Trans/Oil Coolers

[Foreman72]

hey do any of you guys run them in ur chargers? what benefits have u had? or hassles for that matter?

[flyinlow]

I use a large B&M cooler. Trans. fluid is much cooler.    Drawbacks: paying for and installing it. Used metal lines with supports.

[Foreman72]

whats involved with dropping it in...besides the obvious...was it worth it? when u say paying for, is that an ongoing thing? the ones i saw in jegs where pretty inexpensive...not no-names either...

[Steve P.]

A tranny cooler will add life to your transmission. The cost of buying it and the fittings and setting it up are much cheaper than having to do a rebuild.


Most run the cooler apart from the rad. cooler as it just puts the heat back into your tranny. UNLESS you are thinking about putting one on your winter car or truck, I would use the cooler only. Meaning I would bypass the rad. 

[Foreman72]

is it difficult 2 set up/maintain?

[Steve P.]

There is no additional maintenance with a cooler. 

You will have to fabricate some brackets to hold it out in front of your rad. or they come with plastic pull through things that hold it tight to the rad.   I don't care for the tight to the rad. idea. all the vibrating these cars do will eventually just make a hole in the cooler or rad. or both.

[flyinlow]

No drawback to trans cooler.  If you mount it securely and route the lines properly there is little maintenance. Check for leaks occasionally and clean bugs off in the summer. I don't run the trans fluid thru the radiator anymore, just the cooler. Fluid temp. in pan stays below 200 * , usually below 150*
which is good 

[Ghoste]

I can't imagine NOT running one.

[Rolling_Thunder]

when you consider 95% of the problems with autos are related to heat...    no reason not to run a cooler...   initial installation and no further work... 

[A383Wing]

I run just an auxiliary cooler in front of the radiator in the Daytona...I also by-passed the radiator....made my own metal lines and ran them to the cooler from the trans fittings

[Runner]

id like to know what john kunckel thinks about running the fluid through the radiator before the cooler.   if i can, ive always ran it through the radiator then the cooler.   the tranny cooler in the radiator is in the return side its not in 180 degree coolant.

[Ghoste]

I always run it throught the rad and then the cooler as well.  There is such a thing as running an automatic too cool but I can't imagine how it would be done in the typical performance car under it's typical conditions.

[flyinlow]

Took the Charger for a few errands  the other morning. Clear road 7 degrees.

After 30 minutes the trans. temp. finally started to registar, never got over 125* .

446 cu.in. of 10.6 :1 compression- best heater of any car we own.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Took the Charger for a few errands  the other morning. Clear road 7 degrees.

After 30 minutes the trans. temp. finally started to registar, never got over 125* .

446 cu.in. of 10.6 :1 compression- best heater of any car we own.

I'm wondering if TOO cold of tranny fluid is a good thing...    I know engine oil needs to be a certain temp for its viscosity to work effectively...    you know - thin out and get into all the nooks and crannies...       if so doesn't your transmission fluid have to be a certain temp for it to properly function ?

[flyinlow]

I have driven newer cars that won't go into lock-up until the engine reaches a minimum tempurature. I don't know if thats for the engine or transmission's benifit.

One advantage of cooler only set up , is it eliminates any chance of antifreeze entering the transmission. I have seen two cars where a radiator oil cooler leak  allowed coolant into the transmission causing failure.

I did fabricate a cover for my cooler so the fluid would get warm on a cold day. Similar to the cover semi trucks use on their radiators in the winter.
I don't drive very often below freezing, because of the road conditions.

[firefighter3931]

FWIW....i allways run the cooler as a stand alone unit. Creating enough heat in the trans fluid is never a problem....too much heat usually is. 


Ron