Transmission Cooler

[MountainManJoe]

I have a 2000 and I also have this A/C line running in front of my rad, but I think a cooler could still fit in front of it.

[Cobra]

that's where mine is not the prettiest but works

[MountainManJoe]

For anyone on the West coast, Canada. North Shore Offroad sells the Tru-Cool LPD 4950 for $110 on special order.
http://nsor.com/

[LaGrasta]

http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

[MountainManJoe]

I have a 2000 and I also have this A/C line running in front of my rad, but I think a cooler could still fit in front of it.

I installed my Long Tru-Cool LPD 4590 over the weekend. The mounting part was super easy using the supplied hardware. The A/C line presented no problem at all. There is plenty of room between the rad and the grill, and when I was done I still had almost an inch gap between the cooler and the A/C line.

Plumbing was NOT super easy. I connected the cooler into the LOWER port on the radiator (hope that was the right one). Getting to it was a real pain in the . Thanks to my 2" body lift, I had a 2" gap to work with through the wheel well. Without the body spacers the job seems even worse. You'd have to go through the engine bay, remove a bunch of stuff, and yank out the lower rad hose because it's right underneath it.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I connected the cooler into the LOWER port on the radiator (hope that was the right one).

Actually you wanted the top one. That is the line going back to the tranny. Although just adding the cooler is a MAJOR upgrade.

[MountainManJoe]

I wish someone had mentioned that when I asked a month ago. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6356&p=64795#p64795

Are you sure? When I touched the two lines, the top one seemed hotter. Makes sense for the return line to be at the bottom of the radiator where it is the coolest.

[LaGrasta]

I originally had mine on the bottom connector, but then changed it to the top. correct or no? My understanding is you want it after the radiator, before reentering the trans.

[LaGrasta]

I wish someone had mentioned that when I asked a month ago. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6356&p=64795#p64795

Are you sure? When I touched the two lines, the top one seemed hotter. Makes sense for the return line to be at the bottom of the radiator where it is the coolest.

tran.JPG

According to this pic, it should be on the bottom connect meaning mine is incorrect.

[Cobra]

Wrong is up to the installer if you want it to cool the fluid before it enters the rad the bottom connector is correct if you want it to cool the fluid before it enters the transmission the upper connector is correct.

What was that picture for it says service but is it draining the transmission?

[MountainManJoe]

My understanding is you want it after the radiator, before reentering the trans.

That is correct. The instructions say to add it downstream from the radiator.

What was that picture for it says service but is it draining the transmission?

The diagram is from ihatemybike's service manual for flushing the transmission fluid.

[astroturf]

My concern would be in cooling the ATF too much. I will install mine before the Radiator.

What kind of pressure drops are these coolers producing?

Thanks, Jim

[MountainManJoe]

My concern would be in cooling the ATF too much

The Tru-Cool's are self regulating. Cool, viscous fluid flows through the larger openings, bypassing the cooling plates.

What kind of pressure drops are these coolers producing?

I don't have any exact number, but considering LPD stands for Low Pressure Drop, I'm not too worried.

[MountainManJoe]

My concern would be in cooling the ATF too much. I will install mine before the Radiator.

I have to confess, 'Turf. I thought you were being paranoid, but your concern is legit.

I installed a transmission oil cooler at the same time as I serviced my transmission pan (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6356).

Long Tru-cool LPD 4590
dimensions: 11" x 4" x 3/4
Cooling capacity: 24,000 BTU
Price: $100 CAD @ North Shore Offroad (nsor.com)

It's a stacked plate cooler, which is a lot more robust, and more efficient than tube and fin designs.

As described on the box, it has channels that allow cold oil to bypass the cooler, which helps it reach operating temperature quicker.


The kit comes with everything you need. I don't recommend using the plastic straps. The supplied metal brackets, bolts, and sheet metal screw make the job very simple. I'm not sure what the big C-shaped brackets are for.


Unfortunately it was getting cold and dark, so I didn't take photos, but mounting the cooler was very straightforward. To remove the grill, you need to take out the philips screws which are hidden behind the the small corner lights. I roughly centered the cooler in the passenger side body opening and marked my bracket holes. I drilled 1/8" (?) holes to put the sheet metal screws through, then bolted up the cooler. The rear face of the cooler was flush with the front of the van body, which left me a nice 1" gap in front of the radiator. The column in the middle of the radiator protrudes a bit, so I bent the cooler bracket on that side into a 'Z' shape.

There's a convenient hole that you run your hoses through to back of the radiator. As I mentioned previously, I plumbed the cooler into the LOWER port on the radiator, which wasn't fun. I guessed this was the radiator outlet based on the temperature of the line between it and the transmission, however my reasoning has been cast in doubt. That means the oil MAY be warming up in the radiator first before returning to the 4L60E.

RESULTS

Using my Scanguage II to read the factory oil temperature sensor in the transmission pan...

Before:
Mild day, approx. 15℃
Cruising 1hr on a mostly flat highway @ approx. 100km/h
ATF temp hovers around 100℃


After:
Winter approx. 5℃
I decided to really put the cooler to the test while driving on the Sea-to-Sky highway #99 from Vancouver to Pemberton. Those familiar with it know that it is a challenging, rolling stretch of highway with some very steep grades. I FLOORED the gas pedal on the uphills and pushed the van very hard for a good 40mins. Try as I might, I could barely get the ATF temperature over 60℃. That's a whopping difference of 40℃. I don't think I'll be having overheating issues any more! In fact, I'm a bit concerned about the viscosity of the tranny oil. Based on the research I've done, optimal operating temperature for the transmission is 70-90℃. We all know starting your vehicle cold puts more wear and tear on the engine, because the oil hasn't warmed up yet, and it's too thick to lubricate moving parts properly.

So there you have it. Food for thought.
I'll check the direction of the transmission oil flow in the Spring when it actually matters, and my fingers don't fall off.

[wkastro]

My Trucool (same model & kit as timelessbeing's) went in a year ago, after the radiator loop, per Trucool's recommendation. Lightly loaded on the highway, the factory trans temp through a Scangage II is about 70-75 deg F over ambient. I haven't towed anything in over a year. The Trucool stacked plate cooler is a beautiful piece.