tranny cooler

SCOOBYSTUNTS

SCOOBYSTUNTS

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Location
Lucia,nc
would it be a better idea to simply add a cooler or bypass the radiator altogether and just use the cooler for the tranny? i have a big cooler,just unsure if it will keep the tranny cool enough.reason i ask,i figured it may help with engine temp cuz it wouldnt have atf pumping through the radiator.Oh yea,the 4.0 runs at 210 constantly is this good,normal,bad? Thanks guys:beer:
 
SCOOBYSTUNTS said:
would it be a better idea to simply add a cooler or bypass the radiator altogether and just use the cooler for the tranny?
Click to expand...

Bypassing the radiator all together is my preference (not necessarily right or wrong)... but will 100% remove the threat of contaminating the tranny with coolant (=destruction> rebuild). IMO, the rad mounted "cooler" (most of the time, a simple tube running thru rad tank) is as much for warming the ATF (in the extreme lower ranges the tranny is designed to operate in = artic temps) as "cooling", even though fluid-fluid cooling is more efficient than fluid-air cooling. My TH-400 has shifted just fine down to single digits and warmed to 180* all by it's lonesome within a few miles.
I'd be interested to hear Lee's (transman) opinion on this...

SCOOBYSTUNTS said:
i have a big cooler,just unsure if it will keep the tranny cool enough
Click to expand...

Only way to be sure is to add a decent temp gauge (pan or output line)... that WILL tell the tale!

SCOOBYSTUNTS said:
reason i ask,i figured it may help with engine temp cuz it wouldnt have atf pumping through the radiator.
Click to expand...

That's what I saw on the couple I've bypassed (Cummins towrig & Jeep)... however, if the tranny cooler is mounted directly in front of the rad, it may negate cooler rad temps when the tranny cooler gets warm (additional hot air being sucked past rad) as opposed to being mounted elsewhere (behind rad/rear of vehicle) where the heat output from the cooler doesn't interfere with the rad's ability to cool...

:beer:
 
the tranny cooler is fine by itself, unless it is a completely computer controlled trans(which would not apply in this case).
putting it in front of the radiator is fine, the amount of heat that is passed onto the radiator is minimal, the air crossing the radiator is still cooler than coolant.
be careful on any chrysler product, if is running a chrysler trans, it will have a one way check valve in the cooling line, it stops converter drainback, it should be replaced when you add a cooler or new radiator.(cause of 75% of chrysler failures)
it can be omitted if you are willing to let the truck warm up for a minute or two before throwing it in gear.
 
a 4l80e has an internal temp resistor, so it needs to reach a certain temp in order for the epc (electronic pressure control) to operate in it's proper range. if you don't run the cooler through the radiator it takes a long time to warm it up and the computer will usually default the controls before it reaches the proper temp.
as the temp increases so does the resistance of the epc so it is designed to work a certain "operating temp".

your aw4 is controlled by the coolant temp sensor(have you ever noticed it doesn't go into od as fast in the winter)
 
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