Transmission Cooler?

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mopowers

mopowers

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I was told by Dynamic converters that I should run an auxiliary transmission cooler in addition to the one in my stock radiator when I bought my 9.5" Dynamic converter. I've heard good things about the stacked plate coolers that B&M makes. While looking through Summit's website, they have a TON of different sizes and thicknesses available. What size would you guys recommend for a mild 340 w/ 727, 9.5" converter, 3.91s??? Car will be mostly street driven.

http://www.summitracing.com/search?...scending&keyword=transmission cooler&N=400004

Can you go TOO big on a trans cooler?
 
I went with a size similar to what Bruce posted, except I ran braided stainless so I ordered mine so I could attach AN fittings.
 
Thanks for the input, guys. I've kinda got my sights on a plate-type cooler since I've had great success with them in the past. I'm just wondering how exactly one goes about sizing one. They come in .75" and 1.5" thickness and a variety of lengths. I see they are rated in lbs. Is there a rule of thumb for sizing one to a particular combo, or is better to just get the biggest one that'll fit??? Can you go too big?
 
...........I don't think that u could get over cooled with the weather u have there.......I try to use a bigger cooler, but the plate 1s r very efficient.........kim........
 
Just make sure you have the space for it before committing to a particular size.
I bought one of the bigger stacked plate ones and had a heck of a time shoe horning it between the front of the rad and the sheet metal.
 
In my Coronet I used a derale dual pass with fan from summit. Plumbed with -6an braided hose, worked very good. Fan was temp controlled.
 
You can't really overcool a transmission, but you can let the trans help cool the engine so going oversize is only ever a benefit.
Liken it to being able to install a second radiator in a way, because it's amazing how much heat can be carried off of the engine by the trans, and vise versa.
 
Thanks for the info, guys. I'll probably go with the M7B and run it inline with the cooler in the radiator. Now, I've just gotta decide how I want to plumb it. I'll probably use a combo of steel hardline and stainless braided.

crackedback said:
I know you follow my build thread. M7B mounted up.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the pictures, Rob. I saw a couple in your build thread, but couldn't really tell how you mounted it. Those help a lot.
 
mopowers said:
Thanks for the info, guys. I'll probably go with the M7B and run it inline with the cooler in the radiator. Now, I've just gotta decide how I want to plumb it. I'll probably use a combo of steel hardline and stainless braided.



Thanks for the pictures, Rob. I saw a couple in your build thread, but couldn't really tell how you mounted it. Those help a lot.
Click to expand...

I try to use as many existing holes and fasteners as possible. That grille/latch mount was open and it fit, so in it went.

A car with hardline to the cooler.

 
As been said, you can't go too big - especially not in the Central Valley and with a smaller than stock converter. Go as big as you can make fit. Stacked plate are good, stacked plate with fins (Setrab brand) are better. I would plumb it so that aux cooler first, then radiator cooler. That small converter is gonna make some heat, dump as much of it as you can before going into the radiator.

There is ATF cooler specific hose made, use it if you don't use braided SST or FC-332 type hose.
 
crackedback said:
I try to use as many existing holes and fasteners as possible. That grille/latch mount was open and it fit, so in it went.

A car with hardline to the cooler.

Click to expand...

That looks clean! Is that aluminum line??? It looks like 3/8" too. I would be afraid to use aluminum. I would think steel would be a little more durable.
 
Yes, it's 3/8" aluminum tube. IIRC.

Steel tube is definitely more durable.
 
As supplied aluminum tubing is in the fully annealed condition, so fatigue hardening and eventual cracking are my biggest concerns with it. My RoT's are rubber lined Adel clamps no more than 18" apart with a bulkhead union fitting that is stuck thru a tab, panel, or bracket at each end of the tubing. No tube ends hanging in space and no long unsupported sections. I always place the bulkhead unions where I need to make the transition from tubing to hose (usually to deal with relative motion), like where the cooler lines would jump off the chassis to go to the trans. Following those rules I've never felt disadvantaged in using aluminum.

For trans cooler lines they would be a better choice than steel for at least one aspect, aluminum transfers heat much, much better than steel. the cooler lines would, in effect, be mini-coolers themselves.
 
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