What are you guys using? i took a small trip up Highway 1 to stinson beach today and my temps went up to 230 *F! i have a 2800 stall and 3.42 gears now. outside temp was no higher than 53*F very windy and foggy. this is the cooler im using that came with my rebuilt trans. its only about 7x12".



my old cooler at the bottom

 

The OEM plate style cooler is probably more efficient than the aftermarket finned tube style. The air cooled auxiliary cooler should be installed in series downstream of the cooler in the radiator.

 

i dont think its OEM. but i did bypassed the radiator per the instructions of the trans rebuilder

 

Were you driving at a slow speed, in an unlocked situation? That got me in trouble once, driving 30mph up a mountain. Since then, I've added a lockup switch and now running 2 coolers. One is a front mounted madmatt special (Tru-Cool # LPD47391), and rear mounted with a fan is B&M 70297. So far the temps are holding 130-180.

 

thats exactly what i was doing. Lock up switch? never heard of that. something else to look into. any experiance with a Remote Oil Thermostat?

 

Haven't heard of that. Yeah that's a bad situation for a stalled auto. You can wire a switch to ground a PCM wire, it will force the converter to lockup. That will make it stop slipping and making crazy heat.

 

It sounds like you do not have enough cooling capacity for your new application. I recommend you replumb the plate cooler in series with the cooler in the radiator and see what that yields before spending a bunch of money on additional plumbing and cooling components.

I had a C-4 with a high stall converter when I lived in FL with that configuration and never had any problems with excess heat. Bypassing the cooler in the radiator is OK if you have enough of a heat sink with the new cooling configuration to handle the heat load; it's apparent that you don't from your reported temperatures.

 

have you guys tried installing a cooler in the front driver side vent area? there seems to be a lot of room to fit a cooler in there. by the way i went with the B&M 70297

 

I installed the same cooler you just purchased. I put under the drivers headlight area behind the brake duct vent. I removed the headlight assembly to do it but some guys remove the nose. It dropped the trans temps down about 30 degrees on average. I bypassed the thermostat that B&M has on the unit and ran a wire to a switch by the ashtray so I can run the fan when I feel the need. The thermostat never came on when wired up the way B&M said to do. Use a relay for the power to the fan and be sure to use a 15 amp fuse. I made up some brackets using 1 inch strap to keep the cooler from bouncing around. You don't have to cinch it down real solid because it has no place to go as there isn't much room under the headlight. Just be F---ing sure that the headlight doesn't contact the cooler when going up or down. Also use #6 AN braided line as the pressure is over 200 psi when you're pushing it hard. Do a search, there are some good ideas from other guys that have done this. P.S. You do lose the brake duct Good Luck, Rod

 

That plate cooler is wayyyy more efficent then the fin cooler your putting in.
Also do use steel braided lines for your trans lines not because of pressure (it's really low ~10psi) but because ATF will attack the rubber lines because it contains softners and swelling agents.

 

i think I've seen a thread for that cooler location. i don't like it though. wouldn't want +160* heat to ruin my ACA headlights its already on hence why im going with a different set up.

 

Mickey, I was a little off on the line pressure. Internal pressure can approach 220-230. Cooler line pressure with converter unlocked can be 110-120 psi. Cooler line pressure with converter locked can hit 160 psi. This is with a level 5 RPM tranny, your pressure may vary, but don't plan on low pressure in those lines. It WILL bite you in the ***!! I got those specs directly from TJ at RPM today. Also, I wouldn't worry about 160 degrees under your headlight as there is air movement while you are moving enough to shield your lights. If you are stuck in traffic and get worried just raise the lights. Rod.

 

I have a 2600 stalled A4 / 3.42 with a plate style cooler just like your old one--I do not like the tube/fin style coolers--they are junk--I also use a motorcylce fan on it that comes on with the 2nd radiator fan---
I have the trans radiator cooler BYPASSED---( runs 5-7* cooler for me that way-- ) My trans on the hottest calif 106* day in traffic never goes over 200-202* Typical city traffic temps are 185-190 and freeway temps are 175-180
A 2800 stall is not a BIG heat maker as some are claiming--many converter companies don't even rec. a cooler with anything under 2800
With the converter UNLOCKED vs LOCKED at slow speeds like 30 MPH --The converter slip is minimal so the heat is NOT tremendous deal--I would be more worried about the lockup chattereing upon application at those low speeds and line pressures--
When tuning a DD type car I never set the TCC to lock at speeds below 48-50 MPH with a baby stall---
Transmission tuning with full tuning sofware (HP or EFILIVE) would make a huge improvement in cooling and operation and longevity--To me it is a MUST with any stall
Many tuners make the mistake of adding too much line pressure thinking this is the correct way to firm up the shifts--Actually with Stall converters I always leave the line pressue STOCK--Several other tables are availiable to make the shifts firmer and are also avail to firm up the TCC lock up as well via PWM