Installing trans-cooler and guage with no rad cooler?

[14-Bolt]

Took out an old junk cooler and got an oil cooler and a gauge from a friend. I want to add temp switch to turn it on at 180 and turn it off at 170 (those are the only kind i've seen for sale)is this to low, will my fan always stay on? I also want to run a relay and switch to have on-off-on, so i can turn it reverse to blow engine heat on the cooler when its warming up in cold weather(don't know how i would switch polarity in the switch without running another set of pos and neg wires?), "off" in a water crossing. And need to run the oil temp guage.

Have heard running cooler by itself is not ideal, but don't have a cooler on the rad. Was thinking of splicing in before the cooler with two T's side by side. So I could run both of the temp probes next to one another just to make mounting the setup easier. Anyone ever done a setup like the one mentioned above.

Any input would be great.

 

[K85 Octane]

this would all be a first for me
interesting project
How is the cooler set up on ur truck now? How cold does it get in the winter for you?

 

[ryoken]

imo, i doubt it'll work.. "blowing engine heat" on it isn't gonna do nada, compared to antifreeze warming it up....... if you lived in Arizona, sure you could get away with just running the cooler.. Oregon? there'll be times in the winter you could beat the truck for an hr, and that fluid'll never get over 100... ya need it to get up to 150 consistently to burn off condensation..

 

[cuervo]

I'm sure many people will post in this thread about never running with out the radiator part of the cooler so I'll just be one of them.

It both cools and warms the fluid.


For the temp gauge I just pulled the pan, welded and tapped a 1/4 piece of steel to the side of the pan.

 

[Fordum]

Not going to comment on the warming/cooling stuff, but if you are running the fan directly off the switch, reversing it is simple.

Use a double pole double throw with center off switch.

The two commons will be in the center. Total of 6 terminals. 3 on one side, 3 on the other.
Solder a wire from each end terminal to the opposite terminal on the opposite side.
In an X pattern.
Hook the two power leads to the two center terminals. Hook the fan wires to the two terminals on either end.

Switch in the center, fan off. Switch one way, fan runs one way. Other way, reverses.

If you are going to use relays, which is better since you don't have to run as much heavy wire, and can get heavier duty relays than switches.

You will have to use two relays. The cheapest way would probably be one double throw relay and one single pole single throw relay.

If you want to go that way, or you don't understand the switch wiring, let me know and I will see if I cannot post a schematic.

 

[ryoken]

thats the way we wire up hatch lift rams, etc on the boats...

 

[Fordum]

thats the way we wire up hatch lift rams, etc on the boats...

Yep, most of the uses for that for me is anchor winches on my bass boats and friends boats.
I used to use a rocker switch, but my source for them dried up and I started using a bat wing toggle.

The other day I found a link for a reversing rocker switch. Its a standard DPDT with only the commons and one end. Its already got a couple of busbars spotwelded on where the other end should be.

In fact, heres the link.

http://gama-electronics.amazonwebst...froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

 

[14-Bolt]

So how do i warm up the fluid before i drive?

Reversing the engine heat sounds preety doubtfull to me to, heard it on another forum and thought i'd try it. I'm not dropping the pan becuase i just got done buttoning up my TH350 with a new pan gasket and if something is off with the switch i'd like to be able to have access to it. Thanks for the wiring advice.

So my question is how do I get the fluid to warm up? I have heard of people putting inline thermostats so it doesn't cirulate through cooler till it warms up.

I need a cooler, building it for rockcrawling/offroading and its going to get hot. But starting it in cold weather and driving not sure what to do?

 

[ryoken]

my suggestion.... do what I'm doing... knuckle under and just get a new rad.... i have a brand new, non-coolered AL in mine that nuked my 700 from not warming up... i'll have to sell it to recoup some of the coin... but a new KILLER rad is $250 or less... AL in my case..

 

[4xcrazy]

run your cooler in a location where it doesn't see direct airflow, it'll warm up, then run the fan on a t-stat to turn on at certain temps.

 

[ryoken]

eh, i don't know about that bud.... I could leave mine sitting in the driveway running for an hr when it was 20 out and it wouldn't move the gauge off the bottom at 100... i know thats not thru the gears, but still...

 

[14-Bolt]

Here's what I'm working with, an Oddball oil cooler, but built well, Late 90's toyota pickup radiator fan, Bought both for $25, and the guage for $5.

Should i get the switch that turns on at 200 and off at 185, or the switch that turns on at 180 and off at 170?

I also ordered this kit for 26$ which was a great deal.
http://www.abad71camaro.com/catalog/eab5_1_sbl_2137_1.JPG

 

[14-Bolt]

I bought the fan switch that turns on at 180 and off at 170. Than noticed they sold one that turned on at 200 and off at 185. Which is better for th350 that will se half freeway half crawling?