[GuoShicheng]

Hey guys,

I was eyeing the v6 1le's a while back but ended up going with regular manual v6 due to bonus tag. Had some questions on the transmission cooler that comes with 1le package though.

Was there ever any general consensus on how much it actually cooled tranny fluid?

Is the recommended tranny fluid change interval same for you guys as it is with non 1le's? I believe my non 1le interval is 45k miles, will double check tomorrow.

Even if you don't track your car very often (2 times a year ish for me so far), would you expect any noticable increase in life expectancy of tranny/fluid due to cooler?

Has anyone installed the cooler on a non 1le car? If so, is it a simple few part #s and easy to do? I was thinking of doing this because I noticed my shifts always become a bit notchier after heavy driving.

Thanks everyone!

[TJay74]

I can tell you on my SS 1LE that unless it is over 80° outside that my transmission temps don't even get over the 100° starting mark for the transmission temperature range.

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by GuoShicheng

...Even if you don't track your car very often (2 times a year ish for me so far), would you expect any noticable increase in life expectancy of tranny/fluid due to cooler?
...

I wouldn't sweat it. Maybe put in a good quality manual trans fluid like AMSoil or Redline and call it a day. The vast majority of manual trans don't have an external cooler. Think of it another way, a trans cooler requirement is going to be proportional to the power level of your engine. The trans has a certain frictional and windage loss, very roughly described as a percentage of power. At 335 HP, the heat build up in the trans is going to be about a quarter less than in the SS, and nearly 40% less than in the Shelby GT350 [the guys that are overheating w/o a cooler on-track]. So in that perspective, your trans doesn't make as much heat, so the need for a cooler is much less. Given that us SS guys are seeing very low trans temps, and only moderate temps on-track, that tells me that your need for an external cooler is close to zero, especially given your plans for the car are mainly street.

So my advice is, don't worry about it and enjoy the car.

[GuoShicheng]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

I wouldn't sweat it. Maybe put in a good quality manual trans fluid like AMSoil or Redline and call it a day. The vast majority of manual trans don't have an external cooler. Think of it another way, a trans cooler requirement is going to be proportional to the power level of your engine. The trans has a certain frictional and windage loss, very roughly described as a percentage of power. At 335 HP, the heat build up in the trans is going to be about a quarter less than in the SS, and nearly 40% less than in the Shelby GT350 [the guys that are overheating w/o a cooler on-track]. So in that perspective, your trans doesn't make as much heat, so the need for a cooler is much less. Given that us SS guys are seeing very low trans temps, and only moderate temps on-track, that tells me that your need for an external cooler is close to zero, especially given your plans for the car are mainly street.

So my advice is, don't worry about it and enjoy the car.

Thanks for the response.
It's not that I'm worried per se, it's more of a "hey it'll be a fun project if it's cheap and accomplishes something".

My trannie temp always shows ~160 city and ~180 highway, which was why I was asking. Especially after seeing everyone here say theirs rarely ever went above 100 lol.

[1LE caSSper]

180 degrees? Are you sure?

[GuoShicheng]

Originally Posted by 1LE caSSper

180 degrees? Are you sure?

180 degrees as read by my transmission temp page on the simplified 1LT instrument cluster. The regular 1LTs don't have those 4 gauges on instrument cluster. But if those values are measured the same way, then yes :(.

[Buzzberd6]

Originally Posted by GuoShicheng

Hey guys,

I was eyeing the v6 1le's a while back but ended up going with regular manual v6 due to bonus tag. Had some questions on the transmission cooler that comes with 1le package though.

Was there ever any general consensus on how much it actually cooled tranny fluid?

Is the recommended tranny fluid change interval same for you guys as it is with non 1le's? I believe my non 1le interval is 45k miles, will double check tomorrow.

Even if you don't track your car very often (2 times a year ish for me so far), would you expect any noticable increase in life expectancy of tranny/fluid due to cooler?

Has anyone installed the cooler on a non 1le car? If so, is it a simple few part #s and easy to do? I was thinking of doing this because I noticed my shifts always become a bit notchier after heavy driving.

Thanks everyone!

I haven't tracked my V6 1LE yet, just did one autocross with it so far, I will be taking it to a track day in a few weeks however. I plan on observing the trans temps pretty close though. Primarily because the V6 powered 1LEs did not get the trans cooler. They got all the other ones that the SS models have but not the trans cooler. Not sure why but they are some significant differences between the two.

[GuoShicheng]

Originally Posted by Buzzberd6

I haven't tracked my V6 1LE yet, just did one autocross with it so far, I will be taking it to a track day in a few weeks however. I plan on observing the trans temps pretty close though. Primarily because the V6 powered 1LEs did not get the trans cooler. They got all the other ones that the SS models have but not the trans cooler. Not sure why but they are some significant differences between the two.

Oh really? I didn't know that; if that's true then this whole thread is nullified haha.

Stupid, Chevy's own site still says the v6 does come with the tranny cooler.
http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro-sports-car/1le-packages

[Buzzberd6]

Originally Posted by GuoShicheng

Stupid, Chevy's own site still says the v6 does come with the tranny cooler.
http://www.chevrolet.com/camaro-sports-car/1le-packages

Yeah, I remember reading that too. However when I downloaded the 2017 Camaro order guide that Becky posted her last year I spent some time going over it and discovered that it wasn't available in the 1LT/2LT models (1LS wasn't around at the time).

The transmission cooler is code KD1 on page 6 and it's listed as standard equipment on all SS models, but indicates that it's not available at all on the 1LT/2LT.

Now, if GM managed to get around to actually installing the trans cooler in them they kept it a secret from whoever wrote the order guide. I'm fixing to do my first oil change soon so I plan on examining the trans connections closely, but I doubt I'll find any cooler lines.

[GuoShicheng]

Originally Posted by Buzzberd6

Yeah, I remember reading that too. However when I downloaded the 2017 Camaro order guide that Becky posted her last year I spent some time going over it and discovered that it wasn't available in the 1LT/2LT models (1LS wasn't around at the time).

The transmission cooler is code KD1 on page 6 and it's listed as standard equipment on all SS models, but indicates that it's not available at all on the 1LT/2LT.

Now, if GM managed to get around to actually installing the trans cooler in them they kept it a secret from whoever wrote the order guide. I'm fixing to do my first oil change soon so I plan on examining the trans connections closely, but I doubt I'll find any cooler lines.

Awesome. Please keep me posted! What temps are you seeing for daily driving then?