have found out. I can't say for sure that all this is absolute but makes sense. First, Detroit ran it thru the radiator not only to cool but to heat the trans fluid. Inside your new auto trans are vlave bodies made of aluminum and moving parts made of steel. Expansion rate is different and, from what I have been told, designed to operate at 150 degrees. We run coolers of various types that MAY be too efficent in that on a normal temp day the cooler doesn't allow the fluid to get to operating temp fast enough. Can a transmission run too cold? I don't know! Has a transmission shop ever told someone that the trans failed due to cold? Don't think so. With our driving habits will a transmission fail prematurely due to too much cooling? Never heard of that either. Some of the newer cars coming from Detroit have external coolers with a thermostat on them. Wouldn't that be nice to have on your basic street rod. I have more questions than answers. A shop told me there is no problem with a short transit of temp to 200+ degrees. I have noticed a quick drop in temp when able to get free from a traffic jam and get up to speed and the converter locks up.
Get off the trailer and drive [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Alamogordo, New Mexico
 
Posted by Willys33  -  06/28/2007 11:53 PM
As a side note my cooler is a flat finned 8" X 12" (core of 7" x 11") mounted flat about one inch from the frame just in front of the left back wheel. Air flow...nope. I was concerned so I mounted a temp probe and the temp usually settles at 150 degrees while moving at highway speeds but rarely climbs to 180 degrees. In the past I have mounted the same size cooler to the tailshaft of the transmission at a slight down angle. No need to break the lines if you need to remove the trans.
Get off the trailer and drive [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Alamogordo, New Mexico
 
Posted by PHATN40  -  06/29/2007 08:09 AM
My Corvette has a factory trans. temperature gauge. The oil temperature and cooling temperature run just about the same. Usually within five to ten degrees. I don't know if that is the correct temperature, but that seems to be the way the factory did it.
PHATN40 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Quincy, Illinois Charter Member since July 2004
 
Posted by kadjjd  -  06/29/2007 08:10 AM
Hi Jerry, on my Buick with a Turbo 350 trans I have a small frame mounted finned cooler, I don't have a temp gauge on it but it seems to do a good job of keeping the trans out of trouble. This week when the temp reached 106 my car ran at 200 degrees with the a/c on and the trans seems to be ok. I think 150 at the cooler is just fine on your ride.
Buy a Buick, they got plenty power. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] La Luz, New Mexico
 
Posted by brian41chevy  -  06/29/2007 11:07 AM
Running it through the radiator is not a problem. If you do towing you should add a cooler. I run a two pass confection style cooler mounted to the frame rail. I did this for two reasons. My radiator did not have a cooler on it and, it was easier to plumb the lines.
There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] New Lenox, Illinois Charter Member since November 2004
 
Posted by moparjack44  -  06/29/2007 11:14 AM
I would suggest eliminating the gauge. Sometimes what you don't know is a good thing.


Jack
JOHN 3:16 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Halifax County, Virginia Charter Member since March 2005
 
Back To Top
Please Login or Register to Comment
Existing Member? Sign In.
New Visitor? Click Here to Get Started!
 
Existing Member but forgot your Login Information? Click Here.