remote tranny cooler

Quick question. I am going to plumb a remote transmission cooler in an OT Jeep in an effort to reduce engine temps. Could I run a remote tranny cooler in my dash and just depend on it to cool down by flowing through the system, or does it absolutely have to be on the radiator? The reason I ask is 1: I really don't want so see it in front of the rad. and 2: it would be totally protected there.

 

Is this some sort of race Jeep?

 

If you put it in your dash, it won't get good air flow to cool. Mount it under the jeep some where. Anywhere that it can get air flow.

I mount mine on the frame of my T. Also, I'm not aware of an auxillary trans cooler effecting engine heat. If it mounted in front of or behind the radiator, air-flow to the radiator wouldn't be effected.

 

I use the roundish double pass ones and have mounted them along frame rails and across the frame and they work fine. If you think about it, all a radiator can do is drop the temp down to 180 or whatever your radiator runs at. Plus, the extra heat from the transmission will contribute to the overall temperature in the cooling system. It is a win win if you can get the cooler mounted outside of the radiator.

What is your reason for wanting to mount it under the dash? Seems like airflow to it there would be impeded somewhat.

Don

 

X2 ^

 

Along the frame rails. They are some aftermarket radiators that have a trans cooler integrated in. That is an option if cost isn't a issue.

 

Its not a race jeep, but an offroad/mudbogging jeep. I really don't want to run it under the body because of the carnage and mud it would see. Also, most of the time this thing is only traveling about 5mph. No real airflow while moving.

I ran one on my hotrod inside the frame rail with no issues what so ever, but that was constantly going fast.

Using the radiator to cool the transmission adds the heat from the tranny to the radiator, thus stealing some cooling capabilities from the rad. A remote cooler should lower engine temps

I'm thinking the lines and the cooler could act as a heat sink

 

I have the set up I suggested in my newer mustang and my engine temps are never hot.

 

Alright, good! I use to race Jeeps.

Is this an open body/tube chassis?

If it is you'll be fine 'cause you'll get some air flow in there.

If not you'll need some kind of air flow. You could mount it inside but you'll need one that has its own electric fan. If your Jeep is a CJ, TJ, etc., you can mount it under the hood above the engine attached to the radiator/grille support rods that go from the support to the firewall.

 

Car manufactorers have been using a cooler in the radiator for years. If it worked then, it should work now.

 

Open top CJ, but sometimes I run it with the top on. I really need to reduce engine bay temps, thats why I want to run it elsewhere. I suppose I could run it under the body, but would have to make a guard. That still doesn't solve the caked on mud problem.

 

Trannys will have an adverse effect on coolant temps. Going with an external tranny cooler and by-passing the internal radiator cooler is not only better for cooling but also eliminates the chance of the radiator going bad and taking out the tranny.

Under the Jeep will give you more problems than you have now.

 

Running transmission fluid to your lower radiator is called a "heat exchanger", not a "cooler". There is no such thing as a transmission cooler. If you think a remote unit will sufficiently cool the fluid by airflow alone, try this simple test. Heat a fork or spoon up. Once it's hot, stick it into a room temperature glass of water... It cools off VERY quickly.
Now heat that same utensil up once more, and wave it in the air to cool it off. Doesn't work nearly as quickly or efficiently, does it? That's why automakers use the heat exchangers in your radiator ....

 

very ineffective and 180 degree heat source with you(the one who sweats) My experience has been if you are not revving high(for long periods) or pulling hard the trans and oil temp stay about what the water is

 

If it's engine heat your concerned about I would add an engine oil cooler .

 

Simply place it behind the grill and in front of the radiator. It will have the grill to act as a guard, be high enough so it will not get completely caked in mud, you can add a small fan and with a inline thermostatic switch to keep the transmission happy, and it will be easy to get to for maintenance reasons.

Placing any fluid inside the cab is a huge red flag in case the component or line blows. Everynow you see some yahoo running a radiator in place of a back seat in a jeep. Having a line blow and 200+ degree fluid going everywhere would make for a bad day. I know your saying something along the lines of inside the dash but in the event of a blow out make sure the fluid is not going to scald your passenger.

Now I am open minded though. If this is something you do not mind cutting up you can easily make a leak proof box in place of the glove box or below it(take care of any electronics) and cut the corner of the tub in front of the door and behind the hood then add a vented grill. Using the inline switch you can have a fan pulling from the inside of the fender well(or from open air if your running tube fenders) then through the transmission cooler being pulled by the small fan and then exiting out at the opening at the side side by the passengers front door. Down side of this is that your passenger may feel the heat a bit.

 

Years ago I had a Pontiac where the cooler inside the radiator fell off and that allowed tranny fluid to go into the radiator and coolant to be sucked into the transmission. Both had pink foam coming out of them. I fixed it and flushed and flushed but the transmission only lasted a week or so before it died and needed rebuilt.

Since then I have never trusted radiators being cooled by the radiator.

Don

 

You can actually mount it anywhere there is room and you can either get air flow through it or mount a fan on it to push air through it. Since it's an open rig and you are only in it for short periods of time up under the dash where a heater would normally go rather makes sense if you put a fan on it to blow air through it. You could even put a deflector on it to direct the heat away from you or towards you depending on the outside temperature. And no as the others said you don't need to connect the cooler lines to the radiator and most of with rods don't and just use an auxiliary trans cooler.

 

Yeah, I doubt I needed mine on my rod. It was super light weight and had tall skinny tires. My Desoto however is a boat and is powered by 409 backed by a PG, I'm running the cooler right out in front of my rad. Atleast with it there its hidden.

I like the "replace the heater" idea, as I currently do not have a heater in it. Summer time it wont really matter, cuz the top will be off anyways...

 

You seem to have overlooked that the rad water is not 'room temp' but 180 + degrees.

If you want to cool your trans, put a cooler in front of the rad, so air sucks through it whenever your fan is running. Or whenever you are driving along.



Or buy a remote fan cooled trans cooler, from Speedway, mount it anywhere you like.

 

The problem is that on an off-road vehicle mud can pack into the front causing all kinds of issues not to mention debris that gets kicked up.

That lower photo is what I was referring to earlier. That can be mounted just about anywhere.