Radiator/cooler question

[SasquatchOnDeck]

Looking for trans cooler advice:
So, ive got an 89 1 ton with a 454/TH400. Ive read a lot about high trans temps while towing with this setup, which is a situation ill be in soon. im not sure yet where and how im putting in a temp gauge, but thats not why i'm here.
Last fall i put in a new radiatior, which i was suprised had multiple channels inside, where OEM one for coolant and one for trans fluid, this had a third (for an oil cooler?)
The idea: if i were to run the trans fluid through the third channel, which is currently empty, THEN back to the trans, instead of its current line straight through one channel and back to the trans, could i expect enough of a difference to justify the work done and fittings bought, or will it be so negligible it would be a waste compared to installing a cheap ebay oil cooler to use as a trans cooler?
No clue if it's original or not, but when i removed my grillle today (unrelated, it was peeling chrome. theres a lot happening right now) i noticed a 12-ish inch E fan in front of the AC Condenser, which runs to a dead R12 system anyway... perhaps that would be a better option? Replace this dead AC Condenser with a trans fluid cooler, that already has an electric fan, which i admittedly should have checked to see if it ran, which i'll do tomorrow.

Thanks!

 

[454cid]

The radiator probably has a transmission cooler on the right, and an engine oil cooler on the left. On my 99, the oil cooler uses an o-ring fitting, but the transmission side uses inverted flare, I think.... definitely not o-ring. If I needed additional transmission cooling, I'd use an external cooler plumbed inline with the cooler in the radiator. I think I actually have an external cooler from the factory.... you might look into pulling one from a salvage yard (just clean it out really well). There are people on the forum that have added a factory external cooler. I believe there have been a couple styles used over the years.

My engine oil cooler is not connected to anything. I just left the shipping caps in place, to keep junk out.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

you would be better off installing a cooler like this.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

you would be better off installing a cooler like this.

You must be registered for see images attach

That looks like a standard on my tahoe. Line goes from tranny to left bottom inlet of it,right one leads to top plug into radiator's 5/8(or 3/8) top socket-bottom socket goes back to tranny. It lives in front of radiator and a/c condenser.

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

Looking for trans cooler advice:
So, ive got an 89 1 ton with a 454/TH400. Ive read a lot about high trans temps while towing with this setup, which is a situation ill be in soon. im not sure yet where and how im putting in a temp gauge, but thats not why i'm here.
Last fall i put in a new radiatior, which i was suprised had multiple channels inside, where OEM one for coolant and one for trans fluid, this had a third (for an oil cooler?)
The idea: if i were to run the trans fluid through the third channel, which is currently empty, THEN back to the trans, instead of its current line straight through one channel and back to the trans, could i expect enough of a difference to justify the work done and fittings bought, or will it be so negligible it would be a waste compared to installing a cheap ebay oil cooler to use as a trans cooler?
No clue if it's original or not, but when i removed my grillle today (unrelated, it was peeling chrome. theres a lot happening right now) i noticed a 12-ish inch E fan in front of the AC Condenser, which runs to a dead R12 system anyway... perhaps that would be a better option? Replace this dead AC Condenser with a trans fluid cooler, that already has an electric fan, which i admittedly should have checked to see if it ran, which i'll do tomorrow.

Thanks!

But I understand you have 3rd set of sockets in your radiator you'd like to use for the purpose-I'm curious where did the managed to put it? Pictures?

 

[454cid]

But I understand you have 3rd set of sockets in your radiator you'd like to use for the purpose-I'm curious where did the managed to put it? Pictures?

He's just talking about the oil cooler thats on the left.... his truck wasn't originally equiped with the oil cooler, if I'm understanding correctly. Most aftermarket radiators have it installed as to provide fewer part numbers to service more vehicles.

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

He's just talking about the oil cooler thats on the left.... his truck wasn't originally equiped with the oil cooler, if I'm understanding correctly. Most aftermarket radiators have it installed as to provide fewer part numbers to service more vehicles.

Ah yeah-now I see-I assumed when he was talking about"one for coolant" that he meant "engine oil cooling"-I keep on measuring other trucks by what mine is equipped with.

 

[Dariusz Salomon]

Looking for trans cooler advice:
So, ive got an 89 1 ton with a 454/TH400. Ive read a lot about high trans temps while towing with this setup, which is a situation ill be in soon. im not sure yet where and how im putting in a temp gauge, but thats not why i'm here.
Last fall i put in a new radiatior, which i was suprised had multiple channels inside, where OEM one for coolant and one for trans fluid, this had a third (for an oil cooler?)
The idea: if i were to run the trans fluid through the third channel, which is currently empty, THEN back to the trans, instead of its current line straight through one channel and back to the trans, could i expect enough of a difference to justify the work done and fittings bought, or will it be so negligible it would be a waste compared to installing a cheap ebay oil cooler to use as a trans cooler?
No clue if it's original or not, but when i removed my grillle today (unrelated, it was peeling chrome. theres a lot happening right now) i noticed a 12-ish inch E fan in front of the AC Condenser, which runs to a dead R12 system anyway... perhaps that would be a better option? Replace this dead AC Condenser with a trans fluid cooler, that already has an electric fan, which i admittedly should have checked to see if it ran, which i'll do tomorrow.

Thanks!

So-in light of what 454cid said in previous response,I can tell you now,that using engine oil cooling ports is not that easy,as they use orings to seal. I'm in the process pf replacing my oil cooling lines and my friend has yet to manufacture me a set of flanged pipes bits to simulate original pipes-he did 2 already but he tried to make em a bit smaller for my fittings and he broke one-then changed jobs and waiting for a good moment to make new set. Fitting I'm using for the application and the socket it goes in. Plus you'll need o rings and preferably original ones- gm563015.

 

[SasquatchOnDeck]

But I understand you have 3rd set of sockets in your radiator you'd like to use for the purpose-I'm curious where did the managed to put it? Pictures?

I'll take some when I get home, I know that was a little hard to follow and probably didn't make sense.

Well thanks guys, I had a gut feeling that wasn't really going to be necessary, looks like I'm going to invest in a transmission cooler kit