skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Looking at putting a transmission cooler in my GP. I'm guessing the bigger the better? Worried about blocking off too much of my radiator and creating a deadspot where air won't hardly move through. Anybody have a preferred brand? Rockauto has 3 different sizes(Light, Medium, Heavy duty), and 2 different grades(Economy, Premium) from Four Seasons, who I can't honestly say I've ever heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Your car should have a factory transmission cooler if I'm not mistaken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 I've read about there being a cooler inside of the radiator, but other than that I've not seen any oil or tranny cooler on my car, though I'll have to double check I suppose. Stock mounting location in front of the radiator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 I don't suppose you've installed a gauge so you actually know if the transmission fluid is overheated? Â First Guess: You have no need for another cooler. Â Yes, the fluid can be too cool, especially in winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 I've read about there being a cooler inside of the radiator, but other than that I've not seen any oil or tranny cooler on my car, though I'll have to double check I suppose. Stock mounting location in front of the radiator? Â No, it's integrated into the rad. There are two metal lines that connect to the radiator on the passenger side, run along the bottom, and then connect to rubber lines that connect to the transaxle. Those are your cooler lines. I know, because mine started leaking on my old 1994 GP sedan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 run the coolers in series to be relatively winter friendly. if you can get ahold of a thermostatic one, even better. Â around here and with my driving style, i rarely see my trans fluid temps get above 150*F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 I don't suppose you've installed a gauge so you actually know if the transmission fluid is overheated? First Guess: You have no need for another cooler.  Yes, the fluid can be too cool, especially in winter.  Don't have transmission temp and if everything is operating as designed, no it shouldn't be overheating - but that doesn't mean it's not getting hot enough to lower the lifespan significantly. Yes I should probably see where I'm currently at with temps, but I know how hot our summers are, and I do a lot of driving in stop and go traffic.  I'll humor the nay sayers and check temps, is there somewhere I can get a surface reading with an IR thermometer? If so, what am I looking for? Somewhere between 110-140 if all is well? Outside temp is currently 80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 run the coolers in series to be relatively winter friendly. if you can get ahold of a thermostatic one, even better. around here and with my driving style, i rarely see my trans fluid temps get above 150*F.  Thanks, that's what I was thinking. Engine coolant should warm transmission temperature, but with the transmission running overall cooler, I should see less total heat dissipated back into my engine coolant I would think?  Thinking about the best ways to prolong the life of my car. Thinking of relocating my battery to the trunk so I can do a fender well intake, plus an engine oil cooler later on perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Don't have transmission temp and if everything is operating as designed, no it shouldn't be overheating - but that doesn't mean it's not getting hot enough to lower the lifespan significantly. Yes I should probably see where I'm currently at with temps, but I know how hot our summers are, and I do a lot of driving in stop and go traffic. I'll humor the nay sayers and check temps, is there somewhere I can get a surface reading with an IR thermometer? If so, what am I looking for? Somewhere between 110-140 if all is well? Outside temp is currently 80 Non-contact infra-red thermometers are completely dependent on the emissivity of the object being measured. If you don't know the emissivity, and your thermometer doesn't adjust for emissivity, you're much better off using a "real" temperature sensor (thermometer or temp gauge) perhaps installed in the trans oil pan.  This is the "dirty little secret" of infra-red thermometers.    Preferred trans fluid temperature would be from 170 to about 220 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 well figure your trans temp will be at MINIMUM engine coolant temperature under most circumstances since it is a liquid to liquid cooler inside the radiator. Â nothing wrong with an axillary cooler to that mounted on the outside. Early 3.4 DOHC cars came with them factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 well figure your trans temp will be at MINIMUM engine coolant temperature under most circumstances since it is a liquid to liquid cooler inside the radiator. Â in my situation, i've rarely exceeded 150*F according to the trans temp sensor, though 90% of my driving is cruising at 55 or 70MPH(even after a good hour of driving). i don't do too much city driving, but when i do it heats up fairly quickly. Â this is using only the radiator based cooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Have not been happy with coolant temps I've seen since owning my car. My warm air intake certainly doesn't help, but I hate looking over and seeing my coolant gauge past 210. Wired up some manual fan switches in the mean time for when it gets too hot + help cool everything off before I put my car up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GtpKo Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Did you say manual fan switches? Â I was seeing the same thing in my '00, 210-214 in traffic on a hot day. After changing the $30 water pump, installing a 180* t-stat, and bleeding the coolant thoroughly, I saw rock solid low temps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 (edited) Did you say manual fan switches? Â I was seeing the same thing in my '00, 210-214 in traffic on a hot day. After changing the $30 water pump, installing a 180* t-stat, and bleeding the coolant thoroughly, I saw rock solid low temps. Â Yeah, I just have a switched ground source leading to the relays up front. Seems the best way without interfering with the normal operation. If I'm in traffic and see it too hot, I flip them on until I'm back down at 210. Not really necessary, but the fans won't kick themselves on until water temp is closer to the red than I like. Â Right around 210 is normal operating temp for my car - seems like the thermostats are like 205 degrees or so stock. Have considered a lower temperature thermostat, but it just seems that will make my water pump run more often, sucking power but more importantly, wearing out the waterpump more quickly, though I'd love to be wrong. Edited April 25, 2012 by skitchin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 wat. Â your water pump is centrifugal and is "running" whenever your engine is turning. stock stat temp is 195*F(don't trust the gauge, scan the car). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Â Ah, I understand - so getting into the realm of my noobness, where does the coolant flow when the thermostat is closed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 coolant constantly circulates whenever the engine is running. when the thermostat is closed, it just constantly cycles through the block/heads. when it opens up, then it will flow out and into the radiator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 OBD 1(.5?), can a scanner read transmission temp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 how to do you think i scan and reprogram mine? Â a GOOD scanner or pretty much any ALDL cable will work to read off temps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 how to do you think i scan and reprogram mine? Â a GOOD scanner or pretty much any ALDL cable will work to read off temps. I admit that I'm surprised that there's a temp sensor in the transmission pre OBD-II. I'm reasonably certain that neither my '92 nor my '93 (both OBD-I) will display trans temp on my scanner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 just depended on the platform. certain GM cars had them all the way back to 91 IIRC. W-bodies got them with the newer style of 4T60E in 93 for 3100s, 94 for 3.4/3.8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skitchin Posted April 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 how to do you think i scan and reprogram mine? Â OT here but how do you reprogram? I've always thought you hd to pull the computer and actually reflash a chip. Any info/links appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 another "depends on the application" situation. 93-95 3100 cars (except for the A-bodies) use a reflashable PCM, similar to how the OBD2 units flash through their DLC, we flash via the ALDL connector. Â PM me for specifics, lets try to keep this OT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich17 Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 If it were me I would go to the treasureyard and look through the truck section. You can find most for trucks with a small oil cooler and probally pick it up cheap. And it'll have sme sort of mounting bracket on them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 for real fun, hit up the diesel section. some of them have trans coolers the size of our radiators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.