Remote Trans Cooler needed or not?

-

AlaskaJeff

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Messages
640
Reaction score
1,018
Location
Palmer, Alaska
This trans cooler was installed on my Duster when I got it. It's in a strange place and the 1/2 hard & half hose and clamps lines (while not currently leaking) are less that ideal. Is it a good idea to run a cooler in all situations? My car is a mostly street/cruising driver.
Trans Cooler.jpg
 
That is weird place. You really do not need ne on a driver unless you tow or race with it really. But cooling the fluid will never hurt either.
 
As long as you have the stock and propperly functioning in radiator cooler you would be fine to remove it.

Where that one is, is less than optimal with little to no airflow through the fins.

It will provide a small amount of heat dissapation, probably on par with a finned trans pan.

Just my 2 cents.
 
As long as you have the stock and propperly functioning in radiator cooler you would be fine to remove it.

Where that one is, is less than optimal with little to no airflow through the fins.

It will provide a small amount of heat dissapation, probably on par with a finned trans pan.

Just my 2 cents.
I'm not sure HOW that would work, having two sets of cooler lines hooked up to the same transmission? My car does NOT have OEM style lines hooked to the radiator.
 
I'm not sure HOW that would work, having two sets of cooler lines hooked up to the same transmission? My car does NOT have OEM style lines hooked to the radiator.
When you have both a OEM type trans cooler located in the radiator and an auxiliary trans cooler they are plumbed in series, one flows through the other then returns to the transmission.
With out having aradiator cooler you need to relocate the cooler you do have to a position where it can get some proper air flow.
What the trans fluid look and smell like, if its burnt change it pronto.
 
I would source oem replacement or good originals lines with fittings to your application. A post in the wanted section would probably make quick work of that.
Mount that cooler in front of the radiator and plumb in series as 512stroker described. Oil and filter change and never look back.
 
When you have both a OEM type trans cooler located in the radiator and an auxiliary trans cooler they are plumbed in series, one flows through the other then returns to the transmission.
With out having aradiator cooler you need to relocate the cooler you do have to a position where it can get some proper air flow.
What the trans fluid look and smell like, if its burnt change it pronto.
The fluid has looked & smelled fine for the 2 summers I've driven it.
 
Here is how mine is set up.

Inline tube has the OEM type lines for most applications if you choose to go back to the original configuration

20220911_092230~2.jpg
 
I'm not sure HOW that would work, having two sets of cooler lines hooked up to the same transmission? My car does NOT have OEM style lines hooked to the radiator.
That's your ONLY transmission cooling? Yikes!
You cannot over cool an automatic transmission, but the one of the things that will kill it pretty quick is heat. With very little air flow through yours I would question how effective it is.
If it were me, and it will be soon because my car is getting a new trans, I would get a stacked plate cooler and put it in front of the radiator. The finned coolers like yours are ok, but just ok. Stacked plate are more efficient.
 
How high is your stall?
How high does the oil temp get?
How much power are you making?
How often are you using it?
How hot does it get in your neighborhood?

Obviously the questions are all designed to get a handle on the oil temps.
Regular ATF likes to run around 160/180*F, but is fine to 210/220. Around 240*, it will start to give up, and if abused there, will cook your friction materials, thus turning color, and losing it's ability to lubricate. The color change is caused by the burnt stuff in it; and that stuff is too small to be caught by the filter; and while not as abrasive as sandpaper, it won't be doing the soft parts any favors.
Bottom line is that if your oil has not changed color, then it has not overheated, and your trans guts are still fine. How well the oil is still doing it's jobs of lubricating and cooling, I cannot say.
To that end, I would still put a temperature gauge on it,
or shoot the oilpan now and then with an IR gun,
particularly on a hot day after a good run;
or when slipping around in traffic.

IMHO that cooler, as installed in your car, is just about useless, being nothing but a heat-sink. You can make it functional by dropping it some, and closing the back-end and sides, to force ram-air to drop down thru it. However, it will be susceptible to clogging by dirt/gravel/road debris; so leave a lil hole at the back-end for stuff to ram on thru.

On a side-note;
I have run my 904 without a cooler, for several winters and late into spring, with no ill effects. But that engine was just a lo-compression 318 4-bbl with a 2800stall and usually 3.23s. Not ideal but, she was just my winter power-supply; and I have a good amount of experience rebuilding Mopar transmissions. And, I always have a spare or three, lol. and I always had all summer to freshen it, which was usually May long weekend to September long.

It's all about the heat, obviously; but lol.
 
Very grey topic. The tube in your rad is to warm your transmission fluid..especially in winter or cool weather. Optimal temperature is 170 - 190 degrees.Delta T says the bottom of your rad is about about 30 cooler than the top so the fluid is being warmed to about 160 degrees by your rad.The additional 20 or 30 degrees will come from friction.If you are racing or using your vehicle to tow in hot weather i would add a cooler in series with your rad tube.
Monitor your transmission fluid temperature and then decide.
I ran a 4" x 11" cooler in series with the rad on a warm 340 with a Dynamic 9 1/2" converter and it was hard to get the fluid temp to 160 degrees which wasn't good.
 
That's your ONLY transmission cooling? Yikes!
You cannot over cool an automatic transmission, but the one of the things that will kill it pretty quick is heat. With very little air flow through yours I would question how effective it is.
If it were me, and it will be soon because my car is getting a new trans, I would get a stacked plate cooler and put it in front of the radiator. The finned coolers like yours are ok, but just ok. Stacked plate are more efficient.
Check out a transmission temp vs transmission
life chart, very interesting
 
I would do what others have said and get a plate style and mount it in front. Or you could replace the radiator with one that has a trans cooler.

When I bought my PTC torque converter I asked Kenny about the need for a cooler. He recommends an axillary cooler for any higher stall converter.
 
..and i think that is a good idea for a cheap high stall converter that creates a lot of slip and friction.
But a high quality converter like dynamic 9 1/2" is very tight with very little slip (3%) unless you flash it. Converters have come a long way...still there are older inefficient or inexpensive pieces that are not designed well available so watch out.
 
My PTC is tight...until you punch it. Then it slips to about 3600!!! It's 3 years old and normal driving you would think it was stock. I'll go with the recommendation of the owner of a well known torque converter company.
 
@AlaskaJeff ...

  1. Does your radiator have a trans cooler in the bottom tank?
  2. If it does, can fluid flow through it?
  3. If it does not, a radiator shop can add one.
  4. If you don't want to add one to the radiator you could move yours to Infront of the radiator so it stands a chance to get some air movement
  5. Side note... A fluid to fluid heat exchanger is much more efficient than a fluid to air cooler. That 1.25 (ish) diameter cooler in the bottom of the rad can cool the trans where as a finned external only might not be able to under many situations.
 
-
Back
Top