NASCAR314

I've been wanting to add a transmission cooler to my 96 with the 4L60E auto trans.

While laying under the car looking for space / idea's / ect..., I notice the power steering cooler and it appears you could mount a 2nd power steering cooler on the same brackets so they would be basically back to back, but the new one would be up-side down. Tubing looks to be the same size where a rubber line (oil line, not emmissions line) could be spliced into the existing metal line going from the radiator to the trans. for cooling.

I would add the external cooler after the radiator cooling and on the return to the transmission.

So which transmission line is the return line? the one attached to the top of the radiator? or the one attached to the bottom of the radiator?

Has anyone tried this? Did it work / fit OK ?

Or is there a better solution for cooler type, placement, ect...,

PLRX

I mounted mine in front of the condensator.

GKK

I mounted a "Heat Sink" transmission cooler I bought from Jeg's.

I like the heat sink design because it doesn't rely on airflow to cool properly and I didn't want anything mounted directly to the radiator or condensor.

The top transmission tube is the output from the transmission and the bottom is the return back to the transmission. I cut the bottom return tube and connected the radiator end to the heat sink cooler and from the cooler back to the other end of the return line. You could buy adapters to convert from NPT to AN or to a Barb end so, you don't have to cut the transmission return tube.

I just installed the transmission cooler for added protection.

Mounted on the upper radiator shroud.


Front view.

engle1147

This is an '89



The return line should be the bottom line on the radiator....but you should double check for your application.

NASCAR314

Below are the pics of the power steering cooler, notice how one could be mounted directly in front of it and on same bolts. Plenty of room, and would be a solid mounting system, with decent airflow to the unit.


This is looking from the front, towards the rear of the car notice the solid mounting and ample space. yet not enough space for most aftermarket coolers (not enough height room)



This is looking from the passenger side wheel well you can see the power steering rack above it.

skybolt31

check out this thread for a similar solution to your idea:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...on-cooler.html

NASCAR314

That's what I'm trying to do, but with another power steering cooler, converted to a trans. cooler.

All I need to do is find a decent power steering cooler for a "donor"

My transmission fluid normally reaches 240 deg. while autocrossing in summer time. Ocasionaly spikes a bit higher, but drops down quick.

My water temps stay below 210 deg. normaly lower than 200 deg.

I'd like to have trans. fluid temps peak at 210 - 220 deg. MAX!

Aardwolf

Then you want a very large efficient cooler with a fan. Mine on a road course only gets to 200°. I doubt a small one behind the radiator will help but try it and let us know. I also doubt the heat sink type helps much. I've found the trans to stay cool at cruise and get real hot at slow speeds and stop lights. I've also found that once the trans gets hot it's difficult to cool it down.

Pic of mine:



It's not run through the radiator cooler right now. That lowered the temp only a few degrees but keeps the trans cooler longer as the coolant doesn't preheat the trans. It was 90° out the other day and I drove it on the street, the trans peaked at 155° for a 30 mile cruise. At the first stop light it went up to 200° with no fan then took a long time to come back down. At the track I use a fan to cool it between sessions.

pologreen1

GKK how much does that one help? I am taking my car in for gears soon, and I need to pick a cooler, but I am afraid the small won't work well, does it?

pologreen1

NASCAR314

OK, I found a very good used power steering cooler in a junkyard for a 92-96 Vette.

Donor Cooler
notice the bent fins, It is needed to clear the electric fan motor.



Here it is installed looking in from passenger wheel well



Installed looking up from the floor



The pictures above also show the power steering cooler, the donor cooler is another power steering cooler converted to transmission cooling service and mounted to the same bolts and mounting flanges.

Pictures earlier in this post show the stock set-up with the power steering cooler only.

These are pretty good sized coolers, 12" wide by 4" high and 2" thick with 10 passes of the tubing. As you can see, space is limited, however, the electric radiator fans will be pushing air right thru them. Albiet hot air after passing thru the radiator, but air movement is good.

I'm taking it out autocrossing this weekend (14 events, NCCC low-speed, Fishers, Indiana [near Indianapolis]) and it will be hot and humid, so we'll see how my tranny temps are.

I'll post results next week

94z07fx3

That is one slick idea, NASCAR314. I hope it works out for you!

rickneworleansla

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...ll-5-pics.html

NASCAR314

RESULTS:

Well, weather did not cooperate very well, lots of rain, cooler air temps as well. But,......highest tans temp seen was only 203 deg. F

Actually the trans was cooler than the water temp. which is exact oppiste of what I had before.

I'm going to try it again, (in the interest of science ) autocrossing next weekend in Quincey, IL. this time with two drivers in the car so it will get twice the abuse and much less cool down time between runs.

Now I'm talkin' NCCC autocross where 7 events in a day equals 14 runs times 2 drivers equals 28 runs in 1 day on the car. often back to back, engine stays running during driver switch.

I'll post those results after that event.

But so far, I'm impressed.

Tom Piper

I did exactly that -- works like a charm.

Tom Piper

GKK

I don't have a trans temp gauge connected. I just installed the trans cooler for added protection since I figured it couldn't hurt.

Aardwolf

What were your trans temps normal driving before the cooler? You only mention 240° temps in autox. IMO 203° for normal driving is to high, mine only reaches 150°. But at the track it goes up to 200°. Remember to add 50° for output temp to get an idea of the real temp at the converter. I think you'll still see 240° in autox putting you around 290° which is well in the danger zone.

NASCAR314

I don't drive the car "normally" or at least very little.
But seems they ran around 190-200 deg.F in summer time

Is it possible that the coolant in the radiator is actually heating the trans fluid? my coolant temps usaully 185-190 in normal driving.

Perhaps skip the cooler inside the radiator and just use an external cooler???

I'm not sure where the temp. sensor is located in a 4L60E trans. so I'm not sure why you want to add 50 deg. for output temp.

rickneworleansla

Thats_why_I_bypassed_the_radiator.

Sorry_space_key_just_broke.__

Aardwolf

The temp sensor cannot be placed at the hottest part, the converter. I also bypassed the radiator but that's terrible for street use. I drive to the track and if I get stuck in traffic the temp sky rockets. It really needs a fan. BTW bypassing the radiator only lowered the overall trans temp a few degrees. It's good for track use this way though but I run a road course with lots of high speed airflow.