Transmission cooler

mbalbritton

mbalbritton

#@$%!
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Lakeland, FL
I’m installing a new aftermarket radiator in the Commando. The OE one has a built in trans cooler into the lower tank. So I need to install a separate cooler. Does it really matter or alter efficiency if it’s mounted vertically or horizontally? Can’t say I’ve ever seen or noticed a vertically mounted one.
 

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No good input here but I was pondering the same thing on my 79 the trans cooler wasn’t hooked up bc newer model rad had cooler in it but the one I’m swapping doesn’t so I’m using old cooler but want it vertica for clearance, From what I’ve read it will be a issue says one person, and the next guy says no effect at all...? Lol
 
It won't matter and FWIW, I like to run both. The one in the radiator is a heat exchanger and helps bring the fluid up to temp. Run through that first, then the external cooler, and then back to the transmission.

If you mount it horizontally, put the inlet on the bottom and return up top. Vertically, it won't matter which is which because it's a multiple pass tube/fin. If it were a plate/fin cooler, I'd say have the fittings at the top so the cooler would stay full and work more efficiently.
 
If'n you were to ask our friend "Mr. Toad", he'd tell you to skip the "fluid heater" in the radiator, as our TH-400's will heat up just fine in our NON-arctic clime and would only promote the potential for water (+ antifreeze) to enter the tranny and "let the smoke out" (not really, but the adhesives used in automagics friction material is water-based). He'd also tell you that "it's a 1-ton transmission, in a 1/4-ton vehicle, driven by a 200# idiot... you have have to work very hard to fawk one up"

So, I went with no route thru the radiator, the biggest cooler I could find off-the-shelf (22K#?) *not mounted to the radiator* at the time 18 years ago... and despite incredible amounts of stupidity (some by accident, some out of necessity), mines still rockin'! :flipoff2:
 
Caver Dave said:
If'n you were to ask our friend "Mr. Toad", he'd tell you to skip the "fluid heater" in the radiator, as our TH-400's will heat up just fine in our NON-arctic clime and would only promote the potential for water (+ antifreeze) to enter the tranny and "let the smoke out" (not really, but the adhesives used in automagics friction material is water-based). He'd also tell you that "it's a 1-ton transmission, in a 1/4-ton vehicle, driven by a 200# idiot... you have have to work very hard to fawk one up"

So, I went with no route thru the radiator, the biggest cooler I could find off-the-shelf (22K#?) *not mounted to the radiator* at the time 18 years ago... and despite incredible amounts of stupidity (some by accident, some out of necessity), mines still rockin'! :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
That’s good info bc I was planning to buy a new rad with trans cooler built in but now I can just find a bigger trans cooler and save some cash since rad is in good shape! Up until tear down on this 79 burb is not seen a person not run to trans cooler even if rad had lines but this one was I’m assuming out of laziness!?
 
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