Who all use finned transmission coolers?

I'm currently runnin one of these 12'' trans coolers on my model a sedan.Any of you use these,or know if they cool enough.I'm runnin a turbo 350 with a 2200 stall.I just had to have it rebuilt,and want to be shure heat wasn't one of the factors.Any info would be killer

 

I had a similar one from a swap meet, but when I looked up the ad for it, it said "not for street use" I couldn't figure out why, but I didn't want to risk my new trans, so I bought a different style.

 

I don't have any specific knowledge of that style cooler so i can't comment on if it will be enough or not...
The only thing i can say is overkill for a transmission cooler is not possible.
IF you have the room, use the biggest one you can. It's great insurance, and if you do you will never have to ask if it's enough..
Just my 2 cents..

Tony

 

Trust me, get a radiator style with a fan or run it through the radiator. I cooked my SP400 ($700 rebuild) because of two of those.

 

I hear ya I've actually got a cooler in my radiator,but with the way my crossmember is set up,can't figure out a way to run lines without it lookin like ****Is there a specific cooler anyone would reccomend?

 

I have used them on several vehicles with no trouble at all.

 

i run it through an external and the radiators oil cooler, and its works great, but i wouldnt use one of those finned frame rail ones, they probably radiate heat but i cant say how much.

 

I've used the B&M stacked style coolers and never had any overheat issue's with the few auto car's i've built.
That style has been recommended to me by many transmission builders over the years..seemed to be a common reference..as was "use the biggest one you can"
That's what i'm using in my truck now too.

 

You will never know unless you have a transmission temp gauge. Anything else is pure speculation.

I have the exact cooler in your pic in my Model A with a 3000 converter and a blown Pontiac @8lbs of boost. My ****** never gets over 180.

Your mileage may vary... -Abone.

 

THAT is how we learn...I'm actually surprised it work's that well..Good to know.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys,thats why I love this place

 

Abone,do you take it on very lengthy trips,or does that really matter?I'm headin out for Salina friday mornin(about 4.5 hours),and just tryin to cover all bases.I drove it all over last year,as far as 6 hours one way,and never had any trouble,but this whole transmission thing has made me nervious

 

Rearend gearing, whether you have ovedrive/lockup converter or not, and converter stall speed will play into how much of a trans cooler you need.

 

Not shure on rear gear size,but they're highway gears,(not screamin at 70)and I'm runnin a 2200 stall,no lock-up.I know that its pretty vague info,sorry

 

I had used an 18" one and only got about 1000 miles out of pro rebuild.I s****ped it and went to a radiator style cooler and a temp guage runs cool now. Gary

 

I've used Setraub coolers on my last two cars with no problems at all . they're not cheap and are kind of hard to find , but worth it .

 

those finned ones with the inlet and outlet on the same side seems like the inlet would heat up the outgoing fluid right next to it? but then again i never ran one, but have a few friends that have no problems with them...

 

I am using one on my 35 for some time now with a TCI trans and a 2200 stall.

No problems so far. Mounted it to the frame rail not far from the trans.

 

Just my .02
I run 2 coolers myself. One is mounted side to side under the frame just back of the radiator. Gets all the air from the fan. And road air as it goes down the road. It was bought from Summit, Perma Cool. I also have one mounted in the frame with a fan on it for when I cruise around slow.
My HotRod has a 306 SBF and C4 with a 2500 stall B&M converter. These coolers work sooooooooo well that after driving 100 miles you can get out and grab the cooler tube and it is just barely warm !!!

 

I always thought about running two coolers, but wouldent the pump in the ****** have to work harder?? how much would be too much for a stock ****** pump on say a th350?? dont know much about auto trannies just always woundered that.

 

I don't think the ****** cares because the cooler is just a tube with fins on the outside of the tubes to radiate the heat off of. I have used this combo on many cars and my Motorhome.

 

Yep. I drive her every single day and lots of long trips during the year, including a 3000 mile HAMB Drags run in August. The first day of that trip is from S Carolina to the Arkansas/Missouri border, 16 hours.

My converter is locked up at 3000 and the motor turns 3300@ 80mph.

But remember, without a gauge, you are ******* in the wind.

-Abone.

 

I'm a refrigeration man, so I got an old steel cond from a small cooler unit for free and mounted it under the (van) and never had a problem. Also worked well on my AOD in the heat of the Islands. Very easy to hook up, Very efficient, Very cheep. Iceman

 

Did your transmission guy say why the old one failed? Overheated transmissions are fairly obvious to a rebuilder.

FlamedAbone is totally right, without a gauge you're guessing. But one can look at factory applications and get a feel......

Early automatics. No coolers at all.

90% of th350 and 400 apps used only the factory radiator cooler. They didn't go to extra lengths unless it was sold to do towing. The factory's definition of towing was probably around 10K of trailer.

Later model stuff almost always has ****** coolers, but it's not for the reason you think. The engines and coolant run so much hotter for emissions that you really want an aux cooler for the transmission. It's hard to maintain reasonable transmission temps when the "cooling" water is 200 degrees.

I wouldn't have any problem using the cooler you have with a light car and th350 just based on that. Plus you've got an excellent data point from Abone. Good luck!!

 

Local shop swears by them. They however use the one that looks more like a radiator. SRS 70260 on page 75 of their catalogue. 11 in. long X 4 1/2 X 1 1/2 deep.

 

Thanks fellas!!

 

I used the finned unit but only for racing. I never use the radiator tank because I had one rupture and it killed the transmission clutches and since I tow a lot (light duty) I install a large tow package trans cooler and to date never had any type of failure.

 

I run one just like that on my car and drive it all the time no problems. 350 turbo 2500 stall . but that my two cents

 

Just for reference, with the same basic principles.

I've owned a couple of early 911's in my day that were air and oil cooled.
What Porsche engineers did to cool the oil was run about 1" tubing to the right front fender well. In the fender they put a tube trombone loop, Then later went to a 28 row tube style radiator made of br***....this acted like a heat sink and worked pretty well as long as traffic wasn't too much of a problem, and the temps were closer to those in Germany...not as hot as some areas of the U.S.

The pumbing running to the cooler from front to back of the car also disapated alot heat and the front tire spinning at speed acted like a fan.

The flow to the cooler was controlled by a wax themostat... so when the oil got hot enough to melt the wax the oil would start to flow....when it cools the wax hardenes back up again stopping the flow.

The later cars however went to a small radiator in the same location with a fan on a thermostat as the cars picked up more HP, weight and stop and go traffic became more of an issue.

Where you place that finned style cooler and how you plumb it will affect how well it cools quite a bit.
Like was mentioned... A temp gauge is the only way to tell what's really going on.

 

Be careful because there are some aforementioned coolers that have "NOTHING" inside of them to cool the fluid..simply a tube with a fittings on it...i personally prefer the flat serpentine style that goes in front of the radiator.....