[juveteach]

I have a B&M trans cooler (the largest one they have) and was wanting to know the norm as far as hook up.

I have been told everything from let the hot fluid come into the rad and out to the cooler, and then out of cooler back into the trans.

And have been told let the hot fluid come into the cooler first cool down and the back into the rad to warm up again before it back into the trans because it might be too cool straight from the cooler and may cause problems.

My take is hot fluid into the rad out to the cooler and from cooler back into the trans.

Any comments? Better yet any HELP?

Thanks

[gt2betubbed]

I don't know for sure, but I'll tell you what I would do.
I would put in the cooler before the rad. I'm always more worried about cooling the motor, and I would rather have cooler tranny fluid running through it rather than hotter. Just my opinion...

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

Proper installation is cooler before the radiator, the radiator unit also heats the fluid to the proper temp, too cold fluid is as damaging as too hot fluid!!

[slingslingbinks]

for maximum cooling run through the factory (radiator) cooler 1st then througt the b&m cooler that is mounted in front of the rad. or ac. cond. cooling the tran's oil too much will do no damage to the tran's.

[sledge57]

Well that clears that up!

Bob

[Crosley]

If the tranny fluid does not get hot enough to boil out the condensation , it can build up inside the tranny.

140-160* F will remove the condensation.

[dmorris1200]

Well there is always someone out there to disagree with just about anything, veiwpoints are endless. All I will say is that all the coolers I have installed in 4x4's as part of any off-road packages at dealerships or for additional trans fluid cooling protection in cars have been installed after the radiator in the return line to the trans.

From a trans cooler kit... "A cooler will help your transmission's fluid temperature to stay between 160-200deg. so it will live a long and happy life. If the fluid exceeds that temp. range, it starts burning - and takes out the seals, bearings, and other internal trans parts." Installing the cooler before the radiator will not keep the fluid temp. in the suggested range of the cooler manufacture in a late model car that runs at 200* or hotter normally. That is why we install them on the return side and I have always installed them on the return side on all the cars I have ever installed coolers on with no negative side effects that I know of. The one manufacture that I have literature on claims a 20deg. drop in temp with cooler. If the fluid exits the radiator at approx. 190deg. it should drop to about 170deg. after the cooler. Like I said, just because in my mind it makes more sense to install the cooler on the return side doesn't mean someone else won't disagree.

[PrimeMover]

Originally posted by dmorris1200
Well there is always someone out there to disagree with just about anything, veiwpoints are endless. All I will say is that all the coolers I have installed in 4x4's as part of any off-road packages at dealerships or for additional trans fluid cooling protection in cars have been installed after the radiator in the return line to the trans.

Thanks for clearing that up. I've always put my coolers in like that, and have never had problem one. Maybe what Bob meant was the cooler is best MOUNTED in front of the radiator not PLUMBED in front of the radiator.

[adtkart]

Where installing the cooler before the radiator will reduce the temp going into the radiator, it also allows the radiator to maintian the heat needed for the trans fliud to remove the moisture. If the coolant is getting that hot in the radiator to overheat the trans fluid, you need to check the cooling system. Placing the cooler after the radiator, will allow the fluid to over cool in the winter in some areas.

As for what the manufacturer of the cooler says. I am sure they also said that there is no need for their product on a vehicle that suffers from no abuse.

[PrimeMover]

Originally posted by Crosley
If the tranny fluid does not get hot enough to boil out the condensation , it can build up inside the tranny.

140-160* F will remove the condensation.

Good point.

Most light duty passenger cars and light trucks don't come with a factory installed axillary transmission cooler. These 'grocery getters' have a standard garden variety heat exchange system where the trans. fluid is passed thru a separate tank in the radiator and is subjected to the engine's "thermostatically controlled" coolant. No fins, no air flow, just a small tank. I'm sure the thought of maintaining ideal operational temp. parameters, to avoid any possible moisture in the system, was well thought out. This system works well for the street, but doesn't even begin to address the overheat problems that result, in most cases, from heavy trailer towing and street driven high stall speed torque converters. I've never heard of ANYONE complain about moisture building up in an automatic transmission as a direct result of an after market cooling system being too efficient. If this be the case, an aux cooling system probably isn't needed on that vehicle to begin with.

Where I come from, if a extra cooler is used at all, the trans. cooler located in the radiator is used for a primary cooler and the auxiliary cooler is plumbed to the return side. I guess with all the variables in question here, a trans. fluid temp gauge is the only way to eliminate all doubt. I don't run a gauge myself, but I can tell by putting my hand on the final cooler that my tranny's smilin' and I idle at 1000 with a 2500 stall..