| Re: Oil/transmission cooler |
Subject: Re: Oil/transmission cooler by CentralCoaster on 2009/2/18 16:59:39 According to Bowtie Overdrives: The fluid temperature control system is designed to properly manage the transmissions operating temperature. Most people dont realize that routing the lines from the transmission through the radiator is designed to bring the transmission up to its proper operating temperature and then maintain it at that temperature. This is the reason that the factorys transmission hard lines always run to a heat exchanger located in the vehicles thermostatically controlled radiator system. We have yet to see an auxiliary type cooler mounted anywhere that was capable of doing this job properly. Contrary to popular belief, a good transmission temperature control system ran through a heat exchanger located in the exit tank of the vehicles radiator, will normally hold the transmissions fluid temperature 30 to 50 degrees F lower than the engines indicated operating temperature. The transmission temperature will be very stable with a system like this unless; the radiator is bad, or the transmissions heat exchanger located in the radiator is ineffective. The transmission fluid flow rate through the heat exchanger should be checked. We use a simple procedure to determine if a system has any flow restrictions. Restricted flow has the same result as inadequate cooling or inadequate lubrication to the transmissions hard parts. It is our strong opinion that the effectiveness of the transmission fluid temperature control system cannot be determined without the use of a temperature guage! With a balanced cooling system and a temperature sensor located in the pan you should indicate a normal operating temperature of less than 150 F. Most installations dont even require additional coolers if the radiator system is well designed. When you plan to tow, you should try to over kill this requirement. If you must error while designing a cooling system for your transmission, please do so on the safe side of the equation, on the side of supplying a little more cooling than is needed, rather than not quite enough. If your system runs higher hotter than 150 degrees F you can bet the cooling system isnt adequate or the torque converter is not locking up! Continuous operation at 150 degrees or less will insure the fluid lasts the full year between complete fluid flushes. The number one cause of failure with these transmissions is continuously running the transmission fluid hotter than it is designed to tolerate or frying the fluid during a single catastrophic incident. They go on to say for towing an auxiliary cooler should be installed, but in series with the radiator cooler. And that it should be bypassed in the wintertime in cold climates. |
