ahardb0dy Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Anyone have any experience/opinions on the frame rail style trans oil coolers? Was reading on another forum people running them on turbo 400's with V8 engines and saying they work good for them? OK, so everyone usually says you need a certain size trans cooler to use as a stand alone one, so if this is the cooler that is in the radiator, (see below) borrowed pic from kiwipete: I can't see how the smallest aftermarket tranny cooler wouldn't do a better job than the one pictured above??? Also, what temp range would be good for a trans temp gauge?? I was reading a thread about where to put the sender for a tranny temp gauge, being that the tranny pan is kind of tucked up out of the way how about removing the drain plug, installing a 90 degree fitting into the pan and installing the sender into the 90? That way it would keep the sender out of the way? I'm probably going to make my own "block" to install inline with one of the tranny lines, I was at the hardware store the other day looking at options. They have a 1/2" pipe thread brass tee that I can screw the mechanical gauge sender adapter into, than either use barb fittings to "tee" into one of the rubber lines, or can use compression fittings to "tee" into one of the metal lines. Lastly I've read conflicting opinions on whether you want to monitor the trans fluid temp before the cooler or after, what are your thoughts on this? I was thinking if someone used a electrical gauge sender, you could probably install a sender in each line and connect both wires to the gauge using a switch, flip the switch one way get temp coming out of tranny, flip switch the other way get temp coming out of the cooler. Thinking a lot tonight, LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 No thoughts on this? I thought I would get a few opinions? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Afraid I don't know anything about trans temp gauges, sorry! I believe 200+ degrees F is undesirable in an automatic transmission. Brief spikes are okay, but extended periods of time at such high temperatures will quickly degrade the transmission fluid. I think you'll want to put the temp gauge sender after the cooler, since if the temp after it's been cooled is still too high for a long period of time, you know you need to upgrade your cooling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Was asking about the temp range for the gauge because the Autometer gauge's I'm looking at go 100 - 250 degrees 100 - 260 or 140 - 280 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I'd go for 100 - 250 degrees. That way you can see better how quickly it warms up. And if it's over 200 for long periods of time that's a bad thing, so no need to go as high as 280 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmoore4512 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Just found this thread... B did one hell of a write up on his trans temp gauge install thing... I will look for it... Good thoughts here man, glad you gave up smoking weed! JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 I'll have you know, I have NEVER smoked weed, can't stand the smell , crack maybe ! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I can't see how the smallest aftermarket tranny cooler wouldn't do a better job than the one pictured above??? Also, what temp range would be good for a trans temp gauge?? Neither can I but I don't know the BTU transfer rate, much less the needs of the big V8ers. The number I have in my head 180*F max sustained, preferably lower and without spikes from what I have read.1 thing as important is to try to maintain a relatively even temperature. If the temp is going up and down constantly, all moving parts are shrinking and growing (more than you would think with synthetic materials and polymers). if your motor temp fluctuated by 50 degrees constantly, it wouldn't run nearly long. I was reading a thread about where to put the sender for a tranny temp gauge, being that the tranny pan is kind of tucked up out of the way how about removing the drain plug, installing a 90 degree fitting into the pan and installing the sender into the 90? That way it would keep the sender out of the way? I'm probably going to make my own "block" to install inline with one of the tranny lines, I was at the hardware store the other day looking at options. They have a 1/2" pipe thread brass tee that I can screw the mechanical gauge sender adapter into, than either use barb fittings to "tee" into one of the rubber lines, or can use compression fittings to "tee" into one of the metal lines. Either in the pan (My1Path bought or made a banjo bolt drain plug with the sender in it. Pretty clever and should be accurate but maybe not respond as quickly, or in the out line to the cooler. I put mine in before the inline filter in a brass T block. Lastly I've read conflicting opinions on whether you want to monitor the trans fluid temp before the cooler or after, what are your thoughts on this? I was thinking if someone used a electrical gauge sender, you could probably install a sender in each line and connect both wires to the gauge using a switch, flip the switch one way get temp coming out of tranny, flip switch the other way get temp coming out of the cooler. I say before the cooler since I want to know the tranny temp. Being able to switch back and forth would be cool as you could see the temp drop. Only after the cooler doesn't tell you the tranny temp so I strongly recommend you dont do it. Lastly, did you not search? This is all very well documented... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Was asking about the temp range for the gauge because the Autometer gauge's I'm looking at go 100 - 250 degrees 100 - 260 or 140 - 280 degrees. 100-250. If you don't hit 100, there is a serious problem. If you clear 250, there is a serious problem. That is the proper range... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 I've read all the threads on this but I wanted to ask about the frame rail style coolers which I've never seen discussed on here and I wanted to see what you all said about that pathetic looking stock cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmoore4512 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I will probably tackle this temp gauge sender issue when I get the gauge pillar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I've read all the threads on this but I wanted to ask about the frame rail style coolers which I've never seen discussed on here and I wanted to see what you all said about that pathetic looking stock cooler. Well, it would have been a lot more concise then. Yeah, the stock "cooler" in the radiator is mostly relying on the coolant temp to keep it at 180, but we all know that it can run way higher in the mountains, when towing or if it clogs. Probably why some of the R50s came with a secondary cooler infront of the condensor, small, maybe 8k btu? When I put a larger cooler on mine, I will also re route everything so it flows out of the tranny to the temp sender, through the inline filter, into the 'stock' cooler in the radiator, to an external cooler up front, back to the tranny. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Some 96 - 98 R50s came with small auxiliary air coolers, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 so that cooler on an R50 is in addition to the one built into the radiator? That looks like it would be used for cooling power steering fluid or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Yeah. It's definitely connected to the auto trans though. It does look more like a power steering cooler, I thought of using it for that purpose in fact but ended up forgetting about the idea and junking that cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 but is it plumbed with the one in the radiator or separately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Plumbed in line after the stock cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 x2 B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 well after I finish the remote oil filter I'll have t hit the junkyards and look for a plate style cooler, I won't be keeping that small stock cooler in line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 The benefit of the stock cooler is primarily faster warm up since the transmission fluid gets equalized with the coolant temperature. I guess in our damn hot state it'll be no big deal if you just run an auxiliary cooler and bypass the stock cooler altogether. I still fail to see how so much debris can collect that it ends up clogging the tube; I think poor maintenance of fluid is a more prevalent and more likely cause of transmission failure than the cooler tube clogging. But that's another story altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 It's not the tube that clogs. I saw a pic on here a while back of a stock WD cooler taken apart, and it had what looked like mud (clutch material I guess) mounded up pretty bad on the aluminum part of the radiator that sticks down into the cooler. But yeah, with proper maintenance it probably wouldn't be a problem. Sort of like how arteries usually work okay, but get all clogged up with crap if you don't keep them up... except that most of us don't have pre-owned arteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Just for transparency, I pruned a few posts, mine included that were far off topic. No problems, carry on... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazo32 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 When installing the temp gauge on the A/T transmission, were you able to find a test port to utilize for your temperature sensor? Would like to avoid using a T-connector if possible. The M/T's I have are heavy and will be going up to Colorado from Texas for a week in July. What kind of temperatures does everyone actually observe once the gauge is on? Can anybody report? 1. Normal driving (city highway) 2. Mountain driving (climbing up paved roads) 3. Offroading trails 4. Sand/mud pits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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