Tranny coolers, where to put them
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 154
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From: Kingsland Georgia
Tranny coolers, where to put them
This is a branch off the thread entitled Aux cooling fans. It seems a number of us '79ers have a similar problem with our cars running somewhat warm at highway speeds. Has anyone had success installing a tranny cooler and if so where? What was it's effect on the engine temp. How does it connect? Which cooler did you use? Our cars seem to do fine around town just have the problem at highway speeds.
Thanks for your help,
Happy 4th
Capt. Ron
Thanks for your help,
Happy 4th
Capt. Ron
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,096
Likes: 990
From: Sierra Foothills CA
I can't speak to any differences there might be between your year & my 69 at the front of the car but I mounted mine in front of the radiator. It's a B&M, rectangular in shape and it's fairly thin. I had to mount it offset to the passenger side or the tip of the hood where it comes to a point would have hit it whenever I opened the hood. It had no effect on coolant temps. Hopefully this helps. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,235
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From: Sick of these TOOLS & AZZHATS in DC
I run an aux tranny cooler in sequence with my radiator. I can't say it made much difference in the engine temp, but it does make a difference with the trans temp. If you run a torque converter with a higher than 1800 stall you SHOULD be running an aux cooler in sequence with your radiator. My tranny fluid comes outa the trans, into the radiator, outa the rad, into the aux cooler, outa the aux cooler back to the trans.
edit: oh yeah....its mounted in front of the rad...its a B&M and its about 10"x14"
edit: oh yeah....its mounted in front of the rad...its a B&M and its about 10"x14"
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,008
Likes: 38
From: Space Coast Gator Territory
This is the first I have heard about running hot being specific to the 79 model year. That said, I have a 79 that runs about 240 on the highway and at 3200 rpm's with a relatively new radiator. Swapping in a 160 thermostat did nothing but delay reaching max temp. A trans shop suggested my 2700 rpm converter might be a contributing factor. One BB owner swears by his B&M frame rail cooler to keep temps down. The rail cooler has blades that draw air over the coil when in motion. My engine temp drops below 220 when I keep the rpm's below 2900. My solution to keep it cool is to swap the TH350 for a 200-4r and add a trans cooler.
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Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,503
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From: Raleigh NC
Originally Posted by Red 69
This is the first I have heard about running hot being specific to the 79 model year. That said, I have a 79 that runs about 240 on the highway and at 3200 rpm's with a relatively new radiator. Swapping in a 160 thermostat did nothing but delay reaching max temp. A trans shop suggested my 2700 rpm converter might be a contributing factor. One BB owner swears by his B&M frame rail cooler to keep temps down. The rail cooler has blades that draw air over the coil when in motion. My engine temp drops below 220 when I keep the rpm's below 2900. My solution to keep it cool is to swap the TH350 for a 200-4r and add a trans cooler.
The best solution is the 200r4--to bring highway rpm's down to allow fan clutch operation.
An aluminum radiator works too. As do electric fans.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
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From: Science Bitch! Mississauga, Ontario
Canadian Events Coordinator
Originally Posted by Tight End 84
Isn't that kind of small? Nice lines and mounting bracket . Your camera takes amazing pictures also.
. Your camera takes amazing pictures also.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Brampton Ont.
Originally Posted by AGVI
Small? Aren't all tranny coolers around that size?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Went with the heat sink design coolers...
Installed them through the tranny crossmember where the exhaust usually goes.. I have sidepipes
With the B&M Supercooler, my tranny temperature went up to 230 degrees after 2 passes.. With the heat sink design cooler, the temperature never exceeded 150 degrees after 5 passes...
Installed them through the tranny crossmember where the exhaust usually goes.. I have sidepipes
With the B&M Supercooler, my tranny temperature went up to 230 degrees after 2 passes.. With the heat sink design cooler, the temperature never exceeded 150 degrees after 5 passes...
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Question?
Do you eliminate the tranny fluid going thru the radiator and have it just go thru the auxiliary cooler or do you use both? Second question, obviously it keeps the temp of the tranny fluid down but does it help keep the engine temp down as well? This is the question Capt Ron and I need answered. I would think you would have to route the tranny fluid thru the aux cooler first and then the rad so its cooled as much as possible before entering the rad thereby hopefully keeping the water in the rad cooler. Make sense?
ESU
Do you eliminate the tranny fluid going thru the radiator and have it just go thru the auxiliary cooler or do you use both? Second question, obviously it keeps the temp of the tranny fluid down but does it help keep the engine temp down as well? This is the question Capt Ron and I need answered. I would think you would have to route the tranny fluid thru the aux cooler first and then the rad so its cooled as much as possible before entering the rad thereby hopefully keeping the water in the rad cooler. Make sense?
ESU
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
you can run it only thru the tranny cooler or thru both the rad and tranny cooler. Engine temp effect will be negligable. It has more of an advantage to the tranny. You can also put one on the oil for the engine to do the same thing.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 852
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From: Katy TX
Originally Posted by ESU
No a/c condensor, for those of us with a/c its gonna get awful crowded up front.
I made a couple of brackets and mounted my tranny cooler inside the shroud at the bottom. Mine is inline with the radiator cooler.
With a big aluminum radiator there was no difference in overall cooling, can't say what a stock radiator would do.
And after re-reading the initial post I have to ask the question. If the car is running hot at highway speeds then why are you looking at a transmission cooler? As mantioned, if you are running a higher stall converter then you should have a tranny cooler. Here in south Texas my old stock radiator would not keep up. I got a Griffen Aluminum direct bolt in. It cost me some $ but I simply don't have to worry about cooling anymore. (at least until I get to 600 HP).
Last edited by PatG; Jul 4, 2006 at 01:32 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
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From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
Went with the heat sink design coolers...
Installed them through the tranny crossmember where the exhaust usually goes.. I have sidepipes
With the B&M Supercooler, my tranny temperature went up to 230 degrees after 2 passes.. With the heat sink design cooler, the temperature never exceeded 150 degrees after 5 passes...
Installed them through the tranny crossmember where the exhaust usually goes.. I have sidepipes
With the B&M Supercooler, my tranny temperature went up to 230 degrees after 2 passes.. With the heat sink design cooler, the temperature never exceeded 150 degrees after 5 passes...
Where'd you get those? I want some!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,695
Likes: 65
From: Kissimmee fl
Finalist 2021 C3 of the Year - Modified
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Kalway
Where'd you get those? I want some!
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Originally Posted by PatG
That is what I found on my '79.
I made a couple of brackets and mounted my tranny cooler inside the shroud at the bottom. Mine is inline with the radiator cooler.
With a big aluminum radiator there was no difference in overall cooling, can't say what a stock radiator would do.
And after re-reading the initial post I have to ask the question. If the car is running hot at highway speeds then why are you looking at a transmission cooler? As mantioned, if you are running a higher stall converter then you should have a tranny cooler. Here in south Texas my old stock radiator would not keep up. I got a Griffen Aluminum direct bolt in. It cost me some $ but I simply don't have to worry about cooling anymore. (at least until I get to 600 HP).
I made a couple of brackets and mounted my tranny cooler inside the shroud at the bottom. Mine is inline with the radiator cooler.
With a big aluminum radiator there was no difference in overall cooling, can't say what a stock radiator would do.
And after re-reading the initial post I have to ask the question. If the car is running hot at highway speeds then why are you looking at a transmission cooler? As mantioned, if you are running a higher stall converter then you should have a tranny cooler. Here in south Texas my old stock radiator would not keep up. I got a Griffen Aluminum direct bolt in. It cost me some $ but I simply don't have to worry about cooling anymore. (at least until I get to 600 HP).
ESU