[Crosley]

Perhaps I mis the point , I would not call the fluid in the pan some what stagnant..

these late model over drive trannys flow tons of fluid through the filter. That is why often a pan is clean , then you break open the filter to find all the usual trash that was sucked up.


I am an avocate of fluid temp in the pan since the cooled fluid from the tranny coolers has washed over the parts removing heat and lubricating them too. A sensor threaded into the tranny case or an oil pressure port would work as well IMHO.

[willys36@aol.com]

I'm always amazed by problems like this. The modern 'super hetrodyne, double throw down, ultra tech' trannys overheat at the drop of a hat and dump their beans if they get even a little overheated.

Then I look at the '1954 4-spd dual-range Hydramatic in my Willys with it's non-heat transfer cast iron case, its always slipping fluid coupling (no super lockup torque converters here) and it's pretty lo-tech gear train and it doesn't have ANY provisions for a cooler. None. Nada. And it will live for 150,000mi being abused in my hot-rod. Amazing!

[jakeshoe]

Originally Posted by Crosley

Perhaps I mis the point , I would not call the fluid in the pan some what stagnant..

these late model over drive trannys flow tons of fluid through the filter. That is why often a pan is clean , then you break open the filter to find all the usual trash that was sucked up.


I am an avocate of fluid temp in the pan since the cooled fluid from the tranny coolers has washed over the parts removing heat and lubricating them too. A sensor threaded into the tranny case or an oil pressure port would work as well IMHO.

I shouldn't say "stagnant" because it is definitely moving.

I guess ideally you would have a temp sensor on the cooler return line and the pan, maybe also the coller outlet line. That way you would know the max temp, average temp, and how effectively the cooler is working.

Pump picks up the fluid, fills the converter, converter heats it, it goes out of the trans to the cooler (very hot) and comes back in fairly cool hopefully. It lubes the trans, then gets returned to the pan.

Obviously there is fluid going other routes simultaneously.

To answer the question about my trans,
I don't run a temp guage on the trans, my car is very stock appearing, OEM guages, no others, so no trans temp guage.

I used a GN core, a new converter with specs similar to a stock GN, a billet forward drum, dual fed the direct clutches, used Alto reds in the directs, machined the overdrive piston and added a clutch, hardened sun shell and stator, deep pan, valve body kit, TransGo pump rings, 10 vane pump, Superior servo and alto wide red band.

[!72chevelless]

Thanks for the replies ! Fluid temp in the pan should give me a relative idea of what's going on. As long as it'll cool down was my biggest fear, it never did until now. Jakeshoe, did you rollerize anything or do you think the thrust washers are sufficient with the proper clearances ?

[jakeshoe]

I used some steel thrust washers instead of plastic.
Rollerizing is usually over-rated. It is worth virtually zero gain in ET.

[xntrik]

Originally Posted by !72chevelless

YEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAA! This is not a sales pitch but I know how to keep a 2004R cool with a small radiator and grill. If you've been following this thread you know too.

chevelle ?

Since this is not "Jeopardy", please tell us exactly what you did. I am sure some of the novices would like to know.....

Cooler size and AIRFLOW.

[Jmark]

Me too!!!!!!!!!!

[!72chevelless]

OK in summary: Currently running the stock 6 blade GM fan (although I think OEM with air-cond was the 7 blade) and HD clutch, 3 row stock radiator (I tried a new 4 row didn't help), B&M super cooler 8"x11"x1-1/2" in front of the passenger's side where the radiator is coolest (helped a little but not much once it got heat soaked) and a Hughes deep aluminum pan. Nothing I did helped like the deep pan and I tried everything. I even went as far as building air dams to funnel all the air through the radiator like the OEM's did when 134A refrigerant came out for air-conditioning to no avail. I really thought it was an air flow problem, but when your running 60-70 mph down the road and it won't cool down in 70 degree ambient temps with that big of a cooler you have to stand back and say Hmmm. I even changed cooling lines (braided,steel, hydraulic hose) 3 different times thinking I had a flow restriction somewhere. Deep Pan !!!! You can watch the temps drop on the gauge quickly once you're rolling. One catch though, I'm gonna have to find some BB springs cause this puppy is right on the gound now. It'll go over speed bumps in parking lots but it's too close for me.

[Newt408]

Did you hook up your tranny cooler to cool the trans fulid before or after the radiator. I hooked mine up after the radiator and i rarely get over 160 on a 100+ degree day. Of course on a very cold day It will rarely get up to 120. It sounds to me like your cooler is hooked up to cool before the radiator then the radiator keeps the tranny fulid leveled out around or just above your water temperature.

[LordMaximo]

I run a 4 core in my Chevy truck. I run a 24" finned cooling log out of the tranny to the radiator, then another 24" finned log out of the tranny to the tranny. These two logs actually do help drop the temp both on the freeway and mostly in the city. Although there is stop and go, it keeps my tranny temps around 180*F. I run two electric fans on the radiator, the main fan runs on the engine temp and secondary runs on the tranny temp. Between the two fans alternating, my system stays under 200*. Took me six months to actually figure the combination of trial and error and banging my head on the wall. Hope this works for all of you.