Remote transmission filter newbie questions

Originally Posted by Zahndkile
I just recently replaced my 2002 chevy tahoe transmission and would like to make it last. I am planning some cooling system upgrades and thought i might add a remote spin on filter.
My question is would an engine oil filter be a good choice for a remote transmission filter?
The filter i had in mind is Mobil M1-206a or equivalent Purolator boss.
The reason i chose those filters is that they are my engine oil filter of choice and they are included in the 5qt sales on M1 oil that i use. My engine uses more than 5 qt per change so i double up and get 10qt and 2 filters for less than the usual price for the oil alone. So i have a spare filter that could be used on the transmission.
Efficiency for the M1 filter is listed as 99%+ @ 30 micron.

It will work fine. I use motor oil filters on all My transmission cooler return lines.
If you blew the cooler out or replaced it it's best to put the filter before the cooler if not definitely plumb it on the return side from the cooler outlet to at pan.
 
Originally Posted by Zahndkile
Has anyone here tried putting good magnets on the outside of an oil filter to catch metal sludge? That way you could reuse the expensive magnets but still get the benefits of the magnet in a canister set up?

Button magnets between the inlet holes of the oil filter work well and catch metal directly in the flow.
 
Originally Posted by SubieRubyRoo
Cdn, you do realize that is essentially just an advertisement for NTZ, written by an NTZ employee, correct? If there had been other filters, such as in-line or other brands of bypass filters, it may give more sway. But AFAIAC, that article is 100% ad. No comparisons, no measurement of at what point the contamination caused a failure, just "Buy NTZ because it keeps the oil clean!"

I do appreciate the effort in finding the article, but as someone else stated, a majority of what ends up in the fluid is magnetic, and that's likely why you see nearly all OEMs skip the filter and stick one or more magnets in the pan. The metal sludge will cause more wear and havoc to the steels and valves than the detritus from the clutch packs.


Of course I realize that it was co-authored by the president (at the time) of NTZ (along with a Ford engineer). I also realize that the date of that SAE paper was quite a while ago. Having said this:
- I am not a shill for NTF (the current Co.); use whatever quality filter you care to (if you subscribe to the practice of using a bypass filter);
- I also put in a snip re an alternative filter arrangement by AMSoil;
- The point, here, is to super-filter the oil using a bypass arrangement... and you can get any make you like... but the one indicated is 2 microns of filtration;
- A bypass filter is not full-flow, of course, but the magnets in the pan (though good) are much less to be able to pick out debris (it seems to me);
- The steel pistons in the aluminum valve body bores (which we all want to protect from premature wear) probably become more worn with steel debris versus clutch wear debris (likely non-metallic) - but still, superclean fluid to the 2 micron value obviously gives longer life before a hydraulic abnormality occurs. That is why I like a bypass filter.

YMMV... do what you feel you need to. Me I like this arrangement.
 
I will probably end up just doing it. I still have to sort out mounting and such. But i have 1 more question. I have been trying to decide how to plumb my cooler. I am leaning towards using a permacool item# 1070 oil thermostat setup to bypas the auxiliary cooler when the fluid is cool to ensure proper warm-up. My transmission builder ses it is not necessary. But i like everything overkill and i am aiming for improved fuel economy. Do the engineering experts of BITOG think there may be any advantage to running an oil thermostat? I am not too worried about the extra fail point or over complicating things as long as there are theoretical advantages. I also plan to do an electric fan swap and have the transmission temp trigger the low fan speed along with AC and engine temp. I like to complicate things. :)
 
If you want complicated, I will tell you what I would do:

Use the stacked-plate cooler, in a downstream-of- in-radiator tank cooler;

Plumb it with an inlet block valve and in outlet block valve and a bypass.... so that for wintertime use, you do NOT go thru the aux cooler.. but you want to "block and bleed" it... so that thermally, locked-in fluid does not overpressure it.

Remove pan from A/T ... and have a welder with a reputation weld on a bung.. to accept a temperature switch that will motivate your rad fan. You could use the same one as for radiator cooling or for AC... but you need a relay in there so that either a signal from engine coolant, or a signal from AC or a signal from your ATF overtemp... can kick on the fan.

Do NOT place the ATF temp sensor in one of the cooler lines... as what you want to sense is ATF bulk temp. They have proven that sensing in a line is 'way different from sensing in the pan of the A/T.... hence the need for the bung and the temp switch.

Be SURE that you do all of this in a manner that loose brush or road debris cannot rip off the temp switch or any of the bypass filter. It has to be mechanically robust or you are really looking for headaches.

We often as wannabe automotive engineers do not consider all of the ways that our "improvements" could go south. Mechanical strength, shielding, super-hose quality, etc... is very important.

If you want to slip a hose over a cut (steel) transmission line... you NEED to bead the line!
 
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
If you want complicated, I will tell you what I would do:

Use the stacked-plate cooler, in a downstream-of- in-radiator tank cooler;

Plumb it with an inlet block valve and in outlet block valve and a bypass.... so that for wintertime use, you do NOT go thru the aux cooler.. but you want to "block and bleed" it... so that thermally, locked-in fluid does not overpressure it.

Remove pan from A/T ... and have a welder with a reputation weld on a bung.. to accept a temperature switch that will motivate your rad fan. You could use the same one as for radiator cooling or for AC... but you need a relay in there so that either a signal from engine coolant, or a signal from AC or a signal from your ATF overtemp... can kick on the fan.

Do NOT place the ATF temp sensor in one of the cooler lines... as what you want to sense is ATF bulk temp. They have proven that sensing in a line is 'way different from sensing in the pan of the A/T.... hence the need for the bung and the temp switch.

Be SURE that you do all of this in a manner that loose brush or road debris cannot rip off the temp switch or any of the bypass filter. It has to be mechanically robust or you are really looking for headaches.

We often as wannabe automotive engineers do not consider all of the ways that our "improvements" could go south. Mechanical strength, shielding, super-hose quality, etc... is very important.

If you want to slip a hose over a cut (steel) transmission line... you NEED to bead the line!

I couldn't have written it better. That spells out my exact plans. It will take me a while to design and acquire all the parts and when i do i want it to be tough and effective.
One more question. Any recommendations on braided line? I am hoping my local orileys can make the hoses but i dont know what hose they can get. I may have to use a hydraulic shop to make my lines.
 
I know little about braded lines. For me, I would simply ensure that the hose product is name-brand, suitable for ATF specifically, and has the appropriate temp and pressure rating. All attachments to the hose should be strain-relief variants... no sharp edges, etc. I would get a tubing beader from Graham Tool to bead my cut lines... and I would use Oetiker two-ear ear-clamps.

One alternative MIGHT be to solder-on a brass ferule onto the OD surface of the tubing. Not sure about this, though, as to adhere properly maybe it'd have to be silver-soldered, versus a lower temp process. You'd have to investigate this well, to ensure it is reliable.

Oetiker Ear Clamps.JPG


Beading and Bulging - 2.JPG


Beading Tubing Soldering-On a Ferule.JPG


Graham Tool - 1.jpg


Graham Tool - 2.jpg


Parker Beading Tool.jpg


Beading Tubing Soldering-On a Ferule.JPG
 
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Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
I know little about braded lines. For me, I would simply ensure that the hose product is name-brand, suitable for ATF specifically, and has the appropriate temp and pressure rating. All attachments to the hose should be strain-relief variants... no sharp edges, etc. I would get a tubing beader from Graham Tool to bead my cut lines... and I would use Oetiker two-ear ear-clamps.

One alternative MIGHT be to solder-on a brass ferule onto the OD surface of the tubing. Not sure about this, though, as to adhere properly maybe it'd have to be silver-soldered, versus a lower temp process. You'd have to investigate this well, to ensure it is reliable.

That gives me some good ideas. I do a lot of silver solder/brazing in my line of work so i could probably manage but i like the idea of invert flare fittings also.
 
Not sure how well inverted flare fittings would work with that size and type of tubing. Brake lines... yes. Thin, bigger dia. stuff...? Also could use Swagelok or Parker compression fittings if you like.
 
I just redid my OEM AT cooler by adding another OEM style Dorman cooler next to it. I used single flare. the tubing is aluminum and flares and bends easily. You dont need inverted flare for this. You dont need double flared tubing except for brake lines (high pressure safety issue)
blocked the thermostat closed in the old cooler, new cooler as is.

You want bend steel tubing, fill it with sand.
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1622208058914.jpg
 
I added a remote filter to my 1997 K1500 5.7 with the 4l60e. It has 310,000 miles on it with original transmission. I think adding a remote filter is an excellent idea to extend the life of an auto trans.
 

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