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Transmission Cooler

Started by _SS Hatchback_ , Dec 14 2008 04:02 PM

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#1 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 04:02 PM

Currently im running a B&M transmission cooler mounted at the front of my radiator but its causing my car to run warmer than i would like whilst cruising as once my thermo fans cut in the stay on forever due to the running temps being higher than the fan switch off temp. I have tried adjusting the fan switch but the switch will only switch off around 182F. Anyway to cut a long story short i temporarily moved my cooler where it was covering half my radiator to a little lower hangin below the bumper and covering the front spoiler (see phone pic). It has made a big difference as you would imagine as now it gets cooler air to radiator. So basically the cooler cant stay there so i have seen on another thread there were cylindrical type coolers which can be mounted below the radiator so i have a couple of questions for you guru's

1 - Does anyone know of a good one to buy and where from or even know of something better? Also will it get enough air behind my spoiler?
2 - Where does everybody else have there transmission cooler on their LX?
3 - Should i stick to my larger B&M and use a fan on it mounted out of the way or use ducting from the spoiler to cool it?

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cooler.jpg 101.57K 53 downloads

Edited by SS Hatchback, 14 December 2008 - 04:04 PM.

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#2 _Herne_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 04:45 PM

Here is where mine is mounted on The Dream. LX

Posted Image

Pics are self explanatory, no problems encountered as yet, not expecting any either.

Yes, I know the grill needs a clean and a touch up

All happening soon.

Cheers
Herne

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#3 _waz355_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 05:22 PM

Mine is in the same spot as Herne's.

What temp where you runnning with it in front of the radiator??

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#4 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 05:52 PM

Thanks for the pics Herne, yours fits there nicely away from the radiator.

Waz, the car was running anywhere from 187 to 200 which i know is still ok but when driving on the highway you would like to think it would sit around the 180 mark which is wheer it sits now with it out of the way , and my thermos actually turn off

My fans where constantly running before so not ideal. My thermo switch is set to maximum temp and fans only turn off at around 182 and on at around 188. So bascially once they turn on the stay on well that was before moving the cooler.

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#5 yel327

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 05:56 PM

Just thinking outside the square for a second, is it a problem with cooler air, or the radiator and fan(s) being inadequate? Reason I ask is standard Holdens run the transmission cooler through the radiator, so what is happening is you are heating up the water more making the engine's radiator work harder. You are doing the same thing by placing the transmission cooler in front of the radiator as the radiator now isn't working as hard as it used to so having the transmission cooler in front of it should bring it all back into line. Might be wrong, but possibly the engine's radiator and thermo combination isn't good enough for the engine and transmission combo? Is the engine's fan shrouded and the radiator clean internally?

In any case you are better off with the transmission cooler out of the engine's cooling air stream. If you get a chance, have a look at the cooler that comes with a VZ Crewman or Adventra tow pack. I think it's a B&M like the one you have but it's only about 70mm high and about 250mm wide and may fit perfectly off to the side of the radiator or behind the spoiler scoops. On the Crewman it runs in series with the engine's radiator which you could also look to do but probably not necessary. You could also look to run two of them, one on either side of the radiator? Or you can also buy coolers with electric fans on them.

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#6 _HRV74_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 06:07 PM

Just thinking outside the square for a second, is it a problem with cooler air, or the radiator and fan(s) being inadequate?..............possibly the engine's radiator and thermo combination isn't good enough for the engine and transmission combo?

Yeah I was kind of thinking the same thing. Are you runing a 3 core radiator Rob?
H

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#7 _HRV74_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 06:07 PM

oops, ignore this one :<_<:

Edited by HRV74, 14 December 2008 - 06:09 PM.

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#8 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 06:07 PM

Just thinking outside the square for a second, is it a problem with cooler air, or the radiator and fan(s) being inadequate? Reason I ask is standard Holdens run the transmission cooler through the radiator, so what is happening is you are heating up the water more making the engine's radiator work harder. You are doing the same thing by placing the transmission cooler in front of the radiator as the radiator now isn't working as hard as it used to so having the transmission cooler in front of it should bring it all back into line. Might be wrong, but possibly the engine's radiator and thermo combination isn't good enough for the engine and transmission combo? Is the engine's fan shrouded and the radiator clean internally?

In any case you are better off with the transmission cooler out of the engine's cooling air stream. If you get a chance, have a look at the cooler that comes with a VZ Crewman or Adventra tow pack. I think it's a B&M like the one you have but it's only about 70mm high and about 250mm wide and may fit perfectly off to the side of the radiator or behind the spoiler scoops. On the Crewman it runs in series with the engine's radiator which you could also look to do but probably not necessary. You could also look to run two of them, one on either side of the radiator? Or you can also buy coolers with electric fans on them.

Yel, im running a 4 core radiator and its new and twin au fans with the shorud (see pic below ) , the other day its was 31 degrees and in my driveway the cars temp dropped to 178- 180 just idling with the fans running. There was a gap between the cooler and radiator so i figure it must be pulling in air from between when just sitting therefore not having the hot air forced through the cooler and onto the radiator as much as when driving. I have also tried the cooler hard up against the radiator and it made no difference to driving temps but a little worse but still ok for idling temps. The cooler bascially was covering the whole drivers side of the radiator from the bonnet catch to the side panel so all the air was hot getting to that side of the radiator if you know what i mean.

Ill look into the crewman and adventra coolers , may be a possibilty as my cooler is pretty big as you can see by the pic. Basically starts from the top of the bumper to where you can see it hanging down in the pic in the first post.

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#9 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 06:19 PM

oops, ignore this one

Gday Harve, see post above , the way i looked at it was im sure the cooler gets much warmer than the radiator and the car is enjoying having ambient temps hit the radiator rather than who knows how hot the air would be after going through the cooler. Interesting point though even sitting there idling away i had my hand in front of both sides of the radiator while fans where running and you could feel the differnce in heat easily.

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#10 _HRV74_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 06:36 PM

Here's an option, next to the oil filter (Moot probably knows some info on this set-up, it was a mates LX). Apparently the trans ran cool, even with a 5000 convertor.

Posted Image

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#11 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 07:11 PM

Thanks Harve, ive seen that setup before , probably effective with the fan but i was hoping for a little more hidden if possible.
Take a look at these , anyone used these ?

http://www.rodshop.c...oryProducts.pdf theres not that many pages but the page is numbered 44 at the bottom of that page theres a tranny cooler.

not sure about this one http://www.vpw.com.a...p;PrdGrpID=2973

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#12 yel327

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 07:44 PM

Yel, im running a 4 core radiator and its new and twin au fans with the shorud (see pic below ) , the other day its was 31 degrees and in my driveway the cars temp dropped to 178- 180 just idling with the fans running. There was a gap between the cooler and radiator so i figure it must be pulling in air from between when just sitting therefore not having the hot air forced through the cooler and onto the radiator as much as when driving. I have also tried the cooler hard up against the radiator and it made no difference to driving temps but a little worse but still ok for idling temps. The cooler bascially was covering the whole drivers side of the radiator from the bonnet catch to the side panel so all the air was hot getting to that side of the radiator if you know what i mean.

Ill look into the crewman and adventra coolers , may be a possibilty as my cooler is pretty big as you can see by the pic. Basically starts from the top of the bumper to where you can see it hanging down in the pic in the first post.

The Crewman/Adventra one may be the same as other Commodore tow packs. Just see if you can look at one, get the B&M part number or measurements and buy it from an Auto place. On my Cross8 it sits down below the radiator.
Looks like you have adequate cooling anyway for a 308 or Holden 350 stroker.

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#13 _GMH355_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 08:01 PM

Along the lines of the long barrel style transmission cooler you provided the link for, this type of cooler could sit on your lower apron running along the length in front of the radiator. Don't look half bad either.

Posted Image

More info can be found here;
Moroso cooler
Derale cooler

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#14 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 08:15 PM

yeah thats the type i was thinking of Frank, nice find. Would it fit between the bonnet latch bracket and the radiator support (3in thick) ? If not maybe below the radiator .

Vel327, do you know the dimensions of the cooler on your cross eight?

Herne, What is your cooler out of?

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#15 _Herne_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 08:40 PM

The cooler I have now was given to me by Bruce the cars original builder, he took it out of a Torry he converted to manual.
What it orginally was meant for I have no idea. Its not very old thats all I know. Bruce still takes an interest in his old car and naturally I keep him up to date on what I am doing.

Herne

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#16 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 09:00 PM

The cooler I have now was given to me by Bruce the cars original builder, he took it out of a Torry he converted to manual.
What it orginally was meant for I have no idea. Its not very old thats all I know. Bruce still takes an interest in his old car and naturally I keep him up to date on what I am doing.

Herne

Fair enough, when originally i seen my car in around 87 - 88 it was matt black and i asked the guy that if he ever sold it that i was keen to buy ,however he sold to someone else. In 1990 i seen my car in the paper for sale , went out , looked and bought it. Whilst signing papers he tells me it used to be matt black when he bought it

It was meant to be, anyway the fella who didnt sell it to me i still see him every once in a while and he also takes an interest in what im up to with it. He still cant believe i bought it nearly 19 years ago and still have it .

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#17 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 09:21 PM

this is the one im currently using

http://cgi.ebay.com....1QQcmdZViewItem

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#18 enderwigginau

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 09:32 PM

The barrel type ones are traditionally for hotrods and prefer to be in free flowing air.
Not sure how they go behind panels. Only seen them on trailer whores in these sorts of positions.

Grant..

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#19 _Herne_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 10:48 PM

this is the one im currently using

http://cgi.ebay.com....1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks like a nice unit and has a top pedigree.

Herne

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#20 _Herne_

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Posted 14 December 2008 - 11:23 PM

Although my trans cooler might be tad ordinary compared with some of them around, I was lucky enough to be given one and my sponsor fitted it up for me at n/c.
It does the job so I have to be happy with that

AND I AM

Cheers
Herne

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#21 _HRV74_

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Posted 15 December 2008 - 07:55 PM

You might need a big Aussie Desert Cooler radiator (or similar) if you go for a berzerk 461 cube Big Paw engine Rob, so just fit them both at the same time, problem solved! :rockon:

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#22 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 15 December 2008 - 08:27 PM

You might need a big Aussie Desert Cooler radiator (or similar) if you go for a berzerk 461 cube Big Paw engine Rob, so just fit them both at the same time, problem solved!

Yeah Harve, i was thinking of the 500 cuber and twin 1500hp turbo's , that way when im driving around i can suck up stray cats of the foot path with my my turbos, fully hectic bro

Might get some custom side pods like the ferrari's and instead of them being the radiator intakes in can be for twin coolers .

Anyway enough of me talking Sh** , where is yours mounted Harve?

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#23 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 15 December 2008 - 08:30 PM

Although my trans cooler might be tad ordinary compared with some of them around, I was lucky enough to be given one and my sponsor fitted it up for me at n/c.
It does the job so I have to be happy with that AND I AM

Cheers
Herne

And so you should be happy, if it works then the cooler is sufficient not ordinary. My sponsor fits all my stuff for nuttin too , thats me

actually i tell a lie, my mate (mechanic) does alot of my work now, getting to old to work of the floor :spoton:

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#24 _HRV74_

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Posted 15 December 2008 - 10:03 PM

Yeah Harve, i was thinking of the 500 cuber and twin 1500hp turbo's , that way when im driving around i can suck up stray cats of the foot path with my my turbos, fully hectic bro

Might get some custom side pods like the ferrari's and instead of them being the radiator intakes in can be for twin coolers .

Anyway enough of me talking Sh** , where is yours mounted Harve?

Rob the Cat Terminator - I like it!

Mine's mounted smack bang in front of half of the radiator (passenger side). There's a gap of an inch or more between the radiator and the cooler, which is a good thing I guess.

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#25 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 15 December 2008 - 10:26 PM

Rob the Cat Terminator - I like it!

Mine's mounted smack bang in front of half of the radiator (passenger side). There's a gap of an inch or more between the radiator and the cooler, which is a good thing I guess.

Dimension? Just wondering if it covers half your radiator like mine practically does.
See below ive tried to outline it roughly