Question about trans coolers??

jake

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Has anyone run one? I have the opportunity to receive a free aluminum radiator that is brand new. I am in need of one as I have epoxy holding mine together right now. Problem is that there is no trans cooler built in. I would have to run a separate one. Thoughts, suggestions? I am not a purist so I have no issue with not being stock, I just want to drive. Thanks in advance.
 
Most of the Hayden models I've looked at have 3/8 line inlets, while the lines from the auto trans are 5/16. I was considering trans hose and 2 metal expanders 5/16 to 3/8. LMK know what model you decide on. Ben
 
The redneck solution was to find an old A/C condenser and use that as an oil cooler. If the car does not have air, you can bolt it where the A/C condenser would normally go.

Dave
 
I have a cooler that skips the radiator altogether, like that when I got the car, and it's worked fine for me. I've also used the A/C condenser out of a Jeep.
 
I have a cooler that skips the radiator altogether, like that when I got the car, and it's worked fine for me. I've also used the A/C condenser out of a Jeep.
Hi Scott. I thought advisable to run the trans oil thru bottom of the radiator to help trans during engine warm up. Is that not the case? Thanks, Ben
 
The redneck solution was to find an old A/C condenser and use that as an oil cooler. If the car does not have air, you can bolt it where the A/C condenser would normally go.

Dave
I have an AC condenser from my Fury. Needs fins straightened out. I don’t plan on using it. Needs a good home. I haven’t leak tested it.
 
In climates where there very low temperatures, say Minn in winter, the cooler coils in the bottom of the radiator help to warm the transmission oil up. This improves the ability of the transmission to shift smoothly; thick, viscous and cold oil can cause delayed shifts and/or rough shifting. So yes there is a benefit to having the transmission cooler at the bottom of the radiator tank. For most climates though, the oil cooler does just that, cool the oil. Automatic transmissions have a lot of friction material in them and this material generates lots of heat as does oil swirling about in the torque convertor. All this heat has to be dissipated and that is the purpose of the transmission oil cooler. Even in a cold climate, the transmission will warm up pretty fast. Some heavy equipment runs a thermally controlled valve to increase or decrease oil flow to the oil cooler until a steady operating temperature is reached. Unless it is twenty below outside, I would not be very worried about cold transmission oil in an automotive application, if it is that cold, my C-Body will say in the garage.

Dave
 
In climates where there very low temperatures, say Minn in winter, the cooler coils in the bottom of the radiator help to warm the transmission oil up. This improves the ability of the transmission to shift smoothly; thick, viscous and cold oil can cause delayed shifts and/or rough shifting. So yes there is a benefit to having the transmission cooler at the bottom of the radiator tank. For most climates though, the oil cooler does just that, cool the oil. Automatic transmissions have a lot of friction material in them and this material generates lots of heat as does oil swirling about in the torque convertor. All this heat has to be dissipated and that is the purpose of the transmission oil cooler. Even in a cold climate, the transmission will warm up pretty fast. Some heavy equipment runs a thermally controlled valve to increase or decrease oil flow to the oil cooler until a steady operating temperature is reached. Unless it is twenty below outside, I would not be very worried about cold transmission oil in an automotive application, if it is that cold, my C-Body will say in the garage.

Dave
Always have the right answer!!
 
Hi Scott. I thought advisable to run the trans oil thru bottom of the radiator to help trans during engine warm up. Is that not the case? Thanks, Ben
It is good to run it through the radiator, think the stock unit had twisted lines from previous owner, and I don't think the aluminum replacement I got has the fittings (cheap universal). I've driven the car for years this way without issue, so I never made it correct. That's just the one car, the others go through the radiator if I have a cooler added.
 
I like the ones from the self yards. Plenty of trucks have oil coolers and trans coolers. Usually only about 20 bucks. They are usually they good heavy metal style. Plenty of brackets off different trucks also. I have this on a 65 Old's Ran it in series with the stock radiator or great as a stand alone unit.
20200208_203252_resized (1).jpg
 
I happen to be putin in a hayden one now. I should have it connected up tomorrow hopefully I went and got some piece brake line today to bend up for it.

try not to die -

- saylor
 
Back when Chrysler was doing their parts warehouse clearance sales (circa 1981), I ordered up two HD Trailer Package trans oil coolers. Seems like the application was for '75-era Chryslers? They were cheap and I figured I could use them somewhere (still in the boxes). They went in front of the a/c condenser and were about that size, but with about 1/2 of the fins and line switch-backs.

CBODY67
 
I happen to be putin in a hayden one now. I should have it connected up tomorrow hopefully I went and got some piece brake line today to bend up for it. saylor
Hi Saylor. Please let us know what model and if any adapters/expanders needed. Thanks, Ben
 
In climates where there very low temperatures, say Minn in winter, the cooler coils in the bottom of the radiator help to warm the transmission oil up. This improves the ability of the transmission to shift smoothly; thick, viscous and cold oil can cause delayed shifts and/or rough shifting. So yes there is a benefit to having the transmission cooler at the bottom of the radiator tank. For most climates though, the oil cooler does just that, cool the oil. Automatic transmissions have a lot of friction material in them and this material generates lots of heat as does oil swirling about in the torque convertor. All this heat has to be dissipated and that is the purpose of the transmission oil cooler. Even in a cold climate, the transmission will warm up pretty fast. Some heavy equipment runs a thermally controlled valve to increase or decrease oil flow to the oil cooler until a steady operating temperature is reached. Unless it is twenty below outside, I would not be very worried about cold transmission oil in an automotive application, if it is that cold, my C-Body will say in the garage.
@furyusvip Hi Anthony. Dave makes a good point regarding our recent text discussion.
 
it looks like I got this
20200209_081146.jpg

sandy claus brought it to me

and you will need some of this
20200209_081102.jpg

back on the back aisle behind the counter at vatozone they have brake line and fittings and ends. I got a 60" piece of line and compression niblets for like 12 bucks.
 
so they hayden kit came with a length of rubber hose, and notice it has barb fittings on its ends. but the hose was not long enough to get where I need to get to, and I didnt want 1 rubber line and 1 hard line so I just cut the hose in half and put either half on the fittings and ran them over to a hole underneath the batty tray area
20200209_090811.jpg


and thru, down by the lower rad hose somewhere
20200209_090829.jpg

in this pic you can see the stubby off the rad of the line that I unhooked, kinda south of the oil filter. the 2 hoses from the cooler are by the framerail where the gueybar bolts up
 
cooler just laying loose up in front of the main rad - just seeing how it fits
imma cinch it down with one of the plastic zip tie thingys that come with it. I put the foam pads on, and it fits perfectly snugly between the main rad and a metal lip on the front firewall.
20200209_090801.jpg

still plenty of room for that intercooler later this summer :)
 
back over on the bench, I added a T so I can plumb in a transmission temp gauge
20200209_100339.jpg

ere are both adapto ends I made. the silver ended one goes to main rad fitting and 1 of the new cooler hoses - its 5/8 wrench.
the gold ended line with the brass T - 9/16 wrench. this will go from the removed transmission line to the other new cooler hose.

. . . I guess for the temp gauge, it sorta matters where you plumb it in. if you really care about an accurate temp. I don't too much. but thinking about it, you probably want the hot line coming out of the transmission to get the really real hot temp.
I did figure don't be in between the main rad and the addon cooler as the temp will be some half cooled reading.

or if you want the temp of the nice cool fluid going into the transmission, plumb it to the return line headed back to the transmission.

o - in the bottom right corner - you can see the tag of the brake line pieces I use - 560 brake line off the back rack at vatozone 5/16" x 60" steel line. don't forget the crush compression thingies and get a flare tool.

try not to die -

- saylor
 
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