mark b

Before I spend 1000$ on a rear mounted tranny cooler, would the above suffice? I see 270 to 280 oil temps on the Glen in the spring/summer/fall with an oil cooler, so I know the tranny is there also with the temps.. This is my THIRD manual tranny ( bought used) and it seems to be good so I want to protect it before track season starts.

also thinking of insulating my exhaust pipes around tranny to deflect the heat.. is this worth it? does it work?

thx

ErnieN85

Mark, The bigger the better..... the only thing is the oil flow to the cooler. Z06, ZR1 and manual GS and Z51 trans has a pump for the oil flow. If you have a base trans you will need a pump to make it work.
the only difference front vs rear is the line length needed for hookup

CHJ In Virginia

After two tranny failures, you need to do something !! IMHO don't mess with trying to fabricate a system that may or may not work properly. Go with a proven system that works like the DRM or LG packages. I used the DRM system and have not had an overheat problem since install - even at VIR in August with 105 degree ambient temp. Here is a post I did a while back on the install with a lot of pictures.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...ful-hints.html
The DRM kit was if I remember correctly about $650 and it took me a day to install. Wrap the exhaust pipes with header wrap and use a top quality synthetic fluid like Redline. Do it once, do it right, and don't worry any more !!

RX-Ben

every used trans needs to be rebuilt. You are generally on borrowed time. Why did they fail?

mark b

thx for replies.. they failed because I drive too hard!
No really, its probably just from running hot and shifting at high speeds and downshifting etc.. Im pretty sure they (tranny) would last alot longer on the street.

My last vette was an auto (over heated more) but there was a sensor and a high tranny temp warning light..I put a B&M tranny cooler in that one and had no issues other than with the oil cooler AND tranny cooler in front of the radiator, my coolant temps would rise faster on the track..

Now the vette I have is 16 yrs old with a manual trans and doesnt have the high tranny temp reading to give me fair warning so I never know if the tranny is cooking other than the regular oil temp readings.

The only thing about getting the rear coolers is I have to cut up my car and put the Z06 brake screeens on and that is an extra 300 plus 700 for coolers and getting it all installed correctly will probably be 500.

so 1500 for everything.. or 200 for BM tranny cooler front mounted..

alot to decide

RX-Ben

Are you planning on running the lines for the front-mounted cooler through the oven (aka the trans tunnel)?
You can find the Z06 ducts for cheaper in the classifieds section or ebay.

mikeCsix

Good write-up CHJ, thanks for sharing it. I believe the DRM kit is fashioned after the T-1 transmission cooler kit from GM for the C-5 Z-06. In that kit there is a thermo-switch used to engage the pump but more importantly, they use an inline filter prior to the pump to help keep the pump free of metal shavings, damaging the pump GM uses in their kit.

I've been thinking about doing something like this for the differential in an effort to help control transmission temps too.

TKOGTO

I have a different car but FWIW, the B&M cooler with the fan has not worked for me. I have done several things to date which have not worked. First I put it in the right wheel and it worked well but for only 2 days. As these were my 5th + 6th track day, I started picking up speed and temps soon approached pre-cooler levels. Second, I removed the cover on the inside of the Grand Sport gills to get better air flow - little improvement. Third, I moved the cooler up front in place of the right fog light - this helped again but only for about 2 days. thinking the fan might be restricting the air, the next step removed it. I removed the cooler from the radiator @ the same time and temps actually went up.
On the street, it works well, in fact too well. In 30* degree on a highway drive of ~ 2 hours, temp maxed out @ ~ 130. I will have the lines pressure tested but if that doesn't reveal any restriction, the B&M will get replaced with a Setrab. I am learning the lesson that many have learned before me. Get the best to start with. In this case, the biggest you can fit. Going half way pays off sometimes but when it doesn't, it more than offsets benefits from the former.

Bluefire

I tracked my car six times last year. I had added a Setrab (25-plate) cooler in the front (bypassed radiator). I still saw temps ~235 after the second session of the day. Third session I would get the "TRANS TEMP HIGH" message. It started to prevent me from shifting so, I got off the track.

I got tired of the band-aids that didn't work so I ordered an RPM T56 MN12, TT, Clitch pedal... you get the picture.

mark b

Ok so the front mounted cooler is a no go? it wont work with a manual tranny and doesnt cool enough for hard driving..

this sucks.. i really dont want to cut my car up for cooling ducts.. there must be a better way..

mikeCsix

The other issue to keep in mind is the differential. The Z06 has a diff cooler, are any of you running one? If not, you are trying to cool both the trans and differential through a single cooler on trans axle equipped cars.

Scooter70

The OP's avatar is a C5 so I'm assuming that's what he has. There is no pump in the trans or diff. Both will require an external one to move fluid through the heat exchanger, regardless of where it's mounted. The C5 T56 does has a temp sensor but you can't see the reading until it triggers the "overtemp" warning at 270*. Like Ben said, the trans tunnel is an oven so running fluid lines through there will do little to cool it and will probably make it worse. The DRM kit it pretty much the best way to go. You'll just need to add switches to turn it on and off as I don't believe they're included.

RX-Ben

You can also wire in a thermoswitch, like this one - http://www.etrailer.com/Radiator-Fan...le/D16730.html

There various inline fittings with 1/8" NPT ports that should work, you can also use a tee fitting with this awesome cap (also great for autometer temp sensors, which are quite long): http://racepartsolutions.com/index.p...id=27&Itemid=1

Bill Dearborn

Not necessarily. The GMPP T1 Tranny cooler comes with a front mounted Fluidyne cooling element, two hoses going to and from the rear of the car, a fluid pump that mounts to the right side frame inside the right side wheel well (behind the liner), and a thermostat that is mounted to an ear on the transmission. When I bought one for my 97 in 97 they ran about $750 at the dealer parts dept. I used that cooler on the 97 and 03Z. Lots of track events on those cars and never had a transmission issue.

GMPP claims cooling the transmission will help cool the diff since they are connected. Don't know if there is much diff cooling but there may be some.

Bill

mark b

thanks.. I might go with the one you described.. do I have to cut the car up to put the rear brake ducts on, or does it work fine without the ducts?

Also does it come with interior switches, or is it always on? Can I shut it off for street use and turn it on for track use?
Does it come with a sensor that would alert me of high tranny temps?
thx

mikeCsix

I believe GM tried to automate the pump actuation with a thermo switch. I have been thinking about doing this mod too. I have an a6 so the torque converter is working hard on a sixteen turn track.