Aux transmission cooler install Tru cool 40K

[ls1mike]

Usually some chatter here about them for people towing or just adding one for piece of mind. I had an aftermarket one on the truck for 9 years. Went to change the clamped on lines and broke a weld.
So I decided to get a bigger one. I will report the decrease in temps after towing next weekend. Depending on where I am and ambient temps with a gross combined weight of 14200ish to 14500ish I will see temps anywhere from 165 to 180 just cruising on the flats and 190 to 220 when pulling grades or using the go pedal to get up to speed. If there is traffic or I am going slow it takes a lot longer to cool off or will heat up quicker as not as much air flow. Summer it usually hangs around 180 to 190 when towing.

It will get warm enough without a load as today just running around it hit about 125. Torque convertor lockup can occur at about 80ish degrees.
Cooler has a built in bypass (sort of) as the fluid gets warmer more will flow through the main portion of it.
The folks on the GMT 800 board say it is the best upgrade they have made for towing. This is also true of people running other types of tow rigs.
It keeps overall temps lower and cools off hot fluid much quicker.

The new one

The old one

Some install photos.

I was able to use the factory fitting and line from the radiator out to the cooler. I had to cut the return, flare it and used clamps. The old one use clamps for the complete install.

 

[Linctex]

I'd like to buy your old black one in the 2nd picture.

 

[spasm3]

I have the same cooler on my avalanche, its great! I mounted mine with the lines coming off the top, so it would not drain down after shutdown. Hottest temp i've seen towing is around 174f.

EDIT: I don't have the thermostat bypass cooler. Mine is without the thermostat.

 

[4WD]

Sounds like an LPD … I have used a couple smaller versions - well made coolers …

One of the things folks get wrong on these is you have to space it close to the radiator or the fan draw can bypass them and not cool you down at low speed or at rest.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by Linctex
I'd like to buy your old black one in the 2nd picture.

I broke it pulling the hose off.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by spasm3
I have the same cooler on my avalanche, its great! I mounted mine with the lines coming off the top, so it would not drain down after shutdown.

I have seen some folks do that but I have not heard much compelling data for doing it on the 4l80E.
I am excited to see how well it cools the old 4L80E as compared to the smaller one.

 

[DoubleWasp]

GM has forever spaces these things out as far as possible it seems.

On my Roadmaster, I put one like the black one pictured above directly in front of the primary electric cooling fan, in between the condenser and radiator. Traffic, towing, and hard driving at low speeds or traffic has no effect on the trans temps.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by DoubleWasp
GM has forever spaces these things out as far as possible it seems.

On my Roadmaster, I put one like the black one pictured above directly in front of the primary electric cooling fan, in between the condenser and radiator. Traffic, towing, and hard driving at low speeds or traffic has no effect on the trans temps.


Every Aux cooler I have installed has said to put it in front of the condenser and radiator. The black one was superior to the stock GM one. This one should be even better.

 

[Chris142]

Kudos for mounting it with brackets and not those plastic zippy things that ruin the radiator or condenser.

 

[DoubleWasp]

I know, but plenty of OEM applications put them behind the condenser. The knock off of efficiency is minimal. On my Rams, it's behind the condenser and intercooler.

Besides, if some random piece of road debris is going to go through my grille or lower radiator opening and collide with a heat exchanger, I want it to take out my condenser rather than my transmission cooler.

But that's just me. I don't think there a "wrong" way to do it other than putting it behind the radiator.

 

[spasm3]

This is today after a 45 min hwy run at 95deg ambient air temp. Towing my travel trailer, 6200lbs estimated.

Trans temp 155 degrees. Display looks like a digit missing, must be the frame rate of the camera.