Automatic Transmission Cooler

[Paladin06Greg]

Cooling the automatic transmission is not only a good idea for extending the life of your transmission but a cooler transmission means less possibility of slippage which equates to performance.

Now if you're running your SC with the EBC disconnected, like I have now, the cooler is essential in keeping the transmission alive and your car running at its peak.

Hope that helps. I'm sure some really smart guy will drop by for many more technical details.

Hey just curious as to how neccessary the ATC is for the Solara. It seems almost all the charged auto solaras have it on this forum?

-David

[bassthrive]

Does this cooler work alongside the stock atf cooler (a.k.a. radiator) or do you completely bypass the radiator hookups and run the atf cooler alone?

- Paul

[impactX]

Does this cooler work alongside the stock atf cooler (a.k.a. radiator) or do you completely bypass the radiator hookups and run the atf cooler alone?

- Paul

It can go before or after the radiator. I chose to put it after the radiator and then return the fluid to the tranny.

[Paladin06Greg]

The recommended install for my cooler was tranny to cooler then to radiator. It was stated that you should bypass the radiator ONLY if there was a cooling problem in the radiator system.

To each his own. My cooler is placed 5 inches forward of my radiator. That way I'm sure it's in clean air.

[bassthrive]

For mine I plan hook up the flow...

tranny >>> radiator >>> cooler >>> back to tranny

Better heat exchanging I think.

- Paul

[Vi3tT3kNiqz]

is there any purpose to having a tranny cooler on a non s/c solara?

[Yanks0114]

is there any purpose to having a tranny cooler on a non s/c solara?

Not really. It depends on your driving style.

Its an inexpensive mod (~50) to help preserve your tranny, but its overkill unless you really abuse your car or have some added power.

[prowlerartist]

rippmods also sells them

[Vi3tT3kNiqz]

Not really. It depends on your driving style.

Its an inexpensive mod (~50) to help preserve your tranny, but its overkill unless you really abuse your car or have some added power.

sorry but what do u mean by overkill?

[krawzyazn]

is there any purpose to having a tranny cooler on a non s/c solara?

Not really. It depends on your driving style.

Its an inexpensive mod (~50) to help preserve your tranny, but its overkill unless you really abuse your car or have some added power.

thats me over kill red line all the time lol

[JoeB]

Greg, when you hooked up your cooler, you physically have the cooler placed in front of the radiator right? I think you were referring to the physical layout when you said "cooler then to radiator". Do you have the flow setup tranny to radiator to cooler then back to tranny? That would be the recommended way. Some people bypass the ratiator for cooling and only hook it up to the cooler, that is what they are referring to in the instructions. I've never seen any recommendations to go from tranny-radiator-cooler-tranny as far as fluid flow. I just installed mine this weekend. I used the Hayden 678. It's a stacked plate and second to the largest in their line-up rated for class C motor homes and towing up to 5000 lbs. They have the 679 that is a little better but even larger physically. The 678 sounded like over-kill already. -JoeB

[Paladin06Greg]

JoeB,

I got the HEAVY DUTY HAYDEN 1405 TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER 405. Figure A shows the return line from the radiator to the Hayden cooler, then the Hayden cooler to the transmission. That's how my install is. The Hayden cooler is in front of the Air conditioner condensor as this position provides 100% efficiency.

Your thoughts?

Greg, when you hooked up your cooler, you physically have the cooler placed in front of the radiator right? I think you were referring to the physical layout when you said "cooler then to radiator". Do you have the flow setup tranny to radiator to cooler then back to tranny? That would be the recommended way. Some people bypass the ratiator for cooling and only hook it up to the cooler, that is what they are referring to in the instructions. I've never seen any recommendations to go from tranny-radiator-cooler-tranny as far as fluid flow. I just installed mine this weekend. I used the Hayden 678. It's a stacked plate and second to the largest in their line-up rated for class C motor homes and towing up to 5000 lbs. They have the 679 that is a little better but even larger physically. The 678 sounded like over-kill already. -JoeB

[JoeB]

Greg, I don't see 1405 listed in Hayden's catalog. If it's the 405, I see that listed as part of Hayden's Ultra-Cool product line up. The Ultra-Cool are the tube & fin coolers. I'm not a big fan of them because they are less efficient. Taking more space for the same amount of cooling than the stacked plate coolers. Also, the stacked plate coolers are more durable. Especially with the cooler being right up front with no protection. Rocks fly up, bend up the fins and it's even less efficient.

If it is in the "Heavy Duty Oil Coolrs" line, I think those are better. Still tube & fin but I think they are all multi-pass and more efficient than the Ultra-Cools but I still like the idea of the stacked plate better. As far as connections, for best cooling I would want it to go to the radiator first. It will cool it off some but taking it through the aux cooler afterwards will cool it more. If they show it listed aux cooler then the radiator, they might be doing that because of extreme cold weather applications. In the extreme cold the warmth of the water going through the radiator will regulate the temperature of the transmission fluid.

Lots of performance nuts bypass the radiator all together and just go to the cooler. The thought here is it's much more efficient than the radiator and you get the warm fluid out of the tranny, into the cooler and back into the tranny quicker. -JoeB

[Paladin06Greg]

You are correct it reads 1405 - 405 Heavy Duty cooler.

It is tube and fin. I'm not to concerned as I have the wire mesh in my lower grill opening. No stones or rocks will pas through there.

Thanks for all the info..



.

Greg, I don't see 1405 listed in Hayden's catalog. If it's the 405, I see that listed as part of Hayden's Ultra-Cool product line up. The Ultra-Cool are the tube & fin coolers. I'm not a big fan of them because they are less efficient. Taking more space for the same amount of cooling than the stacked plate coolers. Also, the stacked plate coolers are more durable. Especially with the cooler being right up front with no protection. Rocks fly up, bend up the fins and it's even less efficient.

If it is in the "Heavy Duty Oil Coolrs" line, I think those are better. Still tube & fin but I think they are all multi-pass and more efficient than the Ultra-Cools but I still like the idea of the stacked plate better. As far as connections, for best cooling I would want it to go to the radiator first. It will cool it off some but taking it through the aux cooler afterwards will cool it more. If they show it listed aux cooler then the radiator, they might be doing that because of extreme cold weather applications. In the extreme cold the warmth of the water going through the radiator will regulate the temperature of the transmission fluid.

Lots of performance nuts bypass the radiator all together and just go to the cooler. The thought here is it's much more efficient than the radiator and you get the warm fluid out of the tranny, into the cooler and back into the tranny quicker. -JoeB

[noodlerooney]

IMHO the stacked plate design is superior to the tube/fin.
1) SP design allow bypass of fluid when cold. As fluid heats up, more is allowed into unit for cooling.
TF always cooling.
2) SP has no pressure drop as fluid can bypass when viscous(cold).
TF has pressure drop when fluid cold.
3) SP a more rugged/compact unit.
4) SP cheaper price.
I must of researched this for a month before I purchased my B&M stacked plate oil cooler (16KGVW).
I ran the lines on the side of the radiator with foam pipe insulation as protection. I did not like the idea of exposing them to a hangup by going under the radiator.
I used to average tranny fluid temps measured just before the cooler at 210F, but now I usually see 165F (sweet).
Next would be to install a dedicated fan with auto on/off for it, a 6-7 inch should do it.