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Powdercoat water neck? Trans cooler placement?

K85 Octane

K85 Octane

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Ok, got a couple questions. Going over the blazer for the bash.

Question #1

I'm reluctantly going to E-fan cooling. Just seems like one more thing to go wrong along with my EFI. :( Being so dependent on wires is always in the back of my mind. But, I've got a new Griffin combo coming and elected to go without an internal trans cooler. I ordered an external cooler with fan to replace my large plate cooler up on the core support. I don't have a condenser anymore so I've got some real estate up front. Do I still want the trans cooler in front of the radiator? Or should I mount it somewhere along the frame? My exhaust is down the driver side, so there's room on the passenger side.


Question B

I don't know what it was that got in the way but I couldn't seem to run a regular water neck after my serpentine swap. I think the diameter of the aluminum ones were different and didn't get the hose up high enough. Anywho, I'm running a cast iron Frankenstein water neck that has some rust inside. Kinda flaky. I'm going to get it sandblasted to clean it up but how about powder coating it to stop the rust? Would it stand up? Maybe something else? Chrome? Exhaust coating?




 
I'd just blast it and leave it clean inside--chances are any paint or coatings will never stay put and might cause trouble,like getting in the T-stat..

You can get a hundred different water outlets for GM's,with the water outlet pointing in various directions...one for a G series van is "straight up" vs angled like the typical passenger car or truck ones,which might work better--might need to use the upper hose off a van with it..water outlets off many V-6 and straight sixes for decades will bolt up and work too..
 
I modified the water neck in an attempt to simplify my hose selection :) Now I run a regular upper hose for the blazer (or maybe it was for the '92 1500) lol plus I don't have all those vac sensors in the neck too.
 
I am going with this cooler for my 4L65. I really wouldn't worry about wires. If it is done properly they are just as dependable as mechanical and often easier to fix out on the trail.

I just found the radiator trans coolers to be ineffective. I am running dual temp sensors off my trans (one on body one on pan) that I can swap between on my trans temp gauge. This way I can monitor efficacy of cooler. I am gonna mount my cooler right next to the rocker I believe, with some minor protection over it.

http://www.amazon.com/Derale-13740-...er/dp/B00N0N75PM#immersive-view_1441049417694
 
I would still run the cooler in front of the rad.
And I would powercoat that water neck and not worry about it. The low pressure and the coolant will never do anything to that powercoat.
 
Why does the rust matter? What do you think the water passages in your block look like?

Clean it and put it back on.
 
#1 clean it and run it.


#2 I would be concerned that a trans cooler/fan mounted under a truck would have a short life with the water, mud and possible rocks coming in contact with it. I would mount it in front of the rad, up high.
 
He wants to power the outside for looks and doesn't want ill side affects from the inside:dunno:
 
I'm sure the cast iron block/heads is giving up plenty of its material to the water. The T-stat was a little crusty and it made me concerned. But, I'm sure that was from the rust pre-stat.....not post-stat. Lol If I cared about looks, I'd just paint it.


If I can find a damn good location for the cooler, it will go up front provided there's room. :)
 
Trans cooler in front

You can powder coat the water neck. Powder coating would be ideal for that application
 
The cooler I posted is waterproof for that reason. I wanted shorter lines and I liked removing stuff from in front of the radiator. I was gonna go with just a finned cooler until I smoked a 700r4 by getting it too hot.

I called derale and told them I want 6an and where I was gonna mount it and they suggested this one. True remote mount, thermostat controlled and fully sealed.
 
Last edited:
4wheelinfury said:
The cooler I posted is waterproof for that reason. I wanted shorter lines and I liked removing stuff from in front of the radiator. I was gonna go with just a finned cooler until I smoked a 700r4 by getting it too hot.

I called derale and told them I want 6an and where I was gonna mount it and they suggested this one. True remote mount, thermostat controlled and fully sealed.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you intend to use your truck for but I'd have that cooler submerged in river crossings, hows the fan going to handle that? Mud build up would also be a concern.
 
If you are motivated enough and it's not too tough, what about temporarily testing it somewhere other than in front of the radiator?

If your cooling system can handle it, in front of the radiator makes a lot of sense in terms of mounting and protection. Efficiency benefit of trans cooler up front is airflow as the vehicle is moving forward...the slower the vehicle is moving, the less important that is, and the more important it is to work the radiator less (less junk shedding heat and blocking airflow in front of it). Since the cooler has a fan, being exposed to another source of airflow won't hurt, but it will be less critical.

Others have good points about water crossings, mud, etc., but if there is a good place to mount it that isn't exposed to additional heat and allows the fan on the cooler to work efficiently, while keeping it protected, it may make more sense elsewhere. I don't know where, the front is about the best protected, but I'm imagining the rigs you see with the radiators behind the cabs.
 
I hadn't thought of the water crossings, but the chance of crossing a 40 inch deep river is something that I haven't come across too much.

The cooler I posted up is IP-68 certified, so that is:

No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact.

and

The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects.

That said, my biggest worry would be rock strike, but I will build a screen to cover it.

Plus being 13 x 5 x 7 inches is really cool.

hyper-cool-dual-cool-performance-cooler.jpg
 
Last thing I want is to be hours into a trail and be worried about water, mud, rocks and other trail debris coming in contact with cooler/fans that could potentially fry my trans. All in effort to save a few bucks in hose?

30+" of water is pretty common on the trails up here, same reason why I have kills on both e-fans.
 
I think the cooler should be up front, like my non-fan cooler was. However, I've been getting warmer temps than I like from the engine. So I've gone to a larger radiator and electric fans. I wasn't sure if I should still have things in front, maybe hindering air flow or transferring heat. I have my steering cooler up front as well. Also, by the looks of the tranny cooler setup that direct air flow won't help, seems the shroud and fan are in the way, so up front might act like a wind breaker.

Dunno
Once the stuff comes in I can make my decision. :)
 
K85 Octane said:
I think the cooler should be up front, like my non-fan cooler was. However, I've been getting warmer temps than I like from the engine. So I've gone to a larger radiator and electric fans. I wasn't sure if I should still have things in front, maybe hindering air flow or transferring heat. I have my steering cooler up front as well. Also, by the looks of the tranny cooler setup that direct air flow won't help, seems the shroud and fan are in the way, so up front might act like a wind breaker.
Click to expand...

Did you read this one? http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298869&highlight=cooling lol

I'd want to simulate conditions as best I could before I made a decision on cooler placement, or at least assume a worst case scenario. Some people have no problem running the cooler(s) up front, but in no way, shape, or form does it help engine cooling to have there. So if engine cooling may be marginal, if possible it definitely makes sense to lessen the heat dumped into it.

As far as I can tell, GM's strategy back in the day our trucks were made, was to increase coolant capacity, not airflow, since the cutout in the core support is only as big as the smallest radiator used, if that. I suspect AC vs non-AC is going to make a big difference as well.
 
Dammit
You know I didn't even think about AC / no AC radiators. I saw a huge one the other day that was way bigger than the opening. Aside from other important things mounted on the core support that would need rearranging, the larger nonAC radiator probably would have been awesome.
 
Largest ones used are huge. I don't think their use was dependent on AC/non-AC, it was simply the drivetrain/GVWR consideration. Still didn't change the size of the core support opening.

I can't find a pic of one installed, I just know they are so wide that the upper radiator bracket on one side is on the angled portion of the core support. If this is the '85 your support probably has the threaded holes for that outboard mounting bracket.
 
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