Aftermarket tranny cooler.

All of the parts stores Ive found here so far have tranny coolers, but no jeep specific install kits. I was thinking about just getting 2 double ended barbed connectors and using those to connect to the new cooler hoses. Would it be OK to cut the factory tranny lines and use hose clamps, or is the pressure too high?

I figured this should be OEM since jeeps have similar optional coolers...

Perfectly acceptable solution. I think you have to go OEM if you want a setup that mates with the OEM cooler line connectors.

PaulJ said:

Perfectly acceptable solution. I think you have to go OEM if you want a setup that mates with the OEM cooler line connectors.

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That's correct. Although the after-market method will work, I would buy the factory kit for this very reason.

I have a Hayden cooler on mine and it was simple to install. You do need an adapter kit for it though.

Theres an install article in the following link that will give a great "how to" and it tells you which adapter kit you need (if you decide on this type of cooler)

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Thats the exact same tranny cooler I just bought minus the install kit. Im going to try to mount mine a little differently with the inlet/outlet tubes of the cooler facing the other direction, leading to the cut/spliced tranny lines that will lead off to both sides of the harmonic balancer. This should take out a lot of clutter on that side of the engine.
By the way, what kind of performance did you get out of that cooler? Any appreciable drop in engine temp? Thanks.

Lucas said:

By the way, what kind of performance did you get out of that cooler? Any appreciable drop in engine temp? Thanks.

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Not sure to be honest - don't have a tranny temp guage. I'm sure its doing what its designed to do.

BTW heres a pic (BEWARE! This ain't no OEM one!)

Make every effort to connect to the before-rad cooler line to keep preheating effect functioning. I'd also double clamp the hoses to the too-smooth trans lines. Have had them slip off with passage of time. Is amazing how quickly you will loose trans fluid!!

That pic of that massive cooler is waaay overkill for all but the most demanding conditions for these little XJ's. One half that size is all that would ever really be necessary. Have you seen the factory Up Country aux cooler?? It is a bitty thing and the engineers must have determined it must do some good. The GVW ratings on the coolers really is a good guideline.

You will not see any diff in engine temps but your trans will.

Its already in and working fine. I wanted to pass as little heat from the tranny into that side cooling tank because
A) the hottest oil would be ditrectly heating the coolest water
B) the intake air has to pass around that cooling tank before reaching the airbox, so I want to keep that tank a cool as possible.

Ill probably be putting some reflective insulation tape over that cooling tank to try to keep the incoming air as cool as possible.

Judd W. VA said:

Make every effort to connect to the before-rad cooler line to keep preheating effect functioning. I'd also double clamp the hoses to the too-smooth trans lines. Have had them slip off with passage of time. Is amazing how quickly you will loose trans fluid!!

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Yep thats how I did it too. I plumbed it in before the radiator for basically 2 reasons. 1 - the size of the cooler is big and I didn't want the ATF to be too cool as it enters the tranny and 2 - for the same reason Lucas stated, it introduces less (or zero?) heat into the radiator coolant.

That pic of that massive cooler is waaay overkill for all but the most demanding conditions for these little XJ's. One half that size is all that would ever really be necessary...

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I know. Isn't it great!

Eric......

I know what you are saying, but i thought it was helpful to mention that it really is not necessary to have to go that large to safeguard against high trans temps. One can run into real installation difficulties when trying to fit such a large cooler rad...i know, have struggled many times. Gotta be REALLY careful when routing the lines. Is easy to have holes rubbed in the hoses en route.

However, the trans cooler still does introduce heat to the coolant- It is in front of the radiator. All the heat from the trans cooler then flows through the rad fins. The idea is not to remove heat from the engine coolant but to remove additional heat from the trans fluid.

i bought a B&M hi-tech cooler...... i dont want to mount it in front of the rad for two reasons...1# being preheating the rad airflow.. 2# being i hate the idea of mounting directly to the rad with those universal kits........ i am thinking i will mount it on the underside of the hood above the distributor... thenpunch out some louvers in the hood or find an old import intercooler hood vent in the scrap yard to let the air flow thru.... just need to perfect the hose routing but i think its a safe spot with good airflow from the engine fan.. ill post picks when its done....

Sidriptide,

I can understand your concern about mounting your aux transmission cooler. I have thought the same but years ago I asked why the AC condensor is in front of the radiator instead of behind it, my Dad and this HVAC told me the AC condensor is less tollerant to additional heat.

I have the facotry Aux cooler which is 3 x 16 inches and sits at the bottom. All in all the heat relased by the aux trans cooler will not have an effect on your cooling system. It is the radiator & thermostat plus the outside air temperature that determine how cool or warm your engine runs.

You have not mentioned if your XJ is running warmer but you may need to do some maintenance like change out the clutch on the mechanical fan. Also if you are talking about the 87 you list then you may want to change out the radaitor, you know over time deposits form and make it a less efficient "heat exchanger".

I have an Aux trans cooler and AC on my 88 XJ and don't recall a problem with the engine running warm once I stalled a new mechanical fan clutch and made sure the electric fan is plugged into the chassis harness. That electric fan does make a BIG difference when you run the AC.

Martin