Trans Temps after Cooler Install

[slowss99]

Hey everyone, this may sound dumb so i apologize for my noobness in advance.

I had a trans cooler installed today (Tru-Cool Max Heavy Duty 40000) and on the way home the trans temps never crossed 65C (150F), it is mostly highway driving but im still a little worried about the trans being too cold?

Anyone have any experience with this particular cooler? What are the minimum temps we should be seeing at which it is safe to push the car?

['10CamaroDude]

Originally Posted by Smitty CC

Transmissions are not that sensitive to cooler temps. they operate in sub zero conditions usually just fine. Extreme conditions might gel the fluid but I don't think that's a problem in this case. The real enemy is HEAT!

That's not how it all works, and is not an accurate explanation of the
workings of an automatic. Fluid will not GEL either! IF that were the
case, so would your engine oil.

They don't stay that cold, AND there is a bypass valve that is used in
sub-zero temps, to lower pressures till it warms up; Automatics. Also,
you have NO torque converter LOCKUP when they're that cold. If you
run the trans too cold, then you lose TCC Lockup, which is wasting
fuel. No TCCL, will in itself, heat the fluid. Coolers can add a delay in
TCCL in colder outside temperatures.

Automatic transmissions are designed to work at a certain temperature. As
with an engine, the trans has to run hot enough to get rid of any
condensation that builds up, and to keep the viscosity at the correct level for
best operation.

170-f is optimal, with spikes, so it burns off any moisture... I had a Dodge
Avenger ES, with the A904, and right on the dipstick was a 170 degree
temperature MAX warning. That's IMPOSSIBLE without a cooler! The
A904 was weak to begin with, and temps killed them quick. I placed a
medium duty cooler on it as soon as I got it home. It had 153,000+ miles
at trade in. I bought this car off the show-room floor.

HEAT is the enemy, but so is too cold conditions.

[slowss99]

Originally Posted by Smitty CC

Transmissions are not that sensitive to cooler temps. they operate in sub zero conditions usually just fine. Extreme conditions might gel the fluid but I don't think that's a problem in this case. The real enemy is HEAT!

Yeah thats the main reason Ive installed the cooler. I live in the UAE and it gets really hot in the summer months so the transmission heats up a bit. Now im chasing the other side, I want it to warm up but not heat up

[slowss99]

Originally Posted by '10CamaroDude

That's not how it all works, and is not an accurate explanation of the
workings of an automatic. Fluid will not GEL either! IF that were the
case, so would your engine oil.

They don't stay that cold, AND there is a bypass valve that is used in
sub-zero temps, to lower pressures till it warms up; Automatics. Also,
you have NO torque converter LOCKUP when they're that cold. If you
run the trans too cold, then you lose TCC Lockup, which is wasting
fuel. No TCCL, will in itself, heat the fluid. Coolers can add a delay in
TCCL in colder outside temperatures.

Automatic transmissions are designed to work at a certain temperature. As
with an engine, the trans has to run hot enough to get rid of any
condensation that builds up, and to keep the viscosity at the correct level for
best operation.

170-f is optimal, with spikes, so it burns off any moisture... I had a Dodge
Avenger ES, with the A904, and right on the dipstick was a 170 degree
temperature MAX warning. That's IMPOSSIBLE without a cooler! The
A904 was weak to begin with, and temps killed them quick. I placed a
medium duty cooler on it as soon as I got it home. It had 153,000+ miles
at trade in. I bought this car off the show-room floor.

HEAT is the enemy, but so is too cold conditions.

I completely agree with you but what is too cold for a transmission? Like this morning on the way to work, with highway and little city driving the temps were varying between 150-165 range. I know that when the engine oil is too cold it may not lubricate as well causing failures if pushed hard. So im wondering if 155-160F is too cold for the transmission?

[gtstorey]

I installed a thermostat with my cooler, it sits at 180F

['10CamaroDude]

Originally Posted by slowss99

I completely agree with you but what is too cold for a transmission? Like this morning on the way to work, with highway and little city driving the temps were varying between 150-165 range. I know that when the engine oil is too cold it may not lubricate as well causing failures if pushed hard. So im wondering if 155-160F is too cold for the transmission?

155-160 is not "cold" cruising, as it will spike on harder pulls. You won't
lose TCC lockup unless you go well below 100 degrees.

Cold oil:
Wear increases because the cold engine isn't heating the oil sufficiently,
thus harmful deposits, moisture, and acid accumulate rapidly, then eat
away at the inside of your engine. The oil must be 210-F to boil off the
contaminants. Oil is always hotter than coolant temperature. SO, if your
coolant is 190, your oil should be 205 to 210. Oil is usually 15-20 degrees
hotter than what your engine coolant temp is.

That probably means I need a filter, because the thicker fluid is not flowing
as fast as the old, broken down fluid did.


The colder the engine runs, the less MPGs you get as well. The way it
works is, the hottest you can get your engine to run without overheating,
is the most efficient it will be.

The reason synthetic oil was invented, was because modern gas engines
run hotter for fuel efficiency. Conventional oil starts to break down at
temps above 250 degrees, then it looses all it's lubricity. Even being at
borderline 240, 250 degrees, breaks down conventional oil. Synthetics
can run in much higher temperatures, allowing for 210-F coolant, with 230
or higher engine oil.

Sitting idle, the cooling fans don't come on till 221, thus your oil is now
241+. Adding an oil cooler to an engine can be very detrimental. You
absolutely NEED 210+ for engine oil. If your car comes with a factory
cooler, then the oil already stays at or above 210 constantly.

Originally Posted by gtstorey

I installed a thermostat with my cooler, it sits at 180F

Then why bother adding a cooler? Keeping it in the bottom of the radiator
where it already is, keeps temps there anyway. IF you use the RAD first,
then cooler, you have set your base-line temperature, which is what a
thermostat does. I never use a stand-alone cooler when I add one. I
always put it on after the rad.

I mean, yeah, it is your car, do what you want of course, but the extra
expense of a t-stat for that application seems a little wasteful when you
have the lower rad to keep the temp baseline.
__________________________________________________ ________________



ON another note, I just did a pan trans fluid change, and my temps went up.
I never ran with coolant at a steady 205, with 210-212 spikes. After
I drained the pan, which pulled out 4-quarts, I put 4-fresh in (+ a pint), the
car runs hotter than it did. I used to go down to 189 coasting down-hill,
I am not seeing that anymore; coolant stays in the 190s all the time now,
when running.


That probably means I need a filter, as the thicker NEW fluid is not flowing
as fast as the thinner, broken down fluid was.

[NEstyle]

My car has a big B&M cooler after the radiator and the trans eventually gets to almost engine coolant temp. I'm thinking of bypassing the radiator as I believe it might actually be heating the trans fluid up. I also don't drive it in the winter and have a loose converter, so I'm not worried about it running too cool.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

I daily my car with a 3200 stall converter and a trans cooler. Cooler is ALWAYS better for transmissions. Heat is the enemy. 150-165 is terrific during the summer on the highway, it wont run much cooler in the winter (15-20 degrees), which is still excellent.

The temps will be lower cruising on the highway vs. stop & go driving in the city. My tranny cooler keeps mine below 185 in the city during the summer, and 165-170 on the highway. About 15 degrees cooler during the winter. Mine will be hotter than yours because of the slip in my aftermarket converter.

Don't believe people who tell you it wont help your transmission last longer, cooler always lives longer. Transmission fluid doesn't freeze until it reaches -60*F, so unless you're moving to the North Pole, you're good.

[NEstyle]

Originally Posted by Joe M 2012 2SS

I daily my car with a 3200 stall converter and a trans cooler. Cooler is ALWAYS better for transmissions. Heat is the enemy. 150-165 is terrific during the summer on the highway, it wont run much cooler in the winter (15-20 degrees), which is still excellent.

The temps will be lower cruising on the highway vs. stop & go driving in the city. My tranny cooler keeps mine below 185 in the city during the summer, and 165-170 on the highway. About 15 degrees cooler during the winter. Mine will be hotter than yours because of the slip in my aftermarket converter.

Don't believe people who tell you it wont help your transmission last longer, cooler always lives longer. Transmission fluid doesn't freeze until it reaches -60*F, so unless you're moving to the North Pole, you're good.

Did you bypass the radiator?

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Originally Posted by NEstyle

Did you bypass the radiator?

I didn't install it myself, was done at same time my torque converter was installed. It was a B&M with all hardware included.

[NEstyle]

Originally Posted by Joe M 2012 2SS

I didn't install it myself, was done at same time my torque converter was installed. It was a B&M with all hardware included.

Is your radiator bypassed? You should be able to see if the trans cooler lines are connected to the bottom of the radiator.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Originally Posted by NEstyle

Is your radiator bypassed? You should be able to see if the trans cooler lines are connected to the bottom of the radiator.

I cannot get under the car to see. I'm 6' 2" 225.

['10CamaroDude]

Originally Posted by Joe M 2012 2SS

I cannot get under the car to see. I'm 6' 2" 225.

[LCPLPunk]

Can't you just open the hood?