inline external transmission filter?

Has anyone ever installed an external transmission filter to their cooling lines to supplement the filter already in the transmission? Sounds like adding one might be a good idea considering the cost to repair automatics and the general flimsiness of the internal filters. I've heard the brands Magnafine and Racor kicked around.

Anybody have an opinion on the wisdom of an external filter?

Erik
88 Comanche

Bonzer idea - get your kit from Flowkooler, Hayden, or someone else like that. B&M has been on the decline since it was bought out by a Korean outfit years ago - unless they got independent again.

Most of the external filters I've seen will use a common spinon filter (usually some variant of PH8A or equivalent) and the better ones will have a thermal valve to allow for more rapid heating by bypassing the cooler until the fluid hits op-temp.

A quick note - make sure to setup the mount so the open end of the filter will be up, and ALWAYS fill the filter prior to installation! The PH8A is good for a full quart, and the "shorty" PH16 for a half quart - don't stop until it's full! A half quart or one quart air bubble will wreck a transmission in nothing flat!

Since the "filter" in the AW4 is really nothing more than a strainer, adding a true filter isn't a bad idea. You can get "prefilter" inspection screens that are finer than the sump strainer, and go in between the filter and the mount for inspection purposes. I believe magnetic variations can also be had with a little digging...

If you are going to do this, I suggest you go the full route - get a filter mount with cooler ports and a thermal bypass, go to an external cooler, and don't use the intarnal radiatior cooler anymore - that will improve cooling for both your engine and your transmission. Think about it - does it make sense to run hot oil thru the coolant for an engine known to run warm in the first place? Bypassing the internal cooler was good for 5-8 degrees' reduction in engine operating temperature, which helped to decrease NOx emissions while having no impact on HC and CO...

5-90

I use a full size spin-on filter my van that I tow with. There is also a small inline filter available, I think it's called Magnafine. There are some on-line tranny parts outfits you can buy the small one from.

ooh, an external cooler as well. I didn't even think of that, but you're right, the cooler is integrated with the radiator--kind of a dumb arrangement. I understand the Magnafine has a magnet in it while the Racor has no magnet but has a larger filter element.

ERik
88 Comanche