Questions about automatic tranny cooler
04-20-2005, 01:05 PM
#1
Questions about automatic tranny cooler
I was going to buy a new radiator since I have to fill mine up every day since it has a crack in it. I was going to buy a universal aluminum radiator and use the stock fans and shroud. I wanted to know since the radiator does not have a tranny cooler could I just use a big external tranny coole? and would it keep tranny temps down enough for daily driving??
04-20-2005, 01:36 PM
#2
I would say YES you need to add an external tranny cooler. I am not sure how much cooling the stock one does. I added the Hayden 405 Series which is supposed to drop my tranny fluid by an additional 70 degress F. So the main question you need answered is how much does the stock tranny cooler cool the fuild. That I cannot answer.
04-20-2005, 02:26 PM
#5
I ran just the external cooler for 2 years on my 97SE, mainly because one of the nipples broke off when I was installed the cooler. No problems and that included a lot of racing.
Most of the time I think the stock cooler is warming up the fluid vs cooling it down, regardless I don't think it will allow your tranny to overheat.
It may be beneficial to monitor the temp of the stock setup for a day or two and then compare with the external alone. I may do that myself just to confirm my beliefs.
BTW I have a 24,000 B&M, I recommend them because its a much sturdier construction than the Hayden and it has a built-in bypass so when fluid is cold it bypasses cooler. Good for winter etc so that fluid heats up quicker.
Most of the time I think the stock cooler is warming up the fluid vs cooling it down, regardless I don't think it will allow your tranny to overheat.
It may be beneficial to monitor the temp of the stock setup for a day or two and then compare with the external alone. I may do that myself just to confirm my beliefs.
BTW I have a 24,000 B&M, I recommend them because its a much sturdier construction than the Hayden and it has a built-in bypass so when fluid is cold it bypasses cooler. Good for winter etc so that fluid heats up quicker.
04-20-2005, 05:53 PM
#6
Originally Posted by Jime
I ran just the external cooler for 2 years on my 97SE, mainly because one of the nipples broke off when I was installed the cooler. No problems and that included a lot of racing.
Most of the time I think the stock cooler is warming up the fluid vs cooling it down, regardless I don't think it will allow your tranny to overheat.
It may be beneficial to monitor the temp of the stock setup for a day or two and then compare with the external alone. I may do that myself just to confirm my beliefs.
BTW I have a 24,000 B&M, I recommend them because its a much sturdier construction than the Hayden and it has a built-in bypass so when fluid is cold it bypasses cooler. Good for winter etc so that fluid heats up quicker.
Most of the time I think the stock cooler is warming up the fluid vs cooling it down, regardless I don't think it will allow your tranny to overheat.
It may be beneficial to monitor the temp of the stock setup for a day or two and then compare with the external alone. I may do that myself just to confirm my beliefs.
BTW I have a 24,000 B&M, I recommend them because its a much sturdier construction than the Hayden and it has a built-in bypass so when fluid is cold it bypasses cooler. Good for winter etc so that fluid heats up quicker.
04-20-2005, 06:43 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 874
Hmmm....I didn't know the B&M had a bypass. I was going to put on an auxiliary tranny cooler but hesitated because I was afraid of running the tranny too cold in the winter (too cold is bad, too). What are the minimum/maximum operating temperatures that your tranny runs at?
04-20-2005, 07:21 PM
#8
i also have the B&M supercooler.. and also am just running it as my primary cooler.. and i dont regret running it this way since day one.. i have been running it this way for almost 2 yrs. now.. and i love it.. it helped out alot.. ive noticed crisper shifts and less drag between shifts.. i live in norman, ok.. and during the winter time i usually let the car warm up for about 5 min or until the temp needle moves.. and then granny it until the needle is above the C.. also during the summer i let it warm up the same way..
maxklinger is right the tranny must be at a certain temp for the fluid to protect and operate correctly.. as for what exact temp is the minimum would probably be according to the recommended operating temp range of the tranny fluid you are using.. because if it isnt at normal operating temp it cant pressurize right and most importantly cant protect and lubricate accordingly.. i never really noticed my temp gauge at a lower point after i installed the tranny cooler.. i beleive that the maximas (once warmed up) never move from the halfway point.. like jime said i think the stock cooler warms up the tranny fluid more than cooling it.. i hope that this info can be usefull in your situation spanishrice.. good luck!
maxklinger is right the tranny must be at a certain temp for the fluid to protect and operate correctly.. as for what exact temp is the minimum would probably be according to the recommended operating temp range of the tranny fluid you are using.. because if it isnt at normal operating temp it cant pressurize right and most importantly cant protect and lubricate accordingly.. i never really noticed my temp gauge at a lower point after i installed the tranny cooler.. i beleive that the maximas (once warmed up) never move from the halfway point.. like jime said i think the stock cooler warms up the tranny fluid more than cooling it.. i hope that this info can be usefull in your situation spanishrice.. good luck!
04-21-2005, 03:59 AM
#9
In addition I might add that the trans will warm up quicker in cooler temps with just the B&M vs the stock cooler because it does bypass and the stock one doesn't.
Also the trans is programmed to shift differently when temp is cold. This is one of the ways I tried to make the trans shift faster, like the DR mod. It shifts at full line pressure when simulated cold just like the DR disconnect.
When the temp is cold the ECM makes the trans shift quicker to reduce wear on the clutches because of the higher viscosity of the cold trans fluid.
Also the trans is programmed to shift differently when temp is cold. This is one of the ways I tried to make the trans shift faster, like the DR mod. It shifts at full line pressure when simulated cold just like the DR disconnect.
When the temp is cold the ECM makes the trans shift quicker to reduce wear on the clutches because of the higher viscosity of the cold trans fluid.
04-21-2005, 06:04 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 874
A few transmission questions to throw out here:
Has anyone who installed a tranny cooler also installed a trans temp gauge? If so, what is the range for normal operating temperature for the transmission with the stock cooler? With the aftermarket cooler?
Does the stock tranny cooler have a bypass valve?
At what temperature or pressure does the B&M bypass valve close the bypass and begin cooling the ATF?
Does a "drop resistor mod" simulate a cold condition in the TCU (tranny computer) so that it shifts at full line pressure?
Just trying to get a better understanding of how the transmission is controlled and how the cooling system works, in an effort to get better longevity and performance out of it. I've been thinking about getting a tranny cooler and a trans temp gauge, but have been hesitant in the hopes that I'll do a 5-spd swap instead. However, since my budget is low and the mileage is high (207,000 and going strong), I'm just trying to extend the life of my car for another couple years.
Has anyone who installed a tranny cooler also installed a trans temp gauge? If so, what is the range for normal operating temperature for the transmission with the stock cooler? With the aftermarket cooler?
Does the stock tranny cooler have a bypass valve?
At what temperature or pressure does the B&M bypass valve close the bypass and begin cooling the ATF?
Does a "drop resistor mod" simulate a cold condition in the TCU (tranny computer) so that it shifts at full line pressure?
Just trying to get a better understanding of how the transmission is controlled and how the cooling system works, in an effort to get better longevity and performance out of it. I've been thinking about getting a tranny cooler and a trans temp gauge, but have been hesitant in the hopes that I'll do a 5-spd swap instead. However, since my budget is low and the mileage is high (207,000 and going strong), I'm just trying to extend the life of my car for another couple years.
04-21-2005, 08:57 AM
#11
Originally Posted by MaxKlinger
A few transmission questions to throw out here:
Does the stock tranny cooler have a bypass valve?
At what temperature or pressure does the B&M bypass valve close the bypass and begin cooling the ATF?
Does a "drop resistor mod" simulate a cold condition in the TCU (tranny computer) so that it shifts at full line pressure?
Just trying to get a better understanding of how the transmission is controlled and how the cooling system works, in an effort to get better longevity and performance out of it. I've been thinking about getting a tranny cooler and a trans temp gauge, but have been hesitant in the hopes that I'll do a 5-spd swap instead. However, since my budget is low and the mileage is high (207,000 and going strong), I'm just trying to extend the life of my car for another couple years.
Does the stock tranny cooler have a bypass valve?
At what temperature or pressure does the B&M bypass valve close the bypass and begin cooling the ATF?
Does a "drop resistor mod" simulate a cold condition in the TCU (tranny computer) so that it shifts at full line pressure?
Just trying to get a better understanding of how the transmission is controlled and how the cooling system works, in an effort to get better longevity and performance out of it. I've been thinking about getting a tranny cooler and a trans temp gauge, but have been hesitant in the hopes that I'll do a 5-spd swap instead. However, since my budget is low and the mileage is high (207,000 and going strong), I'm just trying to extend the life of my car for another couple years.
The stock tranny does not have a bypass. It just heats and cools depending on the differential between the radiator fluid and trans fluid.
The drop resistor mod does not simulate a cold temp, the temp control does not go to full line pressure, at least it didn't appear to be as dramatic a shift like the DR. I haven't actually compared pressures so this is a seat of the pants opinion.
Never again will I race my car without the DR mod on a WOT switch. Last year I did 135 runs many with nitrous and no problem so far. My only mods are the DR, cooler and Mobil 1 fluid.
04-21-2005, 11:15 AM
#12
just out of curiosity what are your times in the 1/4 mile.. i dont have the DR mod and am kind of leary on whether or not i want to attempt it.. but if its proven to not damage the tranny (if only used in WOT and racing) then i might think about doing it.. also do you have times of before and after you did the DR mod??
04-21-2005, 11:51 AM
#13
Originally Posted by 97Maximus
just out of curiosity what are your times in the 1/4 mile.. i dont have the DR mod and am kind of leary on whether or not i want to attempt it.. but if its proven to not damage the tranny (if only used in WOT and racing) then i might think about doing it.. also do you have times of before and after you did the DR mod??
I really haven't done a fair comparison in the 1/4, but here is my seat of the pants dyno guestimate. N/A its not much different, probably a 1/10 at most. However as soon as I add spray the shift times slow dramatically and thats why I wouldn't even attempt a pass without the DR Mod.
Its enough of a difference that one day a wire came off the WOT switch and when it tried to do the 3-4 shift its just took so long to shift I let of the throttle thinking something was wrong.
This is the 3rd car I have done the DR mod on, I did bust one trans 2 years ago but it wasn't the DR fault, I did it in the burnout box, it shifted up to 3rd and hit a patch of nice dry asphalt and kaboom. Now I leave it in 1st gear and modulate the throttle.
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