Can someone give me the basic steps for installing a tranny cooler for my '88? Will i be able to turn it on manually with a switch? Thanks :cheers:

 

Tranny cooler is basically another radiator. I have mine mounted in front of the A/C condensor. Now all I gotta do is hook up the temp gauge so I can see how hot or cool it is.

 

: Sure, I just istalled one on my 86 with an auto trans.
I installed the B&M Super Cooler Pn#70264 $49.95 from Summit.

There are two metal tubing pipes going into your raidator. On is near the radiator cap just below the overflow hose that goes to the surge tank. The other one is just below the radiator drain plug at the bottom right hand corner of the radiator, just below your lower radiator hose. They are both solid metal lines.

Which is which?

The top one near the radiator cap is the RETURN line back to the trans.
The bottom one near the radiator drain plug and lower radiator hose is the outlet one FROM the trans to the radiator.

Mounting location.

1. Front of the radiator. 100% efficient. (It is the preffered location.)

2. Behind the radiator is about 75% efficient. (It's up to you on this one)

I mounted mine right in front of the radiator with the supplied mounting hardware that came with the cooler. The cooler is 11x6x1/12 inches. It did not reduce the cooling effiency of my radiator at normal operating temps more than about 2-3 degrees on my guage.:D


Plumbing

1. It is recommended that you install the cooler AFTER the fluid travels through your radiator for optimal cooling. All you need to do is cut and redirect the return line coming OUT of the radiator to one side of the cooler. Then the cooler outer line goes back to the other section of the line you cut going back to the trans. Basically, install it in line AFTER the radiator.

2. Find the best way for you to route your hoses to the radiator from the location you chose to install it. I cut a small hose in the radiator shround to run the hoses to the front of the radiator.

Temperature monitoring (optional)

You can install an oil temp guage inside the car. You will need a temp sending unit connected in line with the outer, inner, or both sides of the cooler, depending on what side you want to read. If you go with reading both in and out temps, a simple toggle switch will enable you to switch from in and out temps on your guage.

I was going to do this, but changed my mind.

I have an Auto meter oil temp guage new in the box and two temp sending units that are brand new. I will be putting them up for sale in the "C4 Parts for Sale/ Wanted" section soon for about half of what I paid for it all.

Don't worry, your trans cooler will come with detailed instructions. A trans cooler is a wise invenstment. The leading cause of trans failures is due to excess heat. They are simple to install too.

Good luck :thumbs: :auto:


[Modified by 86PACER, 6:14 PM 1/7/2004]

 

I did this job last year on my '87, and found a lot of posts and pics on this forum. Do yourself a favor and do a search.

If I remember correctly, the upper line is from the tranny and the lower one is the return line--so we have a disagreement here on which is which :confused: I think what I'm posting is correct, because the radiator is hotter up top than at the bottom (hot coolant out of thermostat goes to top, and cool coolant is picked up by the water pump through the lower hose).