Eliminating Built-in Radiator Tranny Cooler?

The vehicle is a 91 Comanche, 4.6L Hesco stroker w. the AW4. The AW4 coolant return line is plumbed through the stock factory cooler (like below) then through the built-in radiator tranny cooler. Today while cruising around town, coolant line quick-connector popped off the lower radiator port and before I could get it off the road into a parking lot I had dumped four quarts of transmission fluid. What a freaking mess!

To eliminate two of these pesky quick-connectors I want to disconnect the radiator tranny cooler altogether and just use the stock aux cooler mounted out front of the A/C condenser for cooling the transmission by itself. My questions are:
1. Will the OEM stock tranny cooler like below be enough to keep the AW4 cool by itself? and
2. Do I need to cap off the built-in radiator transmission cooler ports? Don't think so but I want to be sure. and
3. Will eliminating the hot transmission fluid flow through the radiator help keep the stroker a bit cooler?

This rig does no offroad and I live in a fairly warm climate (N. Alabama) where the temps rarely get below freezing. Thanks all. -Don

1. I would say yes it should be fine, to be safe though hit up a junkyard and grab a larger cooler from a truck or van. With that stroker I wouldn't want to risk any heat in the trans regardless if that stock OEM trans cooler is sufficient or not. This all also depends on what gears your running and what size tires are on it. If your running stock gears and tires then yes you should be good, if your running stock gears and 31s, 33s, 35s..... then get a bigger one just to be safe.

2. I would do so just to keep crap from getting in there

3. It might but probably not by much

Thanks XGarfX. Am running 31s, D44 rear and 4.09 gears so it's very close to the stock final drive ratio. I've been researching quite a bit and it seems that if you have the the optional factory OEM tranny cooler as I do, then the radiator tranny cooler's main purpose in life is to warm up the tranny fluid faster in colder climates. Not real cold here; heat is the bigger problem.

I was just curious if anyone had done this just using the factory tranny cooler by itself but could not find any as most use a larger aux tranny cooler. The most strenuous use my rig sees is the occasional ricer blow off at the local stoplights. I enjoy this very much. :looser: I also plan on installing a tranny temp gauge; should have done that years ago.

Stroker, d44, 4.09's is just begging to go off road.

Naw, she's too pretty. Just got tired of snapping axles with the olde D35. :cheers:

Pics?

Here's an old one. Olde school......

Wow. Minty clean. No wonder you don't want to wheel it. What hood it that?

comanche91 said:

Here's an old one. Olde school......

Click to expand...

Is that MJ European with the side marker in/on the fender?
Beautiful vehicle. Show room sparkel. :worship:

bcjeeper said:

Wow. Minty clean. No wonder you don't want to wheel it. What hood it that?

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's a reflexxion hood, I have the same one if it's steel.

Thanks all. Yes, that's a Reflexxion cowl hood and it really helps cooling the stroker. And not an export model, I put the side markers on.

comanche91 said:

........
I was just curious if anyone had done this just using the factory tranny cooler by itself ...........

Click to expand...

I ruined the last XJ's AW4 ... trusting the factory oil cooler set up.

Temp gauge results on the current XJ showed ....

Bypass the rad and use just the OEM ext cooler ....
- Totally inadequate in a 30* - 100*+ climate

Bypass the rad and use two of the OEM ext coolers ....
- Barely adequate ... and still high temp spikes hills & towing.

Bypass the rad and use a large aftermarket cooler ...
- Stable temps of about 150* ... with slightly higher temps under heavy load.

Factory spec operating temps are about 120* - 180* ...

Dunno where jeep measured the temps ... but I had a bolt on probe on a tranny sump bolt.


Nice Ute ... :thumbup:

carves said:

I ruined the last XJ's AW4 ... trusting the factory oil cooler set up.

Temp gauge results on the current XJ showed ....

Bypass the rad and use just the OEM ext cooler ....
- Totally inadequate in a 30* - 100*+ climate

Bypass the rad and use two of the OEM ext coolers ....
- Barely adequate ... and still high temp spikes hills & towing.

Bypass the rad and use a large aftermarket cooler ...
- Stable temps of about 150* ... with slightly higher temps under heavy load.

Factory spec operating temps are about 120* - 180* ...

Dunno where jeep measured the temps ... but I had a bolt on probe on a tranny sump bolt.

Nice Ute ... :thumbup:

Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliment and real world feedback mate. :cheers: Finished cleaning up the ATF mess today, and replaced all the tranny coolant line quick connectors with new, and have retained both the radiator cooler and the factory aux cooler. No leaks, all is well, and no worries at present. Next step is something I should have done long ago; install a temp gauge. Have ordered a dual pod gauge holder for the A-pillar to replace the single pod I have now for it's location. Will install the sensor inline on the lower radiator port tranny return line using flares, not compression fittings. That's where Jeep measured the temps I'm pretty sure. Your 30* - 100* (F?) + climate temps are similar to here. I spent a few years at Harold E Holt and Woomera, and loved my time there carves.

not sure if it helps here but I have a stock f-350 trans cooler for sale. I was gonna (and still might) gonna put it on mine when I got around to it. let me know if yall would want it.