Aftermarket Trans Cooler

Hybridhunter wrote:
Better yet, how does the factory do it?? (Rhetorical question)

My oem Ford goes to radiator top, then to the auxiliary cooler.

Hybridhunter wrote:
Better yet, how does the factory do it?? (Rhetorical question)

On my 2001.5 Dodge/Cummins Fluid goes from the tranny to a tank cooler on the passengers side on the block(This tank has coolant in one part and ATF in the other). From there is goes to a free standing cooler in front of the radiator, intercooler and air conditioner coils, making it and the engine oil cooler the front most coolers. From this second ATF cooler it returns to the tranny! This is similar to the two links posted earlier.

So that is how ONE factory does it!!!! Chris

Better yet, how does the factory do it?? (Rhetorical question)

Me Again wrote:

Say What!!!!! You want your tranny fluid to run as cool as possible. Tranny, Rad, extra cooler, back to the tranny. If you start with 180 degree transmission fluid in the pan you will destroy it on a good along pull.

I monitor tranny fluid in two places. In the pan and at the output line. Temp in the pan barely moves the needle most of the time. But will get to around 170 in really hot SW weather on a good pull. Get it around 235 in the pan and you are in trouble. The output line reacts quickly to stop and go traffic or mountain pass pulls. Heat destroys tranny fluid, and destroyed tranny fluid destroys trannies!!! I run Amsoil tranny fluid.

Chris

This may have been true 10 years ago, but cold trans fluid is bad for mileage, shifting, and transmission performance. If you have a transmission that does not internally regulate fluid temperature, a large cooler can be a problem in the winter in colder climates.
I personally know of 2 people that have had winter shifting issues traced back to transmission over-cooling.

Some newer vehicles even have owners manual warnings not to self extricate the vehicle from a stuck situation until the transmission is up to operating temperature.

On newer transmissions, (as in most 6 speed), temperature is internally regulated, and fluid does not flow to the cooler until the transmission is up to temperature. So it them depends on the circumstances. If you do not have "heavy duty cooling" on your truck and you are adding a trans cooler, running tothe cooler first may very well work best.
There is no "rule of thumb".

If you go through the auxiliary cooler first you just reduce the radiator cooling load but the fluid will not be any cooler leaving the radiator. Not enough to matter anyway.

Radiator is always hotter than the ambient air. So if you run it through the cool air first then the hot radiator there is no point except to reduce the load on the radiator.

So, if the auxiliary cooler is on the "inbound" side and then goes back into the radiator (then returns to the transmission), what is the impact on cooling? Is it significant?

Trans fluid should go into the top of the radiator first.

Check out this link from Hayden coolers.
Trans cooler questions

It goes:

Tranny, radiator, cooler (next cooler) and back to tranny.

Here is why.

As far as super cooling tranny that is not an issue. Tranny's have a temp sensor and they won't lock up the converter until they are up to temp.

Guess what I have to replace this weekend on my old 93 pickup? Yep, tranny temp sensor. :R It went out a few weeks ago. :R Oh joy I love taking a bath in ATF. I'm Soooooooo looking forward to doing this. :R

DougE wrote:
I believe you're backwards there 74vette. Preferred way is to go through the auxiliary cooler first and then through the vehicle radiator. Thus if the auxiliary cooler supercools the fluid, the radiator will warm it up some. The engine thermostat makes sure the coolant coming out of the engine is 195* so after the radiator cools it down some the temperature at the trans cooler element is almost the perfect temp for the transmission.

Say What!!!!! You want your tranny fluid to run as cool as possible. Tranny, Rad, extra cooler, back to the tranny. If you start with 180 degree transmission fluid in the pan you will destroy it on a good along pull.

I monitor tranny fluid in two places. In the pan and at the output line. Temp in the pan barely moves the needle most of the time. But will get to around 170 in really hot SW weather on a good pull. Get it around 235 in the pan and you are in trouble. The output line reacts quickly to stop and go traffic or mountain pass pulls. Heat destroys tranny fluid, and destroyed tranny fluid destroys trannies!!! I run Amsoil tranny fluid.

Chris