akitagandy
Member
what is the difference one is a singal and one is a double
singal double
singal double
trans cooler
- Thread starter akitagandy
- Start date
donsrods
Member
Supposedly the double pass ones cool better. Instead of the fluid just passing through it makes a turn and goes through again. I'm running a double pass because the guy from PRC radiators was telling me he likes them. Plus, I find it easier to route the lines because both are on one side of the cooler. I think they work well because I can put my hand on mine after running a while and it is not hot at all.
Don
Don
Screaming Metal
Active Member
Yes......they work great.........if you like more cooling........go with a small engine cooler.............
What I use from time-to-time is the old power steering pump coolers...............look great and work really well to boot.......and they don't cost you a arm and a leg to get.........
What I use from time-to-time is the old power steering pump coolers...............look great and work really well to boot.......and they don't cost you a arm and a leg to get.........
donsrods
Member
Yeah Ted, but I bet with the high stall converter some of these guys run it wouldn't hurt to have one. I live in Florida where 70 degrees is a cold day 
so I think I need one. If I put my hand on the output line it is pretty warm, not so much on the one going out of the cooler and back into the transmission. But I have seen guys do what you describe and they do seem to be ok.
Don
so I think I need one. If I put my hand on the output line it is pretty warm, not so much on the one going out of the cooler and back into the transmission. But I have seen guys do what you describe and they do seem to be ok.Don
FOX FABRICATION
New Member
I just purchased a 15" dual pass finned cooler like the one above for my Fordor...$40.00 out the door....cheap insurance.
Screaming Metal
Active Member
Looks great too.........:lol:
Screaming Metal
Active Member
I agree with Ted........you probably don't need one..............UNLESS you've got something like a powerglide where the motors spinning there pretty good and you've got alot of slippage with the converter.......and live in someplace like Washington, the Ozarks, someplace hilly or mountainness with alot of stop and go on the hillside kinda stiff.......
I'm the kind that if I can't hold my hand on it for 10 seconds.........its in front of my big toolbox and somethings gonna be cooling it down..........
but hey.......best to have too much cooling than not enough.........
I'm the kind that if I can't hold my hand on it for 10 seconds.........its in front of my big toolbox and somethings gonna be cooling it down..........
but hey.......best to have too much cooling than not enough.........
Lee_in_KC
Active Member
I can't say from technical expertise when a cooler is needed, but I can tell you my personal experience. I have a 3,000+/- stall converter in front of a built TH350, all behind a pretty strong motor. When I originally built the car I used one of those aluminum extruded-fin coolers, single pass. After reading some posts on hotrodders.com about high-stall converters making a lot of heat, I got concerned. One day after a local cruise in 90* weather with quite a bit of city stop-and-go, I decided to touch the cooler to see how hot it was. It was way hotter than I expected... hot enough to leave a red mark after just a few seconds of contact. This was on the outside of the cooler at the end of a fin, where you would think it would be relatively cool!
So I installed a tranny temp gauge and found that under extreme conditions I was hitting 240 degrees. TCI (builder of my converter and tranny) sez 240 is too high...
So I changed out the cooler for a Derale tube and fin cooler with a fan, although I haven't installed the fan yet. Just changing to the tube and fin cooler dropped my temps by 30 degrees. I'm still seeing 210 under extreme conditions, so I'll be installing the fan this winter.
I think a cooler is very desirable. It certainly doesn't hurt anything to have one, 'cept maybe the budget.
So I installed a tranny temp gauge and found that under extreme conditions I was hitting 240 degrees. TCI (builder of my converter and tranny) sez 240 is too high...
So I changed out the cooler for a Derale tube and fin cooler with a fan, although I haven't installed the fan yet. Just changing to the tube and fin cooler dropped my temps by 30 degrees. I'm still seeing 210 under extreme conditions, so I'll be installing the fan this winter.
I think a cooler is very desirable. It certainly doesn't hurt anything to have one, 'cept maybe the budget.
Brucer
New Member
Gonna say to be on the safe side at least a single pass cooler.. Teds correct also, but if your in a humid area I would run a double pass that way if you get stuck in slow traffic your safe..
The place that built my th400 said to run a healthy cooler on it, behind a 427 bigblock and a 3500stall so I got a b&m unit with a temp sensor and fan built on it.. On my T I'm running a built 700r4 and 2800rpm converter he recommended no less than a single pass just like in the first picture.
The cooler the better on a street tranny..
The place that built my th400 said to run a healthy cooler on it, behind a 427 bigblock and a 3500stall so I got a b&m unit with a temp sensor and fan built on it.. On my T I'm running a built 700r4 and 2800rpm converter he recommended no less than a single pass just like in the first picture.
The cooler the better on a street tranny..
Popeye
Member
Ha guys, I had a 66 chevy van that had the cooler on the outside .the cooler always leaked and all the fins were bent . When I had the radiator rebuilt I got a trans cooler out of an import radiator ,you just break the plastic tank off where the cooler is. And the copper cooler unscrews with two nuts, I had asked the radiator company to put it in the tank of my van radiator. He just drilled 2 holes and sardered it in . Worked great and the anti freeze helped with the heat disapation . Every one asked where I got the radiator and I would tell them it was costum built. The shop didn't even charge me for doing it because he had to pull the tank off to rod the radiator out anyway. I dont think it would cost mutch to do to any radiator It only cost $65 to have the radiator rodded out. just a drop in the BUCKET compared to a 400-500 costum radiator . and it looks factory.
compared to a 400-500 costum radiator . and it looks factory.Wild Mango
Member
The ones in the bottom of the water radiator are a heater as well, they make sure the transfluid runs at radiator water temperature, say 180degF.
If you live in Alaska I spose you may need it but places where it never freezes getting the trans fluid out of the water radiator and into an air cool radiator of its own makes lots of sense.
I never had too cool problems with auto trans but I had a few too hot disasters before I caught on to by passing the water radiator trans cooler.
Speak to any auto trans shop and they'll tell you many tales of dread woe from water getting into the trans fluid via a leaky cooling circuit as well.
If you live in Alaska I spose you may need it but places where it never freezes getting the trans fluid out of the water radiator and into an air cool radiator of its own makes lots of sense.
I never had too cool problems with auto trans but I had a few too hot disasters before I caught on to by passing the water radiator trans cooler.
Speak to any auto trans shop and they'll tell you many tales of dread woe from water getting into the trans fluid via a leaky cooling circuit as well.
There are three ways that I am aware of to hook up a trans temp gauge:
1- Weld a bung to the trans pan so you can screw the sender in there. Most accurate reading is with this method.
2- Use the Autometer transmission manifold part number 2286. Auto Meter
3- Cut the HOT trans cooler line and make your own fittings so you can hook up the trans temp sender.
1- Weld a bung to the trans pan so you can screw the sender in there. Most accurate reading is with this method.
2- Use the Autometer transmission manifold part number 2286. Auto Meter
3- Cut the HOT trans cooler line and make your own fittings so you can hook up the trans temp sender.
Lee_in_KC
Active Member
I drilled a hole in my sheet metal pan just big enough to clear the threads of the sender. I put a nylon washer on the sender and ran it through the hole, then put on another nylon washer and used a reducer (see pic) as a nut on the inside of the pan. 1000 miles with no leaks.Track T-4 said:
Screaming Metal
Active Member
Lee_in_KC said:I drilled a hole in my sheet metal pan just big enough to clear the threads of the sender. I put a nylon washer on the sender and ran it through the hole, then put on another nylon washer and used a reducer (see pic) as a nut on the inside of the pan. 1000 miles with no leaks.
Go ahead on with your bad self there Lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:buttkick::lol:
Screaming Metal
Active Member
One other thing that helps keep your trans cool..............but let me say this..........our Ted is right..........(he's forgotten more than alot of us will everlearn in a lifetime...........I met him once a LOOOOOONG time ago.......he's a cool guy and knows his stuff..........) you don't need a cooler under normal circumstances..........it things are stock and your low budget........I'd say you won't need one.........
IF You got........
1. A Blown bigblock, a slippy stall converter, and tall gears........
2. A all out motor,ie , cammed and tunnelrammed, converter, fairly steep gears and you gotta burp the throttle quite a bit to keep her cleaned out.............
3. Any good healthy hi horse or torque machine...........a automatic gears and do ALOT of cruisein'..............especially hilly stuff..........I'd say its a safe bet.......you probably need the cooling...............
Some Transmissions do really well with deep sump cooling pans on the transmissions................especially if the trans cooler cools down your heated fluid and dumps it back into the trans pan..................like some transmissions do.............
IF You got........
1. A Blown bigblock, a slippy stall converter, and tall gears........
2. A all out motor,ie , cammed and tunnelrammed, converter, fairly steep gears and you gotta burp the throttle quite a bit to keep her cleaned out.............
3. Any good healthy hi horse or torque machine...........a automatic gears and do ALOT of cruisein'..............especially hilly stuff..........I'd say its a safe bet.......you probably need the cooling...............
Some Transmissions do really well with deep sump cooling pans on the transmissions................especially if the trans cooler cools down your heated fluid and dumps it back into the trans pan..................like some transmissions do.............
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