Reccommendation for Trans Cooler...

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You're smart to consider this and implement it.
I'd get the biggest that will fit and is available locally - anybody's brand. B+M and Hayden are common makers.
BTW, use 2 hose clamps on each line, oriented 180 deg apart.
 
I've had good luck with Hayden coolers. The "Rapid Cool" plate type is better than the "Ultra Cool" tube type, but either is FAR superior to none at all:

http://www.haydenauto.com/Featured%20Pro...rs/Content.aspx


Of possible interest for that application is the remote kit- scroll down that page a bit. Its a trans cooler with an integrated electric fan that can be installed somewhere other than in front of the radiator. I'd go in front of the radiator if there's room, though. Less load on the electrical system.
 
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Originally Posted By: Ken2
I'm aware of only two makers of coolers which are sold under several brand names. Dana's Long Tru-Cool and Hayden are the makers. Both are good. I prefer the Tru-Cool stacked-plate model because of their internal bypass for cold fluid. The tell-tale is "Made in Canada" on the cooler or box.

http://www.dana.com/Automotive_Systems/images/PDFs/LNG039_Tru_Cool_2007_B.pdf


+1

GM and many OEM's use this cooler. B&M transmission parts sell this as their premium cooler as well. Very good cooler.
 
I wonder if these would be advised for manual transmissions?
My car has a stock motor oil cooler, and those models of my car that came with an automatic transmission came with an ATF cooler beneath the radiator, but there doesn't seem to be one for manual transmissions. Is this because they are not deemed a necessity? When I drive my car hard through the desert, the transmission heats up to very high temperatures. Would switching to synthetic manual transmission fluid help? I'm using dino-based manual transmission fluid at the moment.
 
No, because a manual transmission doesn't have a pump to circulate the oil through the cooler.

Yes, synthetic of the correct type and viscosity for your transmission.
 
Quote:
BTW, use 2 hose clamps on each line, oriented 180 deg apart.

I would like to know more.

Why 2 hose clamps on each line? Does this mean two clamps on each connection or 4 clamps per hose?

I bought a Long Tru cool model 4454 like this one http://i10.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/f9/bc/6168_1.JPG

and the instructions said NOT to double clamp the connections. Also, the fittings for the hose had a single flare and seemed to be too small for two clamps. The kit came with USA made screw clamps. But I did have trouble with small leak at first. Fixed leak by cutting 1/2 inch at the end of the hose and putting the clamp back slightly away from end of hose.
 
First thing first, dump the existing (old) trans fluid.
Right now I know it has 3 quarts of new ATF+4 in there. My buddy who owns it said he put in 2 quarts while it was still in the pasture before he got it out of there. Then he put another quart in once he was in a more lighted area. The rest may be original.

I have helped them repair the bus before, and it looks like someone did a lot of work previously to keep it running, or make it run better. Now that I think of it I am pretty sure last time I checked the fluid it did not look or smell that bad.

However, I was out surfing the NAPA website today and decided to go over to their store. I picked up a Magnafine transmission line filter, it was $25 but they had it in stock, so no shipping, and I picked up a Napa Gold (wix) fuel filter.

I plan on doing a cooler line flush on Sat to get the old stuff, and some of the junk thats in the transmission, out and new stuff in. While I am at it I will put the transmission line filter on.

If I have time I will also siphon / turkey baster out some power steering fluid and put on the fuel filter on the low pressure return line. I have been reading up on this and it sounds like a great idea.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
I've had good luck with Hayden coolers. The "Rapid Cool" plate type is better than the "Ultra Cool" tube type, but either is FAR superior to none at all:

http://www.haydenauto.com/Featured%20Pro...rs/Content.aspx


Of possible interest for that application is the remote kit- scroll down that page a bit. Its a trans cooler with an integrated electric fan that can be installed somewhere other than in front of the radiator. I'd go in front of the radiator if there's room, though. Less load on the electrical system.





I've had my eye on a similar one from Summit with an integrated fan with a built in 160 or 180 degree thermostat.

I have two of the big 13"x1.5"x13" B&M plate style trans coolers on the GN from back in the day when it had a 3,800 stall convertor and was a daily driver in a very hot summer.

The plate style are far superior in cooler and flow. Just blowing through a tube style and then a plate style will show a world of difference. Size for size the plate style will cool better. On a side note I was test fitting one in the GN, forgot I left it there, and ran over it driving down the street. I was able to put it back into service so I don't think rock damage would ever be an issue.

Most of my coolers come from the junkyards. You wouldn't believe what kind of cooler you can find in the truck and van section for $15. My engine oil cooler came from there, a plate style 13x11x1.5". Of course it got a very thorough cleaning.

The TL has one out of the junkyard from an Explorer. It's a bit smaller but it's all that's needed.
 
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thrace - Since there is no way to know how many connections there are on every trans line for every car, it is obvious I was referring to 2 clamps at each junction.
A barbed fitting would not need 2 clamps, but a plain cut line [like we would see when installing an aftermarket cooler] should use 2. Small clamps are often not round internally, and orienting 2 of them 180 apart guarantees the integrity of the connection.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
thrace - Since there is no way to know how many connections there are on every trans line for every car, it is obvious I was referring to 2 clamps at each junction.
A barbed fitting would not need 2 clamps, but a plain cut line [like we would see when installing an aftermarket cooler] should use 2. Small clamps are often not round internally, and orienting 2 of them 180 apart guarantees the integrity of the connection.


I like using the "fuel injection" clamps sold at most auto parts stores. Just a few cents more than the normal work clamp but they're round, more reliable, and have more clamping force.
 
Junk yard cooler should work great as BuickGN says. GM is one OEM that uses the Stacked plate coolers, sounds like ford does too. The factory one for the Honda Odyssey is also made this way.

If you're doing a junkyard cooler, it wouldn't hurt to plumb a transmission fluid filter in the return line from the cooler to the transmission.
 
I have a Magnefine filter I picked up yesterday that I was planning on installing.

Also, I went by a junkyard that near me and they pulled a Hayden transmission line cooler off a Chevy pick up. $32.50 out the door. It looks like it is all aluminum and makes 6 passes.

The outside of it is clean, but man does the gear oil from an old stick shift stink. I got as much out as I could and then hosed it down inside and out with carb cleaner. I could not see any potential leaks in it, and the front end of the chevy they pulled it looked pretty good.
I imagine that this line cooler has many more years of service in it.

Thank you guys very much for all your replies.
You have helped immensely.
 
Some manuals have built in pumps. Older Jag's and my NP231 t-case has one ..but I've never seen a cooler or a tap to use one.
 
I never looked inside the cab of the junked Chevy. But it had some kind of gear oil in the cooler. So I assume that it was a stick shift. From what I understand a lot of Chevy and some larger fords have extra coolers on from the factory.

Who knows? Maybe the guy junked his truck because he changed out the ATF with gear oil and then it totally ground his transmission to dust. I have no idea.

All I know is that his line cooler is mine. Carb cleaner and a can of air did wonders for cleaning out all the gear oil.
 
Quote:
All I know is that his line cooler is mine.


Yes ..P'WN'D!!
thumbsup2.gif
 
It all works!

Yesterday a buddy and I started taking things apart.

We got the grill off the bus, pulled off the ATF lines from the radiator, drained as much fluid from the transmission lines as possible to figure out the flow.

Then my buddy held the transmission cooler while I ran the lines, cut them to length, then we mounted the cooler with the special mounting bracket/zip ties that are made for this sort of thing.
Note, buy a bunch more transmission cooler line than you think you will need and mount it too the cooler. DON'T KINK THE LINE!
We got it hooked up and looking nice with a Magnefine filter after the cooler on the return line before lunch.

After lunch we dropped the transmission pan. Lots of nasty junk was on the 29 year old transmission magnet. It looked like a fine silver paste (like some anti-seize I have used), but all of it was stuck to the donut shaped magnet in the pan. I cleaned everything out well and added some high temp neodymium magnets that I bought and have been giving to friends for such a purpose. One of the small magnets I added probably has more magnetic force than the larger magnet that was already in there.
Putting the filter and the pan back in place was easy.

The real issue came with the rear differential. We pulled the cover off, cleaned what we could, and only then realized that Auto Zone gave us the wrong gasket.
It turns out that the front end of this bus is a B100 1/2 ton Dodge truck and the back half is a B200 3/4 ton Dodge truck.
We ordered the gasket we needed, but it got in Sunday afternoon, and this bus is used by the homeless ministry on Sunday all day long.
We decided to go with the OEM "Make your own gasket" material. It comes from the factory with only the silicone in a tube stuff. Why not use it again? Red gasket silicone to the rescue!

The bus spent the night in my driveway and this morning the guys picked it up. They called around 3pm telling me that it had an occasional backfire.

I did nothing that would cause that yesterday! So once they got it over to my place and it cooled off we took a look. It turns off that the guys who did the radiant barrier insulation on the engine cover left a bolt sticking out of the insulation from the previous insulation that they peeled off. That stray bolt had knocked a wire to a plug a little bit off and it missed firing every once in awhile.

Once we figured this out I was good to go.
The bus is spending tomorrow here and I will continue to clean it up and replace vacuum hoses and fuel lines as I see fit. There is still some 29 year old fuel line on this thing I want to replace.

Again, thank you guys for your response. I probably added years to this antique bus that the ministry uses. I will keep you guys notified as to what is going on with it.
 
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