Tramsmission cooler ?

[tourus]

so here is an odd auto transmission cooler question? what I have is a plate cooler from in side a radiator out of a school bus. My idea is to put the plate cooler in front of the radiator and run the trans. fluid through it and back to the trans. what does every one think worth the time and effort or not?

 

[rebelgregory]

Depends what you mean by plate cooler. If it's a plate-and-frame cooler, it is likely going to cause an airflow restriction to your radiator.

If by plates, you mean cooling fins - looks like a miniature radiator - it will be fine. I run the store-bought version on mine.

.

 

[Deuling]

I found the biggest one of these I could and am running it. I mounted it to the core support in front of the ac condenser and radiator. I recommend bolting it to something rather than those stupid zip tie things that go through the radiator.

My Engine stays at 180 all day long.

And that's pretty good for a 400 sbc bored .040 over. As they are supposed to run hot from what everyone says.

 

[tourus]

I guess I should be more clear. What I mean is the trans cooler that is normally inside the radiator. the radiator got a big hole in it so it was junk I took the trans cooler out and then thought what about putting it in line with my my radiator cooler as a helper. mount it some how and run the trans. fluid threw it as well as well as the one in the radiator.

 

[Deuling]

Seems unnecessary to me.

 

[TerryD]

Do you have pictures of it? I run the 2nd largest B&M plate style supper cooler mounted to my radiator support. It is currently in series after my cooler in the radiator, but I will be blocking off the radiator when I get a transmission thermostat for it.

 

[diesel4me]

It was designed to work when submerged in coolant,which is always much more efficient than an air cooled one ..it'll help some,but I wouldn't expect miracles..

If you could have stuffed the bus radiator into your rig with the trans cooler intact,now that would keep everything cool!..

 

[rebelgregory]

If you're only referring to the trans cooler side of the old radiator, then it's not worth it. It's not effective at air cooling and I don't know how you'd get water through it in an externally-mounted scenario. I think everyone else on here is referring to the auxillary coolers you mount in front of your radiator.

Mine is configured like TerryD's. Hot fluid goes through radiator cooler and then auxiliary cooler in front, then back to tranny.

 

[dyeager535]

It was designed to work when submerged in coolant,which is always much more efficient than an air cooled one ..it'll help some,but I wouldn't expect miracles..

I agree...the "solid" design isn't going to be efficient at radiating heat in air, and I expect it's not AL either, which means it will be even worse as a solid plate.

I suspect, measured properly (trans running and hot) you'd gain whatever fluid capacity it holds as a "benefit", but compared to what the trans already holds (something like 14 quarts total?) even 1 quart capacity wouldn't be a 10 percent increase.

A smaller cooler designed to radiate heat in air, would be far more efficient than marginally increasing coolant capacity.