trans coolers

Thanks, Willy

Makes PERFECT sense ... as usual.

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

So are you talking about moving the condensor from the radiator so that both of them can get the most air movement possible? I'm starting to get confused here!

1mean -Bingo! You got it. Move the condenser somewhere else where it can get its own fresh air source and so the engine radiator can get the coolest air flow possible instead of the preheated exhaust air from the condenser. This is easy to say but hard to do on some cars. On a typical passenger car, with the typical large p****enger compartment requiring a large condenser, you are probably stuck with the front-of-the-radiator location.

However, on Horvath's pickup with its small passenger compartment and smaller cooling load and lots of space under the car to remote locate a small condenser, installing a small foreign car fan/condenser somewhere under the car makes great sense. I did it on my Willys. The condenser is directly under the driver's seat, spaced about 4" under the floor board so it is still hidden from view but has room to draw air thru the core. I have a pickup similar to Horvath's and plan on putting the condenser under the long pan between the grille and radiator.

I gotcha now! In my daily driver, I'm pretty much limited with the condensor in front of the radiator. The bay is cramped (FWD tends to do that!) and the new engine and equipment may cramp it even more. I think I found a good spot for a trans cooler though!

Jeeze!!!

I gave a closer look at my AC condenser today ... it covers my ENTIRE radiator, man! This has got to be changed!


Yo - willys36 : Is there a particular brand of remote condenser you would recommend?

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

Here is the one I am planning to use on my pickup. Should fit under the front wind dam. I propped it up with an old Chevy generator so you can use its tail as a size reference. Its about 14" square. Uses standard O-ring AC fittings but I have also seen them with flare fittings. Just make sure they don't have some kind of ba$tard type fitting that you can't find hose ends for. Don't know what it is off of. I just grab 'em at the junk yard. All look the same to me!

If you have a full fan shroud, I agree that an electric fan will not coll enough. The engine fan will work better because it turns at the speed based on the engine speed. If you have no shroud, and no place to move the condensor, where you can get full flow through the rad and condensor, then adding an electric fan will help. I have had cases in the shops I worked at where people have lost the plastic pieces that are supposed to cover the area between the rad and condensor, at the top. There was a dramatic difference in the efficiency of the A/C because of the reduced flow. After filling that area, they worked fine. I don't remember what cars they were, but recall replacing some fans that got damaged in accidents, that were on the front of the condensors from the factory.

Just something to think about. I have always kept my cooling systems working properly, and not had any problems with the condensor in front of the radiator. But then I do run fan shrouds with A/C to get the air flow needed.

Just my opinion. Don't shoot the messenger.

adtkart : Good info as usual - thanks, man.

willys36 : Which cars do I look at in the scrapyard to find a condenser like that ... also, does the size matter? And which cars would have the smallest condensers that I could adopt?

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

Like I said, I just go looking 'til I find one that I like. Don't know exactly what car it came off of. Just go down the import rows and you will see a lot of them. Actually, you want the largest condenser that you can fit in. As stated above, condenser performance is key to the efficiency of the AC system so shoot for the largest compact unit you can fit in.

Chrysler Mini vans had the separate condenser with the attached electric fan. Lots of places under the advance design Chevy pickup to mount the condenser. might even think about in the area to the side of the radiatorand make some holes in the panel between the radiator and the edge of the fender then it would still get fresh air through the grill. do not know if it will work I have yet to try it. Been of vacation this week and working on the truck a bit.
Earl.

EBlack36 -- That's a good one, bro'!! Thanks!

Do you know whether the fan pushes or pulls? I like the idea of a fan that pulls air - seems to me it's a better way of getting air through ... do you agree?

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

It has always bugged me that we run the trans fluid thru the radiator that is at 200f, when we are trying to COOL the trans fluid to appox 170f. New Dodge and Ford trucks are using a seperate trans cooler with a thermostst fan and no radiator cooler.
I run a 12 inch spiral frame rail mounted cooler ONLY on my 36 Ford 5 window with a 350/350 set up and I drive it long and hard. went on a 450 mile trip last weekend.
Plug up the trans holes in that radiator and get a good spiral alun cooler.
I am NOT talking about the add on cooler that looks like a little radiator that is made for add on WITH the radiator cooler.
Most of the mail order houses are NOT selling these yet. Find someone who is building up to date high dollar rods and look under it.

Thanks, rdhe3900

My trans cooler doesn't go through my radiator ... I like what you're saying - it sure makes sense - where can I get one of these spiral frame rail mounted coolers? And what's the usual cost?

PS - Spiral? Are they circular in shape?

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

This place builds very nice cars that are street driveable.
Street Dreams Rods and Parts in Gulfport MS
228-328-2112 Jason is the parts man very knowledge and helpful.
They use these on all the cars they build, fron SBC to a Corvette with a blower big block.
They came in several sizes, but most are less than $100.Check it out.

Running thru the radiator was a benefit when engine temps were below 200F. Too cold a tranny is bad too. Can't do that anymore with the new smog motors that are designed to operater @ 240F. If you have a non smog motor, run it thru the radiator. If you must use a remote cooler, be sure to use a thermostat so you don't over-cool the fluid.