Trans Temp Too High
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 209
From: Lake Mary Florida
Trans Temp Too High
I am doing some street shakedown driving on my newly completed heavily modded 2012 GS A6 prior to going to the track. Mods include 416 stroker forged motor, ECS S/C kit, meth, Century built trans, ProTorque 2600 converter. In 90 degree ambient I am seeing trans temps around 210 when coolant is running around 200. Cooling mods include DeWitts radiator, non-glycol coolant, dual Spal fans, B&M trans cooler, and an oil cooler. I have been assured the trans tune is to Century specs. I am not aware of any additional mods to lower the trans temps. I would like to see a trans temp no higher than 190 and I would appreciate ideas on possible solutions to get the temps down with my setup.
BIGMAC
BIGMAC
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 209
From: Lake Mary Florida
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Is it a good idea to run it in series like that with the radiator heat exchanger? Seems like the coolant could almost be heating the fluid up instead of the other way around.
Total guess on my part--just curious.
Total guess on my part--just curious.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 209
From: Lake Mary Florida
One "school of thought" is to bypass the trans cooler built into the radiator and run the aux cooler only. I posed this to my builder who did not agree with this approach.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 193
Likes: 5
It runs cooler if you don't run the Aux Transmission cooler in-series with the radiator, just sent the lines directly from the transmission to the transmission cooler. I have a higher stall than you, and the highest I have ever seen my temps go is 180, but I'm no where near as heavily modified as you are.
Also are you using a 160 degree t-stat? This could lower your temps if you don't want to bypass the radiator, but you must remember to change your fans settings to accommodate this t-stat change.
Also are you using a 160 degree t-stat? This could lower your temps if you don't want to bypass the radiator, but you must remember to change your fans settings to accommodate this t-stat change.
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Are you using an intercooler for the blower and if so, is the trans cooler in front of the intercooler?
Is the plumbing routing from the trans to the cooler before or after the radiator?
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Providing the most proven supercharger kits for your C5/6/7 609-752-0321
We use a big cooler with a fan, biggest you can fit in there. Normally we place them under the left head light, but you could put a second under the right head light, a little smaller since the charge tube is there, but usually one is enough unless you are in a high heat area.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,820
Likes: 411
From: Montreal
St. Jude Donor '13
Running a B&M cooler with a fan here also. The rad is bypassed and I have the fan running all the time in hot weather. The thermostat that comes in that cooler turns the fan on too late, or at least it did for me. I rarely see over 180 and usually cooler than that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
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From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
I have tried it both ways---by passing the trans radiator cooler and running the added cooler in series with the radiator cooler
I have found that it cools the trans best when running both---
Remember that that radiator trans cooler is cooled by the ECT temps---So absolutely you need a lower thermo--I like the 160* the best-- and you must LOWER the fan settings to take full advantage of the lower thermo---This in turn will lower the trans temps
I set mine to come on at 188 or 190
ALSO there are trans tuning things that you can change that aids in lower temps as well---The #1 thing is to quicken up the TCC lockup times--this is done by setting your TCC PWM tables to read 90 minimum and 99 maximum---
Also delete the 3rd gear lock/unlock
210 is only acceptable on a 100* day in city traffic other than that it's too HOT---On my car with a 3000 stall it never got over 185*---
A deep oil pan helps by adding 1-2 qts of oil
I have found that it cools the trans best when running both---
Remember that that radiator trans cooler is cooled by the ECT temps---So absolutely you need a lower thermo--I like the 160* the best-- and you must LOWER the fan settings to take full advantage of the lower thermo---This in turn will lower the trans temps
I set mine to come on at 188 or 190
ALSO there are trans tuning things that you can change that aids in lower temps as well---The #1 thing is to quicken up the TCC lockup times--this is done by setting your TCC PWM tables to read 90 minimum and 99 maximum---
Also delete the 3rd gear lock/unlock
210 is only acceptable on a 100* day in city traffic other than that it's too HOT---On my car with a 3000 stall it never got over 185*---
A deep oil pan helps by adding 1-2 qts of oil
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
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From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
If you have a cooler that is over capacity and run without going through the radiator, you'll have problems getting it up to temp in cool weather. It'll shift erratically at WOT below 150*. Adding an in-line T-stat will resolve the problem. A 180* T-stat should work fine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,820
Likes: 411
From: Montreal
St. Jude Donor '13
That's my oil cooler but my trans is identical on the other side. Matt at FSP has some nice brackets that put them in same area but lying flat, if you don't want to bother fabbing up brackets.
