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transmission cooler

Ba-Riedo

has frame envy
how big of a transmission cooler do people run?

i looked on jegs and they have all different ones and i just need to figure out what size i need (cooling wise) for my jeep

i dont tow anything yet, but i might in the future and i run 33's with the aw4 trans on a 98 with a 4.0
 
I've heard conflicting statements, both have a good point. I've been told to just run the biggest cooler you can fit which will give you slightly more fluid capacity and of course cooling power. The other side of that is to not run any bigger than necessary as the transmission needs to reach a certain operating temp in order for any moisture that could be in the system to evaporate out.

Of course that depends on if you're running an auxillary cooler and leaving the lines into the radiator or if you're going to make it a stand-a-lone setup. Either way I would highly advise in getting a temp gauge. I run mine without going into the radiator and rarely does it get over 200, usually in the 120-140 range.
 
AJsArmor said:
I've heard conflicting statements, both have a good point. I've been told to just run the biggest cooler you can fit which will give you slightly more fluid capacity and of course cooling power. The other side of that is to not run any bigger than necessary as the transmission needs to reach a certain operating temp in order for any moisture that could be in the system to evaporate out.

Of course that depends on if you're running an auxillary cooler and leaving the lines into the radiator or if you're going to make it a stand-a-lone setup. Either way I would highly advise in getting a temp gauge. I run mine without going into the radiator and rarely does it get over 200, usually in the 120-140 range.

Where did you mount your sensor for your temp gauge? I have the gauge pod mounted with the temp gauges, but i don't have a clue where to put the sensor?? Thanks
Scott
 
I just finished putting mine in last night. I got it from this guy on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...=ADME:B:BCA:US:11&viewitem=&item=330149744236

It is the biggest cooler that will fit literally.

I put it in front of the aux. fan as it's usually on anyways and always on when I'm on the trail or creating lots of tranny heat. Also didn't want to block airflow for the rad. during normal driving.

Overall.jpg


It came with two 3/4" NPT bungs at each end but I wanted the inlet on top and outlet on the bottom. I got a 3/4" to 3/8" NPT reducer and used a 3/8" barbed hose fitting.

Inlet2.jpg


For the outlet due to the lack of space the fitting needed to be angled back behind the headlight bucket. I got a copper coupler fitting that has a 1/2" smooth tube fitting on one end and a 3/8" thread fitting on the other end. Drilled the hole at the correct angle and JBwelded the fitting in place. I was going to solder it but I forgot to get the solder. Then again used a 3/8" to barbed fitting.

Outlet.jpg


The hard lines I cut and used 3/8" compression fitting that had 3/8" barbed fittings on the end.

SupplyLine.jpg


LineConnection1.jpg


The line is summit's twist tite line designed to be used with the socket-less AN fittings. I originally was going to use all AN fittings but with the cooler being NPT I ended up needing adapters and they added to much length to the connections. Since the tranny lines are low pressure the NPT barbed fittings should work fine and it eliminates one fitting. The fittings are a mix that I got from Summit and local hardware store. Since I'm not using the 3/4" outlet bung I plugged it with a Earls 3/4" plug from Summit. On the inlet side I got a cheap reducer from mcmaster carr but should have got one from Summit. The McMaster-Carr fittings was very rough and just a crappy piece but it works. Transmission lines fittings also came from Summit.

The cooler itself has two 3/4" vertical runners and three 5/8" horizontal runners. The fins are 1.5" thick so it has plenty of flow and surface area. I went as big as I could with the most flow as possible. I really don't think you can cool the tranny too much. Or at least on my Jeep the 4.0 and tranny produce some much heat really need as much cooling as possible. And no I did not re-use the stock cooler. For the stock cooler fittings I have not capped them yet as I don't know if I can find the correct sized caps, so the lines have just been crimped off for the time being.
 
LABMBA87 said:
Where did you mount your sensor for your temp gauge? I have the gauge pod mounted with the temp gauges, but i don't have a clue where to put the sensor?? Thanks
Scott

Three places you can put it:

1st and best place would be in the pan. This will give you the best idea of what the temp of the fluid in the transmission is.

Next two are in either the supply or return line. Here it doesn't really matter except one will be the temp of the hot fluid and one will be the temp of the cooled fluid.
 
Sender-unit mount options include:

1) The Perma-cool remote trans-filter mount with sender-mount hole:

http://www.alamomotorsports.com/pmc/Cat_page30.html

2) The Auto Meter manfold... a bit pricey, but slick:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ATM-2286&N=700+115&autoview=sku


Some just use a 'T' fitting, but you have to get one that receives the sender without obstructing flow, etc.

I have opted for 1) above, as it is inexpensive and also provides the extra trans-fluid filtration.

* For the cooler, itself....and after purchasing both the Tru-Cool MAX and the B&M thermostatically-controlled fan-assisted unit...I settled on the Tru-Cool Mini MAX (rated, I believe, for 22K GVW, dims. approx 4x23...stacked-plate type, the preferred tech.), to mount as shown in the go-jeep article here:

http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoAutoCooler.htm

I have a hi-flow 6x6 fan to supplement, and may install the Taurus fan, mounted vertically as go-jeep did, which will extend down to further cover the rest of the trans-fluid cooler.
 
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