I was wondering what the process would be to install a trans cooler on my 90 c1500, that does not have one already to my knowledge. It just has the lines running into the rad. And if there are any helpful installation tips as well. And then what does everyone think would be a good “plug and play” rad for this truck? That would boost cooling performance as well? I have also already installed a 180 degree thermostat if that makes a difference as well. Thanks!
Trans cooler and upgrade radiator
- Thread starter Logan R
- Start date
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L31MaxExpress
I'm Awesome
You can put the largest, nicest core radiator on it around, but if you still have the 5 bladed steel finger chopper and a slipping, weak fan clutch it will not matter much. 11 bladed fan for a 99 Tahoe is a direct bolt on to a TBI clutch.
Yea I’ve still got the old fan, but I did replace the fan clutch recently so maybe that would help. Is the Tahoe fan made of plastic? I just don’t like the plastic look much but if it means better performance I’ll do it
Komet
I'm Awesome
Easiest way to add a trans cooler would be to go to a junkyard and get a factory setup with all the brackets and hoses that bolt right up. An aftermarket one will need some way of attaching to the front, and you will need to reroute the fluid to send it to the aux cooler before returning to the trans. You can flare and splice in new hardlines, adapt the existing hardlines to -AN, run everything as -AN end to end, crudely attach hose barbs and run rubber hoses with hose clamps and pretend it's not going to leak, lots of options.
More cooling efficiency, larger radiator capacity, more effective radiator fan , correct ratio coolant.
The colder thermostat is not the way to go, fuel injection, computer controlled, so it always thinking it's too cold, not efficient, not effective. I have 195 thermostat, coming back from Bay area in the San Joaquin valley up and back outside air temp 108. AC on full blast , 75 mph, still 195°.
The colder thermostat is not the way to go, fuel injection, computer controlled, so it always thinking it's too cold, not efficient, not effective. I have 195 thermostat, coming back from Bay area in the San Joaquin valley up and back outside air temp 108. AC on full blast , 75 mph, still 195°.
I know about the thermostat not truly going to help keep it cooler, I just didn’t like how warm it would get with a 195 degree thermostat. Does anyone know of an aftermarket trans cooler that would work well? And what should I do with the holes in the rad that the trans lines previously connected to, a plug?
KEEP the in-radiator trans cooler. You'd be nuts to disable it.
IF (big IF) you need more trans cooling that that--and you probably do not--there's a hundred different OEM and aftermarket solutions you could use. There's three ways to plumb an original, in-radiator heat exchanger plus an additional cooler. In MY climate, I'd route to the external cooler first, then to the in-radiator exchanger, then back to the transmission. The engine coolant will heat the trans fluid in the winter so the trans warms-up quickly in the cold.
MOST folks go to the in-radiator exchanger, then to the add-on cooler, then back to the trans.
A few folks use "Tees" so that some fluid goes to the in-radiator exchanger, some goes to the add-on cooler, and both return fluid back to the trans.
"I" would get used OEM components from the Treasure Yard, and flush the cooler and hoses before installation.
IF (big IF) you need more trans cooling that that--and you probably do not--there's a hundred different OEM and aftermarket solutions you could use. There's three ways to plumb an original, in-radiator heat exchanger plus an additional cooler. In MY climate, I'd route to the external cooler first, then to the in-radiator exchanger, then back to the transmission. The engine coolant will heat the trans fluid in the winter so the trans warms-up quickly in the cold.
MOST folks go to the in-radiator exchanger, then to the add-on cooler, then back to the trans.
A few folks use "Tees" so that some fluid goes to the in-radiator exchanger, some goes to the add-on cooler, and both return fluid back to the trans.
"I" would get used OEM components from the Treasure Yard, and flush the cooler and hoses before installation.
Put a 195 thermostat back in. How "warm" did it get? Do you need actual cooling-system repairs? Problems with the way the engine runs?
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It would get right at 195 every time, cooling system worked just fine I just don't like it running at 195 as i feel it doesnt leave me much of a grace period in case something gets hot. And I want to put in a trans cooler because I hear these 700 r4's and the 4L transmissions need as much help as they can get, escpically with them not handling harder shifts very well and having not much cooling help from the rad. I was thinking on getting a Hayden rapid cool, with a thermal bypass so it would open like a thermostat when extra cooling was needed. So I would route my line from the output on the rad to the external cooler then to trans, to me the way you said Shurkey I feel that would almost omit the external cooler since it would hit the rad after being cooled and then just warm back up to the current coolant temperature. But I also could be wrong.
L31MaxExpress
I'm Awesome
SBC engines have Zero issues running 230 to 250F as long as they have coolant in them. The cars that had OE electric fans do not even turn them on until 220-230°F. Power will suck, but they red band on the temperature gauge does not start until 260°F.
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So I know I'm no artist but here's what I was thinking may work for what I want. I am looking at getting a Hayden Rapid cool with thermal bypass, which is like a thermostat for the cooler. The fluid flows as listed:
Out of the trans (hot) to the external cooler, if the fluid is too cold yet it will travel right back into the trans through a tee fitting. If warm enough it flows into the external cooler through the tee after the thermal bypass opens, then through the radiator and then back into the trans. I think this in theory would work as I live in a colder climate as well, at least in the fall thru spring time mainly. If you have any oppositions Shurkey I would like to hear them, the only thing I wanted to do was run to the radiator first then the external cooler, but it makes sense to try to get the trans fluid warmed up when cold out. I just feel like for some reason putting fluid through the external cooler than the radiator would warm the fluid up a little, which is what I don't really want. If it makes a difference I do not plan to run my truck out when there is snow and salt on the ground, as that stuff really eats away steel. But obviously in the midwest cold days happen when there isnt snow on the ground as well.
Out of the trans (hot) to the external cooler, if the fluid is too cold yet it will travel right back into the trans through a tee fitting. If warm enough it flows into the external cooler through the tee after the thermal bypass opens, then through the radiator and then back into the trans. I think this in theory would work as I live in a colder climate as well, at least in the fall thru spring time mainly. If you have any oppositions Shurkey I would like to hear them, the only thing I wanted to do was run to the radiator first then the external cooler, but it makes sense to try to get the trans fluid warmed up when cold out. I just feel like for some reason putting fluid through the external cooler than the radiator would warm the fluid up a little, which is what I don't really want. If it makes a difference I do not plan to run my truck out when there is snow and salt on the ground, as that stuff really eats away steel. But obviously in the midwest cold days happen when there isnt snow on the ground as well.
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